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Ezekiel Elliott timeline: Tracing the news involving the NFL running back
A look at the major developments involving the Dallas Cowboys running back and the NFL.
Written By Sporting News
Here's a look at the developments in the Ezekiel Elliott case.
Aug. 20, 2016: Investigators to meet with Ezekiel Elliott's domestic assault accuser
By Joe Rodgers
Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott will know by the end of next week whether he will face domestic assault charges for allegedly striking a woman who was once believed to be his girlfriend in July.
According to The Dallas Morning News, Ohio investigators will meet Monday with Elliott's accuser Tiffany Thompson, who filed a police report with with the Columbus police department after posting photos to Instagram showing multiple bruises to various parts of her body.
The No. 4 pick in this year's NFL Draft, Elliott has denied any wrongdoing and police did not arrest him or charge him with a crime.
The NFL is also investigating the allegations. Should Elliott be found of violating its personal conduct policy, he could be subject to a six-game suspension.
Elliott, who is currently dealing with a hamstring issue this preseason, is expected to play a key role in the Cowboys offense after having rushed for more than 1,800 yards in each of his last two seasons at Ohio State.
Aug. 26, 2016: Elliott's Seattle weed dispensary visit upsets Jerry Jones
By Bob Hille
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones says a video that appears to show rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott at a Seattle marijuana dispensary is "not good."
The video - posted on TMZ.com and calling Elliott a "marijuana tourist" - purports to be of him at Herban Legends only hours before he made his NFL preseason debut Thursday, though it doesn't show him making any purchases.
"Well, I think that in and of itself the reason we are talking about is in a way part of the learning process," Jones said late Thursday night (via ESPN.com), after the Cowboys' 27-17 loss to the Seahawks. "But it's not good. It's just not good. It's just not good."
Although the sale for recreational use of marijuana is legal in Washington, it is a banned substance under the NFL's drug-testing program.
Elliott, who has been hampered by a hamstring injury, had seven carries for 48 yards in his first NFL game action, drawing rave reviews.
The reviews of TMZ's video? Not so rave.
"Again that's a part of just really getting the big picture here," Jones said. "No matter if you played at whatever level, there is a picture here of interest. So again, I'm aware of it. I heard the report. I would know how he is, and he needs to look at that. And the other thing is it's just not good."
Sept. 6, 2016: Elliott won't face domestic violence charges in Ohio
Ezekiel Elliott will not be charged for allegedly striking a woman who was once believed to be his girlfriend, investigators announced Tuesday.
Citing "conflicting and inconsistent information," the Columbus Attorney's Office ruled that allegations against the former Ohio State running back lacked the evidence to support the filing of criminal charges.
In August, investigators met with Elliott's accuser, Tiffany Thompson, who filed a police report with the Columbus Police Department after posting photos to Instagram showing multiple bruises to various parts of her body. She accused Elliott of striking her in five separate incidents in July.
The No. 4 pick in this year's NFL draft, Elliott has denied any wrongdoing. Police did not arrest him or charge him with a crime at the time.
The NFL is also investigating the allegations. Should the Cowboys rookie be found of violating the league's personal conduct policy, he could be subject to a six-game suspension.
The league has not made an announcement regarding a possible suspension, but it seems unlikely following Elliott's vindication.
Elliott is expected to play a key role in the Cowboys offense after having rushed for more than 1,800 yards in each of his last two seasons at Ohio State.
Getty Images/SN Illustration
Oct. 27, 2016: NFL reportedly interviews Elliott about domestic violence allegations
By Ron Clements
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was not charged following an accusation of domestic violence by an ex-girlfriend this summer. But the NFL still wants to hear his side of the story.
League investigators have reportedly spoken with Elliott about the incident that took place while he was still at Ohio State. A person close to Elliott told USA Today the NFL has an ongoing investigation that has run parallel to the investigation conducted by police in Columbus, Ohio.
Elliott was the fourth overall pick in April's NFL Draft and his rookie season has gotten off to a blazing start. He leads the NFL with 703 rushing yards as the 5-1 Cowboys prepare to face the Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) on Sunday.
The NFL has an image problem when it comes to domestic violence issues and wants to ensure it has covered all its bases following the most recent news that has come to light on former New York Giants kicker Josh Brown.
A league spokesman did not confirm the interview with Elliott with USA Today, but did tell the paper the NFL is actively reviewing the matter.
Nov. 1, 2016: Elliott's attorney releases statement
By Scott Ridge
Ezekiel Elliott's lawyer wants the NFL to end its investigation of domestic violence allegations against the Cowboys' rookie running back.
Not only that, attorney Frank Salzano blames the media for continuing to bring attention to Elliott even though he was never charged following an investigation in Ohio last summer.
A statement released Monday night from Salzano (via USA Today) read:
"For the past several days the media has elected to focus on allegations of domestic violence involving Mr. Elliot despite the Columbus, Ohio Prosecutor's Office decision not to charge Mr. Elliott nearly two months ago. As previously reported, the prosecutor's office conducted a thorough seven-week investigation whereby in their own words they 'dotted every I and crossed every T' and concluded there was no credible evidence to file any charges against Mr. Elliott. My office provided a mountain of exculpatory evidence demonstrating Mr. Elliott's innocence and directly contradicting all of the false allegations contained in the Accuser's two police reports as first reported on July 22, 2016.
"Yet the media has chosen to deflect the recent negative press regarding the NFL's reported mishandling of several domestic violence matters by focusing on the NFL's prolonged investigation of Mr. Elliott. The NFL's interview of Mr. Elliott was conducted over four weeks ago and went unreported at the time as it was then, and still remains a non-story. It is league protocol to conduct a separate investigation whenever there are allegations of domestic violence by one of its players.
"We firmly believe that the NFL should promptly close its investigation which is only open because of their apprehensiveness stemming from the recent scrutiny it has come under for its handling of other domestic violence matters. Notwithstanding the forgoing, we remain firm that the NFL will clear Mr. Elliott of any wrongdoing and this matter can be finally put to rest."
A prosecutor who reviewed allegations of abuse told USA Today it's his opinion that Elliott had violent interactions with his accuser even though Elliott was cleared by the city attorney.
Although not named in the statement, it's believed Elliott's attorney is referencing the case of former Giants kicker Josh Brown, who was given a one-game suspension amid allegations of domestic violence, only to be put on the commissioner's exempt list and ultimately released by the Giants when evidence of more abuse surfaced.
CBS Sports recently reported Elliott could receive a lengthy suspension pending the completion of the NFL's investigation into his case.
Nov. 5, 2016: Elliott and accuser allegedly involved in previous altercation in February
By Marcus DiNitto
The woman who accused Ezekiel Elliott of abusing her in July in Columbus, Ohio, alleged the two were involved in a previous physical altercation, according to an incident report cited by USA Today.
The woman also called police on Elliott on Feb. 12 when the two were in South Florida, where Elliott was training for the NFL Draft.
MORE: Players arrested on domestic violence charges under Roger Goodell's reign
The Aventura Police Department responded, but Elliott was not arrested, and according to the incident report, the officers saw no signs of injury and the accuser declined to go to the hospital.
Elliott told the police that during an argument, he asked the woman to leave his apartment and go back to Ohio. She refused and then grabbed him as he was trying to go into his bedroom and lock the door. That's when he pushed her to get away from her. After the police showed up, the woman was given an ice pack, was instructed about how to file charges, but then left in an Uber ride.
While the Columbus City Attorney's Office declined to file criminal charges against Elliott for a series of alleged violent incidents with the woman in July, the NFL continues its investigation into the Cowboys star rookie running back. USA Today notes it is unclear whether the league is aware of the February incident or whether it will affect how the league handles Elliott's case. The league said it does not comment on active investigations.
Elliott's attorney, Frank Salzano, also declined USA Today's request for comment, but earlier this week, Salzano called for the NFL to drop the investigation into his client and accused the media of piling on a "non-story."
Salzano's statement read in part, "We firmly believe that the NFL should promptly close its investigation which is only open because of their apprehensiveness stemming from the recent scrutiny it has come under for its handling of other domestic violence matters. Notwithstanding the forgoing, we remain firm that the NFL will clear Mr. Elliott of any wrongdoing and this matter can be finally put to rest."
Dec. 19, 2016: Elliott not fined for jumping into Salvation Army kettle
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will not be fined over $12,000 for his Salvation Army kettle celebration Sunday night against the Buccaneers, the NFL announced Monday.
After cruising his way into the end zone from short yardage to give the Cowboys a 10-3 lead, Elliott set his sights on a red Salvation Army bucket, leaping into it before being greeted by his jubilant teammates.
Ezekiel Elliott runs into Cowboys RB Rookie History. As well as jumping into the Salvation Army Kettle Pot. #TBvsDAL #CowboysNation pic.twitter.com/nqJMlTnrgW
- Dylan (@DylansFreshTake) December 19, 2016
The referees did not look kindly on the stunt, though, penalizing Elliott for excessive celebration, costing the Cowboys 15 yards on the ensuing kickoff.
The Salvation Army enjoyed added publicity from the celebration. According to Apex Marketing, Elliott's leap into the Salvation Army kettle was worth $200,000 in TV ad exposure to the brand.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones jokingly expressed a wish for the NFL to fine Elliott in order to gain more exposure for the charity work done by the Salvation Army.
"I think the Salvation Army should give (Elliott) the highest award," Jones told reporters after the Cowboys' win. "My dream would be for the NFL to really fine me a lot of money and I'll take them to the Supreme Court and we'll get the Salvation Army more attention than anybody can get them. So let's go."
Jan. 15, 2017: NFL requests more information from Elliott regarding assault accusations
By Kirstie Chiappelli
Ezekiel Elliott isn't out of the woods yet. The NFL has requested more information from the Cowboys running back regarding the assault accusations made by his ex-girlfriend in July, ESPN reported Sunday.
According to the report, the league submitted a series of follow-up questions to the rookie in the last month and he is still in the process of responding to them.
The woman who accused Elliott of abusing her in July in Columbus, Ohio, also alleged the two were involved in a previous physical altercation. She called police on Feb. 12 when the two were in South Florida, where Elliott was training for the NFL Draft. Elliott was not arrested and, according to the incident report, the officers saw no signs of injury before the accuser declined to go to the hospital.
Elliott has maintained his innocence and says he's been compliant with investigators. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones also isn't concerned with the ongoing league investigation.
The league doesn't expect any resolution will be reached before the season ends, so any potential discipline for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy would be for the 2017 season.
July 1: NFL reportedly obtains Elliott's phone records amid investigation
The NFL's investigation of a domestic violence allegation against Ezekiel Elliott could be approaching an end after the league received a series of records potentially related to the incident in question, USA Today reported Thursday.
According to the report, the NFL Players Association recently handed over "phone records and other documents" related to the probe into the Cowboys' star running back.
Prosecutors in Ohio decided not to charge Elliott after he was accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend last July, and he was not arrested in connection with the alleged incident, but the NFL still hasn't come to a conclusion in its own investigation as to whether he violated the league's personal conduct policy. If the league does find he violated the rules, his punishment will take effect next season. He will also have the opportunity to appeal the decision.
Elliott, who turns 22 in July, is coming off a monster rookie season in which he led the league with 1,631 rushing yards and added 15 touchdowns. He missed several days of OTAs after suffering minor injuries in a car accident last month, but has since rejoined his team for workouts.
July 19: Investigation into Elliott's alleged assault suspended by Dallas police
By Gabrielle McMillen
Dallas police are suspending the investigation into Ezekiel Elliott's bar fight.
The Cowboys running back has been accused of punching a man in the face and knocking him out at a Dallas club, but police are now unable to locate the alleged victim.
Official statement from DPD on Zeke Elliott case pic.twitter.com/4Yj7BN15zx
- Rebecca Lopez (@rlopezwfaa) July 19, 2017
The man, who goes by DJ D-Train, gave police an old address and wrong telephone number, according to WFAA TV. Unable to find him, Dallas police used Twitter to ask DJ D-Train to come in for an interview.
@DJ_dTrain Can you please contact Detective Kreun with @DallasPD at 214-671-3617?
- Dallas Police Dept (@DallasPD) July 18, 2017
Just because the police are putting the case on the back burner doesn't mean it's closed. Dallas PD can reverse the suspension at any time.
Elliott is also dealing with other legal issues. He's expected to appeal a traffic ticket from April that has him going 100 mph in a 70-mph zone.
He also was accused of domestic violence in 2016 by an ex-girlfriend, although those charges were dropped.
The NFL is looking into these issues, all or any of which could lead to a suspension.
July 23: Elliott's accuser speaks out one year after alleged abuse
The woman who claimed Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was abusive towards her penned a post against domestic violence one year after the alleged incident.
The woman, who said she was in a relationship with Elliott, wrote about how she got out of a "toxic relationship," but didn't call Elliott out by name.
"Exactly 1 year ago today my life changed forever," the woman posted on social media, via TMZ. "I finally got the strength to be the strong woman I was and got myself out of a very toxic relationship. Ladies never think you're too in love or too scared to leave because at one point that was me. There's plenty of opportunities out there for you. Love yourself first. Speak up and stop domestic violence."
Elliott, who was never charged with domestic violence, said the relationship was purely sexual. He has denied abusing the woman in any way.
The NFL has yet to take action against Elliott for that accusation. The second-year rusher is also in hot water for driving 100 mph in a 70 mph zone and, most recently, for allegedly assaulting a man in a Dallas club.
He has only been charged with the speeding incident, since the alleged victim in the bar fight is not cooperating with Dallas police.
July 30: Jerry Jones: Elliott met with NFL about investigation
Ezekiel Elliott has finally faced his demons.
After saying he expects the NFL to "imminently" announce its ruling, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones further elaborated by revealing the star running back has met with league officials in New York regarding his domestic violence allegation stemming from a 2016 incident.
"They have had their hearing and they have had all of the responses," Jones said after Saturday's training camp practice, via the team's website. "Everything's in place to make a decision.
"I think anything is discretionary. At any time you can ask for more meetings, whether it's the league or whether it's Zeke."
Jones has long asserted Elliott's innocence in the matter, recenty saying "there is absolutely nothing, not one thing, that I've seen that has anything to do with domestic violence." Meanwhile, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has effectively recused himself from the league's investigation.
The league has not taken action against Elliott, who was never charged in the alleged assault. The second-year rusher is also in hot water for driving 100 mph in a 70 mph zone and being accused of punching a DJ in a Dallas nightclub, though Dallas police have suspended that investigation because the accuser has not been cooperative.
The Cowboys signed veteran running back Ronnie Hillman earlier this week, though coach Jason Garrett told reporters the signing is due to Jahad Thomas' hamstring injury and had nothing to do with a potential suspension of Elliott.
Aug. 11: Elliott suspended six games, NFL announces
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will be suspended by the NFL for the first six games of the 2017 NFL season under the league's Personal Conduct Policy, the NFL announced Friday, capping a year-long investigation into his behavior off the field.
Pending the appeal that Elliott indicated Friday will be filed, the suspension means he would miss games against the Giants, Broncos, Cardinals, Rams, Packers and 49ers. Including the team's bye week Oct. 15, he would be eligible to return Oct. 23, the day after the 49ers game, and would be able to play against the Redskins on Oct. 29, almost two months after the regular-season's start.
Official pic.twitter.com/7coIXNqA2J
- Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 11, 2017
"After reviewing the record and having considered the views of the independent advisors, the commissioner determined that the credible evidence established that Elliott engaged in conduct that violated NFL policy," the league concluded.
The NFL said that "more than a dozen witnesses" were interviewed during the investigation, including Tiffany Thompson, whose accusations of domestic violence in July 2016 touched off the probe.
However, Elliott, in a statement released later Friday, strongly disputed the league's basis for its suspension and clearly indicated that he will appeal: "The NFL's findings are replete with factual innacuracies and erroneous conclusions and it 'cherry picks' so called evidence to support its conclusion while ignoring other critical evidence. … During the upcoming weeks and through the appeal a slew of additional credible and controverting evidence will come to light."
According to league rules, Elliott has three business days to file notice of appeal, and a hearing must be scheduled within 10 days of receipt of the notice. Pending the appeal, Elliott's suspension would begin Sept. 2, the day of final roster cuts. He is eligible to participate in all preseason practices and games until then.
The NFLPA released a statement shortly after the league's announcement, saying, "We are reviewing the decision and have been in touch with Ezekiel and his representatives to consider all options."
An appeal would be heard by the commissioner or his designee, typically former NFL executive Harold Henderson.
If he loses the appeal (or even if it is reduced to fewer games), Elliott faces losing the more than $8 million of guaranteed money in his current contract, according to multiple reports.
The league's yearlong investigation began last summer, after Thompson claimed Elliott had assaulted her multiple times.
Elliott was never charged in the alleged 2016 assault, but that's not the only issue Elliott has had off the field.
He was cited in April for speeding after being clocked going 100 mph in a 70-mph zone, he appeared on video to expose a woman's breast during a St. Patrick's Day parade this spring and more recently was accused of punching a nightclub DJ in Dallas, though police suspended that investigation because the accuser was not cooperative.
According to multiple reports, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones - who had steadfastly defended his player - was furious about the severity of the suspension after having said last week, "The domestic violence is not an issue. Zeke has had some other things that have been looked at and are being looked at. But from the domestic violence issue, there's not an issue."
Source in text to me: "Jerry Jones is as angry as I've ever seen him."
- mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) August 11, 2017
Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones is said to be furious with NFL decision, per one source. Furious.
- Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 11, 2017
Jones and the Cowboys had held out hope as recently as this week that Elliott might avoid a suspension.
Aug. 11: Elliott says NFL came to 'erroneous conclusions' in suspension ruling
By Jordan Heck
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott responded to the NFL's decision to suspend him for six games. His representatives released a statement, via NFL Network, saying they plan to appeal the decision, and provided their reasons why.
In a letter to Elliott, the NFL stated the domestic violence allegations against him were strong enough to warrant punishment, despite there being no charges filed on the Cowboys back. The letter also stated two medical experts felt the photos of injuries suffered by Elliott's girlfriend, Tiffany Thompson, matched her descriptions of the alleged altercations.
MORE: NFL's letter to Elliott | Fans react to news
Here is Elliott's response, via his representatives, in full:
"We just learned of the NFL's decision to suspend Mr. Elliott for six games for allegedly engaging in 'physical force' against the accuser. Mr. Elliott and his team of representatives are extremely disappointed with the NFL's decision.
"Our offices have been engaged in this matter since last July and have worked hand in hand with the Columbus Prosecutor's office as well as the NFL with their respective investigations. Accordingly, we are fully aware of the full body of evidence that exists in connection with this matter.
"The NFL's findings are replete with factual inaccuracies and erroneous conclusions and it 'cherry picks' so called evidence to support its conclusion while ignoring other critical evidence.
"For example, both the Columbus Prosecutor's office as well as the NFL investigators expressly concluded and conveyed to our office (and others) that the accuser was lying about an alleged July 22, 2016 incident whereby she accused Mr. Elliott of pulling her out of her car and assaulting her. An allegation that was ultimately undermined by her own friend's affidavit which stated that no such assault occurred. The affidavit also outlined the accuser's plan to orchestrate a story to police to in order to corroborate her false allegation of assault. In addition, the NFL's own medical experts concluded that many of her injuries predated the week in question and likely occurred during a period of time when Mr. Elliott was not in contact with the accuser. During the upcoming weeks and through the appeal a slew of additional credible and controverting evidence will come to light."
In the last paragraph, Elliott's team is referring to text messages that were between Thompson and her friend, asking the friend to lie to police.
MORE: Ezekiel Elliott's suspension comes with silver (and blue) linings for Cowboys
Elliott was suspended six games for violating the league's personal-conduct policy. If the punishment stands, he will return Oct. 29th against the Redskins.
The NFL's letter to Elliott said the Cowboys back must also undergo a clinical evaluation. In addition, he was told "another violation of this nature may result in your suspension or potential banishment."
Aug. 11: NFL letter: Elliott's suspension stems from 'pattern of poor judgment and behavior'
By Zac Al-Khateeb
The NFL sent a letter to Ezekiel Elliott that offers more details into why the Cowboys star was suspended six games on domestic violence allegations, and also says Elliott must undergo a clinical evaluation.
The letter, which contains some of the same information in a public league statement, explains that the NFL not only reviewed allegations of domestic violence levied against Elliott, but also his St. Patrick's Day incident - in which he exposed a woman's breasts - in determining the severity of his suspension.
A source close to the investigation provided the letter to Sporting News' Alex Marvez.
MORE: NFL fans unhappy with league's decision
According to the letter, the NFL said that its two medical experts determined photos of injuries suffered by Elliott's girlfriend matched her descriptions of the alleged altercations, and how and when they occurred. The NFL determined she suffered injuries to her "arms, neck and shoulders" on July 17, 2016, her "face, arms, wrists and hands" on July 19 and her "face, neck, arms, knees and hips" on July 21.
The letter also addressed Elliott's two biggest defenses in his case: that he was never charged by the Columbus Attorney's Office, and his supposed proof that his girlfriend was trying to set him up.
The letter states that the Columbus prosecutor said, "We generally believed (Elliott's girlfriend) for all of the incidents." The letter later stated that, "While there may be conflicting testimonial evidence regarding the nature and substance of conversations, there is no dispute that (Elliott) and (Elliot's girlfriend) were together in the same location on the dates identified, and no evidence to suggest that anyone else could have caused these injuries."
MORE: NFL's decision comes with silver (and blue) linings
All told, the NFL's review of Elliott's alleged altercations with his girlfriend, coupled with the St. Patrick's Day incident - which "reflected a lack of respect for women" - "suggests a pattern of poor judgment and behavior."
The NFL's letter said that Elliott must undergo clinical evaluation - and that, should counseling or treatment be recommended, that he comply with those recommendations. Elliott was also told in the letter that "another violation of this nature may result in your suspension or potential banishment."
Aug. 21: Elliott admits to 'lack of effort' in Cowboys' loss to Broncos
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott issued a mea culpa Thursday for his lack of effort on Broncos cornerback Chris Harris' interception return during Denver's 42-17 win over Dallas on Sunday.
With his team trailing 28-10 and 6:41 remaining in the third quarter, Elliott put his hands on his hips and walked off the field as Harris returned an interception of a Dak Prescott pass 23 yards in the other direction.
After the game, Elliott was blasted by NFL Network analyst LaDainian Tomlinson, who said the Cowboys running back "absolutely quit on his team." Tomlinson wasn't the only one who noticed.
"I guess you could say it looked like that," Elliott said, per Pro Football Talk, in his first public response on the matter. "I would say I was just very frustrated, but that's no excuse for the lack of effort I showed on tape. I just can't do that. Being one of the leaders on the team and being a guy that people count on, I can't put that type of stuff on film."
Tomlinson also didn't like Elliott's sulking body language on the Cowboys bench on Sunday, when the second-year back posted the worst game so far of his NFL career, rushing for only eight yards on nine carries.
"It's definitely not me," Elliott said of the performance and attitude he displayed in Denver. "It's definitely not the type of player I am. It's definitely not who I am for this team. I just can't do that. I was frustrated, and I wasn't myself."
At least Elliott acknowledged where he went wrong and did his best to put the issue to rest as the Cowboys prepare to visit the Cardinals on Monday night.
Aug. 28: NFL denies Elliott's request for 'truly' independent appeals arbitrator
By Arthur Weinstein
Ezekiel Elliott's appeals hearing of his six-game suspension Tuesday has already reportedly suffered a setback. The Star-Telegram reported Monday that the Cowboys running back's request for a "truly" independent appeals arbitrator has been denied.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who denied the request, has chosen a former NFL management executive, Harold Henderson, to oversee the hearing at league headquarters in New York.
Henderson has heard almost 100 NFL suspension appeals, including a couple of high-profile cases the past few years involving Vikings running back Adrian Peterson in 2014 and Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy in 2015.
Henderson does have ties of sorts to the Cowboys, as a personal friend of team owner Jerry Jones.
"Harold is a really great friend of mine," Jones told the Star-Telegram. "He was at my (Hall of Fame) party and so you weren't at that party unless you were a good friend I promise you that.
"He managed the management council for maybe 15 years I served on it. He's very competent, but the main thing is he's a guy that I admire a lot. Former policeman, former attorney. He's come through it the hard way. Literally."
Elliott, who rushed for 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns as a rookie, is appealing his suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. The suspension stems from his allegedly committing domestic violence against former girlfriend Tiffany Thompson.
Henderson has already come down against Elliott on a couple of legal requests regarding the appeal. He not only denied Elliott the opportunity to face his accuser - Thompson will not be present at the appeals hearing - but he has also denied Elliott's legal team access to notes league investigators made during meetings with Thompson.
The Star-Telegram reports Elliott may sue the NFL if the appeal doesn't turn out in his favor.
Aug. 29: Elliott suspension: Appeals hearing for Cowboys RB to enter second day
Ezekiel Elliott's appeals hearing of his six-game suspension ended Tuesday without a resolution and will continue into a second day of proceedings.
According to NFL Media, there is "no end in sight" for the hearing at NFL headquarters in New York.
Elliott, who rushed for 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns as a rookie, is appealing his suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. The suspension stems from him allegedly committing domestic violence against former girlfriend Tiffany Thompson.
Elliott's attorneys released a statement after the suspension was announced. They called the NFL's investigation "replete with factual inaccuracies and erroneous conclusions."
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell appointed Harold Henderson, a former league executive who has heard many cases involving the NFL's personal conduct policy, to hear the Elliott appeal.
According to Yahoo Sports, Henderson's ruling is not expected until after Labor Day. If the suspension is upheld - a decision which Elliott's side is expecting - his legal team does have the option of pursuing the case in federal court, much like Tom Brady did with Deflategate, thus allowing Elliott to possibly stave off a suspension this season.
Aug. 31: Elliott's suspension likely to be reduced, report says
By Thomas Lott
While the NFL's policy for suspensions on domestic violence offenses mandates a six-game suspension, players rarely serve the full ban.
According to ESPN, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is not likely to serve the entirety of his suspension despite being handed a six-game ban by the league for his alleged domestic violence incident.
"The more that I have heard, the more I think he has a real chance to have some games knocked off the suspension."
-Schefty on Zeke pic.twitter.com/tU0dyvm38F
- Mike & Mike (@MikeAndMike) August 31, 2017
Since instituting the six-game minimum suspension for domestic violence incidents in 2014, former Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy was suspended 10 games but had his ban reduced to four. Furthermore, Jonathan Dwyer was suspended three games and Derrick Coleman was suspended four. Only Rodney Austin had his six game suspension upheld.
The NFL hasn't made a habit of suspending players the full six games for the policy it enacted, and it appears Adam Schefter does not believe the league will keep Elliott's suspension at that number, either.
Aug. 31: Elliott hearing: NFL investigator reportedly silenced for recommending no suspension
Ezekiel Elliott would not miss a game this season if it was up to NFL lead investigator Kia Roberts. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Roberts testified in the appeals hearing for Elliott's six-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy and recommended no suspension for Elliott.
Roberts personally interviewed Elliott's former girlfriend Tiffany Thompson, by whom the Cowboys running back was accused of domestic violence. Roberts told the NFL about her findings but the league chose not to include them in its final report and suspension letter on Aug. 11, per the Star-Telegram.
Also, a fellow NFL investigator - Lisa Friel, the NFL's special counsel for investigations, reportedly barred Roberts from attending a meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell where Friel recommended a six-game suspension for Elliott to Goodell and other NFL executives.
Roberts' recommendation of no suspension was essentially ignored and she was not involved in the decision-making of the suspension despite playing a big role in the 13-month investigation.
According to the Star-Telegram, Elliott and the NFLPA are aware of Roberts' situation and plan to exploit it if they have to go to federal court.
Goodell appointed Harold Henderson, a former league executive who has heard many cases involving the NFL's personal conduct policy, to hear the Elliott appeal. Henderson has the final say on whether to uphold the six-game suspension for Elliott.
According to ESPN, pressure has been put on Henderson to have a ruling by Monday but it may not matter.
Elliott has filed a pre-emptive lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, challenging the appeal process and asking the court to throw out the eventual ruling from Henderson.
The NFL could have another court battle on its hands like it did with Tom Brady and Deflategate in 2015. Brady was able stave off the suspension thanks to a court ruling and was able to play the full season. Elliott and the Cowboys are hoping for a similar ruling that would vacate the suspension and allow him to play the full season.
