Sweet, Sweet Justice

In a decision that makes me glad I'm an American (yes, that was cheesy. deal with it.), US District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor ruled in favor of the ACLU, determining that the administration's warrantless wiretapping program is unconstitutional. The argument, "We can't prove it's legal because that would violate national security," was never particularly sound, particularly considering the entire country was following the particularls of the case, and now it's been officially determined to be bull-hockey. Of course there is already an appeal to the 6th Circuit in the works, but still, I'd put this up there as Good Guys 1, Bad Guys 0. Hah.

In other news, Tobacco companies suffered a loss in a ruling by US District Judge Gladys Kessler, who backed the Justice Department's racketeering suit. In her ruling, she stated that the racketeering charge be upheld, as the "defendants have marketed and sold their lethal product with zeal, with deception, with a single-minded focus on their financial success, and without regard for the human tragedy or social costs that success exacted." They won't have to pay the $280 billion, but at least something good is coming out of the Justice Department these days.

And finally, in a note that's more "just desserts" than "justice done," the Washington Post ran an article yesterday about how K Street lobbying firms are starting a hiring push to find Democrats. So, it seems that after 6 years of painful Washington partisanship, the tide is finally turning, and as always, the lobbying firms are on the front edge of the wave. Here's hoping I won't have to put on nude stockings and pearls just to walk downtown anymore.