Zimmerman Case - New Bail Set At $1 Million

George Zimmerman will be released with a new bail set at $1 million.

Here is the court order with its reasoning. [More at the Orlando Sentinel.]

The gist - under the Florida constitution Zimmerman is entitled to reasonable bail, and that right was not lost by his participation in the deception for which his wife has bee charged with perjury.

Judge Leter identified a flight risk based on the second passport and the undisclosed cash:

"Although there is no record of flight to avoid prosecution, the Court finds that circumstances indicate that the defendant was preparing to flee, but such plans were thwarted."

Well - since bail has been set, I doubt that finding will ever be litigated or appealed. There are a lot of specific conditions as to Zimmerman staying in Seminole County and checking in every 48 hours which may be problematic if his life is still endangered by the mobs.

MORE: Here is Reuters coverage, which includes this:

Circuit Judge Kennedy Lester said the higher bond amount was necessary to ensure Zimmerman would show up for trial on second-degree murder charges.

"The increased bail is not a punishment; It is meant to allay this court's concern that the defendant intended to flee the jurisdiction and a lesser amount would not ensure his presence in court," Lester wrote in his eight-page order.

The judge imposed numerous restrictions. He said that if released from jail again, Zimmerman must submit to electronic monitoring, remain in Seminole County, stay away from the Orlando-Sanford International Airport, refrain from applying for a passport or opening or maintaining a bank account, avoid alcohol and obey a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

This strikes me as a bit of a BS ruling - was Zimmernan really on rthe verge of becoming an International Man of Mystery? - but it will give the judge better street cred when he finally rules that the state has not overcome Zimmerman's self-defense claim.

 

 

Comments

[cboldt]

Not my idea, but somebody remarked that Zimmerman thwarted his own plan by giving up the passport and money.

The opinion is not a good example of logical thought. Lester is exercising his pique.

[GMAX]

Zimm puts up $100K and his donations are more than that so it costs him nothing and he is now free to wander the Earth, with restrictions of course.

[NK]

Flight Risk?-- I think cboldt (and TomM earlier this week) are right, Lester is a PO'ed judge getting back at GZ's being disingenuous about the money in April. 'Flight risk' is a convenient way to up the Bond.

[Frau Pfui!]

This stinks almost as much as Cleo.

[dublindave]

Zim bail set at one million-which begs the question;will African-American children who reside in the general are where George Zimmerman is staying have to comply with an early curfew for their own safety?

Some in the pro-Zimmerman camp will j'accuse me of being hyperbolic and to be honest,they're not far off the truth.But if a man who hunts African -American children at night and forces them into a corner where they have to defend themselves uses that defence to justify murdering them is out on the street and up to his old tricks......following an scaring kids at night....then we as a scoiety have a duty to respond and prevent him from stalking our young ones.

If you see George Zimmerman following black children report him to local authorites

[NK]

Lester is PO'ed-- really PO'ed, GZ has no personal credibility with Lester. Honestly, IMO there's no way Lester grants immunity.

[Have Blue]

Anyway,two tidbits my source just gave me;Pawlenty just got the nod from Rom bot to be his VP-ZZZZZZ. Rom bot made the decision last night.Also,Zimmerman bond is denied.Technically this is not news as he told me this last week but he's a little confused as to why Judge is taking a week to make the announcement.Something's cooking behind the scenes,he's not sure what it is.

Posted by: DublinDave | July 04, 2012 at 10:58 AM

Proven wrong on his second prediction from his magic ass pull source the very next day.

Any guess how long before he is proven wrong on Pawlenty?

[MarkO]

More hostage taking in Florida.

[dublindave]

Proven wrong on his second prediction from his magic ass pull source the very next day.

Proven wrong on second prediction?Interesting.I've only made three-one was Roberts upholding ACA and the other was Zimm bail denied.The third is a pawlenty VP pick.

I think my source is doing pretty good.

[Frau Pfui!]

OT - Via Insty.
I guess we know why Henry "I was born to investigate" Waxman didn't go after this culture of corruption.

"“There is no question, in retrospect, that Franklin Raines was the cause of much of his problems,” Mozilo wrote in a 2005 e-mail after an accounting scandal led Raines to step down from Fannie Mae. “His arrogance and his total lack of sensitivity to the world around him was at the root of all that you read today.”

Nonetheless, Countrywide gave Raines five VIP loans, the report said.

