Friday, June 8, 2012

Friday Dispatches: Robert Bacharach's Nomination and Hopper and Cooley's Charges

The Honorable Robert Bacharach is on the cusp of getting screwed because republican senators want to play hard ball politics during an election year. Bacharach, a Federal Magistrate, was nominated to the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. He has been fully vetted by the Justice Department, was awarded impeccable ratings by the American Bar Association, and was finally endorsed by both Oklahoma senators. He also had the terrible misfortune of being named by Barack Obama.

In a story in today's Oklahoman written by Chris Casteel, Senator Tom Coburn reportedly has told Judge Bacharach that "he might not get through the senate confirmation process this year." Well of course not. It is an election year and if their man Mitt wins in November he can nominate some fire breathing conservative who will attempt some right wing social engineering on the party's behalf.

Coburn was quoted as saying, "I think it is stupid." What he didn't mention was that he was part of the problem up until a few weeks ago. Coburn sat on the nomination for months until The Oklahoma Publishing Company through The Oklahoman called into question his reluctance to give the go ahead. Within forty-eight hours of that subtle jab Brother Coburn found religion and gave the nod. Shortly after that he became a gushing fan of Robert Bacharach praising him to no end.

Now Coburn can let his cohorts in the party do what his Oklahoma keepers told him not to while maintaining he is innocent of political thuggery. Trying to spread the blame, Dr. Tom immediately claimed democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee has used the same tactic in the past. However Casteel reports that on Wednesday Leahy pointed to a report by the Congressional Research Service. The report finds that the senate confirmed 28 district and circuit judges at the end of G.W. Bush's first term and another 22 in the last few months of his second. That would be when Leahy and the rest of the democrats in the senate knew Barack Obama was preparing his inaugural address.

Meanwhile, back in Oklahoma City, an article by Tiffany Gibson details the charges being brought against Cole Dean Hopper and Danielle Marie Cooley. Hopper and Cooley are in the Cleveland County jail awaiting trial for the murder of Kelsey Bransby. According to Gibson, Hopper is facing second degree murder and Cooley is being charged with an accessory count.

Apparently Cooley was being looked at early on in the investigation, but denied being in the apartment when Ms. Bransby was shot. According to an affidavit, after she was arrested she initially continued to maintain she wasn't there, but finally caved in and admitted she was.

According to Gibson's story Cooley told police she thinks the shooting was accidental. She also says she doesn't know what happened to the gun or the shell casing.

Hopper is still denying he was there when the killing took place.

Bail is set at $2 million apiece.

Look for this pair to hire separate lawyers. It is going to be an acrimonious breakup between the reported boyfriend and girlfriend.

And there you have it. Dirty politics and a brute stupid felony. Sometimes The Big Parade becomes ugly and tragic, but as we know it never ends.

6-8-12

     

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