DURHAM, N.C. -- The son of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani now has the backing of Duke lacrosse athletes in his lawsuit against the university.

Andrew Giuliani sued Duke in July 2008, saying the school broke a contract with him when it dismissed him from the golf team. The News & Observer in Raleigh reported Saturday that members of Duke's 2006 lacrosse team filed a friend-of-the-court brief on Giuliani's behalf.

Last month, a federal magistrate recommended Giuliani's lawsuit be dismissed. Giuliani's attorney, Robert Ekstrand, opposes the magistrate's recommendation.

The younger Giuliani claimed that Duke's golf coach manufactured accusations against him to justify kicking him off the team in 2008, when he was a junior. He's seeking an unspecified amount of damages.

After a public records lawsuit and intervention by Florida's attorney general, the NCAA allowed Florida State to release the committee's June 2 response to FSU's appeal of the NCAA punishment that would strip the school of the victories.

The NCAA said 61 Florida State athletes cheated on an online test in a music history course from the fall of 2006 through summer 2007 or received improper help from staffers who provided them with answers to the exam and typed papers for them.

The NCAA called Florida State's staff involvement in the cheating "especially egregious because of their positions as individuals charged specifically with maintaining academic integrity within the athletics program."

'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.'

When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. 

'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.'

Under the Rules of Professional Conduct, "[a] lawyer shall not knowingly: (1)make a false statement of fact or law to a tribunal or fail to correct a false statement of material fact or law previously made to a tribunal by the lawyer; (2) fail to disclose to the tribunal legal authority in the controlling jurisdiction known to the lawyer to be directly adverse to the position of the client and not disclosed by opposing counsel; or (3) offer evidence that the lawyer knows to be false."  Nev.R.Prof.Resp. 3.3.

Scott Taylor, the University of Nevada, Reno police officer who has been under investigation for claims of police abuse and for allegedly beating his assigned police dog, no longer works at UNR, spokeswoman Jane Tors said today.

The basis of effective government is public confidence, and that confidence is     
endangered when ethical standards falter or appear to falter.


        ~~April 1961, President John F. Kennedy~~

Accountability is a concept in ethics with several meanings. It is often used synonymously with such concepts as responsibility, answerability, enforcement, blameworthiness, and liability.  As an aspect of governance, it has been central to discussions related to problems in both the public and private worlds.

Accountability is defined as "A is accountable to B when A is obliged to inform B about A’s actions and decisions, to justify them, and to suffer punishment in the case of eventual misconduct".

In leadership roles, accountability is the acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions, products, decisions, and policies including the administration, governance and implementation within the scope of the role or employment position and encompassing the obligation to report, explain and be answerable for resulting consequences.

The FBI also is investigating whether Roger Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young winner, lied to Congress last year when he denied using steroids or human growth hormone.

In the documents filed Tuesday, Tejada is charged with lying to investigators for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in 2005 when he denied knowledge of an ex-teammate's use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The charges are contained in a six-page criminal information, a legal document used often when a defendant has struck a plea deal with prosecutors.

The criminal information charges Tejada with making misrepresentations to Congress.

Kilpatrick and his ex-chief of staff admitted to lying during a 2007 whistle-blowers' trial about a romantic relationship and their role in a police official's firing.  Sexually explicit text messages contradicted their testimony.

A Philadelphia man who says he was shot by Indianapolis Colts receiver Marvin Harrison has been convicted of a misdemeanor for giving police false information about the incident.

The NCAA upheld sanctions against Arkansas in September, but the school hoped to keep the two national titles.

Arkansas said Thursday it must give up those championships. The school said the titles are vacated, meaning no other program will receive credit for them.

Arkansas self-reported violations committed by former assistant Lance Brauman, who was convicted in 2006 of embezzlement, theft and mail fraud. The convictions stemmed from his time at Barton County Community College in Kansas. Brauman was coaching Arkansas when he was convicted. He then resigned.

Sprint star Tyson Gay who won the world championship in 2007 at 100 and 200 meters, transferred from Barton County to Arkansas.

The university acknowledged that Brauman and his wife provided impermissible transportation for the athlete and helped arrange lodging for him during the summer of 2003, prior to his enrollment at Arkansas. The school also reported Brauman or his wife helped the student enroll in a correspondence course in a way that constituted improper assistance, and that Brauman asked his sister-in-law to tutor the student and helped arrange for two people to serve as proctors for tests in the correspondence course.