Aug. 31: Pressure is on for NFL to reach Elliott decision by Monday, report says
The decision on Ezekiel Elliott's six-game suspension will likely come sooner than later due to the pressure to reach a resolution immediately, ESPN.com reported Thursday.
Apparently pressure has been put on NFL arbitrator Harold Henderson to have a ruling by Monday. Elliott's appeal began Tuesday and ended Thursday.
Elliott is trying to get his suspension for an alleged domestic violence incident overturned. Many are speculating Elliott will still be suspended, but that the amount of games will be reduced.
Elliott testified in his defense on Tuesday, and the NFLPA provided a medical forensics expert testified the same day to look of photographic evidence of the injuries of Tiffany Thompson - the alleged victim and Elliott's ex-girlfriend.
As a result, the NFL provided its own medical forensics expert to testify on Thursday to look at the same evidence, according to ESPN.
Other testimonies were from Kia Wright Roberts, the NFL director of investigations, and Lisa Friel, the NFL's special counsel for investigations.
Last summer, Elliott was accused by Thompson of assaulting her. Even though Elliott was not formally charged by police, the NFL still suspended him for violating the league's personal conduct code.
Sept. 1: Date set for hearing on Elliott's motion for temporary restraining order
The hearing on the motion for a temporary restraining order filed by the NFLPA on behalf of Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has been set for Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET, per U.S. District Court Judge Amos Mazzant.
If granted, the temporary restraining order, or preliminary injunction, would put on hold Elliott's suspension, set at six games by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Elliott and the players union are accusing the league of conspiring by hiding critical information regarding the circumstances around his suspension for domestic violence.
Elliott was accused of domestic violence by his ex-girlfriend, Tiffany Thompson, but was not charged with a crime.
NFL lead investigator Kia Roberts, who interviewed Thompson, testified in Elliott's appeals hearing and recommended the player not be suspended. Roberts doubted Thompson's credibility, but the league did not include the investigator's findings in its final report and suspension letter.
Also, Lisa Friel, another NFL investigator, reportedly barred Roberts from attending a meeting with Goodell, where Friel recommended the six-game suspension.
Sept. 1: Ezekiel Elliott, NFLPA claim league 'conspiracy' in bid for restraining order
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and the NFLPA have accused the NFL of a league-orchestrated "conspiracy" surrounding his suspension in a 31-page petition for a restraining order filed Thursday in federal court in Texas.
In the petition, Elliott and the union claim there was an effort to "hide critical information" from commissioner Roger Goodell, among others, regarding the allegations of domestic violence by Elliott's former girlfriend that triggered an NFL investigation into whether Elliott violated the league's personal-conduct policy.
Elliott is seeking a reversal of his six-game suspension to start the 2017 season on the grounds that NFL director of investigations Kia Roberts found that Tiffany Thompson, Elliott's former girlfriend, "was not credible in her allegations of abuse" and there was a lack of evidence to support her allegations. Elliott and the NFLPA claim in the petition that Roberts' conclusions about the case were concealed during the disciplinary process and would've helped "exonerate" Elliott.
"The controlling and paramount legal question presented here," the petition reads, in part, "is whether an arbitration concerning the existence of 'credible evidence' for employee discipline based on 'he-said/she-said' claims of domestic violence can be fundamentally fair when senior NFL Executives have conspired to obscure (including from the Commissioner and his advisors) their own Director of Investigations' conclusion that there was no credible evidence upon which to impose discipline, and the arbitrator has refused to require the NFL to make available for testimony and cross-examination: (i) the accuser whose credibility is at issue (or the investigative notes of her six interviews), and (ii) the Commissioner who was deprived of critical facts in making his disciplinary determination."
An alleged conscious decision to keep Roberts away from a hearing June 26 is at the heart of the claim of conspiracy, focusing on NFL special counsel for investigations Lisa Friel. It was at that meeting that evidence was presented to four outside experts who would be tasked with recommending to Goodell whether Elliott should be disciplined.
According to the petition, Roberts was the only league investigator to interview Thompson yet wasn't at the June meeting when the evidence was presented to the four experts and they asked questions about the case.
The petition also cites other flaws in the disciplinary process as it seeks to vacate Elliott's punishment.
Update: On Friday, the NFLPA released the following statement regarding the petition for the temporary restraining order:
On Thursday night, the NFLPA filed a petition in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas seeking to vacate any discipline that may be imposed on Ezekiel Elliott by the NFL hearing officer (and former NFL lawyer), Harold Henderson.
This decision comes as a result of the startling revelations by the NFL's co-lead investigator that she - the only NFL investigator who personally interviewed all of the witnesses, including the accuser - did not support the decision to discipline Mr. Elliott. She was prohibited from conveying her views to both Commissioner Roger Goodell and the advisory committee that was paneled to make recommendations to the Commissioner.
The deliberate exclusion of her recommendations and findings constitutes a failure to follow the NFL's own Personal Conduct Policy, which the League unilaterally imposed and refused to collectively bargain.
Arbitrary decision-making and internal inconsistencies continue to plague the most senior level of management of the League. This is the latest and best example of the Players' belief that independent, transparent and collectively bargained policies generate the best systemic results for all parties.
Ohio State Dept. of Athletics
Sept. 1: Ezekiel Elliott admits under oath he gets drunk, did drugs at Ohio State
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott admitted that he did drugs while at Ohio State and that he still likes to get party and get drunk, according to documents obtained by the Dallas Morning News.
When asked by an NFL attorney this week during his appeals hearing, Elliott affirmed he does "like to party" and did drugs in college.
Tiffany Thompson, Elliott's former girlfriend who accused him of physically abusing her, told NFL investigator Kia Roberts that Elliott used cocaine and marijuana two months before the Cowboys selected him in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Roberts, however, reportedly did not believe Thompson was a credible witness.
Elliott told NFL investigators that Thompson did drugs, too, including Molly, Xanax and other prescription medications.
The Dallas Morning News also obtained a text message exchange between Elliott and Thompson, in which Elliott appears to be planning how to pass a drug test.
"I'm gonna pass. About to live in this sauna the next 24 hours," Elliott said in a text.
Arbitrator Harold Henderson is slated to rule on Elliott's appeal of his six-game suspension handed down by the league for alleged domestic violence. But the NFLPA filed a motion for a temporary restraining order on Elliott's behalf that would put his suspension on hold, and a hearing on that is set for Tuesday.
Sept. 2: Elliott suspension would 'cause the Cowboys irreparable harm' says team legal filing
The Cowboys have filed a strongly worded legal document supporting Ezekiel Elliott in his legal battle against his six-game suspension by the NFL.
ESPN reported Friday that the team has filed a declaration of support for the NFL Players Association's bid to get a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction that would halt Elliott's suspension.
According to ESPN, the declaration filed by team general counsel Jason Cohen says an Elliott suspension would "cause the Cowboys irreparable harm." The declaration noted that every practice and game that Elliott misses "will hurt our team's chances of having a successful season and making it to the 2017-2018 NFL playoffs and hopefully the Super Bowl."
The hearing on the NFLPA's motion for a temporary restraining order Elliott has been set for Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET, per U.S. District Court Judge Amos Mazzant.
If granted, the temporary restraining order, or preliminary injunction, would put on hold Elliott's suspension if it is upheld by arbitrator Harold Henderson.
Sept. 4: NFL files motions asking for dismissal of Elliott's federal court case
The legal battle surrounding Ezekiel Elliott is heating up even though an appeals hearing for his six-game suspension hasn't reached a conclusion.
After Elliott and the NFLPA filed a petition Thursday to vacate his pending suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, then accused the NFL of a league-orchestrated conspiracy in a restraining-order motion filed in federal court, the league hit back with legal filings of its own Monday night.
The NFL filed two petitions in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas asking for both the petition to vacate Elliott's suspension and the temporary restraining order the NFLPA requested to be dismissed in order to prevent an injunction so it can enforce Elliott's ban.
"The NFLPA also lacks standing to seek a contingent order preemptively challenging an award that clearly has not yet (and may never) cause it or Ezekiel Elliott any harm," an NFL lawyer wrote in one of the filings, via USA Today Sports. "And the NFLPA's claim is unripe to boot, as even the NFLPA acknowledges that the arbitrator's forthcoming award could still afford the NFLPA all the relief it seeks."
The petitions state the NFLPA doesn't have the legal standing to seek a temporary restraining order since NFL arbitrator Harold Henderson has not yet ruled whether to uphold the six-game suspension for Elliott.
Henderson's ruling is expected Tuesday but the courtroom saga could be far from over as Elliott and the NFLPA can re-submit their claims of a league-orchestrated conspiracy especially after NFL lead investigator Kia Roberts reportedly was silenced for recommending no suspension.
Sept. 5: Elliott's six-game suspension upheld, still expected to play Week 1
Ezekiel Elliott's six-game suspension was upheld Tuesday. Arbitrator Harold Henderson announced his decision on Sept. 5, but the Cowboys running back could see the field beyond Week 1 against the Giants pending additional legal action.
Just got out of court and got phone back. NFL took position Ezekiel Elliott CAN play Sunday. Judge rules by 5 pm Friday on restraining order
- Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 6, 2017
Elliott's lawyers accused the NFL of a league-orchestrated conspiracy in a temporary restraining-order motion last week. Should a judge rule in his favor, Elliott could delay the six-game suspension and play all season. If not, Elliott would sit out Weeks 2-7 and return to the field Nov. 5 against the Chiefs. A ruling on the restraining order is expected Friday.