“Even as Countrywide’s CEO Mozilo mocked Fannie Mae and top executives for its crony capitalism business model, he would nonetheless personally intercede to ensure executives had access to discounted Countrywide loans,” Issa said in the statement. “These relationships helped Mozilo increase his own company’s profits while dumping the risk of bad loans on taxpayers.”

Washington-based Fannie Mae and McLean, Virginia-based Freddie Mac were taken into conservatorship by the U.S. government in September 2008 after purchases of risky loans almost pushed the companies into insolvency. Since then, the two taxpayer-owned companies have received almost $190 billion from the U.S. Treasury."
LUN

[wetmore333]

No, the judge did not believe Zimmerman was a "flight risk." This was his way of avoiding expressing the thought that Zimmerman didn't want the judge to know about the fund, for fear that he would expropriate it as bail money. That would in turn require the judge to explain how he comes by the idea that donations collected to defray legal and living expenses can properly, by judicial fiat, be converted to bail money. He did accuse Zimmerman of obtaining a lower bail by not disclosing the fund, no? Awfully magnanimous of him, though, only to take 50% of said donations. So look at it this way, donors: 50 cents on the dollar is getting through. Unless, of course, the prosecution petitions for an upward adjustment.

[twitter.com/apple4ever]

"Some in the pro-Zimmerman camp will j'accuse me of being hyperbolic and to be honest,they're not far off the truth.But if a man who hunts African -American children at night and forces them into a corner where they have to defend themselves uses that defence to justify murdering them is out on the street and up to his old tricks......following an scaring kids at night....then we as a scoiety have a duty to respond and prevent him from stalking our young ones."

Well, when you make up BS like he was hunting children- instead of defending himself from a large teenager beating his head in- what to you expect?

[Jim,MtnView,Ca,USA]

Way off topic, does your spell checker want to change "enviros" to "enviers"?
My iPod autocorrect does.

[matt]

some thoughts on the President's casino betting on the future. LUN.

[Extraneus]

What's with the alcohol restriction? I don't get it. Do people wearing ankle-monitors often skip bail and successfully argue drunkenness in defense?

[NK]

OT-- Glenn reynolds linked to the below link of Nigel Farage calling out the EuroCrats as frauds. Faraage notes that the Euro Socialist blame their economic disaster on the USA, meanwhile the USA Socialist In Chief blames Europe. Priceless: http://theothermccain.com/2012/07/04/in-the-radar-world-nigel_farage-is-what-you-call-unfiltered-video/

[Frau Spielkasino]

matt - Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the "Betting" carp being served up by the preezy. What happened to that winning "Forward" slogan?

[Porchlight]

I've only made three-one was Roberts upholding ACA and the other was Zimm bail denied.The third is a pawlenty VP pick.

Still waiting for you to find the comment where you predicted Roberts would vote to uphold and the decision would be 5-4.

[Danube of Thought]

The Florida judiciary has not covered itself wlith glory in recent years. A mix of the corrupt and the hinky-dink.

[MarkO]

Florida. And I thought that odd things happened only in the courts in Pasco County, where I heard banjos.

[cboldt]

I can clearly recall following the Bush v. Gore case, reading FL statutes and coming to understand the legislating scheme of allowing enough time for various "steps" of a possible challenge to a ballot count. More time being allowed for later steps, as the arguments become more complex (taking time to present to a court), and the remedies my be more time consuming.

I was at first shocked that the Florida Supreme Court just blew off the statutory scheme by isolating a couple of statutes from the statutory election contest system, and concluding that an intermediate deadline was movable by the court. More time for the easy step, less time for the hard step.

Anyway, I just assume courts are corrupt, after that. Trusting in the system is for chumps.

[robert wallis]

"but it will give the judge better street cred when he finally rules that the state has not overcome Zimmerman's self-defense claim."
no way the judge just showed he is going to do all be can to see that GZ is convicted, the judge has not shown he is unbiased

[cboldt]

I agree that this isn't a function of "street cred" or throwing a feint in one direction while planning an objective review in the future.

Lester has made up his mind, and it's bad news for Zimmerman. Good thing the legal system has appeals, and hopefully O'Mara knocks off the milquetoast. I think he's fine to keep the calm demeanor, but he needs to challenge everything.

[Thomas Collins]

I have this nightmare vision. Obama at the casino in the back room playing poker with Val Putin, Hu Jintao and Mohammed Ali Khamenei. Three level headed, vicious thugs and a wannabe playa who thinks his tony private education, chooming with his gang and Chicago machine experiences translate to real international politics poker cred and ability.

