links for 2010-03-03

But Steven Lubet of Northwestern University said no recusal was required. “Ms. Fiorina’s connection to the case was far too remote to trigger the disqualification statute,” the law professor said.

Dillon and Cannon report that Lerach wanted to raise the alleged conflict as part of a further appeal but that his law partner, Melvyn Weiss, quashed the idea. “If we do, we’ll trigger a firestorm of resentment from judges,” Weiss said, adding that Sneed had ruled favorably to the firm in other cases.

Neither Lerach nor Weiss are in much of a position to be lecturing others on their ethical standards these days. After a long-running federal investigation, both men pled guilty to obstructing justice by concealing secret arrangements to pay legal fees to plaintiffs in securities cases.
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BS from convicted felon attorneys.

John Edwards will soon be indicted by a federal grand jury, the National Enquirer reports.

The tabloid has basically owned the Edwards scandal beat since it first reported his affair with Rielle Hunter. The pending indicted, they report, will stem from an improper use of campaign funds to pay Hunter.

And in a soap opera twist, Elizabeth Edwards may in fact testify against her estranged husband.
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Who is your daddy?

Sen. Tom Harkin told POLITICO that Senate Democratic leaders have decided to go the reconciliation route. The House, he said, will first pass the Senate bill after Senate leaders demonstrate to House leaders that they have the votes to pass reconciliation in the Senate.

Harkin made the comments after a meeting in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office including Harkin and Sens. Baucus, Dodd, Durbin, Schumer and Murray.

When asked whether the leaders had made the decision, Durbin said: "We are moving ahead with a version of the health care reform bill that we believe has a good chance of passing both the House and the Senate."

He then put the onus on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to signal whether she can provide enough votes to pass the Senate bill, followed by a package of fixes through reconciliation.
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And, the Democrats will OWN Obamacare

Tonight, Barack Obama will host ten House Democrats who voted against the health care bill in November at the White House; he's obviously trying to persuade them to switch their votes to yes. One of the ten is Jim Matheson of Utah. The White House just sent out a press release announcing that today President Obama nominated Matheson's brother Scott M. Matheson, Jr. to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
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Apparently so….disgraceful….