Judge Angered by Special Treatment of Andrew Sullivan

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

[LIBERAL] Political commentator, author and writer [and Trig Palin troofer] for The Atlantic magazine Andrew M. Sullivan won’t have to face charges stemming from a recent pot bust at the Cape Cod National Seashore — but a federal judge isn’t happy about it.

U. S. Magistrate Judge Robert B. Collings says in his decision that the case is an example of how sometimes “small cases raise issues of fundamental importance in our system of justice.”

...

But the U.S. Attorney’s Office sought to dismiss the case. Both the federal prosecutor and Sullivan’s attorney said it would have resulted in an “adverse effect” on an unspecified “immigration status” that Sullivan, a British citizen, is applying for.

At the hearing, Collings observed that Sullivan would still have to state on his application that he had been charged with a crime, and Kb>he asked both the prosecutor and Sullivan’s attorney, Robert Delahunt Jr. (cousin of U. S. Rep. William D. Delahunt), for more information about why paying the $125 would have “any additional adverse effect.”

When no attorney could fully answer the question beyond citing advice from immigration lawyers, Collings requested that Delahunt submit a brief on the issue. But before Delahunt could reply, Assistant U. S. Attorney James F. Lang jumped in and said that Collings had no power to inquire why the U.S. Attorney had decided to have the charge dismissed.

Collings says he expressed his concern that “a dismissal would result in persons in similar situations being treated unequally before the law. … persons charged with the same offense on the Cape Cod National Seashore were routinely given violation notices, and if they did not agree to [pay the fine] were prosecuted by the United States Attorney … there was no apparent reason for treating Mr. Sullivan differently from other persons charged with the same offense.”

In fact, noted Collings, there were several other defendants appearing in court the same day who were charged with the same offense.

In his opinion, Collings wrote that the U.S. Attorney is “is not being faithful to a cardinal principle of our legal system, i.e., that all persons stand equal before the law and are to be treated equally in a court of justice once judicial processes are invoked. It is quite apparent that Mr. Sullivan is being treated differently from others who have been charged with the same crime in similar circumstances.”

http://blogs.masslawyersweekly.com/news/2009/09/10/judge-angered-by-special-treatment-for-andrew-sullivan/





Just like the New Black Panthers racist voter intimidation.

There is no justice, there's JUST US!

[TheSarge]

But the U.S. Attorney’s Office sought to dismiss the case. Both the federal prosecutor and Sullivan’s attorney said it would have resulted in an “adverse effect” on an unspecified “immigration status” that Sullivan, a British citizen, is applying for.

Sullivan is a queer atheist Lib with a raging case of BDS.  Let his ass STAY a British citizen.

[NHSparky]

Sullivan is a queer atheist Lib with a raging case of BDS.  Let his ass STAY a British citizen.

That explains the house in P-town.

[Wineslob]

adverse effect” on an unspecified “immigration status” that Sullivan, a British citizen, is applying for.

Hey buddy, don't let the door hit your ass on the way back home-o.   

[RightCoast]

Hey buddy, don't let the door hit your ass on the way back home-o.   

Isn't the whole F-ing point behind consequences???

[thundley4]

WTF?  A drug bust in another country is cause to not be allowed to enter the US.  He's busted here, and it's okay?

[Randy]

He's a peter puffing liberal and once assimilated, a shoe-in democrat voter.

Most likely there's been intervention from way above to drop the case.

[AllosaursRus]

SON of a B.......................tch! This is really getting to be a pisser!