Justice Scalia Blagojevich Obama, Blagojevich appeal response due by February 19 in US Supreme Court, No Scalia to respond, Has protecting Obama reached a new high?
Why did Patrick Fitzgerald and the US Justice Department wait until December 2008 to arrest Rod Blagojevich?”…Citizen Wells
“I believe I’m more pristine on Rezko than him.”…Rod Blagojevich
“Regardless of how this plays out, it benefits Obama. If there is no appeal or the appeal is denied, Blagojevich will be sequestered. If the appeal proceeds, it could drag out beyond impacting the 2012 election cycle. The intent is obvious.”…Citizen Wells, July 19, 2011
As reported at Citizen Wells, a response from the US Supreme Court on the Rod Blagojevich appeal is due February 19, 2016.
“The US Supreme Court website reveals the following status of the Rod Blagojevich appeal:
| No. 15-664 | ||||
| Title: |
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| Docketed: | November 19, 2015 | |||
| Lower Ct: | United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit |
| Case Nos.: | (11-3853) |
| Decision Date: | July 21, 2015 |
| Rehearing Denied: | August 19, 2015 |
| ~~~Date~~~ | ~~~~~~~Proceedings and Orders~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
| Nov 17 2015 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due December 21, 2015) |
| Dec 16 2015 | Order extending time to file response to petition to and including January 20, 2016. |
| Dec 21 2015 | Brief amici curiae of Current and Former Elected Officials, et al. filed. |
| Jan 7 2016 | Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including February 19, 2016. |
http://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docketfiles/15-664.htm
An amicus brief was filed on December 21, 2015 by attorney Alan R. Friedman on behalf of Current and Former Elected Officials, et al.”
“From the brief:
“Summary of Argument
Amici urge the Court to grant the writ on the first
question presented by Petitioner in order to address an
issue of national importance. Although amici take no
position on Mr. Blagojevich’s innocence or guilt on any
of the counts of conviction, they submit that this Court’s
guidance is needed to distinguish the lawful solicitation of
campaign contributions from criminal violations of federal
extortion, bribery, and fraud laws.”
A Justice Scalia position in 1998 affected the Blagojevich trial.
From the American Spectator.
“BLAGOJEVICH AND SCALIA”
“A federal jury convicted Governor Rod Blagojevich yesterday of one single count, remaining undecided on the other 23. And for that one guilty charge, we can thank Justice Scalia.
No, Justice Scalia had nothing to do with the Blagojevich case. But in a way, he had everything to do with it.
Governor Blagojevich was convicted of making false statements to federal agents. He told the FBI that he did not track campaign contributions and kept a “firewall” between his campaign and his official duties as Governor. In other words, federal agents asked him if he broke the law — and just like any child who is caught with his hand in the cookie jar — he said “no.”
Before 1998, this decision might have been different. Until then, federal courts routinely excused people for what they called the “exculpatory no.” If a federal agent came to your house and asked if you did something illegal, and you said “no,” you were off the hook for making false statements.”
“Brogan argued that a defendant had to be excused for his denial to federal agents because the spirit of the Fifth Amendment would be violated when someone is “cornered” and given a “cruel trilemma”: tell the truth (and admit guilt), remain silent, or lie (and falsely deny guilt).
Scalia snapped back, saying lying is not an option. An innocent person, after all, would not face the same trilemma. The innocent person only has two options: tell the truth or remain silent.”
Read more:
http://spectator.org/articles/39072/blagojevich-and-scalia
From the Washington Post December 7, 2009.
“Supreme Court to take up corruption law”
“At issue is the law’s language that it is illegal for public or private employees to “deprive another of the intangible right of honest services.” The flexible standard has been part of the law for more than 20 years, but lately it has been subject to a slew of contradictory lower-court rulings and criticism, not the least of which has come from Justice Antonin Scalia.
Last term, in dissenting from his colleagues’ decision not to review the law, Scalia said the provision “invites abuse by headline-grabbing prosecutors in pursuit of local officials, state legislators and corporate C.E.O.’s who engage in any manner of unappealing or ethically questionable conduct.”
He said the assertion that “officeholders and employees owe a duty to act only in the best interests of their constituents and employers” was so loose it could be construed to “cover a salaried employee’s phoning in sick to go to a ballgame.”
Apparently, the court took Scalia’s alert to heart, accepting appeals for two high-profile convictions in the corporate world and the case of an obscure Alaska lawmaker.”
Read more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/06/AR2009120602390.html
And now we have a decision affecting the prison sentence of Blagojevich and ultimately Obama, and no Justice Scalia to speak up.
What a curious time for Justice Scalia to die of “natural causes.”
Citizen WElls 
“STATEMENTS FROM THE SUPREME COURT REGARDING THE DEATH OF JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA
Statement of Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.:
On behalf of the Court and retired Justices, I am saddened to report that our colleague Justice Antonin Scalia has passed away. He was an extraordinary individual and jurist, admired and treasured by his colleagues. His passing is a great loss to the Court and the country he so loyally served. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife Maureen and his family.
Statement of Justice Anthony Kennedy:
In years to come any history of the Supreme Court will, and must, recount the wisdom, scholarship, and technical brilliance that Justice Scalia brought to the Court. His insistence on demanding standards shaped the work of the Court in its private discussions, its oral arguments, and its written opinions. Yet these historic achievements are all the more impressive and compelling because the foundations of Justice Scalia’s jurisprudence, the driving force in all his work, and his powerful personality were shaped by an unyielding commitment to the Constitution of the United States and to the highest ethical and moral standards.
In the fullness of time Justice Scalia’s beautiful family will be sustained by the force and dynamism of his intellect and personality, attributes that were so decent and so powerful; but now they mourn. We give them assurances of our deepest sympathy and our lasting friendship.
Statement of Justice Clarence Thomas:
Justice Scalia was a good man; a wonderful husband who loved his wife and his family; a man of strong faith; a towering intellect; a legal giant; and a dear, dear friend. In every case, he gave it his all to get the broad principles and the small details right. Virginia and I are deeply saddened by his sudden and untimely death. Our prayers and love go out to Maureen and the Scalia family. It is hard to imagine the Court without my friend. I will miss him beyond all measure.
Statement of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg:
Toward the end of the opera Scalia/Ginsburg, tenor Scalia and soprano Ginsburg sing a duet: “We are different, we are one,” different in our interpretation of written texts, one in our reverence for the Constitution and the institution we serve. From our years together at the D.C. Circuit, we were best buddies. We disagreed now and then, but when I wrote for the Court and received a Scalia dissent, the opinion ultimately released was notably better than my initial circulation. Justice Scalia nailed all the weak spots-the “applesauce” and “argle bargle”-and gave me just what I needed to strengthen the majority opinion. He was a jurist of captivating brilliance and wit, with a rare talent to make even the most sober judge laugh. The press referred to his “energetic fervor,” “astringent intellect,” “peppery prose,” “acumen,” and “affability,” all apt descriptions. He was eminently quotable, his pungent opinions so clearly stated that his words never slipped from the reader’s grasp.
Justice Scalia once described as the peak of his days on the bench an evening at the Opera Ball when he joined two Washington National Opera tenors at the piano for a medley of songs. He called it the famous Three Tenors performance. He was, indeed, a magnificent performer. It was my great good fortune to have known him as working colleague and treasured friend.
Statement of Justice Stephen G. Breyer:
Nino Scalia was a legal titan. He used his great energy, fine mind, and stylistic genius to further the rule of law as he saw it. He was man of integrity and wit. His interests were wide ranging as was his knowledge about law, this Nation and its Constitution. He loved his family. He also loved ideas, music, and the out of doors. He shared with us, his colleagues, his enthusiasms, his humor, his mental agility, his seriousness of purpose. We benefitted greatly. His contribution to the law was a major one. Our hearts go out to Maureen and his family. We have lost a fine colleague and a very good friend. We shall miss him hugely.
Statement of Justice Samuel Alito:
Martha-Ann and I are deeply saddened by the terrible news. Nino was a remarkable person, and I feel very honored to have known him and to have had him as a colleague. He was a towering figure who will be remembered as one of the most important figures in the history of the Supreme Court and a scholar who deeply influenced our legal culture. His intellect, learning, wit, and memorable writing will be sorely missed, and Martha-Ann and I will deeply miss him as a friend. We will keep Nino, Maureen, and their family in our prayers.
Statement of Justice Sonia Sotomayor:
My colleague Nino Scalia was devoted to his family, friends, our Court, and our country. He left an indelible mark on our history. I will miss him and the dimming of his special light is a great loss for me. My thoughts are with Maureen, his children, and his grandchildren.
Statement of Justice Elena Kagan:
Nino Scalia will go down in history as one of the most transformational Supreme Court Justices of our nation. His views on interpreting texts have changed the way all of us think and talk about the law. I admired Nino for his brilliance and erudition, his dedication and energy, and his peerless writing. And I treasured Nino’s friendship: I will always remember, and greatly miss, his warmth, charm, and generosity. Maureen and the whole Scalia family are in my thoughts and prayers.
Statement of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (Retired):
I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Justice Antonin Scalia. Nino was a tireless public servant who left an indelible mark on the Court and on our jurisprudence. His gifts of wisdom, wit, and wordsmithing were unparalleled, and he will be sorely missed.
Statement of Justice John Paul Stevens (Retired):
Nino Scalia was a good friend, a brilliant man with an incomparable sense of humor, and as articulate as any Justice who ever served on the Court. He has had a major impact on the development of the law, and earned the respect of all his colleagues. We will all miss him.”
http://www.supremecourt.gov/publicinfo/press/pressreleases/pr_02_14-16
Scalia and Thomas were really the last two Constitutional supporters on the court. Scalia, probably the last to really attempt to address what the founding fathers had written, what it meant at the time, and how it should be ‘interpreted’. Thomas, a man of fewer words, also followed in his thinking. Now, we enter the world of Justice legal advocacy and politically charged interpretation of the Constitution. This will inevitably lead to larger big brother, a larger police state, fewer rights, and likely the destruction of the concept of ‘god given rights’ and ‘private property’.
How Scalia died, and my beliefs as to why, will be irrelevant historically, even if he was murdered. Scalia death will be noted many years from now, along with the election of Obama, as the time when a great Republic fell. There will be no Presidents after Obama, only more and more corrupt ‘leaders’ who can silence any critic with blackmail or ‘heart attacks’.
Restoration of the Jewel of history, a democratic republic, will be left to those who have grown tired of tyranny and wish to create their own futures. Those who wish for Socialism will never reach that goal
Pete………
Very well said. I would be remiss if I didn’t add that I too am totally heartsick resultant of Scalia’s death. This means that now the SCOTUS will become another useless AYE AYE SIR entity, and led by a Captain of IMMORALITY.
Pete………
……….I strongly suspect that Soetoro will indeed attempt to appoint another Justice during the Congressional recess. This does and end run around Congressional confirmation, and you can rest assured it will be somebody whose vocabulary contains only TWO WORDS………”YES SIR”. I hasten to add that I would expect the appointment to be somebody whose plane of discipline is parallel with that of Loretta Lynch. There is already two SCOTUS justices appointed by Soetoro, who are carbon copies of Lynch. When Soetoro has finished STACKING THE DECK at SCOTUS, the house will always be the winner no matter which game is being played.
Pete…….
…………..I believe there is plenty of justification for people to believe that Scalia may have been “McDougalised”. At the same time he might very well have suffered from a host of medical problems, as his doctor allegedly stated, which finally became more than he could bear. Either way it is a HUGE loss to Conservatism. I seriously doubt that there will ever again be a justice whose very life revolves around the Constitution, as was the case with Scalia. As time passes all we will have is Constitutional INTERPRETERS who will TWIST, BEND, AND/OR REWORD LAW TO SUIT THE CASE……..AT WHICH POINT WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF THE LINE.
oldsailor83,
I agree, we don’t know what precipitated the loss of Scalia. We DO know that he will be a huge loss to those whom believed in the Constitution. I cannot argue that it will be ‘interpreted’ from a current political standpoint, and not as intended historically, from now on. Those that celebrate Scalia’s death clearly do not understand that he spent his entire life protecting their right to do so, as ironic as it seems.
Pete
Pete………
………very well said, and for once I have nothing to add!
HINT…HINT…nothing to see here folks….move along now.
http://dcwhispers.com/justice-scalia-dies-at-ranch-resort-owned-by-democrat-party-donor-obama-award-winner/
It has been long-standing policy for the Obama administration to grant presidential awards to those who are among the president’s most prized political donors.
It was Poindexter who reportedly was among those who initially discovered the Justice’s body, and who then coordinated with local officials to have Justice Scalia declared dead via a phone conversation with the area medical examiner – but without an actual medical examination of the body.
Mr. Poindexter was also said to be the primary point man between the ranch location and federal authorities who were notably slow to arrive on scene.
To date, there is said to have been no request for an autopsy even though initial reports suggest the Supreme Court Justice was found with a “pillow over his head” and had died alone in his room without any apparent witnesses. Scalia was described as having been in good spirits in the hours prior to his death.
War is once again brewing in D.C., and Barack Obama is reportedly thrilled over it.
Read more at http://dcwhispers.com/barack-obama-thrilled-over-justice-scalias-death/#oklMHfsoOt7rQg6s.99
Read more at http://dcwhispers.com/justice-scalia-dies-at-ranch-resort-owned-by-democrat-party-donor-obama-award-winner/#Eui0yYEp31EDftsi.99
Is this an OPEN ADMISSION by Michelle Obama that her marriage is LGBT
Here is her Valentine Day card to Barack….You read, You decide.
From: Michelle Obama
Subject: Love is love
Date: February 14, 2016 at 5:39:06 PM EST
Friend—
Every year on Valentine’s Day I can’t help but think back to my first date with Barack.
I had been reluctant to go out with him, but he was persistent, and I eventually said yes.
We took a walk through the gardens at the Art Institute in Chicago, saw “Do the Right Thing,” and went out for ice cream (he was really trying to impress me).
It took some convincing, friend, but I’m so glad I went on that date.
I simply cannot imagine my life without the unwavering love and support that has defined our marriage, and I’m so glad that we have finally achieved marriage equality, affirming, as Barack put it in his inaugural address, that “if we are truly created equal, then the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.”
But the fact is that too many people in the LGBT community still face harassment and discrimination because of who they are or whom they love.
That’s unacceptable. It’s simply not who we are as Americans.
OFA is one of the groups fighting for full equality for all Americans—regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Add your name to say you’ll join the fight.
I’m going to keep speaking out against discrimination because LGBT Americans deserve the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.
I hope you’ll stand with me and OFA in continuing this mission—add your name today:
With love,
Michelle Obama
http://canadafreepress.com/article/the-bed-time-stories-spun-by-the-obamas-true-life-nightmares
democraps are coming together like a pack of vicious dogs, snarling and snapping, and lashing out with their demands for what they want to happen in order to advance the destruction of America, and usurp SCOTUS, with yet another appointee by the usurper Barry, from Kenya.
I saw a video of Hilliary, screaming at the top of her lungs about how the usurper should be allowed to pick the SCOTUS nominee before the usurper’s term is over!
Why wouldn’t Hilliary want to reserve that choice for herself?
I’m thinking they both know they are in deep trouble with the law, and need to control the SCOTUS ,to be in their favor ASAP, before the hammer drops on their RICO.
Making more popcorn!
Nuff’ said……..
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