Once again the estimable Joseph Epstein hits it out of the park on how addictive and dispiriting watching and reading the news has become these days. I feel his pain. It’s sort of like road kill, isn’t it? You know you shouldn’t look, but you find yourself doing so against better judgment. We need to keep up with the continuing catastrophe our culture and politics have become. But it can be soul-crushing. I never saw anything remotely like what went on in Juan Merchan’s courtroom. For my Exhibit A, I would guess most savvy TAS readers had as much difficulty as I did keeping our eyes off the recent show trial in Manhattan, a kind of judicial road kill conducted on the same rules of engagement that applied in the Queen of Hearts’ court. The charges, of course, were complete balloon juice. But I said all along that all Fat Alvin had to establish to secure a conviction with a Manhattan jury was that the defendant’s name is Donald Trump. I don’t think even Horace Rumpole could have gotten the Donald off on a charge of spying on the Eskimos before this lot. My sources tell me the International Association of Kangaroos is suing Big Al and Juan Merchan for plagiarism and cultural appropriation. For a couple of years in my newspaper reporting days, when the world and I were young, I covered the courts in a large judicial district in Central Florida. During that time I was present in court, wire to wire, for about three dozen criminal trials, where I saw and heard everything the jury saw and heard, and observed how the judge conducted the proceedings. I never saw anything remotely like what went on in Juan Merchan’s courtroom. Manhattan “sophisticates” might consider Bartow or Lakeland Florida to be Dog Patch (they aren’t). But any case brought by a prosecutor there that depended on the testimony of a an opportunistic porn star, a publisher of tabloid newspapers whose last name would have gotten one arrested for repeating over the air 30 years ago, and a convicted and disbarred perjurer, would have been thrown out of court on first reading. Any judge who attempted to abuse court time with such would have become a figure of fun, and, on the occasion of the next election, a former judge. With any luck Mr. Epstein’s new TV will also throw a rod, and he’ll enjoy a few more days of peace. May I suggest a cable package that includes movies and sports channels only for those weary of the carnage and totally at sea on what to do about it. And if the kind of political knee-capping that took place in Judge Merchan’s courtroom becomes standard practice, it’s America that will become road kill, just another squalid, one-party dictatorship in a world full of them. READ MORE from Larry Thornberry: Manhattan Is on Trial Yakima Canutt: The Little-Known but Great American Stuntman Too Much of a Good Thing — Head Butting in August? The post The News Is Necessary, but Soul-Crushing appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

