There's a new Rand report, Reducing Drug Trafficking Revenues and Violence in Mexico that examines how Prop 19 and marijuana legalization in California might influence drug trafficking organization revenues and the violence in Mexico. The key findings:

• Mexican DTOs' gross revenues from illegally exporting marijuana to wholesalers in the United States is likely less than $2 billion;

• The claim that 60 percent of Mexican DTO gross drug export revenues come from marijuana should not be taken seriously;

• If legalization only affects revenues from supplying marijuana to California, DTO drug export revenue losses would be very small, perhaps 2–4 percent; [More...]

Booman's latest "Leave Obama Alone!" piece. An instant classic. Very funny.

For the second straight week last Saturday, like my Gators, I crashed and burned with my college picks, going 7-10-1, and falling to 42-45 for the season. Like the Gators, my season can still be a success. So here are this week's picks:

Ohio State (-4.5) over Wisconsin. No state that considers dumping Russ Feingold deserves a win in this type of game. That is also why the Packers are falling apart. Repent! Wisconsin.

Mich St. (-7) over Illinois. Usually this is a game Mich State loses, the one after a big win. Something feels different in Lansing to me. Let me put it this way - it's a shame Ohio State and Michigan State don;t play each other this year. More . . .

Pro Publica has a lengthy investigative article on admitted Mumbai bombing complicitor and former DEA informant Daood Gilani, aka David Coleman Headley.

The focal point of the article is that Headley's ex-wife told the FBI he had become an extremist involved with Lashkar-i-Taiba back in 2005 when she reported a domestic violence incident between them. The FBI either did nothing or glossed over it. [More...]

So glad the weekend is here.

Here are some law professors supporting Prop 19 and legalization of marijuana in California. If you haven't read the ballot initiative, you can do so here.

Child soldier Omar Khadr, facing the first miltiary commissions trial under Obama's revised rules, is contemplating a plea deal. It calls for 8 more years in prison and some are objecting saying it's not long enough. Reportedly, most of the additional prison time could be served in his home country, Canada, instead of Gitmo, if both Governments agree. Canada allows parole, the U.S. does not.

On "Medium" tonight, a fictional Sheriff Joe Arpaio and so far, it seems they are going to justly roast him.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Attorney General Eric Holder announced today the Justice Department will continue to prosecute marijuana offenders in California, even if Proposition 19 passes.

The comments came during a joint press conference with Prop 19 foes, including Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley and Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, as well as former heads of the DEA and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Cooley, who is running for state attorney general, has said he believes all medical marijuana dispensaries are illegal.

More on the press conference here. He gave the same response in a letter this week to the ex-Chiefs of the DEA who had written him in August requesting the Government stop Prop 19 from taking effect if it passes.

Marijuana Policy Project and Drug Policy Alliance respond. From DPA:

Under our system of government, states get to decide state law. There is nothing in the United States Constitution that requires that the State of California criminalize anything under state law. If California decides to legalize marijuana through the passage of Proposition 19, nothing in the Constitution stands in the way. In fact, Congress has explicitly left to the states wide discretion to legislate independently in the area of drug control and policy. States do not need to march in lockstep with the federal government or even agree with federal law.

[More...]

The Open Society Foundation has released a new report on detainee abuse by the U.S. military at a detention facility in Afghanistan:

The accounts by Afghans—who refer to the site as “Tor Jail” or “Black Jail”—are not in accordance with U.S. detention rules. The report, Confinement Conditions at a U.S. Screening Facility on Bagram Air Base, provides the first detailed account of detainee treatment at this classified site, which is different than the well-know Bagram detention facility.

Detainees state that they were held in excessively cold isolation cells; supplied inappropriate or inadequate food, bedding, and blanketing; denied exposure to natural light; unable to carry out their religious duties; restricted from exercise; and kept from meeting with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

[More...]

