Just a bit more

June 19, 2011

After not blogging for a while, I seem to be back at it with a vengeance. Today's news was just too much to pass up. the Utah Republican Convention yesterday passed a resolution asking the legislature to repeal the "guest worker" bill which has not yet gone into effect. The proposal was opposed by the governor and the AG (and most likely the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, though their statement was open to different interpretations, of which there were plenty). I don't think everyone who voted for this resolution is uninformed or intolerant. But I do think that it is a sad commentary on those who so loudly protest "amnesty". The fact remains that migrant workers are an important part of our seasonal agricultural work force. Some states have had to impress prison inmates to pick crops, after their migrant workers were scared off by anti-immigrant laws. The question that seems most important to me is whether this emphasis on "protecting our borders" (from what?)is necessary to make us safer. That seems just silly to me; and I do hope that cooler heads will prevail. And for those who agree that the Repbulcialn Party has become the party of intolerance, we would welcome you to the Libertarian Party. www.lputah.org

And I just had to comment on the latest news of a Republican State Senator in Idaho who was arrested over the weekend for DUI; and for doing it in someone else's vehicle, which just happened to have the keys in it. Yes, I know that last week it was a Democrat who resigned in disgrace over the horrible crime of "sexting"; but I always think it is so much more fun when it is the "family values" crowd -- those who preach to us how we should live our lives, and then go out and do really dumb stuff. Enjoy your Father's Day, Senator. And if you were really going to run for Governor, maybe you better make some new plans.

Press celebrities?

June 18, 2011

Once again, it has been a while since I wrote here. And much has happened. In my last entry, I mentioned that I am suing the Attorney general and the Salt Lake City police chief over a new law which allows arrests for sex solicitation based on such "provocative" activies as touching oneself in a way that makes a police officer believe you are willing to engage in sex for money. That legal action is still in the beginning stages, so not much to report. The press, however, has picked up news about the lawsuit, and it has been published in the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, and other media outlets around the country. We should start making real progress on this action in the next few weeks, and I will try and keep readers updated. I will make a plug here for my website at www.andrewmccullough.org where I have posted the complaint. I will continue to post there major legal items as well as major press stories. You might want to browse that from time to time, to get more information on my adventures.

Shortly after filing that action, the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division (the intermediate appellate court in NY) ruled against my client in a dispute with the New York Tax Division over the taxation of dance entertainment. It seems that some dancing is just artistically (and morally) superior to others. If you don't make the cut, you pay more taxes. and the New York Tax Appeals Tribunal has set itself up as a dance critic to tell us who gets the favorable tax treatment. Once again, I spent a lot of time last week being interviewed by the press. This time, of course, the articles were about my big loss. If I am going to enjoy my 15 minutes of fame, I surely do not want it spent as a loser. But, of course, we will appeal to New York's highest court. We will also go through another tax audit at which we will have the opportunity to convince the authorities that we were right all along, by bringing in additional evidence. I was recently interviewed by several New York newspapers as well as the British press agency, Reuters. I really do hope I will be able to finish this case out as a winner. We will see. Once again, major developments and legal papers will be posted on my website.

In my last posting, I also said that I was rebuilding my website for a possible additional run for Utah Attorney General. It seemed obvious to most people at that time, that our current AG would not be running for reelection. His health has improved, and now he says he may run again after all. In that regard, I note in today's Salt Lake Tribune, two major articles about him. The first one, on the front page, talks of his relationship with a big contributor who is now in jail for fraud. There is a photo of the AG in the donor's Lamborghini with the statement that "Who doesn't want to sit in a Lamborghini and get their picture taken?" I don't know, Mark, I have to admit I never have given that possibility a moment's thought. But then my friends and contributors don't drive cars like that.

The second article about our AG in today's paper discusses his appeal of a recent ruling that freed Debra Brown, after she served 17 years in prison for a murder she did not commit. The AG does not want to allow this to become precedent, so that others falsely convicted of a crime may be compensated for their years behind bars. So, if the appeal succeeds (which it won't) she will possibly go back to prison. and while we are speaking of the precedent, I will not yet another upcoming article featuring me. this next week, the Salt Lake City Weekly will feature an article on another person who was freed from prison after 4+ years for a robbery he did not commit. And the AG is trying to stop him from being compensated too (once again for the "precedent"). Shame on the AG for this. If they are innocent, the state owes them a loud apology and at the very least, compensation set by law for time spent in prison. Watch for this article and see for yourself what you think.

Well, life is very hectic, as you can see. Look for links to the various articles on my website, and stay tuned. I will continue to do my best to advance the cause of freedom in court and on the political trail. Help me out where you can. and let's all be heard to oppose government efforts to restrict our freedoms. "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty".