Day: August 13, 2008

Gratuity can get you appointment as "ambassador" – Moultrie got one to Bureau of Prisons

I’m having the hardest time wrapping my arms around “gratuity” as a crime – that puts me in the good company of Dr. Marty Wiseman, director of the Stennis Institute at Mississippi State University, according to the Daily Journal (h/t folo and deep bow to Dr. Wiseman for the laugh)

Longtime Mississippi political observer Dr. Marty Wiseman expressed surprise at the new charge, saying access is “the reason most people give political contributions” of any substance.

“If this is all there is,” he said, referring to the government’s case, “it’s kind of like the country song I Shaved My Legs for This?.”

I haven’t had my hair done (read the lyrics) but I had thought about going up and blogging the trial – but after the pleas, I’ve given more thought to the powerful and unique argument in former Governor Siegelman’s appeal.

Every President who has ever appointed a contributor as Ambassador to France, every Senator who has ever exercised the Senatorial prerogative of putting forward a nominee for the United States District Court after such person supported the Senator’s campaign, every Governor and state Legislator, every Mayor and City Council member throughout the nation, and indeed every constituent of every such person, needs to know here the line is drawn between politics and crime. And the line must not be subject to the whim of prosecutors. Continue reading “Gratuity can get you appointment as "ambassador" – Moultrie got one to Bureau of Prisons”

ACC not proximate cause of "peace of mind"

When they come up with an on-line 12-step program for bloggers, I’ll be signing in with a my name is nowdoucit and I google – and, suppose I’ll be required to admit that I went on an ACC binge after Proximo post this comment responding to my mention of the ACC clause in a post I put up today.

To win this argument one has to believe the insurer’s “sneaked” this language into the policies when AG Hood and others weren’t looking or that it is sooooo very deceptive that they didn’t know what it REALLY meant…Yeah, ACC is a bitch to understand but it wasn’t put in there the week before the storm hit.

Bitch to understand is right – just check that thread and you’ll see several comments from Brian Martin, including one that, when considered with the text from the State Farm wind/water protocol Proximo posted later, leads me to believe NFIP claims should have a different adjuster when an insured has other policies in place.

One certainty at this point is the ACC is not new. Brian confirmed that and so did Robert Hunter, director of insurance for the Consumer Federation of America, quoted in Home-Insurance Traps published by Consumer Reports.<span

“I knew the clause existed but I did not understand it, in part because it is so illogical. And I am an expert,” Hunter adds. “Imagine what consumers don’t know.”

Rather than imagine, I read Why Are Insurance Contracts Still Incomprehensible? posted on the TPM Cafe. Continue reading “ACC not proximate cause of "peace of mind"”

Mr Boyd You Were Weak and Therefore Deserved to be Taken Advantage of…..

Does Anita Lee read slabbed?  🙂  We discussed this issue at length here regarding the suit filed by Eldridge Boyd. Ms Lee has the report on the suit for the Sun Herald:

Policyholders who settled their Katrina claims through a state mediation program can’t sue their insurance company over the same property damage, a federal judge has ruled.

The settlement agreement is a binding contract that prevents policyholders from subsequently suing over the damage addressed, U.S. District Court Judge L.T. Senter Jr. has ruled.

Senter issued the opinion in the lawsuit Boyd v. State Farm. Continue reading “Mr Boyd You Were Weak and Therefore Deserved to be Taken Advantage of…..”