I need an Advil.

[NK]

cboldt -- honestly GZ is alot better off than many Florida self-defense defendants. He'll be out on a bond he can afford and he has a fine lawyer who'll present his SD caim to a jury. No he won't get immunity, GZ blew any chance at that when he sat there and let his wife lie to the court. But in many other Florida SD cases, the defendants sat in prison for well over a year while the court considered their immunity motion, and they finally won immunity. GZ will be out and assisting in his defense. Why is he some kind of martyr?

[Thomas Collins]

Now Obama has finished his poker game, and is now engaged in a game of blackjack with Lieutenant-General Zaheerul Islam, new head of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence.

Time for another Advil.

[centralcal]

Mike Allen ‏@mikeallen
siren: @MittRomney campaign obliterates fundraising goals, raises over $100m in JUNE, best month so far (record: Obama raised $150m in 9/08)

I blame SCOTUS and Obamatax!

[Danube of Thought]

And the Lakers get Steve Nash. Will Dwight Howard be next?

[pagar]

"raises over $100m in JUNE, best month so far"

Raises all that money and wipes out his whole campaign.

memeorandum:
Wall Street Journal:
Romney's Tax Confusion

[Extraneus]

Justice Dept. used research by Dem 'agent' to build case against Texas voter law, rep claims

According to Perez's letter, the Justice Department based its decision to block the law on "the state's own data" -- data handed over by Texas months earlier after the department requested more information. But hoping to bolster its upcoming case in court, the Justice Department recently submitted a report from Harvard University political science professor Stephen Ansolabehere – who used the Washington-based firm Catalist for information.

In his letter to Holder on Thursday, [TX Rep. Lamar] Smith took direct aim at that firm, citing a "conflict of interest."

"Though Catalist is technically a private, for-profit company, it is really an agent of the Democratic Party," Smith wrote. "There is at least the appearance that, rather than election laws that protect Texans' right to vote in a secure and fair election, Catalist might prefer that Texas’s election laws favor Democratic Party candidates."

In fact, Catalist's client list posted online features prominent liberal and Democratic causes, including Obama's election campaign (though it’s not clear whether the work was for the 2008 or 2012 campaign, or both), the Democratic Governors Association, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the American Civil Liberties Union, NARAL - Pro-Choice America Foundation, and the Texas Democratic Trust.

In his letter, Smith called Catalist "an explicitly partisan operation founded, run, and staffed by dedicated Democratic activists," noting that Catalist’s president is "a key player in the Democratic Party."

Smith asked Holder to "vouch for Catalist's non-partisan independence and reliability," and if Holder can't do so "then I request that you drop the Department’s objections to Texas’s voter identification law."

[daddy]

Racine Recount update:

The Dem winner accuses the Repub's of "insulting Racine with allegations of Voter Fraud" and calls on the Repubs to concede the Election. The Repub has until 10 JUly to decide if he wants to file a challenge.

[pagar]

"and if Holder can't do so "

Who would believe a person was already "in contempt?"

[henry]

Daddy, the best part is the guy claimed it was unfair to voters in District 21, which no longer includes Racine. His very existence is an insult to those of us who actually live and vote in District 21. We'll know Wanggaard's decision by next week.

[daddy]

Thanks for that bit Henry.

Listening to a few clips of Lehman he comes across as a nasty piece of work.

[NK]

Henry-- I hope he goes to court. Conservatives should use every chance to expose Lefty voter fraud-- even if it doesn''t change a particular election outcome.

[Chubby]

I would think that publically disclosing the geographical borders of his bail is a bit reckless and adds to Z's endangerment, as well as to both his and his wife's fear. Especially since mug shots of his wife have gone public in the meantime.

[Extraneus]

Against his attorney's advice...

Minnesota man accused of hiring hit man apologizes

"I didn't want to hurt her," said Ericson, who posted $250,000 bail. "I wrecked that relationship. I didn't want to do that."

In April, Ericson met with an undercover officer posing as a hit man at an area casino, the report said. The two met three more times in the parking lot of a liquor store, and all the conversations were captured in audio and video recordings.

In those conversations, Ericson allegedly wavered between wanting to have his ex killed or kept hostage as a sex slave. Pine County Sheriff Robin Cole said Ericson also wrote down his plans.

