* Former congressman indicted in connection with group that allegedly funded terrorism. [Washington Post; CNN]

* Randy Moss denies battery allegations. [SI.com]

* SCOTUS upholds NY judicial selection. [New York Times]

* OJ released on doubled bail. [AP; Reuters]

* Delicious, buttery lawsuit pops up in Colorado. [MSNBC]

* Big award round-up: Apollo Group must pay shareholders $280 million; Libya must pay $6 billion for airplane bombing. [WSJ Law Blog; WSJ Law Blog]

* Pakistan sets parliamentary elections. [CNN]

* What's going on with the AMT? [ABA Journal]

* State Department absolves Blackwater of certain shootings. [MSNBC]

* Initial OJ hearing begins today. [MSNBC]

* Reno businessman pleads guilty during murder trial. [CourtTV]

* O.J. freshly squeezed by a second co-defendant. [AP via Athens Banner-Herald]

* Law professors get appointed to do everything. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

* Nevada holds off on an execution, waiting on SCOTUS. [Reno Gazette-Journal]

* Weiss pleads not guilty. [Jurist]

* iPoison. [PC World]

Last night's Colbert Report was a bonanza for law nerds. The featured guest was Jeffrey Toobin, who spoke about his new book, The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court. Toobin and Colbert had a relaxed and easy rapport, and their conversation was highly entertaining -- perhaps the best CR appearance since Neal Katyal. You can check out Stephen Colbert's interview of Jeff Toobin by clicking here.

Before turning to the SCOTUS, they discussed the most recent legal troubles of O.J. Simpson. As you may recall, Toobin was one of the lead correspondents on the original O.J. trial, as well as the author of a bestselling book about it, The Run of His Life. Toobin summarized the defense strategy in the armed robbery case against Simpson as follows: "If it's his s***, you must acquit."

But that's not all! There was a special shout-out to Bingham McCutchen, during the ThreatDown.

More details, plus a video clip, after the jump.

* GM workers take break from, um, not working. [New York Times]

* Jena 6 charges thrown out because not filed in juvenile court. [CNN]

* O.J. gets squeezed for alleged Vegas robbery. [AP via Athens Banner-Herald]

* Mukasey it is. [New York Times]

I was just trying to get back my own stuff. From Fox 5 (Las Vegas):

Authorities are still investigating whether a gun was used when O.J. Simpson and others entered a Las Vegas hotel room and, after a heated argument, walked off with sports memorabilia.

The incident was reported to police during a 9-1-1 call as an "armed robbery," though Simpson claims no break in or crime was committed and he was simply retrieving his own possessions.

And then he drove off in a white Bronco.

Okay, not really -- but the story is similarly bewildering. It seems O.J. was engaged in a bit of self-help, conducting a "sting" operation against collectors he believed were in possession of sports memorabilia that really belonged to him. But it's not clear how the collectors came into possession of the memorabilia in the first place.

If you care about this story -- we're trying hard, but not really feeling it -- the AP has more details here.

Theft Probe: Police Question O.J. Simpson, Search For Gun [Fox 5]
Simpson Named Suspect in Casino Break-In [Associated Press via Las Vegas Review-Journal]

And he's coming out on top, you know you've hit rock bottom. From TMZ.com:

We now have quantifiable proof that it's better to be O.J. Simpson than Paris Hilton. What is wrong with the world?

You can now buy t-shirts that read "L.A. Court Scorecard: O.J. 1, Paris 0" from the Cafepress.com website. Some might call it ironic that O.J. got away with murder, while Paris is serving time for driving when she wasn't supposed to.

You can purchase merchandise featuring the graphic at right by clicking here.

Paris Hilton, O.J. [CafePress.com]
It's Good to Be O.J., Sucks to Be Paris [TMZ.com]

* So apparently the feds knew about law firm bonuses before ATL. [MSNBC]

* Guess which party just picked up two swing states. [CNN]

* Shutting down YouTube: the ultimate jealous boyfriend move. [MSNBC]

* OJ's money is going nowhere for now. [AP]

* Federal court allows suit against Vatican. [MSNBC]

* The Volokh Conspiracy wins Best Law Blog. Congrats to the VC crew! [The Weblog Awards 2006 via 2nd Place Winner How Appealing]

* F&@% you, FCC!. [CNN.com]

* And in my-home-state-is-not-completely-backward news... [Jurist]

* If he sold it, Ron Goldman wants the money. [AP via FindLaw]

* Internet illiterate NY Mom, who doesn't know "a kazaa from a kazoo," is dropped from recording industry's suit against her children. [AP via lexisONE]

* Another week, another Borat lawsuit.

* Wow -- it doesn't take much to get lawyers all hot and bothered. But ATL readers were evidently untroubled.

* Merry Christmas. There will be no O.J. Simpson book.

* But no Britney sex tape, either.

* Wesley Snipes has some harsh words for the IRS. And Judge Posner does, too.

* We hung out a lot with the Federalist Society. We watched the social conservatives and the libertarians slug it out over cultural issues. And we learned that Judge Edith Jones isn't the woman we thought she was.

The New Yorker's Jeffrey Toobin -- who made his name as a legal affairs writer with his coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial, later turned into a best-selling book -- profiles Pablo Fenjves, the ghostwriter for Simpson's ill-fated literary effort, If I Did It. Money quote:

Fenjves believes that, in the wake of Murdoch’s decision to cancel the book, another publisher may seek to release it....

“It’s going to be bigger than ever,” he said. “It’s like ‘Ulysses,’ except without the talent.”