In 2007, the NCAA took away Arkansas' two titles and gave the school three years' probation. The school appealed, but last September the NCAA said meet results from when Gay competed should still be vacated.

Edgar was 23-39 in his first two seasons at the school, including 12-19 last year. Zac Roman has been the acting coach since Edgar went on leave.

The NCAA informed Southeast Missouri in October of possible major violations concerning the men's basketball team. Athletic Director Don Kaverman was fired three days later.

The governing body said the NCAA will take up the case at an April 17-18 meeting.

University of Akron Trustee Jack Morrison Jr. faces seven counts of allegedly violating Ohio's ethics laws for his role in the purchase of his son's home by the university.

Morrison, who is also chairman of the Summit County Board of Elections and a prominent local attorney, was indicted by a Summit County grand jury on the misdemeanors, authorities announced Wednesday.

Eric Fingerhut, chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, asked Morrison by letter late Wednesday afternoon to step down as a UA trustee. The regents oversee higher education statewide.

''Regardless of the outcome of the criminal matter . . . your continued service on the board of trustees jeopardizes the mission and critical ongoing work of the university,'' Fingerhut wrote.

The indictments followed an Ohio Ethics Commission investigation that Morrison and the university requested to eliminate questions about UA's purchase of the rental home.

Stevens' ouster on his 85th birthday marks an abrupt realignment in Alaska politics and will alter the power structure in the Senate, where he has served since the days of the Johnson administration while holding seats on some of the most influential committees in Congress.

Stevens, speaking earlier Tuesday in Washington, said he had no idea what his life would be like in January, when the 111th Congress convenes.  "I wouldn't wish what I'm going through on anyone, my worst enemy," he lamented to reporters. "I haven't had a night's sleep for almost four months."

Last month just days before the election, Stevens was convicted by a federal jury in Washington of lying on Senate disclosure forms to conceal more than $250,000 in gifts and home renovations from an oil field services company.

In a state where oil and politics have always mixed, the conviction came as part of a long-running investigation into government corruption.

Stevens' lawyer demanded a speedy trial, hoping for exoneration in time to fight the first serious threat to his seat in decades. But the trial in Washington not only left Stevens a felon, it deprived him of time to campaign in his home state.

Oral Roberts University has settled with three faculty members who sued the institution a year ago, alleging breach of contract and wrongful discharge. The terms of the settlements were not disclosed.

Two professors — Tim Brooker and his wife, Paulita Brooker — and a third professor, John W. Swails, sued the university after leaving or being fired last year amid events that ultimately led to the resignation of its president, Richard L. Roberts.  Swails, was reinstated as part of his settlement.

The professors claim they were retaliated against for their role in exposing the alleged wrongdoing by former ORU President Roberts and his family.  The lawsuit brought to light allegations that ORU money had been misspent and that Roberts promoted a “culture of fear” on campus.

In their lawsuit, they accused Roberts of using university resources to intervene in local politics and to support an extravagant lifestyle for his family, even as the university struggled financially. 

Swails said he sued because he wanted “people to be held accountable for their actions.”

The government claims that Petters and a circle of associates played loose and free with investors' money by creating the impression of a successful business that bought and sold phantom goods for over 10 years.

Deanna Coleman learned to work hard, play hard and enjoy the finer things in life.  Coleman rose to become vice president for Petters Company, Inc. In the end, records show that Petters was paying her $330,000 a year. From 2004 until federal authorities stepped in, Coleman collected about $8 million in bonuses.

But that came crashing to an end in September. Coleman, apparently overwhelmed by the size of the alleged fraud and feeling guilty for her own role in it, walked into the sixth-floor suite of the U.S. Attorney's office in the Minneapolis federal building and agreed to become an informant against her mentor and employer of 15 years.

With Coleman working secretly as an informant, authorities moved quickly to arrest Petters and several cronies who, like Coleman, already have pleaded guilty in the case.

See The Woman Who Brought Down Tom Petters for more on the crumbling of this corrupt enterprise.


What I found most interesting about this ongoing story is how the scheme finally collapsed.  The truth always comes out.  The corrupt only hold hands and stick together until the going gets tough.  The current trial of Orange County sheriff Mike Carona (below) is another example of a one-time ally turning into an informant.  As the lies and cover-ups begin to unravel people always jump off the sinking ship.  The first to come clean gets the lightest sentence.

Last fall, the three-term sheriff was indicted by a federal grand jury.  If found guilty, he faces several years in prison.

