July 15, 2020

Can Your Speed Dial Be Used Against You In Court?

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I have a busy day ahead, so there probably won’t be much blogging today. Instead, I’ll leave you with something completely different and totally trivial.

Here in California we have a DUI attorney called No-Cuffs. If you get pulled over for drunk driving, give them a call! In fact, says a recent ad, you should put them on your speed dial.

Your speed dial! So here’s what I wonder. Suppose that some bright young assistant DA decides to subpoena your cell phone and sees that No-Cuffs is, in fact, on your speed dial. What impact would this have? Could a good lawyer use this as evidence that you intended to drive drunk? Or what? Do I have any criminal lawyers out there who can advise us whether it’s really a good idea to have a DUI attorney on speed dial?

See you tomorrow.

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LET’S TALK ABOUT OPTIMISM FOR A CHANGE

Democracy and journalism are in crisis mode—and have been for a while. So how about doing something different?

Mother Jones did. We just merged with the Center for Investigative Reporting, bringing the radio show Reveal, the documentary film team CIR Studios, and Mother Jones together as one bigger, bolder investigative journalism nonprofit.

And this is the first time we’re asking you to support the new organization we’re building. In “Less Dreading, More Doing,” we lay it all out for you: why we merged, how we’re stronger together, why we’re optimistic about the work ahead, and why we need to raise the First $500,000 in online donations by June 22.

It won’t be easy. There are many exciting new things to share with you, but spoiler: Wiggle room in our budget is not among them. We can’t afford missing these goals. We need this to be a big one. Falling flat would be utterly devastating right now.

A First $500,000 donation of $500, $50, or $5 would mean the world to us—a signal that you believe in the power of independent investigative reporting like we do. And whether you can pitch in or not, we have a free Strengthen Journalism sticker for you so you can help us spread the word and make the most of this huge moment.

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