Federal Judge Extends Voter Registration Deadline Due to Hurricane Matthew
A federal judge ordered the voter registration deadline to be extended contrary to the Governor’s wishes due to the impact of the hurricane on Florida citizens. District Court Judge Mark Walker stated that “This case is about the right of aspiring eligible voters to register and to have their votes counted. Nothing could be more fundamental to our democracy.”
Disregarding Reality
The Republican party nominee for President doubled down on his claims that the Central Park Five were guilty, despite the well-reported fact that they were innocent. Mr. Trump continues to assert that they are guilty and used it to differentiate himself from Mrs. Clinton. Mr. Trump refuses to acknowledge his error.
Does Everyone Deserve the Right to Counsel?
Donald Trump and other Republicans have criticized the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, for her defense of an accused child rapist. Mrs. Clinton was appointed to represent the defendant by the judge in that case. While the facts of the case are appalling, it begs the question whether such criticisms are valid. It brings to mind the rejection of the well-qualified Debo Adegbile for leading the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division in 2014 for his defense of convicted murderer. Anyone familiar with the Constitution and rules of ethics knows that there is a right to an attorney and a duty to represent one’s client zealously.
Profiling
The Council on American-Islamic Relations has filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation over the removal of Khairuldeen Makhzoomi from a Southwest Airlines flight after a fellow passenger overheard him speaking Arabic. The group alleges Southwest Airlines violated a U.S. law prohibiting air carriers from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex or ancestry and calls on the U.S. Department of Transportation to “hold Southwest Airlines accountable for their actions against Makhzoomi,” according to a CAIR press release.
Public Spaces
New York Civil Liberties Union is looking into a new ban of sitting on the sidewalks in Saratoga, New York. The NYCLU stated that, “Courts have long recognized the importance of public streets and sidewalks as forums for free speech and peaceable assembly, and this ordinance infringes on those fundamental rights. Homelessness is a tragedy, not a crime. We are looking into the situation.”
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