Santa Cruz deputy police chief describes the worst California biker violence in a decade: “It was all about who would be allowed to hang out at the Starbucks downtown. The Vagos brazenly came in and tried to cement their presence… Only in Santa Cruz would you have biker wars over who’s going to control pumpkin spice lattes.” [Reuters, via LuxMentis]

“The sponsor of the law that made it legal to carry a gun into bars in Tennessee is facing charges of possession of a handgun while under the influence and drunken driving.” [Knoxville News Sentinel, via jwmcsame]

“Attention, Florida: Today is the last day to legally buck a bronco, hump a horse, grope a goat, or perform any other activities related to barnyard bangin’. Senate Bill 344, which bans ‘sexual contact’ and ‘sexual conduct’ with animals, goes into effect on Saturday.” [Broward/Palm Beach NewTimes, via jwmcsame]

“LA City firefighters are under investigation for allegedly taking part in porn movies on the job, Cpt. Jaime Moore of the Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed to NBC4 LA. This is the second city department this year where employees have been investigated for alleged involvement in porn movies while on duty.” [via TPM]

“Two men are facing charges in a crime that has family members shocked. They are accused of putting their deceased friend into a car and then heading out for a night of bar hopping.” [CBS Denver]

“The [reorganization] move, which shakes the campaign of the tea party favorite into turmoil in a state where he’s staking much of his 2012 hopes, comes after weeks of swirling rumors between Cain’s staff and volunteers in the Hawkeye State accusing each other of affairs, homosexuality and professional misconduct.” [Politico, via Political Wire]

Our guest columnist is the Citizen Media Law Project, writing on Gadsden Light Bulb entrepreneur and Twitter fetishist Michael Patrick Leahy.

Michael Patrick Leahy, author and founder of “Top Conservatives On Twitter,” filed a lawsuit against blogger Stephanie Grasmick, Twitter user “Duke St. Journal,” and 25 anonymous Twitter users for libel, false light invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and tortious interference with contract.

Leahy, who appears to be handling the case himself, asserts that Grasmick posts on Twitter under the name StephanieInCA and is the operator of Teablogging, a site created “to chronicle the lead-up to the April 15 conservative hysteria Tax Day Tea Parties and to serve as a central repository for low-brow teabag-related sex jokes.” His four-count complaint alleges, among other things, that Grasmick libeled him in a blog post on May 13, 2009, in which she falsely stated that he is:

• a “major tax fraud”;
• a “delusional profiteering creep”;
• an “insane clown”; and
• a “member of some alien race of Lizard People.”

Read more »