THE OTHER SHOE DROPS: Updates To Previous Posts
† There Are No Good Guys In This Story: A San Antonio, TX, jury convicted attorney Mary S. Roberts on five second-degree felony counts of theft for her role in a shakedown scheme in which she had affairs with four married men whom her husband, also an attorney, subsequently threatened with litigation unless they compensated him for emotional distress. The two netted $155,000 from the men. Ted Roberts was sentenced to five years in prison after a jury convicted him of three theft charges for taking money from two of the men, and his appeal is pending. Mary Roberts, who is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 4, 2008, faces two to 20 years in prison on each count and plans to appeal her conviction, reports Texas Lawyer.
† Carrying The Torch For The “Genocide Olympics”: Village Voice columnist Nat Hentoff writes about how New York–based human rights group Dream for Darfur is faring in its ongoing efforts to induce (shame?) 19 corporate sponsors of the 2008 Beijing Olympics – including Adidas Group, Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Eastman Kodak, General Electric (the parent company of NBC, which will broadcast the Genocide Olympics), Johnson & Johnson, McDonald's, Microsoft, Panasonic, Staples and Volkswagen - to sign "Olympic Corporate Sponsors' Pledge":
"In light of the unique relationship our esteemed Olympic host has with the government in Sudan, and in our role as friends and supporters of the Chinese government, we pledge to urge the Chinese government to utilize its position to help Khartoum consent to a true international civilian protection operation for Darfur and a good-faith peace process well before the August 2008 start of the games."
Last month, Dream for Darfur released a 70-page report card, And Now … Not a Word From our Sponsors, which states that not a single corporate sponsor the group contacted has signed the pledge, or to "acknowledge publicly that … the ongoing genocide in Darfur is morally unacceptable for the Olympic host."
† Shhhh! Be Vewy, Vewy Quiet. He’s Hunting Wascally Wabbits.: Mitt Romney (R-MA) has once again proved that he isn’t a straight shooter when it comes to guns. The Trail, a Washington Post blog, reports that during his chat with Tim Russert on “Meet the Press” this past Sunday, Romney twice mentioned receiving the NRA’s endorsement when he was running for governor of MA in 2002. Not so, according to The Trail: “He was never endorsed by the NRA … The NRA declined to endorse in that race.”
†Is Ron Paul’s Support Virtual Or Real?: Part II (second item): In an encore to the $4.3 million Ron Paul (R-TX) haul on Guy Fawkes Day (second item), Ronbats raised nearly $6 million online for the libertarian candidate on December 16th, the 234th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. The Washington Post blog, The Trail, reports that the money was donated by more than 50,000 people, half of whom were first-time donors, and that Pau; has raised more than $17.5 million in 4Q 2007. The fundraising feat tops the previous record of $5.7 million online donations in 24 hours, set by John Kerry (D-MA) the day he accepted his party’s nomination for the presidency.
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