New York State Supreme Court Judge Arthur M. Schack "fashions himself a judicial Don Quixote, tilting at the phalanxes of bankers, foreclosure facilitators and lawyers who file motions by the bale." ("A 'Little Judge' Who Rejects Foreclosures, Brooklyn Style"). In a world where the little guy usually gets slammed by the modern-day robber barons of the subprime-mortgage industry, it's nice to know there's a "little judge" looking out for his interests.What we like about Judge Schack is that he's not so much a crusader as a nitpicker: But he picks all the right nits. When the Wells Fargos and Citigroups of the world move against embattled homeowners, they largely have the law on their side. Judge Schack may or may not agree that the "law is an ass," but he certainly has little sympathy for big banks and their legal claims. Of 102 foreclosure motions that have come before him over the last few years, he has rejected 42 of them, mainly for technical glitches. The judge's logic is "straightforward. . . . If a bank cannot prove ownership, it cannot foreclose." Or as he puts it himself (and we just WANT to imagine a Yiddish accent): "I'm a strange guy--I don't want to put a family on the street unless it's legitimate."
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One other tidbit from today's paper: "Cheney Offers Sharp Defense of C.I.A. Interrogation Tactics"
Former Vice President and Prince of Darkness Dick Cheney is (gasp!) upset that the attorney general has launched an investigation of C.I.A. interrogation tactics. Speaking of the interrogators, Cheney said, "We ask these people to do some very difficult things. They do so at the direction of the president."
Fair play, Dick. So, what say we investigate you and the president to find out just what orders these good people were following?
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