Good morning — and a happy 60th to Jerry Seinfeld! Here are some of the stories we’re reading this a.m….
Stat of the day: One out of 25 — estimated share of death row inmates who are innocent, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Via: AP.
Every sentence shouldn’t be for life –> New York City may bar employers from asking potential hires about their past criminal records, reports Erin Durkin for the Daily News.
Out of sight… –> Members of the Senate Intelligence Committee removed a provision in an authorization bill that would require the White House to disclose the number of people killed in drone strikes each year. Spencer Ackerman reports for The Guardian.
Religious left wants some liberty too –> In a lawsuit filed Monday, the United Church of Christ says North Carolina’s ban on same-sex unions violates its First Amendment right to exercise its faith as it sees fit. Similar suits were once used to challenge laws banning mixed-race marriages.
Everyone agrees that inequality is a problem –> But according to Pew, Americans can’t agree about what causes it, which means we have different views of how to address the issue.
It’s not just campaign cash –> At TPM, Nick Carnes says there’s no question we live in a plutocracy when “a majority in the House of Representatives, a filibuster-proof super-majority in the Senate, a 5-4 majority on the Supreme Court and a man in the White House” are themselves millionaires.
Dangerous spin –> Dean Angstadt hated Obamacare until he faced a deadly heart condition, at which point he was happy to discover that everything he thought he knew about the law had been based on misinformation. Brian Beutler has the story at TNR.
Constitutional conservatives –> Three out of four Republican Senate candidates in Iowa promised publicly to apply a religious test to potential federal judges, which would directly violate Article VI of the US Constitution. Via: Right Wing Watch.
The gun death lobby –> A woman who runs a company that developed a “smart gun” that can only be fired by its legal owner says she’s being stalked and threatened by “gun rights enthusiasts” who think that it’s some kind of plot to disarm them. David Edwards reports for The Raw Story. ALSO: At Pacific Standard, Lois Beckett profiles Dr. Garen Wintemute, who has donated over $1 million of his own money to finance gun violence research after Congress bowed to the NRA and stopped authorizing the expenditure.
Police tech –> At Ars Technica, Joe Silver asks: “Can cops legally fire ‘GPS bullets’ at fleeing cars to track suspects?”
False advertising –> At NARAL’s urging, Google has removed ads for “crisis pregnancy centers” that appear to offer reproductive health services but are actually fronts for anti-abortion groups. Hayley Tsukayama reports for WaPo.
Occupy the farm –> Amber Cortes at Grist: “An Occupy founder says the next revolution will be rural.”
It was the salmon mousse! –> Over 100 people have come down with suspected food poisoning they contracted at a food safety summit in Baltimore. Via: NBC News.