"He had detailed plans of what he wanted done to this woman, and it's -- it's perversion," Cole said.

[Chubby]

the lefties developed their "culture of corruption" slogan and strategy over so much less. Then again, slogans are the left's specialty. They do slogans far better than they do governance.

[narciso]

From the excerpt in this link, paging Kafka;

http://legalinsurrection.com/2012/07/zimmerman-bail-set-at-1-million/

[dublindave]

"I've only made three-one was Roberts upholding ACA and the other was Zimm bail denied.The third is a pawlenty VP pick."

"Still waiting for you to find the comment where you predicted Roberts would vote to uphold and the decision would be 5-4."

Kudos to you for making me wade through tons of right-wing garbage just to extract a reference to the outcome of the SC decision.

As I stated last week,when my source told me that Zimmerman's bond was denied,he also threw in a caveat explaining that there's something unusual going on behind the scenes,something that he wasn't privy too.He's still unsure as to what transpired.Anyway,here;s the Roberts quote;

Posted by: dublindave | June 25, 2012 at 12:56 AM ON "THE SUNDAY MORNING THREAD"

"Rick,I'm fantasizing about Justice Thomas.."

In a black see-through robe and a pair of red stiletos,no doubt.Is he slowly shaking his hips from side to side with one finger dangling from his lower lip?

Perv.

Rest assured,my source(who wants to be reffered to as deep-ass because of that one ti-oh never mind)tells me that Roberts is the deciding vote that upholds the law.

Relax,it's either an individual mandate now or a public option in 15 years.It's one or the other,there's no in-between(and no,taxing the richest one per cent of Americans less wont lower health care costs or expand coverage).

[Lea]

avoid alcohol

The hell? That can't be a normal bail requirement can it? I think if I were on trial I would want lots and lots of alcohol.

[Danube of Thought]

Small wonder a guy who hates the U.S. would welcome Obamacare with hosannas in the highest.

[pagar]

"Conservatives should use every chance to expose Lefty voter fraud-"

This is the last chance to challenge the leftist voter fraud before the Nov elections.

I urge that every effort be made to stop the fraud.

[Chubby]

unfortunately for Z. the momentum of goodwill toward him is damaged by this, which will also deter donations to his defense fund. Evidently this judge can be as harsh as he was, at first, compassionate.

[NK]

Artur Davis-- this guy makes more sense every time I read his quotes. he sounds like me 20 years a go: http://washingtonexaminer.com/artur-davis-stars-at-virginia-romney-campaign-event/article/2501395?custom_click=rss

[daddy]

"This is the last chance to challenge the leftist voter fraud before the Nov elections.

I urge that every effort be made to stop the fraud."

I'm with you Pager and NK and Chubby.

I hope Waangaard is listening. I want this pushed hard.

Wisconsin just went thru 2 years of the biggest, most expensive mass public whining about Elections in US History, and if this obvious case of Election Fraud is not investigated because one creep Dem and the local papers scream about it, we as Conservatives will be capitulating all over again to just what got us into this mess in the first place. Let's get to the bottom of the Fraud and get folks under oath and find out what the heck happened, so that there are consequences and it quits happening all over again.

[NK]

WAY WAY OT-- what is going on in TomM's neighborhood in 2012? First the NYC Cab fight with the MS Banker over a fare; and this week a home pool drowning and a car downing a utility pole electrical box. Strange days.

[Jane - talk is cheap!]

NK,

Most of us don't know where TM's neighborhood is, and I assume he wants to keep it that way.

[Red]

"I would think that publically disclosing the geographical borders of his bail is a bit reckless and adds to Z's endangerment, as well as to both his and his wife's fear. Especially since mug shots of his wife have gone public in the meantime"

All part of forcing Zimmerman to take a plea. Next step may be releasing his address to the public.

[NK]

Daddy-- obviously I agree- one thing though: exposing the fraud won't stop it. Voter fraud has been part of the Dem Party playbook since the 1850s Irish Immigration. The names and faces of the fraudsters change, but the fraud remains the same.

[Extraneus]

Let's get to the bottom of the Fraud and get folks under oath and find out what the heck happened, so that there are consequences and it quits happening all over again.

Wasn't this the real reason Bush fired the US Attorneys?

And has any private citizen has done more to expose voter fraud than this guy?

Since we launched our Voter Fraud series in January, Project Veritas' work has resulted in state legislatures in two states passing voter ID legislation.