The Ghostwriter [New Yorker via Gawker]

* Woo-hoo!!! Good news for online rumor-mongerers like ourselves. [Volokh Conspiracy; Instapundit]

* And a bit of bad news, too. [Concurring Opinions]

* We weren't the only ones who had fun at Federalistapalooza. [Southern Appeal]

* "Conservative civil war": Not just at the Federalist Society. [Andrew Sullivan; Instapundit; Ryan Sager]

* When the subject of gay marriage comes up, social conservatives bring out a parade of horribles -- including polygamy. Now Ann Althouse wonders: Is it really so horrible? [Althouse]

* While we're linking to contrarian thinking, here's a different take on L'Affaire OJ.: "Rupert Murdoch's relevant anatomy shrunk to the size of two shriveled peas." [Crime & Federalism]

* Some food for thought: "If the [anti-burqa] legislation is enacted, a Dutch woman could marry her lesbian partner, spend her life smoking a little hashish now and then -- and when the time comes, get a doctor's assistance in pulling the plug -- all well within Dutch law. But she couldn't ride the subway with a veil over her face. What an odd country." [PrawfsBlawg]

* Actually, Will, we think this is really cool. Who wants to tour Civil War battlefields when you can visit these instead? [Crescat Sententia]

The most infamous case of the last century has turned into one of the biggest P.R. disasters of this one.

After nearly universal criticism, from both within and outside the company, the News Corp. has pulled its plans to publish a book by O.J. Simpson -- and to air a television interview with him -- in which the ex-football star describes how he "might" have killed Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.

Hypothetically, mind you. 'Cause he didn't. And he is still searching America, or at least every golf course in America, for the person who murdered his ex-wife.

(News flash: Even Rupert Murdoch will only go so far -- or sink so low.)

For those of you who are well-versed in the legal issues surrounding publishing contracts, some questions from the Washington Post:

Who owns the book now? Will Simpson still be paid? And what will happen now to Regan, whom many in the industry condemn for what they consider bottom-feeding instincts while grudgingly admiring her audacity?

Some info about these issues, from the New York Times:

Standard publishing contracts call for a percentage of an author’s advance, usually up to 50 percent, to be paid when a contract is signed, and for the remainder to be paid when the finished book is accepted by the publisher. The [anonymous] executive [involved in the deal] said Mr. Simpson’s book was covered by a standard publishing contract.

In an interview last week, Judith Regan, the publisher, said ReganBooks, an imprint of HarperCollins, had signed a contract with “a manager who represents a third party” who owned the rights to Mr. Simpson’s account.

Because the News Corporation and ReganBooks decided on their own to cancel the book and the television special, that money is likely to still have to be paid.

Your further thoughts are welcome, in the comments or via email.

Under Pressure, News Corp. Pulls Simpson Project [New York Times]
News Corp. Pulls Plug On O.J. Book, Fox Special [Washington Post]

Earlier: This Is Why the Founding Fathers Gave Us the Double Jeopardy Clause

* Let's see. Romney wants the Massachusetts Supreme Court to force an anti-gay marriage amendment onto the ballot if the legislature fails to act on the issue before the session ends January 2. Wouldn't that be, um, I dunno, activist? [Associated Press via How Appealing]

* It's important to find something to occupy your time and stimulate your mind once you retire. It shouldn't be anything like this, though. [CNN]

* Global warming: the new tobacco? [WSJ Law Blog]

* If he did it, you're not gonna find out about it on these stations. [AP via Online Athens]

* Suit by stinky man kicked off flight fails to take off in Germany. [AP via Yahoo!]

* O.J.'s "confession"? The trial of the century takes a twisted PR turn, years later. [CNN]

* President Bush intends to renominate, to the lame duck Senate, some of the judicial nominees who were not previously confirmed, before the Democrats swept the midterm elections. Interesting strategy. [New York Times]

* Don't mess with Texas['s judicial independence]. [SCOTUSBlog]

* The HP debacle: you thought it was over, but really it's just beginning. Patty Dunn enters a plea of not guilty. [Los Angeles Times]

* Brutal brawl breaks out in an Ohio courtroom. [CNN Video]

Fantasy football, after the jump.

Because if people could be tried for the same crime twice, then we'd probably never be gifted with O.J. Simpson's forthcoming magnum opus, "If I Did It."

Yes, that's right: "If I Did It." Here are the details:

Fox plans to broadcast an interview with O.J. Simpson in which the former football star discusses "how he would have committed" the slayings of his ex-wife and her friend, for which he was acquitted, the network said. The two-part interview, titled "O.J. Simpson: If I Did It, Here's How It Happened," will air Nov. 27 and Nov. 29, the TV network said....

"O.J. Simpson, in his own words, tells for the first time how he would have committed the murders if he were the one responsible for the crimes," the network said in a statement. "In the two-part event, Simpson describes how he would have carried out the murders he has vehemently denied committing for over a decade."

The interview will air days before Simpson's new book, "If I Did It," goes on sale Nov. 30. The book, published by Regan, "hypothetically describes how the murders would have been committed."

The title of Simpson's book reminds us of these lines from Macbeth:

If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well
It were done quickly...

These lines refer, of course, to murder. But they could just as easily apply to O.J.'s return to the public spotlight.

So let's get this over with, and send Simpson back to the golf course forthwith -- since we can't send him to where he really belongs.

O.J. to Say How He Could Have Done It [AP via New York Times]
O.J. Simpson to Discuss Killings [Associated Press]