If it feels like you’ve seen a lot of advertisements lately soliciting victims of Camp Lejeune’s tainted water, it’s because you have. One of the people who proved to be most helpful in getting the Pact Act passed was then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). In 2022, a provision was added to the “Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act” (PACT Act). It created a $6 billion fund to compensate up to 500,000 former Marines and family members who may have been exposed to contaminated water while stationed at Camp Lejeune from the 1950s through the 1980s. The new law held the promise of justice for Lajeune victims — and also the promise of a boon for the lawyers who signed them up. What has since been referred to as a “Wild West” of legal advertisement was unleashed: $145 million has been spent by law firms and their touts — known in the profession as “lead generators” — since 2022. That’s more than double what was spent on any mass tort advertising campaign before. This new gold rush didn’t happen by accident. A new report from the Government Accountability Institute (GAI) reveals the people behind the coordinated plan to use Camp Lejeune victims to build what amounts to a new business model for personal injury attorneys. The “Wild West” is really the beginning of an entirely new taxpayer-funded liability landscape, the report shows. (READ MORE: Federal Spending: Where Are D.C.’s Fiscal Watchdogs?) While news coverage of the PACT Act rightfully focused on compensating victims of U.S. government negligence, GAI’s new report details how trial lawyers lobbied lawmakers to add — or rather, forget to add — the usual caps on legal fees. The law allows them to receive uncapped fees on settlements from the government directly. This lets them bypass the court system, and the associated costs for the attorneys. Situated amid the injured veterans and their families at the August 11, 2022 bill signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House was a South Carolina personal injury attorney named J. Edward Bell, III. Ed Bell’s involvement in Camp Lejeune litigation began back in 2008, and he has had an enormous influence on subsequent legal challenges concerning Camp Lejeune’s water contamination issues.  Bell’s aggressive awareness campaigns, culminating in alliances with key political figures, showcased his dedication to bringing the Camp Lejeune issue to the front of public consciousness. Bell’s presence at the bill signing, the report details, underscored his singular involvement. “We were told by the Department of Navy and others, in order to prevail and in order to have at least a chance of going to court, we have to change the laws,” said Bell at the bill signing ceremony. “So, we wrote the bill.” Mr. Bell seems poised to collect handsome royalties for his work as an author. One of the key lobbying battles, in which Mr. Bell and his plaintiffs bar colleagues ultimately prevailed, was over the fight to remove caps on the fees attorneys involved in the litigation might collect. An earlier version of the legislation featured a 25 percent fee cap, and subsequent efforts since the bill’s passing have called for caps to be implemented at anywhere from 17 to 33 percent of what is awarded to a successful claimant. But the law, as it stands, features no caps on the fees lawyers like Mr. Bell can collect. That’s how he wanted it. And, as he admitted, others helped him do it. One of the people who proved to be most helpful in getting the Pact Act passed was then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). “The secret sauce in the House was Nancy Pelosi,” Ed Bell said at the signing of the bill. “She took this up individually and walked this through the House.” (READ MORE: Nancy Pelosi’s Other Legacy: A Mountain of Debt for Our Children) Pelosi’s bill walking efforts coincided with Bell’s hiring of her former chief of staff, Danny Weiss, to lobby on the PACT Act’s passage. Weiss registered as a lobbyist for Cormac Group (a lobbying firm representing Bell Legal Group) on October 13, 2021, just before North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced the Senate version of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act on November 4. Unlike the House’s version of the bill, Senator Tillis’s bill omitted attorney fee caps, benefiting Weiss’s clients. Lobbying records show Weiss lobbying on behalf of Bell’s clients for veterans’ affairs and mass tort litigation issues involving the Camp Lejeune Justice Act during the next three months. In all, Weiss was paid more than $700,000 by the Bell Group for his efforts. Apparently, he was worth it. On March 2, 2022, Pelosi issued a public statement championing the inclusion of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act in the PACT Act, which would ultimately go on to pass in the Senate and be signed into law by President Joe Biden five months later. It was a victory for all parties. After decades of coverup and rejection, Camp Lejeune victims could finally get compensation for their health issues. But the biggest winners may prove to be lawyers like Ed Bell, who now get to exploit this lawsuit settlement “express lane” they lobbied to create. Don’t expect to see fewer advertisements on TV seeking Camp Lejeune victims anytime soon. Some experts, according to Bloomberg, say the $145 million spent on advertising so far may double again. Hedge funds and litigation finance companies are treating the ad buys as investments, “with hopes of significant returns based on how well the lawsuits perform.” The Wild West is now financed by Wall Street, with lawyers driving the wagon trains, and taxpayers picking up the tab. The post The Camp Lejeune Justice Act’s Uncapped Fees appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Many Americans are understandably fixated on the global crises dominating the headlines. But as we continue to focus on conflicts like Israel’s war against Hamas, we must not neglect a critical region in the quest for global stability and prosperity: North Africa. Most importantly, policymakers in the U.S. must accept that the contest for influence in North Africa is part of a wider strategic competition. The Maghreb — encompassing Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya — sits at a strategic crossroads between Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Its vast energy resources, including Libya’s oil reserves and Algeria’s immense natural gas deposits, make it a vital supplier to global markets. The region’s proximity to key shipping lanes in the Mediterranean and its growing economic potential