The same guy who exposed the corruption at ACORN and Planned Parenthood and NPR.

The man's effort deserves support.

This has been a public service announcement.

[Sara]

Wall Street Journal:
Romney's Tax Confusion

The only people who seem to be confused are the media. , but Jan Crawford seems completely clueless and confused.

The gist, Mitt agreed with the SC dissent and not with CJ Roberts, however now that the Court has spoken and called it a tax, then it is a tax. How stupid do you have to be not to understand what Mitt Romney is saying? They are running around like chickens with their head cut off and calling Romney a flip flopper because he is telling it like it is, even as he makes it clear that he does not like or agree with how it is. In the end, however, the SC has ruled and they supersede his personal agreement or likes.

I've watched that clip a 1/2 dozen times and for the life of me can not understand what is confusing to Crawford or to the likes of Fox and Friends, who never miss an opportunity to skew Romney any way they can.

[narciso]

Iglesias, in particular, was very insistent on not prosecuting voter fraud, or the corruption case against Richardson, yet he was painted as a hero.

[Sara]

How very strange, not only is the paragraph with the link missing, but part of another paragraph.

Here is the video clip.

[pagar]

"The names and faces of the fraudsters change, but the fraud remains the same. "

I really believe the Racine fraud story being kept alive as we get closer to the Nov elections might scare the fraudsters just a bit. We're not talking about something two or four years off, but something only 4 months away. Especially if someone gets fired or charged with a crime, people will remember, IMO.

[Ignatz]

--The gist, Mitt agreed with the SC dissent and not with CJ Roberts, however now that the Court has spoken and called it a tax, then it is a tax. How stupid do you have to be not to understand what Mitt Romney is saying?--

Agreed Sara.
I though what he said was not only easy to understand but quite logical and compelling.
Considerably more so than the assorted idiotic statements from Barry's camp of cretins.

[NK]

Pagar/Daddy-- for 2012 I agree. Exposing Racine Fraud will deter WISCONSIN fraud in November 2012, because they are being watched. Alas, the fraud will carry on in North Philly, Chi Town Southside, Raleigh-Durham, Dade County, Cleveland, Newark and urban aras in every close state. Repubs have to win those states outside the margin of fraud.

[jimboster]

Ok, according to some Florida legal expert, GZ only has to come up with 10% of the bond, but has to be able to pledge $900,000.00 worth of collateral in order to be released- so he won't be released.

[Extraneus]

If Romney wins, he could do a lot worse than to give the new AG an order to prioritize vote fraud as Job #1. Then the career corruptors would have to resort to insubordination, and the consequences.

I would recommend the Bill Clinton approach of asking for the resignations of all US Attorneys as well.

[narciso]

'It's just a travesty of two mockeries of a sham' when the NBPP put up a bounty, when Spike Lee and Roseanne threatened his parents,
where was justice, a rhetorical question,

[Manuel Transmission]

As a followup from yesterday's festivities:

For me, at least this may be a once in a lifetime event -- having a full moon rise right where the fireworks across the channel were planned.

glasater, per your comment yesterday about sun dogs: a sun dog is a 'primary' rainbow that appears adjacent to the sun as opposed to the normal one we think of with the sun over our shoulder. I had the rare privilege of seeing a double pair of sun dogs flying over northern NM some years ago. We were in thin, diffused clouds above a strong inversion layer that caused the upper, normal pair to be reflected in an invisible mirror below us.

Also, I think dogs are normally related with ice crystals instead of rain.

[GMax]

has to be able to pledge $900,000.00 worth of collateral in order to be released- so he won't be released.

That is where the bail bondsman comes in. He will bond out.

[narciso]

He's starting to act like that squirrel in Ice Age, tenuously holding on to that acorn, against all common sense,

http://www.gallup.com/poll/155513/Americans-Economic-Harm-Good-Health-Law.aspx?ref=image

[Jim Eagle]

And Lester isn't even up for election this year. This is only part 1 or 2 of the Tragic-Comedy known here in central Florida as Casey Anthony redux. There will be no Immunity hearing and if there is one, Lester is too much a political coward to make the decision. Nope, as I have said repeatedly, this goes to a jury to decide. No one else has the cajones and if it goes to jury then O'Mara or his successor better be great at getting change of venues.

The only venue where GZ has a chance is The Villages:)

[Jim,MtnView,Ca,USA]

Even if the cost is "only" ten per cent, that's a hundred thou that goes to waste. For a guy out of a job and all, it's real money.