The indictment accuses Carona of using his public office to enrich himself, his wife and his former mistress and co-defendant Debra Hoffman – a Newport Beach lawyer who told authorities she had an affair with Carona since 1998.

Most of the allegations revolve around Carona's relationship with Don Haidl, a wealthy businessman Carona appointed to the position of assistant sheriff. Haidl – whom prosecutors say gave Carona more than $35,000 in cash and bribes – has already pleaded guilty in the case and has aided prosecutors in their probe against Carona. The trial's key evidence was provided by Haidl: three secretly-taped recordings of Carona talking with Haidl about aligning stories regarding gifts and cash if interviewed by investigators.

Click on the Orange County Register for daily updates on this trial. 

This indictment and potential guilty verdict could be another victory against public corruption.  Yes, even "America's Sheriff" can be brought to his knees.

PRISON TIME?

Stevens, 84, was found guilty of lying about free home renovations and other gifts he received from a wealthy oil contractor.  He faces up to five years in prison on each count when he is sentenced. 

His conviction is the highlight of a lengthy FBI investigation into Alaska corruption, but prosecutors noted that it is not the end. Stevens' longtime Republican colleague, Rep. Don Young, remains under investigation for his ties to VECO. Stevens' son, Ben, a former Alaska lawmaker, is also under investigation.

In Alaska, the Democratic Party issued a statement calling for Stevens to resign immediately. "He knew what he was doing was wrong," the party said. "But he did it anyway and lied to Alaskans about it."


Credit the FBI for investigating the politically connected.  

Credit the jury for seeing who the liars are.

The murder trial of Samisoni Taukitoku begins on November 3, 2008 in the 2nd Judicial District Court.

19 year-old Taukitoku has been charged with triple homicide in connection with the three shooting deaths at a 2007 weekend Halloween party.

19 year-old Saili Manu was arrested on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and brandishing a firearm at the same party.  He has pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in December.  Manu's brother was a member of the Nevada football team from 2005-2007.

Several Nevada student-athletes were in attendance at the Reno party; including then Nevada basketball player Tyrone Hanson.  Hanson was severely beaten and robbed.  Hanson was dismissed from the team after this incident.

For more details see this article from ESPN.

Judge Pro went on to say that "their persistence in advocating a position so clearly at odds with the objective facts..., warrants this Court's finding that Defendant Wilds reliance on her affidavit and those of her colleagues is completely inappropriate and sanctionable.  The Court therefore will strike the affidavits and will impose sanctions on defendant and her Counsel (Hilsabeck)."  Hilsabeck and Wilds were ordered to pay a monetary fine directly to Plaintiff Hussein.

Hilsabeck is the UNR attorney leading the defense in my lawsuit.  Mary Dugan is General Counsel at UNR and Hilsabeck's boss.  The submission of false affidavits and manufactured evidence has occurred in my case.

At least three current University of Nevada, Reno attorneys were former employees of the Nevada Attorney General's Office.  Will the AG's Office prosecute their former colleagues and/or administrators that their former colleagues are charged with overseeing? 

As a citizen of this state I know for a fact that there are many crimes in the complaint submitted to the AG. The conflict of interest exists.  It will be very interesting to see how the Attorney General will handle it...

On that note, I have included links and important quotations from articles on the criminal prosecution of Detroit's Mayor for perjury, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and misconduct of office.  It is interesting to note that the Mayor was jailed for violating conditions of his bond. I hope the AG’s office has the courage to follow the lead of Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

Huffington Post

In announcing the charges, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy delivered a 14-minute lecture on the oath that all the witnesses take, and how the criminal justice system relies on people to tell the truth. "Even children understand that lying is wrong," she said.

"If a witness lies, innocent people can go to jail or prison, people can literally get away with murder, civil litigants who deserve money may not get it or may get money they don't deserve," she said. "And lying cannot be tolerated even if a judge or jury sees through it."

Detroit Free Press

Lying under oath is one of the worst sins a lawyer can commit -- akin to stealing a client's money, legal experts said.

Attorney General's Office Looks into Allegations  (the link to this article is no longer available)


Plaintiffs in several lawsuits against the University of Nevada, Reno who met with the Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto on April 17 said all the allegations were brought to university officials' attention in 2006 and last year. They said those officials either took no action or attempted to cover up the alleged improprieties.

They left her with a 94-page summary of allegations and thousands of pages of exhibits.

The allegations include charges of fraud involving university grants and farm property, embezzlement, forgery, obstruction of justice and perjury.