"We are extremely disappointed with Mr. Henderson's inability to navigate through league politics, and follow the evidence, and most importantly, his conscious," Elliott's legal team said in a release. "The evidence that Mr. Elliott and his team presented on appeal clearly demonstrated that Mr. Elliott was the victim of a conspiracy orchestrated by the National Football League and its officers to keep exonerating evidence from the decision-makers, including the advisors and Roger Goodell.
"The only just decision was to overturn the suspension in its entirety. Mr. Elliott is looking forward to having his day in federal court where the playing field will be level and the NFL will have to answer for its unfair and unjust practices."
The initial six-game suspension stemmed from a domestic violence allegation by Elliott's former girlfriend in July of 2016.
Elliott was never charged by police and the NFL's lead investigator Kia Roberts reportedly was silenced for recommending no suspension. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly ignored Roberts' recommendation and instead handed out the six-game ban, writing on Aug. 11 there was "persuasive evidence supporting" Tiffany Thompson's allegations of domestic abuse.
Elliott appealed the decision and the NFLPA filed a petition in federal court last Thursday on his behalf calling for the suspension to be dismissed outright. The NFL shot back with its own court filing on Monday, asking the court to dismiss the union's petition.
When the league announced Elliott's suspension after a 13-month investigation, the NFL did not mention any of Elliott's off-field incidents this year - pulling a woman's top down and exposing her breast during a St. Patrick's Day celebration in March; an excessive speeding ticket for going over 100 mph in a 70-mph zone in April; or allegedly punching a nightclub DJ in July. Not including those incidents as part of a personal conduct policy violation and tying the suspension solely to an allegation that never resulted in charges from police left Goodell's decision open to scrutiny.
Sept. 10: Elliott: 'Relieved I finally get a fair trial'
Ezekiel Elliott, fresh off a 104-yard rushing effort Sunday in the Cowboys' season-opening 19-3 win over the Giants, addressed a different big win: his in court.
A U.S. District Court judge in Texas on Friday blocked the NFL's six-game suspension of Elliott stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident in 2016.
"Just relieved for the fact that I finally get a fair trial," Elliott told reporters after Sunday's game. "I finally get a chance to prove my innocence and just happy that I'll get to be with the guys for as long as permitted and not miss time and not having to be away from them."
The league initially ruled that Elliott could play in Week 1 but then would be forced to sit out the Cowboys' next six games. Instead, the legal process will play out under the NFLPA's request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction, likely meaning Elliott, who rushed for 1,631 yards and 15 TDs as a rookie last season, will be available to the Cowboys for the whole season.
"It's definitely been a tough last 14 months," Elliott said. "At times it's gotten so hard you start to lose faith."
Arbitrator Harold Henderson initially denied Elliott's appeal of his suspension, but Judge Amos Mazzant blocked the penalty Friday.
When he was asked Sunday night if he had been treated unfairly in the whole process, Elliott said he didn't want to comment any further.
"I've kind of stopped worrying about it because it's not in my hands," Elliott said. "At this point I'm focused right now on being the running back I need to be for this team to be successful so we can accomplish what we want to and remaining focused to keep playing at a high level."
Sept. 11: NFL appeals injunction that put Elliott's suspension on hold
By Marc Lancaster
The NFL took the next step in the ongoing Ezekiel Elliott legal battle Monday morning.
Online court documents show the league filed an appeal with the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals challenging the preliminary injunction that put its disciplinary action against Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott on hold last week.
NFL appeals Ezekiel Elliott injunction pic.twitter.com/6Ki2j6iRuP
- Omnisport US News (@OmnisportUS) September 11, 2017
The league also filed for an emergency stay of the injunction in an effort to speed up a federal appeals process that typically takes months to reach a resolution.
Elliott will be eligible to play for the Cowboys in the meantime, but the NFL and the NFL Players' Association will continue fighting it out in the courts, as they did with Tom Brady last season, in the interest of establishing precedents for future disciplinary action.
U.S. District Court Judge Amos Mazzant III last week weighed in on Elliott's side, questioning in the fairness of the NFL's disciplinary process.
"The NFL's actions demonstrate that from the very beginning of the decision-making process, a cloud of fundamental unfairness followed Elliott," Mazzant wrote in granting Elliott an injunction.
He did not - and the courts will not - consider the merits of the domestic violence accusations against Elliott that prompted the league to suspend him for six games. The legal battle is simply over the disciplinary process.
Elliott rushed 24 times for 104 yards and added 36 yards receiving in the Cowboys' season-opening win over the Giants on Sunday night.
Sept. 22: Cowboys' Elliott can keep playing as court sets hearing for Oct. 2
By Alec Brzezinski
Cowboys running Ezekiel Elliott's ongoing NFL suspension drama took a new turn Friday when it was announced that the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals scheduled a hearing on Oct. 2 regarding the NFL's emergency motion on Ezekiel Elliott's injunction, multiple outlets reported.
The timing of the hearing means Elliott will play for at least the next two weeks.
According to The Dallas Morning News, both sides will have 20 minutes of argument time at the Oct. 2 hearing.
5th Circuit has ordered NFL, NFLPA to file 5-page briefs on the issue of subject matter jurisdiction by Wednesday: pic.twitter.com/oYa3fKNug9
- Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) September 22, 2017
Originally suspended for six games by the NFL, Elliott has not yet missed any time this season after being granted a temporary restraining order on the NFL earlier this month.
After running for 104 yards in a Week 1 win over the Giants, Elliott was held to just eight yards on nine carries last week in a loss to the Broncos. He now has a tough matchup Monday night at Arizona.
Oct. 2: Hearing ends without a ruling from three-judge panel
As expected, the attorneys for the NFL and Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott didn't reach a settlement at a court hearing Monday, Oct. 2, in New Orleans, and a judge for the panel hearing the oral arguments said a decision would be forthcoming as soon as possible.
USA Today reported ahead of the court date that NFL lawyers "have not been engaged" in settlement talks with Elliott's representatives.
The NFL is appealing a decision by a U.S. District Court judge to deny the emergency stay of an injunction barring the league from imposing a six-game suspension.
The initial six-game suspension stemmed from a domestic violence allegation by Elliott's former girlfriend in July of 2016. Though Elliott was never charged by police and the NFL's lead investigator Kia Roberts reportedly was silenced for recommending no suspension, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell still imposed the ban after he decided there was "persuasive evidence supporting" Tiffany Thompson's allegations of domestic abuse.
Arbitrator Harold Henderson upheld Goodell's decision Sept. 5, but the NFLPA filed a request for a temporary restraining order and U.S. District Court Judge Amos Mazzant granted the injunction while calllng the league's arbitration process "fundamentally unfair."
The NFL then appealed Mazzant's decision to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. While the legal process plays out, Elliott is allowed to play.
Oct. 12: Elliott's 6-game ban restored by court, what it means for Cowboys
The lengthy court battle between the NFL and Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott turned in favor of the league Thursday, as the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in in New Orleans vacated Elliott's preliminary injunction, all but restoring his six-game suspension after the Cowboys' current bye week.
The U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Texas ruled in September that the NFL did not give Elliott a fair hearing for his suspension even before arbitrator Harold Henderson's final ruling, thus granting him a preliminary injunction and allowing him to play.
The Court of Appeals ruled against the injunction Thursday, overruling the district court's decision. The 5th Circuit's decision says that Elliott and the NFLPA filed their lawsuit prematurely, going against the league's collective bargaining agreement.
Court: "The NFLPA's lawsuit on Elliott's behalf was premature." The procedures provided for in the CBA were not exhausted. pic.twitter.com/0YdWJ80ZRO
- Liz Mullen (@SBJLizMullen) October 12, 2017
The NFL wasted no time announcing Elliott's six-game suspension would start immediately after court ruling.
Elliott's side will now have to refile an injunction in the NFL's back yard, the Southern District of New York, if they are to continue to fight the suspension stemming from a domestic violence allegation.
Bottom line: NFL won this round as 5th Circuit vacated Ezekiel Elliott's preliminary injunction & Eastern District of Texas has to dismiss case. So, his 6-game suspension is back on and could start after bye. Zeke's side will now have to refile and process starts over in New York
- Brandon George (@DMN_George) October 12, 2017
The Cowboys are currently on a bye week, and Elliott is scheduled to miss games against the 49ers, Redskins, Chiefs, Falcons, Eagles and Chargers. He would then return to face the Redskins on Nov. 30.
With Elliott likely out, running back Alfred Morris will be inserted into the starting lineup with Darren McFadden spelling him. The loss of Elliott comes as a blow to the Cowboys (2-3), but the experienced offensive line should give Morris plenty of running room.
For the Cowboys, Elliott's reinforced ban is another piece of drama surrounding the team as it deals with anthem demonstrations while trying to live up to its lofty goals after winning the NFC East last season. Dallas likely would have beaten the Giants and Cardinals without Elliott this season, should he have accepted the suspension from the beginning, which in hindsight, looks like the better decision.
Oct. 17: Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott granted temporary restraining order, allowed to play
Ezekiel Elliott will be able to play in the Cowboys' Week 7 matchup against the 49ers.
U.S. District Judge Paul Crotty on Tuesday granted a temporary restraining order preventing the NFL from enforcing its six-game suspension against the running back.
Crotty was asked to rule on a request for a restraining order after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the dismissal of a lawsuit Elliott's attorneys filed in Dallas seeking to have the suspension overturned.
NFL Players Association lawyers representing Elliott filed the motion for a TRO in U.S. District Court before the 5th Circuit upheld Elliott's suspension, which indicated the NFLPA was anticipating that ruling.