[Ignatz]

--I had the rare privilege of seeing a double pair of sun dogs flying over northern NM some years ago.--

Mmmm, dogs.

Hey somebody has to do the 'stuff Barack almost said' thing while Hit's on vacation. :)

[centralcal]

So, today, Obama says "the law I passed is here to stay."

He passed? He passed?

[Extraneus]

The guy who should have been president.

Fred Thompson:

The Roberts Opinion

In 2005 I was asked by the Bush administration to assist Judge John Roberts during the Senate confirmation process for his nomination as chief justice of the United States. Over several pressure-packed days, and throughout the confirmation process, I felt I got to know him fairly well. I found him to be one of the most brilliant, thoughtful, and humorous people I’d ever met. Those qualities don’t always go together. It was clear he was going to be a major right-of-center voice on the Supreme Court for decades to come. So it is with a great deal of personal interest that I have considered his opinion in Sebelius and the commentary that has followed.

The rest is worth reading if you're not sick of the subject yet.

[Captain Hate]

I would recommend the Bill Clinton approach of asking for the resignations of all US Attorneys as well.

I remember the only paper that took note of that was the WSJ, who also admitted that it was perfectly within his right to do so, no matter how sketchy it might look. I don't recall the same level of tolerance shown to GWB when he sought to do the same to a mere subset of said attorneys.

[jimmyk]

But in many other Florida SD cases, the defendants sat in prison for well over a year while the court considered their immunity motion, and they finally won immunity. GZ will be out and assisting in his defense. Why is he some kind of martyr?

We don't know whether those other cases were close calls, but in this case GZ should not even have been arrested, and wouldn't have been but for the race-baiters. As it is, he's out of a job, in hiding, in fear for his life, and still facing the possibility of a trial with community pressure for his head. Those other SD cases can get on with their lives. GZ's will never be the same, and it's all politics and mob tactics, like the Salem witch trials.

[MarkO]

Not sick of the subject, unless the subject is Roberts. The Dread Pirate Roberts.

[jimmyk]

He passed? He passed?

Maybe he meant that as a metaphor, as in kidney stone.

[narciso]

His evasions, have awarded him the title of Vizzini, the only worse example is Sotomayor's concurrence, which was a tautology, because many things are regulated, this should be

[Extraneus]

Bill Kristol:

The economy is of course important. But voters want to hear what Romney is going to do about the economy. He can "speak about" how bad the economy is all he wants—though Americans are already well aware of the economy's problems—but doesn't the content of what Romney has to say matter? What is his economic growth agenda? His deficit reform agenda? His health care reform agenda? His tax reform agenda? His replacement for Dodd-Frank? No need for any of that, I suppose the Romney campaign believes. Just need to keep on "speaking about the economy."

[Chubby]

I can hear it in techno:

pass this bill, pass this bill, pass this bill, I passed, I passed, I passed, this bill, pass this bill, I passed, I passed, this bill, pass this bill, pass this bill, pass this bill, I passed, I passed, I passed this bill, this bill, this bill, I passed, I passed, pass this bill, I passed ... etc etc

[pagar]

""If Mitt Romney loses his run for the White House, a turning point will have been his decision Monday to absolve President Obama of raising taxes on the middle class,"
Sara, IMO, a great many People believe what the WSJ says
unless it is strongly repudiated. I don't see the Romney campaign strongly attacking the issue. If we can't convince the American public that Obama and the rest of the Obama regime is using the Obama tax to totally destroy the middle class of America, what issue are we going to use defeat Obama?

Issue after issue seems to have no effect on the ordinary voter. Many don't seem to care about lies, fraud, etc. But I believe that most American voters do care about money being taken away from them.

Here's a complete rip off of every American who needs any medical device.

http://atr.org/obamacare-excise-tax-medical-devices-patients-a7023?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AmericansForTaxReformRssFULL+%28Americans+for+Tax+Reform+FULL+CONTENT+RSS%29

What is this obscene Obama tax fraud scam to be used for?
"The tax was enacted to help fund the $1.76 trillion in new spending authorized under Obamacare, and it will actively undermine production of and improvement on medical devices which are crucial to patient outcomes.

We need the Romney campaign to spend 24 hrs a day telling the American voter that American needing medical care will get less,
much less under the Obama Tax fraud scam.

