By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
Federal authorities delivered a knockout punch to a Las Vegas judge — a boxing judge that is.

Judge Paul G. Smith, 65, of Las Vegas, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of unlawfully collecting about $250,000 in Social Security benefits from 1994 to 2005.

Seems the good judge forgot to mention to authorities that he’d been working as a licensed boxing judge in Nevada and was involved in various businesses “inconsistent with his status as a disability benefits receipients”, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Las Vegas.

During the period in question, the government said Smith was paid for judging more than 100 boxing matches.

He is scheduled to be arraigned June 12, where he’ll  go before a real judge.

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Bernie Kerik/file photo

The fall from grace has been a hard one. Kerik, who became a superstar in the post 9/11 era,  came so close to being part of the Bush administration. Now he’s faces the possibility of going off to prison. Kerik was already indicted on these charges in New York, but they were dropped because the violations allegedly happened in Washington.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik was indicted on charges of making false statements to White House officials vetting him for the secretary’s seat at the Department of Homeland Security in 2004, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.

Kerik, who served as commissioner from 1998 to 2002, allegedly gave false and misleading answers to Bush administration officials about his relationship with contractors who renovated his Riverdale apartment, according to the indictment handed up by a Washington grand jury.

Prosecutors allege Kerik received and concealed benefits of about $255,000 in renovations to his home from contractors seeking to do business with the city of New York.

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Baltimore ATF's Theresa Stoop

Federal law enforcement has come a long way. Here’s some  proof.

By Tricia Bishop
Baltimore Sun
BALTIMORE — When Ava Cooper-Davis took over the Washington division of the Drug Enforcement Administration in March, she became the fourth woman in the region to head a federal law enforcement agency’s field office, alongside the “special agents in charge” at the FBI, ATF and the Secret Service.

While most of the SACs, as they’re known, said it was simply happenstance that the best people qualified for the jobs happen to be female, others see significance in the coincidence. Or, at the very least, they think it’s “cool.”

“It’s a sign of the times, I guess. It certainly is indicative of the fact that we have more women coming out of law school becoming lawyers and more women interested in the broader field of law enforcement,” said Melody Drnach, a vice president with the National Organization for Women. She oversees the group’s grass-roots efforts.

“Roles are changing for women in a positive way,” Drnach said. “We certainly hope that other field offices will take note and try to catch up with the standard set by Maryland.” The Washington division is also responsible for Maryland.

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The ruling is a victory for law enforcement, and much to the disappointment of civil liberty groups, the Obama administration pushed for this outcome. The court narrowly approved the change in law. The dissenting judges feel the ruling further erodes the public trust in law enforcement.

By JESSE J. HOLLAND
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a long-standing ruling that stopped police from initiating questions unless a defendant’s lawyer was present, a move that will make it easier for prosecutors to interrogate suspects.

The high court, in a 5-4 ruling, overturned the 1986 Michigan v. Jackson ruling, which said police may not initiate questioning of a defendant who has a lawyer or has asked for one unless the attorney is present. The Michigan ruling applied even to defendants who agreed to talk to the authorities without their lawyers.

The court’s conservatives overturned that opinion, with Justice Antonin Scalia saying “it was poorly reasoned.”

Under the Jackson opinion, police could not even ask a defendant who had been appointed a lawyer if he wanted to talk, Scalia said.

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Rep. Jefferson/official photo

The defense has been continually trying to show that the government charges and evidence have fallen far short.  The judge in the case has ruled to the contrary. Still, in cases like this, there’s never any guarantees of an ultimate victory. Whatever the case, trial starts next week in Alexandria, Va. It’s about time.  It’s been almost four years since the FBI raided Jefferson’s homes in New Orleans and Washington and found the infamous $90,000 in his freezer.

By Bruce Alpert
The Times-Picayune
WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors will not be required as part of their bribery case against former Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, to prove he sought payments in return for decisions he made as a member of Congress, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Judge T.S. Ellis III said “it is sufficient for the government to adduce proof, including expert testimony or evidence of defendant’s admissions and conduct, that it was customary … for members of Congress in defendant’s position to exert influence — by advice, recommendation or otherwise, on the issues in question.”

Ellis’ ruling came one week before Jefferson is scheduled face trial in Alexandria, Va., on 16 charges including bribery, racketeering, and honest services fraud.

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ATF Undercover agents/atf photo

This was a nasty gang that did it all,  including murder. Good to know some of these guys won’t be seeing a motorcycle for a while.

The revelation came in court documents filed earlier this month by prosecutors, who asked a judge to seal all plea agreements in the case against 79 defendants. Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office, declined Tuesday to say how many people have pleaded guilty and to what charges.

In October, law enforcement agents served more than 100 arrest warrants in six states after infiltrating the Mongols biker gang, which is based in Southern California and had about 600 members.

A racketeering indictment described a tightly organized criminal organization that engaged in murder, torture and drug trafficking to achieve its goals.

The indictment said the group, which is mostly Latino, attacked black people, committed robberies and stole motorcycles. The gang funded itself in part by stealing credit card account information, prosecutors said.

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The FBI tape raises more questions about the appointment of Sen. Roland Burris. The big question will be whether Burris can survive all this and remain in the Senate. It only seems to get uglier.

Sen. Roland Burris/official photo

BY NATASHA KORECKI
Chicago Sun-Times
CHICAGO — In a Nov. 13 conversation recorded by the FBI, Roland Burris told Rod Blagojevich’s brother he feared he’d “catch hell,” with the public if he gave the governor money at the same time he was lobbying for a Senate seat appointment.

Still, Burris ends the call with a promise: “I will personally do something OK? And it will come to you before the 15th of December.”

Such a promise of money is something Burris did not disclose to an Illinois House impeachment panel in sworn testimony after Rod Blagojevich appointed him to the U.S. Senate.

The revelation comes as a transcript of a conversation between Burris and Robert Blagojevich were unsealed by Chief U.S. District Judge James Holderman today, at the request of a U.S. Senate ethics panel investigating Burris.

Burris, a Chicago Democrat who Rod Blagojevich appointed to the Senate seat Dec. 30, can be heard repeatedly expressing worry that a donation to the governor would look like he’s trying to buy the seat. Burris tells Robert Blagojevich: “I’m in a dilemma right now, wanting to help the governor.”

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