The DOJ press release for Operation Big Coon Dog

Here is the press release from the government prosecutors on Operation Big Coon Dog, the Buchanan County bribery case.

Still more on Operation Big Coon Dog

More articles and comment on the federal bribery case from Buchanan County include:

Profiting from tragedy never right, Bristol Herald-Courier

Some in Buchanan County not suprised by latest scandal, Bristol Herald-Courier

Arrival of 'suits' surprise to small community, Bristol Herald-Courier

Earlier county board faced prosecution, Bristol Herald-Courier

Storm of 2002 left county in need of aid, Bristol Herald-Courier

A good coonhound good as gold to many in region, Bristol Herald-Courier

Buchanan scandal: More arrests anticipated, Bluefield Daily Telegraph

'Operation Big Coon Dog' buzz bemuses, angers Grundy folks, Roanoke Times;

For champion coon hounds,dollars come thick as ticks, Roanoke Times

Sabato: The most corrupt region is Southwest Virginia

Among the "Big Coon Dog" coverage in today's Bristol paper is this article ("Former special prosecutor, analyst cite past corruption," 6/26/04) with comments from U.Va. government professor Larry Sabato and from lawyer Gerald Gray about political corruption in Southwest Virginia.

In the article, Professor Sabato is quoted as saying: "I have family in Southwest Virginia and I love Southwest Virginia, and it’s painful to accept one reality. . . . The most corrupt region is Southwest Virginia. Over the years, more indictments for political and public office corruption have happened in this region than all other parts of the state combined."

I think Professor Sabato is great, but this sounds like hyperbole from the most quotable of all Virginians. The examples he cited are spread pretty wide in time and space - Sheriff Honaker in Bristol, Sid Clower in Henry County, William Harris and others in Buchanan County in the 1990s, and some matter in Wise County. I would think that the City of Richmond has had more local government officials prosecuted per square mile, at least since 1980.

More painful were these words. "Sabato, the UVa professor, said he often encourages his students from Southwest Virginia to go back home to improve the quality of life. Incidents like Thursday's arrests don’t help make the case that they should, he said."

"What does this say to them? It says, 'Get the heck out of there.'"

These words also suggest to me the question - what are the former Sabato students who did come back to Southwest Virginia doing?

On Brown and Simple Justice

The New Republic Online has this article on Brown v. Board of Education and Richard Kluger's Simple Justice.

Regarding the latter, it says in part: "For those who wish to read in one volume a learned and enthralling narrative that features the key actors in the school desegregation cases, there is nothing like Richard Kluger's magisterial book."

Suffolk winds up with $150,000 in attorneys' fees to pay in firefighter speech case

The Daily Press reports here ("Suffolk must pay in suit by firefighters," 6/26/04) that the City of Suffolk will have to pay $88,781 in attorneys' fees and costs to the plaintiff, in addition to the fees paid for its own counsel, in an federal case over the free speech rights of City firefighters.

William & Mary law professor testifies against stripping federal appeals courts of jurisdiction over gay marriage cases

The Washington Times reports here ("GOP eyes taking marriage from courts," 6/25/04) on a congressional hearing regarding proposed legislation that would tinker with the jurisdiction of the federal appeals courts in cases involving same-sex marriage. The hearing included testimony in opposition to the measure from William & Mary law professor Michael Gerhardt.

Perhaps some members of the Virginia General Assembly will respond with a measure seeking to deprive law professors at nominally state-funded institutions from jurisdiction to give testimony at legislative hearings about same-sex marriage matters.

Kids at law camp get the word from former Va. Supreme Court Chief Justice Carrico

According to this wild article in the Leesburg paper, they've got something called "Law Camp" up in Loudoun County, a creation of Circuit Court Judge Thomas Horne, and former Chief Justice Carrico gave a speech for the campers this week.

School custodian in Chesapeake brings overtime case in E.D. Va.

The Norfolk paper reports here ("Chesapeake school custodian sues over overtime pay," 6/26/04) that a school custodian at a high school in Chesapeake has filed a class action under the Fair Labor Standards Act, claiming she and others similarly situated were not paid overtime for four to six hours per week for the last three years.

More on Operation Big Coon Dog

The Roanoke paper has this article ("Prosecutors: Buchanan County officials participated in scam," 6/25/04), the Richmond paper has this article ("County bribery scheme alleged," 6/25/04), and the Bluefield paper has this article ("Scandal in Buchanan: Officials accused of personal profit from flood funds," 6/24/04) on the federal bribery case out of Buchanan County.