[Captain Hate]

Those other SD cases can get on with their lives. GZ's will never be the same, and it's all politics and mob tactics, like the Salem witch trials.

Then it's up to us to help put Angela Corey's professional career in the toilet from this point on. Same for that spineless pinworm Scott.

[Extraneus]

I don't recall the same level of tolerance shown to GWB when he sought to do the same to a mere subset of said attorneys.

I know you know this, but it'll be a lot easier to do it right from the get-go. The Romney people can simply point to Clinton's act and let the Democrats spew.

"I checked the record, and I'm sorry I missed it if you did, but I didn't find any evidence that you objected when Bill Clinton did the same thing. Did you object?"

[cboldt]

On the "firing" of US attorneys, all presidents fire "all" of them at the start of the their first terms. GWB did, as did Clinton, and others going back to Reagan.

What GWB's administration did that was different was move to fire a handful (what was it, 12 or 13?) at the start of his 2nd term. This move was out of the ordinary. Another thing that made it out of the ordinary is that we don't know, I think to this day, who ordered the firings.

Anyway, not to beat that horse to death, but Tony Snow pointing out that Clinton fired all of them was brilliant, because nobody ever asked if GWB fired all of them too (why yes, he did!)

Use the Nominations Search Tool at the US Library of Congress to compare ...

• US Attorneys Confirmed by the Senate Under President Clinton
  
  
  • 103rd Congress: 87
    
  • 104th Congress: 4
    
  • 105th Congress: 18
    
  • 106th Congress: 14
  
  
• US Attorneys Confirmed by the Senate Under President Bush
  
  
  • 107th Congress: 84
    
  • 108th Congress: 14
    
  • 109th Congress: 26
    
  • 110th Congress: 13
  
  

[NK]

JimmyK-- I don't want to recapitulate the discussions of April about GZ as unique victim-- but I would like to remind you about the 60+yo Tallahassee woman who was in prison over 2 years waiting for her immunity hearing/finding of SD for shooting a large man attacker in her own kitchen. IN HER OWN KITCHEN. There, the State's only evidence of murder 2 was that she cocked the pistol hammer twice and pulled the trigger twice. That was it-- it took her 2 years to get out of prison. GZ is no unique case-- you want to call him a martyr-- fine-- but if you do, you have to take up the cause of alot of Florida 'overcharge' Murder 2 cases, and you may not like alot of those martyrs.

[narciso]

The problem was that thanks to 'Jiminy Cricket' Jeffords, W was forced to put forward US Attys that would pass muster with Leahy, that's the subtext, as they say,

[NK]

cboldt-- 2nd term firings? the strong inferential evidence is that Rove was pushing some young future Repub politicians on the AG to hire in order to jump start their political careers with a US Atty slot. Nothing illegal or even immoral about that. Of course, nobody wanted to admit to it, and maybe fall into a lying to Congress rap.

[pops]

So where is the Republican bill in the house, proclaiming that illegal aliens who free load at emergency rooms muct pay a 2,000 dollar tax.

In addition, if you are in the coutry illegally, thats fine, send the IRS another check for 2,000 dollars for each family member.

How could the Democrats argue that the 'penalty' they put on Americans is wrong for illegal aliens?

[Captain Hate]

Cheney gave the best thumbnail appraisal of Leahy.

[narciso]

By comparison, Clinton's appointee for the Southern District of Florida, Kendall Coffey, had no prosecutorial experience, and it showed
when he failed in a major drug conviction, (the defendants had bribed the jury) and he didn't take it at all well.

[Extraneus]

Thanks for the link, cboldt. I didn't remember Bush firing them all, and I'm glad to learn that, but I only see 18 in a 1999-2000 "United States Attorney" search at the nominations site. This link says there are 93 in all. Is there a better way to see that Bush nominated 93, or did he only replace and therefore only have to nominate 18?

[Jane - talk is cheap!]

Jim,

He gets the money back when he shows up.

I would recommend the Bill Clinton approach of asking for the resignations of all US Attorneys as well.

One of Romney's weaknesses as gov is he failed to clean house.

[centralcal]

One of Romney's weaknesses as gov is he failed to clean house.

Well, I sure hope that was a lesson learned and not one he will repeat as President.

[Jane - talk is cheap!]

I wouldn't bet money on that CC - I'm not sure he even noticed.

Pagar,

I'm not willing to ponder this being the end of the Romney campaign. I think its an issue of timing. I think Romney is waiting until after the Olympics to come out with his plans for his presidency. I have no evidence to back that up, it's just what I assume.