The NFL suspended Elliott after it determined he violated the league's domestic-violence policy when he was accused of assaulting a woman last year. Police dropped criminal charges because of insufficient evidence, but Elliott was still subject to punishment by the league.
Nov. 9: Cowboys RB now suspended after court denies emergency motion
By Travis Durkee
Ezekiel Elliot's six-game suspension is back on after the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied his request for an emergency injunction at a hearing Thursday in New York.
A series of injunctions and restraining orders have allowed Elliott, 22, to play to this point, but a three-judge panel decided another injunction wasn't in the cards for the Cowboys running back.
The NFL Players' Association requested an expedited appeal, and the court responded later Thursday by scheduling a hearing for Dec. 1, meaning Elliott is guaranteed to miss at least the next four games.
The NFLPA has argued a suspension would irreparably harm Elliott's career. The NFL, however, said roughly 100 players have been suspended for approximately 500 games over the past season and a half, therefore "Elliott's claim of irreparable injury is indistinguishable from those that could be made by 100 other players."
Elliott is second in the NFL with 783 rushing yards and tied for the league lead with seven rushing scores. If his six-game suspension is upheld at the Dec. 1 hearing, he would be eligible to return the field on Dec. 24 when the Cowboys, currently 5-3, face the Seahawks at home.
Nov. 12: Elliott leaving country to 'clear his head,' report says
Ezekiel Elliott will be heading out of the country as his suspension begins, NFL Network reported. Elliott's destination isn't known, but the Cowboys running back will reportedly be training and trying to "clear his head."
His suspension was upheld Thursday after the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied his request for an emergency injunction.
The six-game suspension begins Sunday, when the Cowboys head to Atlanta to take on the Falcons. The next time Elliott will be able to play in a game is Dec. 24.
Another stipulation of the suspension is Elliott can't be at the Cowboys' facilities to train or have any contact with the team, which is likely why he is leaving the country to train elsewhere.


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text:
At Village Fest, Dems disappear while GOP celebrates
Jesse Marx
Still in mourning over the rejection of Hillary Clinton, local Democratic leaders on Thursday night chose not to set up their normal booth at the Palm Springs Village Fest. Down the street, the Republican celebration raged on.
"For six months," said Andrew Hirsch, a retired mechanical engineer, "we've been spat upon and insulted." But he kept his head high, he added, just like his man Donald Trump would have.
The expression on a reporter's face must have been tangled, because Hirsch quickly clarified that he was referring to the president-elect's behavior "since Tuesday." Hirsch then leveled with his interrogator: "If you want to say he's a pompous blowhard and jerk, well, we've known him for years."
Trump's victory came as a surprise to many pollsters and media types, but the signs of a growing populist revolt within the Republican ranks had been evident during the 2014 midterm election. In fact, the anger has been brewing since at least the rise of Bill Clinton, who signed the North American Free Trade Agreement.
"NAFTA did exactly what its opponents said it was intended to do: produce economic benefit at the expense of jobs," Hirsch said. The Democrats, in other words, had willingly abandoned their base in favor of a more diverse and largely professional class of voters.
READ MORE: Desert Democrats and GOP consider the lessons learned
As the night wore on, a steady stream of people, mostly gray-haired, white tourists, came to the booth in search of free stickers, mints and mini American flags. "Trump it up!" yelled one guy. A woman ran her fingers over a Trump shirt but stopped short of buying it. "They might kill me if I go back to Canada with that," she said, laughing.
Others kept on walking — in the direction of where the Democratic booth would normally be. An African-American woman noticed a cut-out of Trump and looked physically ill. "Oh god no," she said.
Later in the evening, the commotion at the booth attracted two men who were selling chocolates for a Christian-run recovery program. Neither had any interest in politics — they simply saw a chance to raise money — but both vowed, when asked about the future of the country, to keep Trump in their hearts.
One of them said: "He's our president now, so I'm just going to pray for him and hope he does a good job."
This article is part of the Insider column, a weekly roundup of political and public policy news. The full column runs every Sunday in The Desert Sun. Reach the author at jesse.marx@desertsun.com and @marxjesse on Twitter.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Every Breath resulted in one of the largest rises in quitting the North East has ever seen through NHS Stop Smoking Services.
While the campaign was running, NHS Stop Smoking Services saw a 17 per cent increase in people setting quit dates – compared to a 2.9 per cent rise nationally and a 21 per cent increase in people making it successfully to week four of their quit attempt compared to 3.1 per cent rise nationally.
The campaign also saw:
76% of smokers more concerned about smoking after seeing it
66% saying it made them more likely to quit
27% did something as a result (e.g. made a quit attempt, cut-down or talked to someone)
Over 11,000 visits to the campaign website
Two phases resulted in PR value worth £1.4m
"I had been considering quitting smoking, but didn't really have the inspiration to actually do it. Then I saw the advert on TV and it really hit it home that the woman in the advert could be me and I don't want to end up like that." Vanessa W, North Shields, who visited North Tyneside Stop Smoking Service.


text:
Electric brain stimulation modeling at the Allen Institute
Post by Costas » Thu Oct 27, 2016 4:19 pm
Our mission at the Allen Institute for Brain Science is to accelerate the understanding of how the human brain works in health and disease. By implementing a team science approach on a large scale we strive to generate useful public resources, drive technological innovations and discover fundamental brain properties through integration of experiments, modeling and theory.
Electric stimulation has long been employed to perturb physiological and pathological processing in humans and animals. In the human brain, invasive electric stimulation approaches have been used e.g. in Parkinson's disease (PD) to prevent motor symptoms and in epilepsy to prevent or disrupt seizures. Concurrently, ongoing efforts are testing electric stimulation as a means to treat neurological and psychiatric conditions such as depression and Alzheimer's disease. Despite its rich history, extensive usage and exciting potential, the biophysical and behavioral consequences of electric intervention in the mammalian brain are poorly understood. In addition, the behavioral and cognitive effects induced by electric stimulation are difficult to predict and its long-term effects ill-known. As a consequence, electric stimulation treatment remains phenomenological and in many cases, despite its promise, ineffective.
We are seeking to fill a position at the level of Scientist to work on an exciting new translational neuroscience program to (i) understand the local and distributed brain circuits excited or suppressed during electric stimulus, and (ii) develop optimized methodologies and stimulation protocols for the entrainment of cortical and associated brain areas. The Scientist to be hired will develop simulations accounting for the interactions between electric fields and neurons, networks and circuits. Notably, the simulations will be pursued in parallel with state-of-the-art in vivo experiments in rodents in collaboration with in-house experimental colleagues to inform and test various hypotheses about electric stimulus entrainment. The goal is to
Computational modeling of neurons and circuits
Computational modeling of brain electrostatics using available solvers
Design, implement and analyze large-scale network simulations
Publish/present findings in peer-reviewed journals/scientific conferences
Preparation written and oral reports on a regular basis
Maintain clear and accurate communication with supervisor, team members and external collaborators
PhD degree in computational neuroscience, physics, biology, bioengineering or related fields.
Strong background in scientific computing; experience in computational neuroscience is preferred (especially using biophysical simulations and NEURON software), but other strong applicants will be considered (with background in computational physics, biophysics, and related disciplines). Experience with parallel computing is a plus as well as familiarity with high-level programming languages such as python
Ability to meet aggressive timelines and deliverables in a collaborative environment
Strong publication record
Experience in pursuing research projects in collaborative fashion
Proven independent thinking and flexibility
Familiarity with in vitro and in vivo electrophysiological monitoring techniques
If interested please apply for the position ("Scientist I - brain stimulation modeling") in this link:
http://www.alleninstitute.org/what-we-d ... ob-search/


text:
The society shall be known as the Society of Property Researchers
2. OBJECT
The Society shall exist as a professional organisation;
i) to improve the standing and promote the expertise of the property researcher,
ii) to foster and maintain high standards of professional ability and practice,
iii) to support and further the interests of the property research community and
iv) to provide a forum for the discussion of matters of interest to property researchers.
3. AREAS OF INTEREST
By way of definition, the Society describes property research as
"the investigation, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data and influences relating to real estate."
4. MEMBERSHIP
i) The Society consists of
a) the founder members as contained in the first directory of members, provided their membership does not lapse, and
b) subsequent members each nominated by two existing members and elected by the Committee
ii) In considering candidates for election to membership the Committee shall pay regard to the desirability of potential members being either:
a) currently engaged in property research for a substantial proportion of their time, or
b) connected with property research such that their inclusion would benefit the Society
iii) In the event of an individual's membership lapsing for any reason, an application for reinstatement shall be treated as if the former member were applying for membership under category (i) (b) above.
iv) Individuals working within property but not directly involved with research may apply to the committee for an affiliate membership. Priced at £80 per annum, this discretionary membership allows SPR affiliates access to event slides packs, networking events such as our annual summer drinks and up to 3 technical events per year such as seminars and site visits. Applications are considered by the current SPR committee but individuals involved in direct sales roles will not be accepted.
i) The officers of the Society shall be a Chair, two Vice Chairs, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary.
ii) The Management of the Society shall be in the hands of the committee, consisting of the officers of the Society and the duly elected committee members.
iii) The committee shall have the power to co-opt up to five additional members to serve on the committee in any year.
iv) The total number of officers and elected committee members shall not exceed fifteen persons, excluding co-optees.
v) All officers and committee members shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting and each shall be eligible for re-election. In case an officer or committee member steps down from their position during the year, the committee will be able to vote on a temporary substitute until the election at the next Annual General Meeting.
vi) Nominations for the officers and other committee members shall each be supported by one proposer and one seconder (both of whom shall be members of the Society) and shall be received by the Honorary Secretary not less than twenty eight days before the Annual General Meeting.
vii) Elections shall be by ballot at the Annual General Meeting. In the event of a tie, the Chair for the year ending shall have a casting vote or votes as necessary.
viii) Ballot papers shall be sent out by email by the Honorary Secretary to each member, at least sixteen days before the Annual General Meeting.
ix) Postal or email votes shall be included provided that they are on official ballot papers and that they shall have been received by the Honorary Secretary at least seven days before the Annual General Meeting.
x) In determining the results of an election for committee membership, the scrutineers appointed by the outgoing committee shall first ensure that the incoming committee (including the officers) contain one member at least from the following organisations (provided that there is a nomination), allocated to the highest polling candidate in each category:
a) firms and companies of surveyors and agents
b) tertiary educational establishments
c) organisations investing in, developing and managing real estate
d) research consultancies
e) public sector bodies
After each of the categories has been filled (if possible) the remaining committee places shall be allocated among the remaining nominations with the highest number of votes polled.
6. COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The committee shall meet at least four times a year, and a quorum shall be not less than four, including one officer. The Committee shall regulate its own business and keep proper minutes. The Honorary Secretary shall give to each committee member at least seven days notice of each forthcoming meeting. When voting on a resolution the chairman shall only have a casting vote.
7. GENERAL MEETINGS
i) An Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held in October or November of each year on a date fixed by the Committee. The Honorary Secretary shall give to each member at least 42 days notice of the Annual General Meeting and invite nominations for election as officers or as committee members. A quorum shall be not less than 25 members of the Society.
ii) An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society shall be held within 28 days of either a resolution of the Committee or of the receipt of a written request of 15 members, and the Honorary Secretary shall give at least 21 days written notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting to each member of the Society.
iii) Voting at General Meetings shall be in accordance with Sections 5 and 12.
8. SPR COUNCIL OF FELLOWS
i) The Society will from time to time award Honorary Fellowships to members of the Society who are deemed to have made an Outstanding Contribution in the Field of Property Research or to have made an Outstanding Contribution to the Society of Property Researchers.
ii) There will normally be one award a year, usually to be announced on the day of the Society's Annual General Meeting.
iii) Honorary Fellows will be granted Life Membership of the Society.
iv) Honorary Fellows will be invited to meet at least once every two years with the officers of the Society, and such meetings will constitute the SPR Council of Fellows.
v) The Council of Fellows will provide advice to the Committee on any issue raised by the officers and shall be responsible for proposing candidates for the award of Honorary Fellowships, such proposals to be endorsed by the Committee.
vi) Meetings of the Council of Fellows will be chaired by a President, who shall be known colloquially as the President of the Society of Property Researchers.
vii) The President of the Council of Fellows will be proposed by the Society's Committee and elected by a resolution of the Annual General Meeting to serve for a term of three years, renewable with the consent of an Annual General Meeting for a further and final term of three years.
viii) Meetings of the Council of Fellows will be called by the Honorary Secretary and will be quorate when attended by the President, one officer of the Society and three Honorary Fellows.
The Committee shall submit the latest accounts at the Annual General Meeting for approval. The funds of the Society are to be kept in the name of the Society in a bank or invested in trustee securities approved by the Committee. Cheques are to be signed by the Honorary Treasurer or the second signatory. If a second signatory position is created, this person will be voted in by the committee during a committee meeting.
10. SUBSCRIPTION
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text:
Attitude dynamics of classical dumbbell problem with solar radiation pressure
Borggrafe, Andreas and Heiligers, Jeannette and McInnes, Colin and Ceriotti, Matteo (2015) Attitude dynamics of classical dumbbell problem with solar radiation pressure. Journal of Guidance, Control and Dynamics, 38 (1). pp. 168-173. ISSN 1533-3884
PDF (Borggräfe-A-et-al-JGCD-2014-Attitude-dynamics-classical-dumbbell-problem-solar-radiation-pressure-Aug-2014)
Borggr_fe_A_et_al_JGCD_2014_Attitude_dynamics_classical_dumbbell_problem_solar_radiation_pressure_Aug_2014.pdf
Accepted Author Manuscript
Official URL: https://doi.org/10.2514/1.G000392
This work extends the attitude dynamics and stability properties of the classical planar dumbbell problem, namely, two masses connected by a rigid massless tether [1–3], by considering the effect of a solar radiation pressure (SRP) gradient between the tip masses. In principle, this SRP gradient can be used as a means of attitude station keeping of tethered satellite systems, without the need for mechanical systems or thrusters to maintain a fixed attitude. Attitude stabilization of a satellite by SRP was first proposed in 1959 [4] and was studied further in 1965 [5], the latter of which considered differential reflectivity on the spacecraft due to local surface irregularities. Since then, the concept of employing differential SRP for semipassive attitude control and stabilization of tethered satellites, for example, using articulated reflective surfaces, was investigated in [6]. This work adapts the widely used model of a tethered satellite system [7,8] by introducing SRP forces to the tip masses, acting in the radial direction from the Sun. Therefore, lightness numbers are assigned to the masses, which is equivalent to assigning a variable surface reflectivity. This can be achieved, for example, using electrochromic coatings that consist of an electroactive material that changes its surface reflectivity according to an applied electric potential [9,10]. When a long tether is orbiting a central body, the relative attitude of the system affects the total force acting on the dumbbell's center of mass (c.m.). This means that the equations of motion (EOM) describing the orbit and attitude of the system are coupled [11].
Borggrafe, Andreas, Heiligers, Jeannette, McInnes, Colin and Ceriotti, Matteo;
Copyright owned by all authors
dynamics and control, classic dumbbell problem, solar radiation, radiation pressure, Mechanical engineering and machinery, Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Control and Systems Engineering
Technology > Mechanical engineering and machinery
Technology > Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics
Faculty of Engineering > Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Technology and Innovation Centre > Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing
Pure Administrator
Journal or Publication
https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/50207


text:
"Pre-Announced Failure"
Yesterday the efforts to stop the bloodshed in Syria finally seemed to make some forward progress. The UN Security Council voted to send 30 UN personnel there to enforce, or at least to observe, the cease-fire that is supposed to be in place. That vote was even unanimous, meaning that both Russia and China joined in voting "yes" after many months of obstructing anything to do with Syria at the Council.
Then again, you might recall that "observers" have already been sent there, namely last Christmas and by the Arab League acting alone. Those observers then departed again in fairly short order, as the Arab League formally suspended its monitoring mission on 28 January 2012, citing "a harsh new government crackdown [that] made it too dangerous to proceed and was resulting in the deaths of innocent people across the country."
Spiegel Beirut correspondent Ulrike Putz has little more confidence that things will be any different this time:
Uno-Beobachter in Syrien: Scheitern mit Ansage… http://t.co/bgK9nAPf
April 15, 2012 12:57 pm via SPIEGEL ONLINEReplyRetweetFavorite
@SPIEGEL_Politik
SPIEGEL Politik
That Scheitern mit Ansage translates to something like "pre-announced failure." The key is that, once again and by the UN resolution's terms, it is to Syrian government forces that the security of the observers is being entrusted. As the December/January observer experience showed, that's a clear-cut recipe for rendering meaningless the Security Council's insistence that they be able to travel wherever they want, and interview anyone (individuals only) that they want without those individuals then getting into trouble.
There is another dynamic in play as well. That NYT article referenced above mentions the element of a full 250 observers, also with permission to travel anywhere they want, that was an original part of Kofi Annan's peace plan, but implies that the Security Council will vote to up the total from 60 to that level of 250 soon and so dispatch reinforcements. But Frau Putz sees the current 60 (first elements arriving in-country tomorrow) as a replacement for those 250, not a down-payment. Furthermore, the Syrian government has won the right to determine the countries those observers will come from.
Finally, there is probably not much of a cease-fire to observe anyway. Anti-government activitists report additional bombardment of Homs; and government media alleges that its soldiers have been attacked.
"So the observer mission in Syria stands ready to fail, before it even has begun," Frau Putz concludes. Then again, what does she know? After all, her report includes the damning sentence "Above the city [Homs] drones crossed overhead." But the Syrian regime hardly possesses any drone aircraft capability.
Germany's Libya Mistake
Back for a moment to Libya. (From Letterman, Top Ten Thoughts That Went Through Herman Cain's Mind During The 'Libya' Moment: 10. "Libya? I remember Lydia, but I don't remember a Libya!")
As in any revolution, people were called upon to make a serious choice one way or another: revolt or support Qaddafi? If your side did not emerge victorious, you were sure to be in serious trouble. That was most gravely true for Libyan residents, but other parties had a similar dilemma, especially once the tide started to turn against the rebels starting around March and the prospect of civilian massacres started to arise. Much of NATO – including, crucially, the Obama administration, although the lead was taken by France and the UK – then chose to intervene, and managed to get passed UN Security Council Resolution 1973 to justify (somewhat) that intervention. Others held back – and the most prominent of these was Germany, which made no contribution to that NATO military effort and in fact abstained in the Security Council vote on Resolution 1973.
Well, now Qaddafi is dead and gone, and the winners and losers are clear. Germany is a loser (although not as badly as the regime supporters). In that light, @swissbusiness has come up with a fascinating interview in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung:
«Die Nato ist keine Weltpolizei» http://t.co/Vz5Qoswd
November 15, 2011 11:42 am via dlvr.itReplyRetweetFavorite
@swissbusiness
swissbusiness
Posted in Switzerland | No Comments »
Somali Government on Last Legs
"What Somali government?" you might be wondering. I know that I did. That's why the article in the Dutch religious daily Reformatorisch Dagblad – "Government in Somalia about to collapse" – turned out to be so educational, as well as directly relevant to what recent readers will recognize as my continuing concerns about what we're going to do about all those pirates (. . . arrrrr, matey!).
