Posts Tagged ‘Conflicts Of Interest’

Say It’s Not So, Joe! (Limerick)

Thursday, May 18th, 2017

Joe Lieberman? FBI head?
Please tell me this rumor is dead.
Law enforcement skills? None!
Built-in conflicts? A ton!
Might as well name dear Jared, instead.

Trump’s Make-Believe Firewall (Limerick)

Wednesday, December 14th, 2016

Trump has conflicts of int’rest galore.
Think you’re tracking them all? Count some more!
Watch sons Donald and Eric
(His firewall chimeric)
Play roles in the Cab’net pick chore.

I’m Weeping For Trump’s Sacrifices (Limerick)

Monday, December 12th, 2016

Trump’s interview on Chris Wallace’s Fox News Sunday is beyond belief, even for Trump. Hence this limerick:

Poor Donald! That fellow’s rejected
Deals worth billions, since Trump’s been elected.
Int’rest conflicts? No way!
He avoids them each day.
What a wall of deceit he’s erected!

How’s the “Swamp Draining” Going? (Limerick)

Monday, November 28th, 2016

Donald’s conflicts of int’rest abound,
And his acts of self-dealing confound.
The “swamp” is Trump’s playground;
Get richer, crush prey-ground.
In Trump-sewage, democracy’s drowned.

Limerick Ode To Clarence Thomas

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is under scrutiny these days for conflicts of interest related to the Koch Brothers, the Federalist Society, and the Citizens United case.

But today’s limerick and haiku will focus, instead, on the fact that Thomas hasn’t asked a single appellate hearing question in five years.

For the record, I did quite a bit of litigation work during my lawyering years. And believe me, his failure to speak throughout five years of hearings is peculiar and reflects very poorly on his judicial skills.

That brings me to my Clarence Thomas limerick:

Limerick Ode To Clarence Thomas
By Madeleine Begun Kane

I’m mindful that Thomas can talk,
But at queries for hearings he’ll balk.
He’s been silent for years–
Five in all. I’m all ears.
If he asks one sharp question, I’ll gawk.

And here’s my Clarence Thomas haiku:

The Sup Court’s Thomas–
Too ill-informed for queries?
Or just too lazy?

UPDATE: It’s been nearly two years since I wrote this limerick and haiku. So in fairness, I must announce that Justice Thomas has finally broken his silence.

Now mind you, he didn’t ask a sharp question … or, indeed, any question: He merely made a mildly amusing four-word (or so) remark about lawyers who went to Yale.

Still … it’s a start.