[narciso]

The details of that incident, are at the end of that list

[Sara]

I read something the other day that said 93 out of 93 US Attorneys self-describe and donate as democrats/liberals. Get rid of all of them.

[Extraneus]

Well, I sure hope that was a lesson learned and not one he will repeat as President.

I'd be he has. It's not something you normally have to do in private business, because most people there have no problem getting with the program.

[narciso]

No, it was an 'unforced error' as I would think appearing on the 'Daily Trainwreck' is a a general rule, one learns from such experiences.

[Sara]

I don't see the Romney campaign strongly attacking the issue.

My God, it was a National Holiday. He gave a strong, no nonsense response and now he is back on the campaign trail and you can bet he'll be pounding his message.

I know as well as anyone how biased the media is, but I was flabbergasted yesterday to see them lie and then twist the context of remarks to favor Obama and try to make Romney look weak on the issue. Fox being the worst of all. It sickens me and not just because I'm a Mitt supporter.

[Extraneus]

Sobbing woman thanks Obama for health care law

I know most people here read the Drudge headlines, but Sandusky, Ohio? Does anyone there take a shower with the door unlocked?

[narciso]

Here are more serious consequences, of course, the subsidies will not fully cover
the extra expense. the states incur;

http://althouse.blogspot.com/2012/07/what-happens-if-states-turn-down.html

[Danube of Thought]

Althouse, quoting one Michael D. Tanner:

"'[I]f a state doesn't expand its Medicaid program, most of those who would've been eligible for Medicaid will now become eligible for subsidies through ObamaCare's health-insurance exchanges. And those subsidies are paid in full by the feds.

"'Thus, New York, for example, would shift most of that $52 billion in new costs back to the federal government.

"'Of course, if states do shift those costs back to the feds, that will cause the federal cost of ObamaCare to skyrocket. If every state were to refuse to expand its Medicaid program, the feds would save roughly $130 billion in their share of Medicaid costs in 2014, but would have to pay $230 billion more in new exchange-based subsidies — for a net added cost of $100 billion. And that's just for the first year...

"'ObamaCare gives the feds the authority to step in, setting up and operating an exchange in any state that doesn't set up its own... [But f]ederal subsidies are available only through exchanges that the states set up. The feds can't offer subsidies through a federally run exchange.

"'Thus, if states neither expanded Medicaid nor set up exchanges, that would effectively block most of ObamaCare's new entitlement spending.
Given the potential for chaos in the Obamacare scheme if the states decline to participate, it's surprising that Justices Breyer and Kagan went along with the Chief Justice's opinion on the spending power.  The original legislation had the states locked in, because they'd lose all their Medicaid funding if they didn't participate. That was held to be coercive, and thus not supportable by the spending power, which requires that states be given a choice whether to run federal programs and accept various related conditions. Under the Court's ruling, the states only lose the funding for the expansion of Medicaid, which makes it possible for them to say no, as many seem to be doing.'

"There's an elaborate set of moves in the future, and I wonder how far ahead the Chief Justice looked when he chose his position. Perhaps Obamacare is doomed by the seemingly modest, miminalist hit it took on the spending power issue. But wouldn't Breyer and Kagan have seen ahead too? Why did they join him? I'm not ready to give him genius points for skillful playing of the long game."

[RichatUF]

Ex-

I'm sick of it, but it is Fred Thomson, so I'll put it on the pile for tonight's reading.

the thought that Zimmerman didn't want the judge to know about the fund

From above: Especially since his wife testified about it at the first bond hearing and the state could have called the relative who was handling the funds? Curious way "to hide" it.

JiB-

Parts of Brevard-Vierra? They've got the Broward-Dade GAMEOVER garbage collecting on their streets too.

[Carol Herman]

RIIGHT. And, if this unemployed guy can come up with a million dollars, the flip side is that everyone in his community will hate him. (Because he "found" a million dollars by blogging through PayPal.)

Why hasn't O'Mara asked for another judge?

And, why hasn't Zimmerman found a better defense attorney?

[Carol Herman]

As to Anthony Kennedy, he blew his reputation! Why? Well, he wrote an opinion and he forgot ANSWER THE QUESTION!

Basically, that's why Kennedy blew it! That he can say the "dissent is unsigned?" So what.

All that you can say about the dissent is that it didn't mention PLASTIC REINDEER.