Jussie Smollett turned himself in and was arrested earlier Thursday to face accusations that he filed a false police report. We also examine the Trump administration's decision to bar Hoda Muthana's from returning to the US; debate whether it'd be better for strippers to be classified as employees or contractors; and more.
Hate crime or fake attack: the twists and turns of the Jussie Smollett case
Last month, “Empire” actor and R&B singer Jussie Smollett told Chicago police that two men physically attacked him and yelled racial and homophobic slurs.
Smollett said he was attacked by two masked men as he was walking home from a Subway sandwich shop at around 2 a.m on Jan. 29. Police say the investigation shifted after they questioned two brothers who were in the area that morning.
The 36-year-old was charged Wednesday with felony disorderly conduct, a charge that could bring up to three years in prison. Police say the actor hired two brothers to help him stage an attack against himself.
Smollett turned himself in and was arrested earlier Thursday to face accusations that he filed a false police report.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Dominic Patten, senior editor at Deadline Hollywood, the entertainment news site, who’s been following the story; he tweets
Michael Kraut, criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles, and former prosecutor who worked as a Deputy District Attorney in Los Angeles for close to 15 years
Brian Levin, professor of criminal justice and director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino
David Lehrer, president of Community Advocates, Inc., a nonprofit organization looking at race relations; former Los Angeles regional director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for 27 years; he tweets
AirTalk asks: How do you seek out constructive criticism at work?
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal explores what kind of feedback employees really want from their supervisors, and what a worker’s attitude towards criticism says about them.
Generally, managerial logic dictates that negative feedback inspires employees to do better but a series of recent studies say most respond conversely. Studies says those who are highly self-aware, display self-control, and maintain close personal relationships at work tend to seek out harsher critiques. But the this minority of people who are especially interested in hearing about their shortcomings, they view negative feedback as a path towards self improvement.
For most, criticism on the job is hard to cope with and can lead employees to construct social networks at work that avoid the confrontation of critique. But researchers and management consultants advise pushing through the sting of criticism leads to overall growth. For employers who want to better prime their employees to receive constructive criticism; studies have recommended delivering the news early in the day, emphasizing the employee’s ability to grow, and by setting an example of also inviting feedback.
Guest:
Stacey Finkelstein, associate professor of marketing at Stony Brook University
ISIS bride: Trump administration bars Hoda Muthana from returning to the US
The lawyer for an Alabama woman denied return to the U.S. after joining the Islamic State group in Syria says he has evidence she’s an American citizen.
U.S. officials contend that Hoda Muthana isn’t a citizen and has no legal basis to travel to the U.S.
President Donald Trump says he decided to deny her return and that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo agrees with that decision. Pompeo says Muthana isn’t a citizen and doesn’t have a valid passport.
Her lawyer, Hassan Shibly, released a copy of her birth certificate and a letter from a U.S. official indicating her father was no longer a diplomat when she was born in 1994. Shibly says Muthana had a valid U.S. passport before she joined the militant group in 2014.
Is it legal for Muthana to be denied entry to the US? Is there legal precedent for revoking someone’s citizenship?
With files from Associated Press.
Guest:
Stephen Vladeck, professor of law at the University of Texas-Austin and co-editor-in-chief of the national security law blog “Just Security”; he tweets
Jan Ting, professor of law emeritus at Temple University where he specializes in the areas of citizenship and immigration law; he tweets
Would it be better for strippers to be classified as employees or contractors?
In 2018, the California Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in Dynamex Operations West Inc. v. Superior Court which created new, stricter standards for determining who is classified as a contractor.
The case determined that Dynamex truckers, previously classified as contractors, should be counted as employees -- and the repercussions of the decision have rippled throughout various industries, including the world of strip clubs.
Prior to Dynamex, strippers had been classified as independent contractors. And some of them, including Stormy Daniels, are arguing that it would have been better for them to remain so. The argument goes that as contractors, strippers can choose who they perform for and under which conditions, without the input of a manager. They can cash out daily. And they can move around from club to club, based on financial incentives.
But on the other hand, employee status can provide dancers with some security and benefits, such as sick days. Also, employee status would allow them to unionize and make demands for protections that they currently don’t have.
Today, we debate with a dancer who would prefer contractor status, and a dancer who is using the new employee classification to lead unionization efforts in California.
If you were or are a stripper, what do you think? Which classification would be most beneficial? What do you think of unionizing dancers?
Guests:
Michael Waterstone, dean and professor of law at Loyola Law School, where his areas of expertise include employment law
Stacy, an entertainer at a strip club in San Diego
Antonia Crane, entertainer at a strip club; she has been a sex worker for 26 years and she is one of the leaders of Soldiers of Pole, California Exotic Dancers Union, an effort to unionize dancers in the state; she is also a writing instructor at UCLA extension