underscore its importance to American interests. (READ MORE from Paul Packer: Silence That Can Kill: Where Are the Black Friends Jews Need?) But with Washington’s eyes elsewhere, our adversaries have been steadily establishing influence in the region. Russia’s military involvement in North Africa ranges from being deeply embedded in Libya to supplying the majority of Algeria’s arms imports. China has dramatically expanded its economic engagement, emerging as the top trade partner for countries such as Algeria and a major investor in sectors from infrastructure to automobiles across the Maghreb. The United States cannot afford to cede this ground. We need a more active, supportive role in North Africa — one that bolsters our geopolitical standing, supports economic development, and safeguards the region from the predations of rival powers. Morocco provides a prime example. The Kingdom, which has been led by the same family for nearly four centuries, has a storied history of friendship with the U.S., dating back to 1777, when Morocco became the first nation to recognize American independence. America and Morocco also have a close security partnership. In recent years, Morocco has sought to leverage its position bridging Europe and Africa to attract diverse international investment and emerge as an economic gateway to the continent. But Morocco’s significance extends beyond just economics or security. The nation’s decision to normalize relations with Israel in late 2020 was a diplomatic breakthrough, one that promises to reshape regional dynamics. By recognizing Israel and opening the door to greater economic and people-to-people ties, Morocco has helped to further isolate extremist voices and create new space for moderation and pragmatism to take root. However, the durability of this breakthrough is not guaranteed. The United States must continue to nurture and strengthen the Morocco-Israel relationship, both to capitalize on the strategic benefits for American interests and to bolster the forces of stability and cooperation in a volatile region. Morocco also demonstrates the competitive playing field. China has rapidly expanded its economic footprint in the country, with major investments in sectors like infrastructure, agriculture, and technology. Russia has also sought, with less success, to make diplomatic inroads and exploit divisions over the Western Sahara dispute, a conflict between Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front over the sovereignty of the resource-rich territory. The United States can’t take its relationship with Morocco, or any of our North African partners, for granted. We need a positive agenda that plays to American strengths and shared interests with the region. For starters, that means helping North African states guard against predatory investment that leaves them beholden to foreign powers. Through vehicles like the new U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, America can mobilize private capital for high-quality infrastructure and offer an alternative to China’s often-onerous deals. The U.S. should work with North African governments to promote economic reforms, competitiveness, and diversification to create jobs and opportunities, particularly for the region’s youth. We should incentivize American companies to seek opportunities in the region while holding firm to values like transparency and local employment. On security, the U.S. should expand programs to build local capacity to address challenges like terrorism, smuggling, and uncontrolled migration that reverberate well beyond the region, while steering clear of military entanglements. We should also use our diplomatic heft to push for political stability and dialogue within and between Maghreb countries. (READ MORE: I Was There on October 7) Crucially, American engagement should capitalize on our edge in soft power, from English-language training to entrepreneurship coaching to university ties. Such links are an unparalleled asset in the competition for moral allegiance. Most importantly, policymakers in the U.S. must accept that the contest for influence in North Africa is part of a wider strategic competition. As Moscow and Beijing flood the zone with economic enticements and geopolitical chess moves, Washington cannot simply hope for the best. We need to match their overtures with an affirmative vision that places partnership with the region at the center. With focused, consistent engagement, the United States can help the Maghreb choose a path of openness, stability and mutual prosperity, and cement the region’s westward orientation for generations to come. The region may not always dominate the headlines, but America’s commitment today can secure our position in this important corner of the world — and send a message about our standing globally. The post Why the US Must Renew Its Commitment to North Africa appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

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by Mac Slavo, SHTF Plan: A Canadian detective was suspended and vilified after it came out that she was personally investigating cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in relation to childhood vaccination. Helen Grus took it upon herself to look into the matter after nine babies died in Ottawa following their mothers getting “vaccinated” for the […]

After Pedro Sanchez, the Socialist Prime Minister of Spain, chose to recognize a “State of Palestine,” the leader of the right-wing opposition “VOX” party, Santiago Abascal, paid a visit to Israel, in sign of solidarity with the Jewish state. And from Jerusalem, he declared that when he is in charge of Spain, there well be […]

If you walked around the Capitol on J6 and didn’t engage in violence, you still faced prison, but if you’re a pro-Hamas Democrat and throw bottles at Park Rangers outside the White House, it’s allowed. You can also vandalize monuments while the Ranger is standing there. If you are elderly and peacefully protest at a […] The post Pro-Hamas Protesters at the WH Throw Bottles at a Ranger, Set Off Flares appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

Former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) has said that he does not plan to vote for former President Trump in November. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Ketanje Brown Jackson’s brother-in-law is happy to oversee the downfall of our nation as Democrats turn it into a communist nation with one-party rule and perpetual illegal […] The post The Fraudulent Republican Paul Ryan appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.