A new report by the Justice Policy Institute shows a lack of equal justice for Native Hawaiians:

In the first-ever investigation of the impact of the justice system on Native Hawaiians, researchers from the Justice Policy Institute, Georgetown University and the University of Hawai’i found that even when the criminal charges are the same, Native Hawaiians are sent to prison more often and for longer periods of time than most other racial or ethnic groups in Hawai‘i. Native Hawaiians are also more likely to have their parole revoked and be returned to prison compared to other racial or ethnic groups.

It's not just the offenders who suffer: [More...]

I'm off to court for the day. In case BTD is also busy, here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Update: In the news, there will be no social security increases this year for the second year in a row. Michelle Obama campaigned for Michael Bennet yesterday. The Ken Buck is ethically challenged ad aired at least five times last night.

The judge in the Ghailani terror trial released his newly redacted 63 page opinion barring the testimony of cooperator Hussein Abebe. The opinion doesn't just say his testimony was tainted by Ghailani's CIA questioning at a black hole prison, it says the judge found him incredible and that he lied about his motives for testifying.

Did Texas execute an innocent man? The case of Cameron Todd Willingham is being re-examined. (More background here and here.) A court hearing was held yesterday. No ruling yet.

Sorry, another busy day.

What's going on?

This is an Open Thread.

Via Atrios, who cares about the rule of law?

It�s actually a bit sickening to hear defaulted borrowers describing the misdeeds of banks as �mortgage fraud.� What some banks have done might well be fraud�but the fact of that fraud doesn�t erase the other fact that the borrower agreed to make payments or face the penalty of losing her home.

"These companies that are too big to fail apparently also think they're also too big to comply with the law of the land and it's beyond outrageous," D�Amelio�s lawyer tells CNNMoney. Maybe I�ve missed something here. Can someone please explain why banks being �too big to fail� should mean that D�Amelio should get to live in a house she hasn�t paid for?

Citi does not own the note on the house. Fannie Mae does. Foreclosure is a process by which the actual creditor gets to try and recover monies owed to it. Citi does not own the debt. Fannie Mae does. Citi has no right to seek to recover monies that are not owed to it. How hard is it to understand this basic point?

Speaking for me only

Atrios links to Felix Salmon's discussion of Tim Geithner's argument against a foreclosure moratorium:

I think it�s important to recognize, Charlie, that if you � a national moratorium would be very damaging to exactly the kind of people we�re trying to protect, because the consequence of that would be in neighborhoods that have been most affected by the foreclosure crisis, where you see lots of houses on the block empty, unoccupied, what it means is those communities will be living longer with houses unoccupied, with more pressure on their house price with the people still in their houses.

Salmon recognizes that foreclosure is in fact the process by which many of these homes are emptied. In response, Geithner argues:

It's a busy work day for both BTD and me today. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome. I'll be back this evening.

NYTimes Editorial:

[I]n three terms, [Feingold] has distinguished himself for trying to bring fairness to campaign finance and decency to national security, among other achievements. He has routinely crossed party lines to work with Republicans and has had the courage to break with his own party more often than almost any other senator.

He voted against confirming Tim Geithner as Treasury secretary, citing Mr. Geithner�s personal tax issues. He refused to support the Wall Street reform package because it did not go far enough. He was the only senator who voted against the misguided Patriot Act in 2001. He has supported gun rights � more than we like � and has opposed hate crime measures.

[. . .] Mr. Feingold is one of the very few [Democrats] with the self-confidence to offer a full-throated defense of his votes. [. . .] Mr. Feingold is making the case that there is a choice to make on Nov. 2 and that there is a need for thoughtful voices in Washington.

If you can, give Russ some cheddar.

Speaking for me only

The third miner has just surfaced. If you aren't watching, turn it on. It's heartwarming and real. Everyone is calm and joyous.

The President and First Lady of Chile are right there, they seem so down to earth and connected to the relatives, the workers and the miners. Watching the President physically bear-hug the miners as they emerge is amazing. His smile is a mile wide.

The emotion on everyone's faces is palpable. It's rare to see such expressions of pure joy these days.

A lot of expertise and planning went into this rescue and it shows. Congratulations, Chile (and those from other countries who helped.) You've done yourselves proud. The world is watching and we are all impressed and smiling with you.