Corrupted Legal System

<p> Andy Rooney and Jerry Seinfeld both had fun with the story of an old woman who sued McDonald's for $2.9 million, alleging injuries from spilling hot coffee on herself. For almost everyone in America the suit became an example of trial lawyers running amok and greedy plaintiffs preying on businesses. The documentary <em>Hot Coffee </em>shows that the story told about the lawsuit in the media was almost entirely wrong and was distorted by highly paid corporate spinmeisters. Actually, the woman was severely injured from coffee brewed at scalding temperatures and needed skin grafts. It was hardly a frivolous incident. </p> <p>In the documentary by director Susan Saladorff (out on DVD), the McCoffee debacle is only one node in a depressing network of corporate misconduct. Turns out the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, principle lobbying group for big corporations, spends millions of dollars to elect tame, domesticated pro-corporate judges, smear the records of less compliant jurists and lower all barriers to corporate election spending. In what amounts to a wholesale system of legalized bribery, coupled with massive disinformation campaigns conducted in a largely brain-dead news media, the Chamber has left its smudge on many aspects of American life. </p> <p>Sure, there are greedy trial lawyers, but they look like mild poison compared the powerful special interests arrayed against them. </p>