Winner of prize for e-mail from greatest distance

When you go to a show at the Barter Theater in Abingdon, the director comes out beforehand and repeats his standard monologue, including finding out who came to the show from the greatest distance. "Anyone from LA?" he says, meaning "lower Abingdon."

In today's Hotmail, I got a message from a fellow blogger, who is in tune and in uniform in Iraq. His blog is here. If he comes to hear some picking in Southwest Virginia, I'll buy the tickets, even if it is to hear the Joe Smiddy Band.

It has been a bluegrass day. I also got a CD from a lawyer in New York.

Federal grand jury issues indictments regarding Buchanan County contracts

The AP has this story that federal indictments were announced today by U.S. Attorney John Brownlee of the W.D. Va. against former Buchanan County officials and contractors for a bribery scheme related to contract work for flood disaster relief in the area of Hurley, Virginia.

The Bristol paper has this account, with this link to a copy of the indictment. The article notes that the investigation was called "Operation Big Coon Dog," because one of the bribes involved coon dogs.

Statement from Gate city election plaintiff

The Scott County paper has published this statement from one of the litigants in the Gate City election case.

Some history of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act

In this article on the decline of affirmative action, the following snippet of the history of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is retold:

"AA began on June 19, 1963, when President John F. Kennedy sent a Civil Rights Act (CRA) to Congress to counter racial discrimination in the work place. The CRA, intended primarily for blacks, met stiff political opposition. On November 22, 1963, Kennedy was assassinated. His successor Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed, "No memorial oration or eulogy could more eloquently honor President Kennedy's memory than the earliest passage of the civil rights bill for which he fought so long." But opposition was still stiff.

On February 8, 1964, Congressman Howard W. Smith of Virginia made a colossal miscalculation in the House of Representatives. In an attempt to block the CRA, he suggested inserting the word 'sex' after the word 'religion' whenever it appeared in Title VII, which guaranteed 'fair' employment practices. By tying it to the then controversial women's movement, Smith hoped to kill the CRA.

In his book "Freedom Will Conquer Racism and Sexism", J. Edward Pawlick, comments on reaction in the House."[T]he laughter became too great... and Congressman Smith had to stop." Disingenuously, Smith assured the House that he was serious. The bluff backfired. The CRA passed.

Within decades, government had imposed de facto quotas and fair practice standards for women (and minorities) throughout the work place and academia. That had not been Kennedy's intention."

Senate confirms Kelley for E.D. Va. judgeship

As a beneficiary of the peace pact over non-controversial judicial nominations, the E.D. Va.'s Walter Kelley was unanimously approved by a Senate vote this week, as reported here ("Norfolk lawyer confirmed as federal court judge," 6/24/04) by the Daily Press.

Of Venus, Johnny, Andy, Bailey, Herb, Mr. Carlson, Les, and Jennifer, who should run for Mayor of Richmond?

A group of Richmond citizens are thinking they and actor Tim Reid, formerly of "WKRP in Cincinnati," were always meant to be, and they are promoting him as a candidate to be the next mayor of Richmond, according to this report ("Richmond group urges actor Reid to run for mayor," 6/24/04) in the Richmond paper.

This page describes the greatest WKRP episode ever, in which Mr. Carlson says, "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!!!"

A dog not unlike my own 

Roanoke lawyer sues Army Secretary Brownlee, claiming unlawful policy limiting reservist lawyers

Via JSW, the Roanoke paper has this article ("Reservist lawyer files federal suit over practice rule," 6/24/04) about a legal challenge brought by a Roanoke lawyer who is a U.S. Army reservist against a government policy prohibiting private practice of reservists who have been called up. The article notes that the current secretary of the Army is coincidentally the father of the W.D. Va.'s U.S. Attorney, John Brownlee, himself a reservist.

ACLU may challenge new Virginia law against teen nudist camps

The Washington Times reports here ("Teen nudist law faces challenge," 6/22/04) that the American Civil Liberties Union may bring a legal challenge against a new Virginia statute which outlaws teen nudist camps, in some circumstances.

Eavesdropping case can proceed, with damages limited to $10,000

The AP reports here on rulings by Judge Spencer of the E.D. Va., who denied in part the motions to dismiss of the defendants in the lawsuit brought by a group of Democrats regarding ilegal eavesdropping on their political strategy meetings in march of 2002.

Judge Moon rules the confession of Earl Washington was not coerced

The AP reports here that Judge Moon of the W.D. Va. has ruled that the confession of Earl Washington was not coerced.