The current "Somali government" is called the Transitional Federal Government ("TFG" for short). It was established in 2004, with backing from the UN, the US, and Ethiopia, but basically had to stay in Kenya for a while until the 2006 invasion of Somalia by Ethiopian forces drove back various Islamist insurgent groups and so enabled the TFG to set up shop in Mogadishu, the Somali capital. You can even see a picture of the current TFG prime minister, Nur Hassan Hussein, accompanying that Reformatorisch Dagblad article – so are you satisfied, doubting Thomases? He's of course the guy on the right. (more…)
Pirates ≠ Romance
Friday, November 21st, 2008
Arrrr mateys, I've suffered yet another keel-haulin'! I don't know whether Christian Semler of Berlin's Die Tageszeitung (which abbreviates itself on-line to "taz.de") actually took notice of my recent series of piracy-blogposts (amounting to something of a mini-pirate craze, I'll admit), but in any case he attempts to throw some cold water on my whole "James-Bond-fights-pirates" notion in his piece Crisis-Sea without Romanticism.
"Everybody loves the skull-and-crossbones," he begins – hey, think of Errol Flynn, think of Johnny Depp! But we need to realize, he continues, that these pirates operating off of the Somali coast are not "desperate fisherman" (verzweifelte Fischer) but rather "a professionally-run business, run by gangsters and financed by serious businessmen." (more…)
US Blocks Permanent UN Security Council Seat for Germany
I missed this in the Financial Times Deutschland on Friday, and so now the article has retreated beyond that pay-per-view barrier. But luckily the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant caught it in time, and so passes along the FTD's report that Washington is blocking Germany's desired permanent seat on the UN Security Council (and presumably the veto that goes along with that). (more…)
Posted in Germany, Netherlands | No Comments »
Taking Responsibility for Your Own Continent
Thursday, July 1st, 2004
Both American Secretary of State Colin Powell and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan are now in the Darfur region of Sudan, in order to draw attention to what has been called one of the world's worst humanitarian crises ever, the assaults on the black Sudanese people there by Arab "Janjaweed" militias has resulted in the deaths of 30,000 people since February, 2003, the displacement from their homes of one million, rape on a massive scale, and similar horrors. And the US government has introduced a UN Security Council resolution calling for international sanctions – an arms embargo, travel restrictions – against those militias.
If nothing else, this bringing-together in one out-of-the-way spot of two of the world's most prominent and powerful figures is succeeding in attracting press attention to a conflict most of the world has up to now preferred to ignore. Strangely, that also includes countries in what you could call the immediate neighborhood; and in its coverage today (Ethnic Cleansing/Africa Ignores Sudan) the Dutch newspaper Trouw brings to light and examines this attitude. (more…)
Dutch Troops to Stay in Iraq
You'll be glad to know that the Dutch government approved last Friday an extension to the deployment of that country's around 1300 troops in Iraq, who otherwise would have packed up and left next month. You may recall that there were increasing doubts about whether having troops there was really such a good thing, especially after the first Dutch soldier was killed last month (coverage of that was itself covered, of course, here in EuroSavant). But now in fact what's been approved is not the usual six-month extension but one of eight months, until March of 2005 – designed to have Dutch troops in place to help provide security for those Iraqi elections scheduled for next January, plus a safety margin of a number of weeks beyond.
What has made all the difference has been that United Nations Security Council resolution on the transfer of sovereignty back to Iraq that was passed unanimously last week, as an analysis in the NRC Handelsblad by René Moerland and Floris van Straaten makes clear (From Dilemma to Necessity – free registration required). (more…)
Bush Speech Leaves Germans, Iraqis Unimpressed
President Bush kicked off on Monday night his five-speech offensive to demonstrate to American voters (primarily) and also to the rest of the world that he has a plan for effectively handing off "sovereignty" to some native Iraqi administration at the end of June. That same day Britain and the US had tabled a proposed UN Security Council resolution which, if adopted in the proposed form, would leave occupation troops able to remain in Iraq indefinitely even as that native administration would supposedly be granted the "responsibility and authority to lead a sovereign Iraq."
Coverage of the President's speech in the German press generally found it less than fully convincing. (more…)
Wasted (Brussels) Days and Wasted (Brussels) Nights (French View)*
Bad news for EU taxpayers, at least those who rather expect some concrete results from their representatives at European Union fora in return for the tax-euros they are paid. (Come on now – could anyone really be so naïve?) I know you recall that EU summit in Brussels that took place yesterday and the day before – Chirac also spoke for Germany during yesterday's session, remember? (Covered in €S from both the French and German points-of-view.) That was nice, a great symbolic gesture and all that, but more pertinent might be the fact that little of note was actually accomplished. At least so the French on-line papers say. (more…)
Posted in France | No Comments »
Germany on the Lifting of Iraqi Sanctions
Today we treat the German view of the recent 14-0 vote of the UN Security Council (on which Germany now serves as a non-permanent member) to lift most sanctions against Iraq. (more…)
UN Security Council Resolution 1483: Sanctions Against Iraq Lifted
Friday, May 23rd, 2003
Yesterday the UN Security Council voted 14-0 for a resolution to lift the UN sanctions on Iraq that dated to Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait of August, 1990, and thereby to grant allied forces now present in Iraq considerable international authority in the occupation and rebuilding of the country. For a while it had looked as if the Security Council would fail to agree on such a lifting of sanctions in much the same manner as it had failed to agree on authorization for the attack on Iraq, and with the same core of opposition from France, Germany, and Russia. While the American-British "coalition" argued that, with Hussein's regime consigned to history, the sanctions' purpose and target had clearly disappeared, so that the legal framework needed to be restored for international transactions undertaken for the benefit of the Iraqi people (most especially oil sales), these latter countries recognized that such UN approval represented the last leverage they had left to insert the UN and the international community generally into some sort of position of influence over what is to become of Iraq. There was also the issue of trying to head off any sort of cancellation of debts incurred by Hussein's regime to their countries and/or companies of their nationality, and they were unwilling to make any gesture that could be construed as an ex post facto approval of the war that the Security Council never approved before it was unleashed. So French, German, and Russian diplomats and their political bosses in the past few weeks have tried to head off the lifting of sanctions by adopting the rather cynical pose that, after all, sanctions were imposed subject to lifting only when Iraq had been cleared of the presence of weapons of mass destruction, and that had not happened yet. (The fact that extensive searching has yet to uncover significant signs of Iraqi WMD could very well be important, in the sense of making a case for a certain element of deception having been employed to make the original case for war, but it has no relevance to the lifting of Iraqi sanctions; no matter what, Iraq clearly no longer represents any WMD or otherwise military danger to its neighbors or to the international community generally.)
But now sanctions are lifted, and by a unanimous Security Council vote minus the abstention of Syria – that is, completely lifted, and not just "suspended," as had been a mooted halfway-house solution during the recent diplomatic stand-off over the issue. True, to get here there were certain concessions made from the allied side – e.g. enhanced powers for the UN special representative – but it's unclear just how much of a sacrifice they represented in the allied position. Were there winners and losers here, or was a solution reached that was truly satisfactory for all? You can get the "allied" viewpoint yourself from your favorite American/British press outlet(s), but it's EuroSavant that can let you know what they're saying on the "other side." As is my habit, I start with France. (more…)
"France Must Pay!": The Current Franco-American Rift
It came on US publicly-funded television – on PBS' Charlie Rose show – and from the highest-level Bush administration official charged with diplomacy generally and with keeping relations civil with our allies in particular. When asked whether it was intended that France suffer consequences for its obstructionist stance in the run-up to the War in Iraq, Secretary of State Colin Powell bluntly replied "Yes," and then "We'll have to look at all aspects of our relations with France in the light of that." (more…)
German views on the EU Enlargement Summit in Athens
Today I'm on enforced exile from my reporting and commentary upon parochial Netherlands concerns. Still, not all the important things that are happening have to do with Iraq. An important case in point is the EU Athens summit, at which the fifteen current EU member-states and all ten candidate states yesterday signed the Accession Treaty. (Recall that only three of those states – Malta, Slovenia, and Hungary, in that order – have yet held the national referenda authorizing actually joining the EU in a year's time. And Cyprus, due to its special circumstances, will hold no referendum at all.) (more…)


The former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has rejected calls for Nigeria's restructuring, says that call for a referendum by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is the only way out.
According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari made a mistake by charging the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, with treason.
"I see every politician now says restructure but I disagree. I also think the acting President was wrong to say that Nigeria is insoluble.
"There is nothing sacrosanct about Nigeria. It can blow up anytime. It's an artificial creation, which was made in 1914 and when it was amalgamated we were not there. It was amalgamated in the interest of the colonialists," Agbakoba said.
Agbakoba said Nnamdi Kanu shouldn't have been charged with treason.
"For me, the best that he can be charged with is an unlawful assembly and an act capable of breaching public peace.
"Those are the things he can be charged with, but not treason; because Nigeria is a signatory to the United Nations' Charter, which recognizes the right for self-determination," he said.


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It was just a dream, or was it?
My contribution to World Mental Health Day. Be kind to each other. Nothing is always as it seems.
When it came to letting one's emotions go, sometimes too much is revealed.
It might have been this song, or it might have been something else entirely unrelated but the sadness of it creeps into her being and touches something within.


text:
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub