query: Joe Biden chaired the Judiciary Committee.

pos: Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. ( -LSB- ˈdʒoʊsᵻf_rɒbᵻˈnɛt_ˈbaɪdən -RSB- born November 20 , 1942 ) is an American politician who was the 47th Vice President of the United States from 2009 to 2017 , having been jointly elected twice with President Barack Obama . A member of the Democratic Party , he represented Delaware as a United States Senator from 1973 until becoming Vice President in 2009 .   Biden was born in Scranton , Pennsylvania , in 1942 , and lived there for ten years before moving to Delaware . He became an attorney in 1969 , and was elected to the New Castle County council in 1970 . He was first elected to the Senate in 1972 , and became the sixth-youngest senator in U.S. history . He was re-elected to the Senate six times , and was the fourth most senior senator at the time of his resignation to assume the Vice Presidency in 2009 . He was a long-time member and former chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee . He opposed the Gulf War in 1991 , but advocated U.S. and NATO intervention in the Bosnian War in 1994 and 1995 . He voted in favor of the resolution authorizing the Iraq War in 2002 , but opposed the surge of U.S. troops in 2007 . He has also served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee , dealing with issues related to drug policy , crime prevention , and civil liberties , and led the legislative efforts for creation of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act , and the Violence Against Women Act . He chaired the Judiciary Committee during the contentious U.S. Supreme Court nominations of Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas .   Biden unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988 and in 2008 , both times dropping out after lackluster showings . In the 2008 U.S. presidential election , Barack Obama chose Biden to be his running mate in the race , which they won . He became the first Roman Catholic , and the first Delawarean , to be Vice President of the United States .   As Vice President in the Obama administration , Biden oversaw the infrastructure spending aimed at counteracting the Great Recession , and U.S. policy toward Iraq up until the withdrawal of U.S. troops in 2011 . His ability to negotiate with congressional Republicans helped bring about legislation such as the Tax Relief , Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization , and Job Creation Act of 2010 that resolved a taxation deadlock , the Budget Control Act of 2011 that resolved that year 's debt ceiling crisis , and the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 that addressed the impending `` fiscal cliff '' . In 2011 , he opposed going ahead with the military mission that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden . Obama and Biden were re-elected in 2012 . In October 2015 , after months of speculation , Biden chose not to run for President of the United States in 2016 . In December 2016 , he refused to rule out a potential bid for President in 2020 , but announced on January 13 , 2017 , that he would not run , only to seemingly backtrack just four days later , again refusing to rule out a potential bid . On January 12 , 2017 , Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom , with distinction . After leaving office , Biden was named the Benjamin Franklin Presidential Practice professor at the University of Pennsylvania .

neg: Center for Court Innovation The Center for Court Innovation is an American non-profit organization headquartered in New York which helps the justice system aid victims , reduce crime and improve public trust in justice .   The Center for Court Innovation works closely with the New York State Unified Court System , functioning as the judiciary 's independent research and development arm . In that role , the Center creates demonstration projects that test new ideas . The Center 's projects include the Midtown Community Court and Red Hook Community Justice Center as well as drug courts , reentry courts , domestic violence courts , mental health courts and others .   The Center also works closely with jurisdictions around the U.S. and the rest of the world , disseminating lessons learned from innovative programs and providing hands-on assistance to criminal justice practitioners interested in deploying new research-based strategies to improve the delivery of justice . The Center , which received an Innovations in American Government Award from the Ford Foundation and Harvard University , was founded in 1996 . The Center 's first director was John Feinblatt , who went on to serve as a senior advisor to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg . Since 2002 , the Center has been led by Greg Berman .

neg: United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy , Technology and the Law is one of seven subcommittees within the Senate Judiciary Committee . It was created at the start of the 112th Congress .

neg: Elizabeth Holtzman Elizabeth Holtzman ( born August 11 , 1941 ) is an American politician and former member of the United States House of Representatives . She was the first woman to hold office as the New York City Comptroller , and the District Attorney of Kings County , New York . A Democrat , she represented New York 's 16th congressional district for four terms .   In 1974 , Holtzman was a member of the House Judiciary Committee , which recommended three articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal . After Nixon resigned as president and was given a presidential pardon by his successor , Gerald Ford , the judiciary committee held hearings on the pardon , in which Holtzman asked Ford whether his action had been a quid pro quo . Ford cut her off , declaring , `` There was no deal , period , under no circumstances . '' Following the Watergate scandal , Holtzman authored a bill that allowed for an independent counsel to be appointed by a Washington , D.C. , appeals court if requested by the attorney general . The law , passed in 1978 , had a five-year sunset provision and expired in 1999 .

neg: Hillary Clinton email controversy In March 2015 , it became publicly known that Hillary Clinton , during her tenure as United States Secretary of State , had used her family 's private email server for official communications , rather than official State Department email accounts maintained on federal servers . Those official communications included thousands of emails that would retroactively be marked classified by the State Department .   The controversy unfolded against the backdrop of Clinton 's 2016 presidential election campaign and hearings held by the United States House Select Committee on Benghazi . Some experts , officials , and members of Congress have contended that her use of private messaging system software and a private server violated State Department protocols and procedures , as well as federal laws and regulations governing recordkeeping . In response , Clinton has said that her use of personal email was in compliance with federal laws and State Department regulations , and that former secretaries of state had also maintained personal email accounts , though not their own private email servers .   After allegations were raised that some of the emails in question contained classified information , the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) initiated an investigation regarding the origin and handling of classified emails on Clinton 's server . The FBI Report found that some of the emails originated in five other intelligence agencies . The FBI found that all classified emails on Clinton 's server were stored and sent from `` unclassified systems '' , violating the same policies as those on Clinton 's personal server .   FBI Director James Comey identified 110 emails as containing information that was classified at the time it was sent , including 65 emails deemed `` Secret '' and 22 deemed `` Top Secret '' . None of these had classification markings . However , as noted in Clinton 's non-disclosure agreement , unmarked classified information should be treated the same as marked classified information . An additional three email chains contained `` portion markings '' , simply a '' ( C ) '' indicating `` Confidential '' in front of one or more paragraphs . These were not included in Comey 's list of 110 because the State Department failed to confirm they were classified at the time they were sent . Clinton told the FBI she did not know the meaning of '' ( C ) '' . Nearly 2,100 emails on the server were retroactively marked as classified by the State Department .   In May 2016 , the State Department 's Office of the Inspector General released an 83-page report about the State Department 's email practices , including Clinton 's . On July 5 , 2016 , Comey announced that the FBI 's investigation had concluded that Clinton was `` extremely careless '' in handling her email system but recommended that no charges be filed against her . On July 6 , 2016 , Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced that no charges would be filed .   On July 7 , the State Department reopened its probe into the email controversy . On October 28 , 2016 , Comey notified Congress that the FBI had started looking into newly discovered emails that may be pertinent to the case . Law enforcement officials stated the emails were found on a laptop belonging to Clinton aide Huma Abedin 's husband , Anthony Weiner , during an investigation of his sexting scandals . On November 6 , Comey notified Congress that the FBI had not changed its conclusion , reached in July , regarding Clinton 's emails .

neg: John Breckinridge (U.S. Attorney General) John Breckinridge ( December 2 , 1760 -- December 14 , 1806 ) was a lawyer and politician from the U.S. state of Virginia . He served in the state legislatures of Virginia and Kentucky before being elected to the U.S. Senate and appointed United States Attorney General during the second term of President Thomas Jefferson . He is the progenitor of Kentucky 's Breckinridge political family and the namesake of Breckinridge County , Kentucky .   Breckinridge 's father was a local politician , and his mother was a member of the Preston political family . Breckinridge attended the William and Mary College intermittently between 1780 and 1784 ; his attendance was interrupted by the Revolutionary War and his election to the Virginia House of Delegates . One of the youngest members of that body , his political activities acquainted him with many prominent politicians . In 1785 , he married `` Polly '' Cabell , a member of the Cabell political family . Despite making a comfortable living through a combination of legal and agricultural endeavors , letters from relatives in Kentucky convinced him to move to the western frontier . He established `` Cabell 's Dale '' , his plantation , near Lexington , Kentucky , in 1793 .   Breckinridge was appointed as the state 's attorney general soon after arriving . In November 1797 , he resigned and was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives the next month . As a legislator , he secured passage of a more humane criminal code that abolished the death penalty for all offenses except first-degree murder . On a 1798 trip to Virginia , an intermediary gave him Thomas Jefferson 's Kentucky Resolutions , which denounced the Alien and Sedition Acts . At Jefferson 's request , Breckinridge assumed credit for the modified resolutions he shepherded through the Kentucky General Assembly ; Jefferson 's authorship was not discovered until after Breckinridge 's death . He opposed calling a state constitutional convention in 1799 but was elected as a delegate . Due to his influence , the state 's government remained comparatively aristocratic , maintaining protections for slavery and limiting the power of the electorate . Called the father of the resultant constitution , he emerged from the convention as the acknowledged leader of the state 's Democratic-Republican Party and was selected Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1799 and 1800 .   Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1800 , Breckinridge functioned as Jefferson 's floor leader , guiding administration bills through the chamber that was narrowly controlled by his party . Residents of the western frontier called for his nomination as vice president in 1804 , but Jefferson appointed him as U.S. Attorney General in 1805 instead . He was the first cabinet-level official from the West but had little impact before his death from tuberculosis on December 14 , 1806 .

neg: Joseph Foster Joseph A. Foster ( born June 10 , 1959 ) is the former Attorney General of the State of New Hampshire . He was formerly a Democratic member of the New Hampshire Senate , representing the 13th District from 2002 until 2008 and served as the State Senate Majority Leader in 2007 and 2008 . Previously he was a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 1994 through 1998 . On April 17 , 2013 he was confirmed to the office of Attorney General . He took office on May 15 , 2013 , succeeding Michael A. Delaney who decided not to seek reappointment by Governor Maggie Hassan at the end of his term , and instead took Foster 's old position at his law firm . Foster is considered a potential future Congressional candidate .

neg: William J. Jefferson William Jennings `` Bill '' Jefferson ( born March 14 , 1947 ) is an American former politician and convicted felon from the U.S. state of Louisiana . He served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for nine terms from 1991 to 2009 as a member of the Democratic Party . He represented , which includes much of the greater New Orleans area . He was Louisiana 's first black congressman since the end of Reconstruction .   On November 13 , 2009 , Jefferson was sentenced to thirteen years in federal prison for bribery after a corruption investigation , the longest sentence ever handed down to a congressman for bribery or any other crime . He began serving that sentence in May 2012 at a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility in Beaumont , Texas .

neg: Periodic Review Board The Periodic Review Boards administrate a US `` administrative procedure '' for recommending whether certain individuals held in the Guantanamo Bay detention camps , in Cuba are safe to release or transfer , or whether they should continue to be held without charge .  The boards are authorized by and overseen by the Periodic Review Secretariat , which President Barack Obama set up with Executive Order 13567 on March 7 , 2011 .   Senior Civil Service officials from six agencies sit on the Board : the United States Department of Defense , Homeland Security , Justice and State , and the offices of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of National Intelligence . Each member has a veto over any recommendation . Although Obama authorized the Secretariat to conduct periodic reviews in early 2011 , the first review was not conducted until late 2013 .   On July 21 , 2013 , Carol Rosenberg , writing in the Miami Herald , reported that the announcement that the Boards would finally be convened followed a `` flurry of emails '' to the captives attorneys -- after years of delay . Rosenberg noted that the announcement from Norton C. Joerg , a former officer and senior lawyer with the United States Navy , came at the height of the most widespread Guantanamo hunger strike .   Individuals who have faced charges , become eligible to have their status reviewed by a Periodic Review Board , if the charges they faced are dropped . In 2013 , 24 new individuals who the Guantanamo Review Task Force had recommended should face charges , had those charges dropped , and became eligible for review , when appeals courts had overturned convictions for `` providing material support for terrorism '' .   During the second review , on January 28 , 2014 , that of Abdel Malik al Rahabi , nine reporters and four human rights workers were allowed to observe a video-link to the 19 minute unclassified portion of the hearing .  69 other individuals can expect to have their status reviewed .   Almost half of the individuals still at Guantanamo have already been cleared for release or transfer -- some as long ago as 2005 , so critics have questioned how meaningful it had been to clear Mahmud Abd Al Aziz Al Mujahid for release .   Under the Obama Administration , the Board examined 63 detainees , recommending 37 of those to be transferred .   Of the 693 total former detainees transferred out of Guantanamo , 30 % are suspected or confirmed to have reengaged in terrorist activity . Of those detainees that were transferred out under President Obama , 5.6 % are confirmed and 6.8 % are suspected of reengaging in terrorist activity .   The Board held its first hearing under President Donald Trump on February 9 , 2017 . Warning of the danger of recidivism , that same day eleven Republican Senators wrote a letter encouraging the President to immediately suspend the Board and to prohibit the transfer of any detainees .

neg: Better Courts for Missouri Better Courts for Missouri is an American 501 ( c ) ( 4 ) organization that has proposed changes be made to the Missouri Plan for selecting judges . The St. Louis Post Dispatch has described it as an opponent of the Missouri plan .   Better Courts for Missouri has proposed enacting several changes to the judicial selection process , including increasing the nominees submitted to the governor from three to five , allowing the governor to veto the panel of judicial nominees submitted to him , and Senate confirmation of members of the Appellate Judicial Commission . In 2008 , the group circulated an initiative petition for a ballot measure to enact these changes , but failed to submit signatures to the Secretary of State . In 2009 , the group supported two legislative efforts , House Joint Resolution 10 and Senate Joint Resolution 9 . Both failed to pass , though House Joint Resolution 10 did succeed in passing through the House . In 2012 , the group supported one bill , Senate Joint Resolution 51 , which passed through both houses of the legislature and will appear on the November 2012 ballot as Amendment 3 .   In 2009 , the group announced their sponsorship of an initiative petition to replace the Missouri Plan with a judicial nomination system based on the federal model . The selection model proposed by the initiative would allow the governor to nominate a judge to the bench and require Senate approval of the nominee , as in the federal system , but would maintain the retention elections that take place under the current judicial selection system .

neg: Barack Obama judicial appointment controversies During President Barack Obama 's terms in office , he nominated 7 people for 27 different federal appellate judgeships and although some nominees were processed by the Republican-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee , many of them stalled on the floor of the Senate . Barack Obama nominated over three hundred individuals for federal judgeships . Of these nominations , Congress confirmed three hundred and seven judgeships , 173 during the 111th & 112th Congresses and 134 during the 113th Congress .   With the Death of Antonin Scalia in February of 2016 , in the thick of a Presidential election year , the Republican majority in the Senate made it their stated policy to refuse to consider any nominee put forward by President Obama , arguing that the next president should be the one to appoint Scalia 's replacement . Scalia 's death was only the second death of a serving justice in a span of sixty years   Republicans filibustered many nominees , and Senator Grassley commented more nominees could have been confirmed had President Obama respected recess appointment precedent by not making recess appointments while the Senate is in session . Although President Obama had never used a recess appointment to appoint a nominee to the federal bench , he had appointed some executive agency officials in January 2012 .   As a response to the continuing blocking of several of President Obama 's nominees , Sen. Harry Reid on November 21 , 2013 invoked the so-called Nuclear option and changed the Senate rules , meaning a simple majority vote will suffice for all nominees except for the Supreme Court .

neg: Sentencing Act of 1987 The Sentencing Act of 1987 ( Pub.L . 100-182 ) enacted some changes to the federal sentencing regime in the United States . The legislation amended to permit expressly departures based on circumstances of an exceptional `` kind '' or `` degree . '' The insertion of this new language was described by the manager of the House bill , Representative John Conyers , as `` clarifying '' in nature because it simply made explicit in the law that which was previously described in the Senate Committee Report as implicit and intended . There is evidence that under the new regime , sentences may not have increased as much as expected : although the average prison term for trial sentences increases post‐reforms , there is no systematic increase in the average length of the pleas .   Additionally , the law abolished parole for federal prisoners and created the United States Sentencing Commission . The commission makes the guidelines used by federal judges when sentencing people convicted of a federal crime .   The bill was introduced by Senator Joseph Biden on October 27 , 1987 . It was signed into law on December 7 , 1987 , by President Ronald Reagan .

neg: Mary Ellen Coster Williams Mary Ellen Coster Williams ( born April 3 , 1953 ) is a judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims , appointed to that court in 2003 by President George W. Bush .   Born and raised in Flushing , New York , Williams received a B.A. in Latin and Greek and an M.A. in Latin , summa cum laude , from Catholic University in 1974 . She received a J.D. from the Duke University School of Law in 1977 , having served on the Editorial Board of the Duke Law Journal .   Williams was an associate with Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis from 1979 to 1983 and with Fulbright & Jaworski from 1977 to 1979 . She served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Civil Division of the Department of Justice in Washington , D.C. , from 1983 until 1987 . From 1987 to 1989 , Williams was a partner in the law firm of Janis , Schuelke and Weschler , focusing on civil litigation . From March 6 , 1989 to July 18 , 2003 , Williams served as an administrative judge on the General Services Administration Board of Contract Appeals , where she resolved federal government contract cases . Williams was appointed to the United States Court of Federal Claims on July 21 , 2003 .   Throughout her career , Williams has been active in bar associations and professional organizations . She has served on the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association , and from 2002 to 2003 she was the Chair of the ABA 's Section of Public Contract Law , having served as the Section 's Chair-Elect , Vice Chair , and Secretary . She was the Section 's delegate to the ABA House of Delegates from 2003 to 2008 . Williams also served as the section representative on the ABA Committee on Ethics and Professionalism and the ABA Commission on Evaluation of Rules of Professional Conduct from 1998 to 2000 and chaired the Ad Hoc Committee on Model Rules of Professional Responsibility of the Bar Association of D.C. in the early 1980s . From 2009 to 2010 , she served on the ABA 's Commission on Youth At Risk . She was a member of the ABA President 's Task Force on Government Lawyers from 2000 to 2001 and was elected a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation in 1985 . Williams has also served the Bar Association of the District of Columbia in many capacities , as its Foundation president , as a Trustee , and as a member of its Board of Directors . In addition , Williams was Chair of the D.C. Young Lawyers Section , Secretary of the D.C. Bar , and a member of the Policy Board for Legal Counsel for the Elderly .   Williams has taught Remedies and Administrative Law at the Columbus School of Law , Catholic University , since 2004 , and also serves as an adjunct professor in the Advanced Academic Program for Law and Government at Johns Hopkins University , where she has taught Intellectual Property Law , Litigation with the Federal Government , Government Contracts , The American Civil Trial , and Legal Method . She has also lectured extensively on various legal topics , including civil trial practice and government contracts .   Williams is married and has two children .

neg: Joe Whitley Joe D. Whitley ( born November 12 , 1950 ) was the first General Counsel for the United States Department of Homeland Security . He is currently in private practice at Baker Donelson .   During the George H.W. Bush administration , Joe served as the Acting United States Associate Attorney General , the third-ranking position in the Department of Justice . Under President Ronald Reagan , he was the U.S. Attorney in the Middle District of Georgia in Macon , and under President George H.W. Bush , Whitley served as the U.S. Attorney in the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia in Atlanta .   Prior to joining the Department of Homeland Security , and immediately following his service at DHS , Whitley was a partner at Alston & Bird , where he served as head of the firm 's White Collar Government Enforcement & Investigations Group , his practice concentrating on government investigations , environmental and health care fraud and complex civil litigation .   Whitley is the former Chair of the Section of Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice of the American Bar Association . He is a former council member of the Criminal Justice Section of the American Bar Association . He served as Vice Chair for Governmental Affairs of the 2002 -- 03 ABA Criminal Justice Section . He also chairs annual seminars and institutes for Georgia ICLE on White Collar Crime , Health Care Fraud , FCPA , Internal Investigations and Cybercrime . Whitley chairs the ABA 's Annual National Homeland Security Law Institute in Washington , DC .

neg: United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress which , along with the United States House of Representatives , the lower chamber , composes the legislature of the United States of America .   The composition and powers of the Senate are established by Article One of the United States Constitution . The Senate is composed of senators who represent each of the several states , with each state being equally represented by two senators , regardless of their population , serving staggered terms of six years ; with fifty states presently in the Union , there are 100 U.S. Senators . From 1789 until 1913 , Senators were appointed by legislatures of the states they represented ; following the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913 , they are now popularly elected . The Senate chamber is located in the north wing of the Capitol , in Washington , D.C.   As the upper house , the Senate has several powers of advice and consent which are unique to it ; these include the ratification of treaties , the confirmation of Cabinet secretaries , Supreme Court justices , federal judges , other federal executive officials , flag officers , regulatory officials , ambassadors , and other federal uniformed officers . In addition to these , in cases wherein no candidate receives a majority of electors for Vice President , the duty befalls upon the Senate to elect one of the top two recipients of electors for that office . It further has the responsibility of conducting trials of those impeached by the House . The Senate is widely considered both a more deliberative and more prestigious body than the House of Representatives due to its longer terms , smaller size , and statewide constituencies , which historically led to a more collegial and less partisan atmosphere .   The presiding officer of the Senate is the Vice President of the United States , who is President of the Senate ; in their absence , the President Pro Tempore , who is customarily the senior member of the controlling party , presides over the Senate . In the early 20th century , the practice of majority and minority parties electing their floor leaders began , although they are not constitutional officers .

neg: State Justice Institute The State Justice Institute ( SJI ) is a private , nonprofit corporation that awards grants to improve judicial administration in the state courts of the United States . It was created by the State Justice Institute Act of 1984 ( , et seq. ) .   It is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate , including six state court judges , one state court administrator , and four members of the public ( no more than two of whom may be of the same political party ) . The Executive Director is responsible for the executive and administrative operations of SJI , is a non-voting ex officio member of the Board , and serves at the pleasure of the Board .

neg: Nuclear option The nuclear option is a parliamentary procedure that allows the United States Senate to override a rule or precedent by a simple majority of 51 votes , instead of by a supermajority of 60 votes . The option is invoked by the presiding officer of the body ruling that the validity of a Senate rule or precedent is a constitutional question . The issue is immediately put to the full Senate , which decides by majority vote . The procedure thus allows the Senate to decide any issue by majority vote , regardless of existing procedural rules , such as current Senate rules specifying that ending a filibuster requires the consent of 60 senators ( out of 100 ) for legislation , and 67 for amending a Senate rule . The term `` nuclear option '' is an analogy to nuclear weapons being the most extreme option in warfare .   The nuclear option has only been used in practice twice -- in 2013 and 2017 , however the threat to use it dates back at least to 1917 , in opinions related to reform of the Senate 's filibuster rules . Subsequently , an opinion written by Vice President Richard Nixon in 1957 concluded that the U.S. Constitution grants the presiding officer the authority to override existing Senate rules . The option was used to make further rule changes in 1975 . In November 2013 , Senate Democrats used the nuclear option to eliminate filibusters on executive branch nominations and federal judicial appointments other than those to the Supreme Court . On April 6 , 2017 , Senate Republicans used the nuclear option to eliminate the exception for Supreme Court nominees , after the nomination of Neil Gorsuch failed to meet the requirement of 60 votes for ending the debate .   Before November 2013 , Senate rules required a three-fifths vote of the `` duly chosen and sworn '' members of the Senate -- ( usually 60 votes ) to end debate on a bill , nomination or other proposal ; they also require a two-thirds vote ( `` present and voting '' -- 67 or more votes ) to end debate on a change to the Senate rules . Those rules effectively allowed a minority of the Senate to block a bill or nomination through the technique of the filibuster . This had resulted in a de facto requirement that a nomination have the support of 60 Senators to pass , rather than a majority of 51 . A three-fifths vote is still required to end debates on legislation . Before April 2017 , Senate rules required a three-fifths vote to confirm nominations for Supreme Court nominees .   Under the new nuclear option proceedings , the majority leader and presiding officer , guided by parliamentary experts , go through a series of choreographed steps in which the leader suggests a change to the rules , the presiding officer challenges him , and then the leader calls a second vote on a rules change , which requires only 51 votes . This effectively ends what had become a 60-vote requirement for confirmation of a Supreme Court nominee or the passage of legislation .

neg: W. Eugene Davis William Eugene Davis , known as W. Eugene Davis ( born August 1936 ) , is a Senior Court of Appeals Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit . His chambers are in Lafayette , Louisiana .   Born in Winfield in Marion County in northwestern Alabama , Davis attended Samford University in Homewood , a suburb of Birmingham , Alabama . After three years at Samford , he received a scholarship to Tulane University Law School in New Orleans . There he received his J.D. in 1960 without having received an undergraduate degree ( Samford awarded him a bachelor 's degree in 2006 ) . While at Tulane , Davis was a member of the Board of Editors of the Tulane Law Review .   He was in private practice in New Orleans from 1960 -- 64 , and then joined a law firm in New Iberia , where his partners were until 1976 Pat Caffery and John Malcolm Duhé , Jr. . In his private practice , he frequently represented the oil and gas industries .   On August 5 , 1976 , Davis was nominated by President Gerald R. Ford , Jr. , to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana vacated by Richard J. Putnam . Davis was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 17 , 1976 , and received his commission on September 21 , 1976 .   President Ronald W. Reagan nominated Davis for elevation to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on November 1 , 1983 , to a seat vacated by Robert Andrew Ainsworth , Jr. , who died in 1981 . Reagan at first considered Ben Toledano , a New Orleans lawyer and former Republican political candidate for the slot but withdrew the nomination after opposition surfaced from the NAACP . Davis was again confirmed by the United States Senate on November 15 , 1983 , and received his commission the following day . He assumed senior status on December 31 , 2016 .   Davis is one of three judges on a panel that will hear the appeal to Hornbeck Offshore Services LLC v. Salazar , a case challenging the U.S. Department of the Interior six month moratorium on exploratory drilling in deep water that was adopted in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and the subsequent oil spill . The Fifth Circuit panel denied the government 's emergency request to stay the lower court 's decision pending appeal .   Davis has announced he will assume senior status on December 31 , 2016 .

neg: House Un-American Activities Committee The House Un-American Activities Committee ( HUAC ) ( aka , The House Committee on Un-American Activities , HUAC or HCUA ) was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives . The HUAC was created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities on the part of private citizens , public employees , and those organizations suspected of having communist ties . In 1969 , the House changed the committee 's name to `` House Committee on Internal Security '' . When the House abolished the committee in 1975 , its functions were transferred to the House Judiciary Committee .   The committee 's anti-communist investigations are often associated with those of Joseph McCarthy who , as a U.S. Senator , had no direct involvement with this House committee . McCarthy was the chairman of the Government Operations Committee and its Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the U.S. Senate , not the House .

neg: Operation Bid Rig Operation Bid Rig is an ongoing , long-term investigation into political corruption in New Jersey conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation , the Internal Revenue Service , and the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey since 2002 .   The investigation has resulted in the indictments of more than 60 public officials and politically connected individuals since its inception . In July 2009 , sting operations resulted in the arrest of 44 people in New Jersey and New York , including 29 public servants and political operatives , and five orthodox rabbis from the Syrian Jewish community . A number of high-level New Jersey elected officials were arrested in the operation , including Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini , Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano , Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell , Ridgefield Mayor Anthony R. Suarez , former Jersey City Housing Authority Commissioner and Chairwoman Lori Serrano , Jersey City Housing Authority Commissioner Edward Cheatam , Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith , Assemblyman Daniel M. Van Pelt , former Assemblyman and unsuccessful mayoral candidate Louis Manzo , and political operatives Joseph Cardwell and Jack Shaw .

neg: United Nations Security Council Resolution 1957 United Nations Security Council Resolution 1957 , adopted unanimously on 15 December 2010 , after recognising positive developments in Iraq since the adoption of 661 ( 1990 ) , the Council lifted sanctions relating to weapons of mass destruction , long-range ballistic missiles , and the acquisition of nuclear weapons .   Resolution 1957 , along with resolutions 1956 ( 2010 ) and 1958 ( 2010 ) , ended some major restrictions placed on Iraq . However , demands that Iraq resolve disputes with Kuwait remained . The high-level meeting was chaired by United States Vice President Joe Biden .


query: Moses Malone only won the MVP once.

pos: Moses Malone Moses Eugene Malone ( March 23 , 1955 -- September 13 , 2015 ) was an American basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association ( ABA ) and the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) from 1974 through 1995 . The center was named the NBA Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) three times and was a 12-time NBA All-Star and an eight-time All-NBA selection . Malone won his only NBA championship in 1983 , when he was both the league and Finals MVP with the Philadelphia 76ers . He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2001 .   Malone began his pro career out of high school after he was selected in the third round of the 1974 ABA Draft by the Utah Stars . He was named an ABA All-Star as a rookie and played two seasons in the league until it merged with the NBA in 1976 . He landed in the NBA with the Buffalo Braves , who traded him after two games to the Houston Rockets . Malone became a five-time All-Star in six seasons with the Rockets . After leading the NBA in rebounding in 1979 , he was named league MVP for the first time . He led the Rockets to the NBA Finals in 1981 , and won his second MVP award in 1982 . Malone was traded to Philadelphia the following season , when he repeated as MVP and led the 76ers to a championship in his first year . In his first of two stints with Philadelphia , he was an All-Star in each of his four seasons . Following another trade , Malone was an All-Star in his only two seasons with the Washington Bullets ( known later as the Wizards ) . He signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Hawks , earning his 12th straight and final All-Star selection in his first season . In his later years , he played with the Milwaukee Bucks before returning to the 76ers and completing his career with the San Antonio Spurs .   Malone led the NBA in rebounding six times , including a then-record five straight seasons ( 1981 -- 1985 ) . He finished his career as the all-time leader in offensive rebounds after leading both the ABA and NBA in the category a combined nine times . Malone was nicknamed `` Chairman of the Boards '' for his rebounding prowess . Combining his ABA and NBA statistics , he ranks seventh all-time in career points ( 29,580 ) and third in total rebounds ( 17,834 ) . He was named to both the ABA All-Time Team and the NBA 's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team .

neg: Michael Malone (basketball) Michael Malone ( born 1971 ) is an American professional basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) .

neg: List of American Basketball Association awards and honors The American Basketball Association ( ABA ) was a professional basketball league that operated from the until it ceased to exist with the ABA -- NBA merger in 1976 . The ABA presented a variety of annual awards and honors to recognize its players and executives .   There were six awards presented by the ABA . Three Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) awards were presented annually in the All-Star Game , the regular season , and the playoffs . In sports , the player judged to be the most important to the team is the Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) . Other annual awards include the Executive of the Year , the Coach of the Year , and the Rookie of the Year . Honors were also presented to players who excelled in the respective categories of : best players , best defensive players , and best rookies . The Executive of the Year Award and the All-Defensive Team started in the , while the rest started in the first season . Julius Erving has won the most ABA awards with five MVP awards -- three in the regular season and two in the playoffs . Artis Gilmore has won the most ABA honors with nine . A total of 80 ABA players and executives have received at least one award or honor .

neg: 2004 NBA Finals The 2004 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2003 -- 04 National Basketball Association season . The Finals were between the Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference and the Detroit Pistons of the Eastern Conference ; the Lakers held home court advantage . The series was played under a best-of-seven format , so the first team to collect four game victories would win the series .   Although the Lakers were the heavy favorite , the Pistons won the series four games to one to win their first title since 1990 and their fifth overall ( three NBA Championships , two NBL Championships ) . Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups was named as the NBA Finals MVP . The series was noted for the perceived underdog , the Pistons , dominating a Lakers team that had four future Hall of Famers .   Pistons owner William Davidson became the first owner in sports history to win two championships in one year . Eight days earlier , the other team that Davidson owned , the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League had won the Stanley Cup in seven games over the Calgary Flames .

neg: Greek Volley League MVP The Greek Volley League MVP is the yearly MVP award for the best player of Greek Volleyleague , the Greek first tier professional championship . It begin with 1998-99 season and first winner was Marios Giourdas . The recordman of this award is Ernardo Gómez who has won the MVP award three times . Marios Giourdas and Andrej Kravárik has won two times .

neg: NBA Rookie of the Month Award The T-Mobile National Basketball Association Rookie of the Month Award is presented monthly by the league to honor the top rookie in both conferences ( Eastern and Western conferences ) in a particular month . Once won , the trophy is presented to the player before his next home game .

neg: 1998 NBA Finals The 1998 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1998 playoffs of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) and the conclusion of the 1997 -- 98 NBA season . The Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls played against the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz , with the Jazz holding home-court advantage with the first 2 games in Salt Lake City . In a repeat of the previous year 's Finals , the Bulls won the series 4 games to 2 for their third consecutive NBA title and their sixth in eight seasons . Michael Jordan was voted the NBA Finals MVP of the series ( he also had won the award the last five times the Bulls won the Finals : 1991 , 1992 , 1993 , 1996 , and 1997 ) . This would be his sixth NBA championship and sixth Finals MVP award in six full basketball seasons . Until 2014 , it was the last consecutive Finals rematch between two teams .   The 1998 Finals garnered the highest Nielsen TV ratings in NBA history at 18.7 , and even surpassed the Nielsen ratings for the 1998 World Series , marking the first time the NBA had a higher rating in its championship round than of Major League Baseball 's championship round .   The 1998 NBA season documentary `` Unforgettabulls '' was the first of five narrated by Will Lyman through NBA Entertainment , which recaps the entire Bulls ' season . Rick Telander narrates on the opening credits . Marv Albert narrates the timeline of Michael Jordan 's career with the Bulls .

neg: Joe Smith (basketball) Joseph Leynard Smith ( born July 26 , 1975 ) is an American former professional basketball player who played at power forward position for 12 teams of the NBA during his 16-year career .   Born and raised in Norfolk , Virginia , Smith was the College Player of the Year at Maryland in 1995 and the No. 1 pick of that season 's NBA draft , picked by the Golden State Warriors . He was named to the 1995 -- 96 All-Rookie team . Smith was mobile throughout his career , the NBA indicated that he was one of the most traded players . In 1998 , Smith was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers ; he then played for the Minnesota Timberwolves ( with a mid-way pitstop for the Detroit Pistons ) until 2003 . He later played for the Milwaukee Bucks , the Denver Nuggets , the 76ers again , the Chicago Bulls , the Oklahoma City Thunder , the Cleveland Cavaliers , the Atlanta Hawks , the New Jersey Nets , and the Los Angeles Lakers .

neg: WCHA Most Valuable Player in Tournament The WCHA Most Valuable Player in Tournament is an annual award given out at the conclusion of the WCHA tournament to the best player in the championship as voted by the head coaches of each member team .   The Tournament MVP was first awarded in 1988 and every year thereafter .   Bill Pye is the only player to have won the award more than once . Additionally , two recipients have received the honor while not playing for the conference champion . ( as of 2013 )

neg: EuroCup Basketball MVP The EuroCup Basketball MVP is the yearly MVP award that is awarded by the 2nd-tier level professional basketball league in Europe , the EuroCup Basketball League , which is the pan-European professional basketball league that is one tier level below the top-tier EuroLeague .   The EuroCup Basketball MVP award began with the EuroCup Basketball 2008 -- 09 season .

neg: 1994 NBA Finals The 1994 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1993 -- 94 National Basketball Association ( NBA ) season , featuring the Western Conference 's Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference 's New York Knicks .   This matchup was Hakeem Olajuwon 's second NBA Finals appearance , his other being in 1986 , where Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets four games to two . The series was Patrick Ewing 's first NBA Finals appearance . The Rockets came in with strong determination to win not only the franchise 's first NBA championship , but the city 's first championship in a league that still existed , while the Knicks were looking to add a third NBA championship trophy , as the Knicks ' last trophy came from the 1973 NBA Finals . The Knicks also hoped to impress their new owners Viacom , who had just bought Paramount Communications ( formerly Gulf + Western ) , their longtime owners ( after the series however , Viacom sold the Knicks and the rest of the Madison Square Garden properties ) .   The series was hailed as a meeting of the two great centers who had previously played for a championship in college . In 1984 while Olajuwon was with the University of Houston and Ewing was with Georgetown University , Georgetown had beaten Houston 84 -- 75 in the 1984 NCAA Championship game . In this series , however , Olajuwon outperformed Ewing , outscoring him in every game of the series and posting numbers of 26.9 ppg on 50.0 % shooting compared to Ewing 's 18.9 ppg on 36.3 % shooting . However , Ewing set an NBA finals record in the series with a total of 30 blocks , and he tied the single-game record of 8 blocks in Game 5 . Tim Duncan would later set the record for most blocks in a Finals series ( 2003 ) with 32 blocks in six games while Dwight Howard would set the record for most blocked shots in a Finals game with 9 blocked shots in Game 4 of the 2009 Finals while with the Orlando Magic .   During the series , the Houston Rockets played seven low-scoring , defensive games against the New York Knicks . After splitting the first two games in Houston , the Knicks won two out of three games at Madison Square Garden , which also hosted the Rangers first Stanley Cup celebration in 54 years during the series .   In Game 6 , however , Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon blocked a last-second championship-winning shot attempt by John Starks , giving the Rockets an 86 -- 84 victory and forcing a Game 7 , which made Knicks Coach Pat Riley the first ( and to this date , the only ) coach in a Game 7 NBA Finals on two different teams , having been with the Los Angeles Lakers in and . In addition , the Knicks set a record for most playoff games played in one season , with 25 . The Detroit Pistons tied this record in . The Boston Celtics , coached by Doc Rivers , would surpass it during their championship season of 2008 when they played 26 .   The Rockets beat the Knicks in Game 7 , 90 -- 84 , enabling the city of Houston to not only celebrate its first NBA and fifth professional sports championship ( first in an existing league ) , but also deny New York from having both NBA and NHL championships in the same year ( Chicago had suffered this fate in 1992 , with the Bulls winning their second NBA championship and the Blackhawks losing in the Stanley Cup Finals ) . For his efforts Olajuwon was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player . For the Knicks , Riley had the unfortunate distinction of having become the first ( and to this date , the only ) coach to lose a Game 7 NBA Finals on two different teams , having lost to the Celtics in 1984 . It also denied him the distinction of being the first coach to win a Game 7 NBA Finals with two different teams , having defeated the Detroit Pistons in 1988 .   NBC Sports used Ahmad Rashād ( Knicks sideline ) and Hannah Storm ( Rockets sideline ) .   Hal Douglas narrated the season-ending documentary Clutch City for NBA Entertainment .

neg: 1970 ABA Playoffs The 1970 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association 's 1969-1970 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Indiana Pacers defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Stars , four games to two in the ABA Finals .   The Indiana Pacers finished the season with the league 's best regular season record ( 59-25 , .702 ) before going on to win the ABA championship . This same feat was accomplished by the Oakland Oaks during the prior season and by the Pittsburgh Pipers in the year before that .   The Pacers became the first ABA champions to return in the same form for the following season . The Oakland Oaks became the Washington Caps for the 1969-1970 ABA season ; the Pittsburgh Pipers had become the Minnesota Pipers after winning the ABA championship the prior season .   Roger Brown of Indiana was the Most Valuable Player of the ABA playoffs .

neg: Shaqtin' a Fool Shaqtin ' a Fool is a weekly segment from the television show Inside the NBA , the postgame show of NBA on TNT following the conclusion of National Basketball Association ( NBA ) games airing on cable TV channel TNT . It first aired during the 2011 -- 12 NBA season , when retired NBA All-Star Shaquille O'Neal voiced it upon joining the show and was created by Turner Sports producer Mike Goldfarb . It highlights humorous and uncommon basketball plays that have occurred during NBA games in the past week . O'Neal is the host and presenter , while the other analysts in studio react and provide commentary . Most often , those have been fellow Inside regulars Ernie Johnson , Kenny Smith , and Charles Barkley , but other Inside hosts have also participated , including Chris Webber , Grant Hill , Steve Smith and Matt Winer .   The segment regularly features NBA players and also includes , but is not limited to , referees , fans , mascots , and other arena employees . Sometimes they also air clips from other international basketball leagues . On special occasions , the segment features plays which had occurred during the past , including several entire `` retro '' editions . Each episode tends to have 5 entries from the past week , with each entry typically involving a single play ( although there are some times where a collection of similar bad plays , such as travels and air ball free throws , are highlighted ) . Multiple plays may include the same player , and a single play may highlight more than one player .   Only 3 players have the Shaqtin `` Golden Ticket , '' which is lifetime immunity from being included in the segment : Larry Nance Jr. ( 2015 winner ) , PJ Tucker ( 2016 winner ) , and JaVale McGee ( after his long feud with O'Neal escalated in early 2017 , see more in MVP section ) .   At the conclusion of the NBA postseason , a Shaqtin ' a Fool special airs on NBA TV . During the special , Shaquille O'Neal is joined by Jared Greenberg and Dennis Scott , and the top Shaqtin ' a Fool plays of the season are shown . On the 2013 special , 34 plays were shown to honor O'Neal 's jersey retirement of # 34 during his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers . On the 2014 special , only 20 plays were shown . For the 2015 special , the number of plays increased to 30 .  Since the beginning of the 2013 -- 14 NBA season , fans are able to tweet suggestions for Shaqtin ' a Fool . Also , ahead of the 2015 -- 16 season , Hotels.com sponsored Shaqtin ' .

neg: 1994–95 Minnesota Timberwolves season The 1994 -- 95 NBA season was the Timberwolves ' 6th season in the National Basketball Association . During the offseason , the Timberwolves acquired Sean Rooks from the Dallas Mavericks . Under new head coach Bill Blair , the Timberwolves continued to struggle losing 13 of their first 14 games , as Michael Williams missed all but one game of the season due to a left heel injury . Midway through the season , top draft pick Donyell Marshall was traded to the Golden State Warriors for Tom Gugliotta . Despite a stellar season from second-year star Isaiah Rider leading the team in scoring with 20.4 points per game , the Timberwolves lost nine of their final ten games . They finished last place in the Midwest Division with a 21 -- 61 record , setting a dubious record in becoming the first team ever to lose 60 or more games in four consecutive seasons .

neg: 1993–94 Utah Jazz season The 1993 -- 94 NBA season was the Jazz 's 20th season in the National Basketball Association , and 15th season in Salt Lake City , Utah . During the offseason , the Jazz signed unrestricted free agent All-Star forward Tom Chambers , and acquired Felton Spencer from the Minnesota Timberwolves . John Stockton led the league in assists for the seventh straight season , as Karl Malone joined the list in all-time points scored topping the 19,000 point mark . Both were selected for the 1994 NBA All-Star Game . At midseason , the Jazz traded Jeff Malone to the Philadelphia 76ers for Jeff Hornacek . With the addition of Hornacek , the Jazz went on to win ten consecutive games between February and March . They won nine of their final eleven games finishing third in the Midwest Division with a 53 -- 29 record .   In the first round of the playoffs , the Jazz defeated the 4th-seeded San Antonio Spurs after losing Game 1 . In the semifinals , they took a 3 -- 0 series lead over the 8th-seeded Denver Nuggets . However , the Jazz would lose the next three games to the Nuggets , then finally win Game 7 and advance to the next round . In the Western Conference Finals , they lost five games to the Houston Rockets . Following the season , Tyrone Corbin was traded to the Atlanta Hawks .

neg: 1998–99 Toronto Raptors season The 1998 -- 99 NBA season was the Raptors ' fourth season in the National Basketball Association . In the 1998 NBA draft , the Raptors selected Antawn Jamison out of the University of North Carolina with the fourth overall pick . However , they traded Jamison to the Golden State Warriors for his college teammate Vince Carter , who is also second-year star Tracy McGrady 's cousin . Other offseason acquisitions included Charles Oakley from the New York Knicks , Kevin Willis from the Houston Rockets and free agent Michael Stewart . During the regular season , which was shortened due to a four-month lockout , the Raptors moved into their new arena Air Canada Centre . After a 6 -- 12 start , the Raptors played their best basketball winning 12 of their next 14 games . However , they lost 13 of their final 18 games , and finished the season with a 23 -- 27 record , sixth in the Central Division . Carter averaged 18.3 points per game and was named Rookie of the Year . Following the season , John Wallace re-signed as a free agent with the New York Knicks .

neg: 1991 NBA Playoffs The 1991 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1990 -- 91 season . The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals . Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP .   After the Pistons had ended their season the last three years , the Bulls got revenge in the Eastern Conference Finals by sweeping the two-time defending NBA champions . It was the first time the Bulls won a playoff series over the Pistons since 1974 , when both teams were still part of the Western Conference . Game 4 ended with some of the Pistons walking off the court before time expired , refusing to shake the Bulls ' hands . In the 1989 NBA Finals , the Pistons themselves had swept the two-time defending champion Lakers . Detroit did not reach the conference finals again until 2003 .   The seventh seeded Golden State Warriors stunned the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs , defeating them 3 games to 1 . It would be Golden State 's last playoff series win until 2007 .   The 76ers and the Bucks met in the first round of the playoffs where the 76ers swept the series . It would be both teams last playoff appearance until 1999 .   Game 4 of the Blazers -- Jazz series was the last game ever played at the Salt Palace .   This was the first year that NBC aired the NBA Playoffs .

neg: 2001–02 Los Angeles Lakers season The 2001 -- 02 NBA season was the Lakers ' 54th season in the National Basketball Association , and 42nd in the city of Los Angeles . During the offseason , the Lakers signed All-Star guard Mitch Richmond and free agent Samaki Walker , while acquiring Lindsey Hunter from the Milwaukee Bucks . The team got off to a fast start winning 16 of their first 17 games , and finished second in the Pacific Division with a 58 -- 24 record . Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal were both selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game in which Bryant won MVP honors , but O'Neal did not participate in the All-Star game due to an injury .   After sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers 3 -- 0 in the first round of the playoffs , then defeating the San Antonio Spurs 4 -- 1 in the semifinals , the Lakers where pushed to the brink once more in the Western Conference Finals by their archrivals the Sacramento Kings , who they narrowly defeated in a deciding seventh game . They then went on to win the NBA Finals , defeating and sweeping the New Jersey Nets in four straight games for their second three-peat in franchise history , the first since 1952 -- 54 . Following the season , Richmond retired and Hunter was traded to the Toronto Raptors .   This would be the third and final consecutive NBA Championship the Lakers won in the early 2000s , as in the next season , their quest for a fourth consecutive NBA Championship ended with a playoff elimination by the San Antonio Spurs in six games in the semifinals , who would then go on to win the NBA Finals that season and their second NBA Championship . Although the Lakers returned to the Finals in 2004 , the Lakers would lose to the Detroit Pistons in five games , despite being the heavy favorites to win and having former All-Stars and veterans Gary Payton and Karl Malone , leading to O'Neal 's departure from the Lakers amidst boiling points between the Lakers staff and management and Kobe Bryant , culminating in his trade to the Miami Heat , ending the early 2000s Lakers dynasty . The Lakers would not win another title until 2009 , in which they defeated the Orlando Magic in five games .

neg: 1996–97 Denver Nuggets season The 1996 -- 97 NBA season was the Nuggets ' 21st season in the National Basketball Association , and 30th season as a franchise . In the offseason , the Nuggets acquired Mark Jackson and Ricky Pierce from the Indiana Pacers while signing free agent Ervin Johnson . However , after a 4 -- 9 start to the season , Bernie Bickerstaff was forced out as head coach and replaced with Dick Motta , where the Nuggets then lost ten straight games along the way . Midway through the season , Jackson was traded back to the Indiana Pacers , while Pierce was dealt to the Charlotte Hornets . Meanwhile , the Nuggets signed free agent Kenny Smith , who won championships with the Houston Rockets . As the season drew , the Nuggets still struggled losing 26 of their final 30 games finishing fifth in the Midwest Division with a 21 -- 61 record . Despite playing just 55 games due to injury , LaPhonso Ellis led the team in scoring with a career high of 21.9 points per game .   Following the season , second-year star Antonio McDyess was traded to the Phoenix Suns , Dale Ellis was traded back to the Seattle SuperSonics , Johnson was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks , Tom Hammonds signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Timberwolves , Smith retired and Motta was fired as coach .

neg: 2004–05 Cleveland Cavaliers season The 2004-05 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 35th season of NBA basketball in Cleveland , Ohio . During the offseason , the Cavaliers acquired Drew Gooden from the Orlando Magic . In his second season , expectations were high for LeBron James as the Cavaliers hoped for a return to the playoffs . Through the first half of the season , the Cavs held a 30 -- 21 record at the All-Star Break as James was selected to his first All-Star selection in the 2005 NBA All-Star Game . However , as March began , the Cavaliers were unable to upgrade at the trading deadline as the team went on a 6-game losing streak . Head coach Paul Silas was fired and replaced by interim Brendan Malone . The Cavaliers finished the season with a 42 -- 40 record , a fourth-place finish in the Central Division , and barely missed out of the playoffs , losing a tiebreaker for the 8th spot to the New Jersey Nets . Despite their collapse , James had an outstanding sophomore season averaging 27.2 points , 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game .   Key dates :   On June 24 , the 2004 NBA Draft , took place in New York City , New York .  In July , the free agency period began .  On September 15 , the Cavaliers named Brendan Malone assistant coach .  On October 14 , the Cavaliers ' preseason began with a 94 -- 102 loss to Memphis .  On November 3 , the Cavaliers ' regular season began with a 104 -- 109 2OT loss to Indiana .  On March 21 , head coach Paul Silas was fired and Brendan Malone was named interim head coach . Mike Bratz and Wes Wilcox were added to Malone 's staff as assistants .  On April 20 , the Cavaliers ' season ended in a 104 -- 95 win over the Toronto Raptors .  On April 21 , Jim Paxson was fired as President of Basketball Operations and General Manager .

neg: 1994–95 Sacramento Kings season The 1994 -- 95 NBA season was the Kings ' 46th season in the National Basketball Association , and 10th season in Sacramento . With the arrivals of rookies Brian Grant and Michael Smith , the Kings had an improved defense which held opponents at 99.2 points per game ( 8th best in the NBA ) . On the offensive side , the Kings were led by Mitch Richmond , who averaged 22.8 points per game while winning the All-Star MVP award in the 1995 NBA All-Star Game . The Kings played above .500 for the first half of the season with a 28 -- 20 record in mid February . However , they struggled with a 7-game losing streak afterwards as they began to slip under .500 .   On the final day of the regular season , the Kings faced the Denver Nuggets at McNichols Sports Arena for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference . The Nuggets would win 102 -- 89 as the Kings went home with a 39 -- 43 record , missing the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season . Grant was selected to the All-Rookie First Team . Following the season , Spud Webb was traded back to the Atlanta Hawks .   For the season , the Kings changed their logo and added purple to their uniforms . The jerseys lasted until 2002 , while the logo lasted until 2016 .


query: Julia Stiles stars in The Bourne Supremacy.

pos: The Bourne Supremacy (film) The Bourne Supremacy is a 2004 American-German action spy thriller film starring Robert Ludlum 's Jason Bourne character . Though it takes the name of the second Bourne novel , its plot is entirely different . The film was directed by Paul Greengrass from a screenplay by Tony Gilroy . Universal Pictures released the film to theaters in the United States on July 23 , 2004 . It is the second in the Jason Bourne film series . It is preceded by The Bourne Identity ( 2002 ) and followed by The Bourne Ultimatum ( 2007 ) , The Bourne Legacy ( 2012 ) , and Jason Bourne ( 2016 ) .   The Bourne Supremacy continues the story of Jason Bourne , a former CIA assassin suffering from psychogenic amnesia . Bourne is portrayed by Matt Damon . The film focuses on his attempt to learn more of his past as he is once more enveloped in a conspiracy involving the CIA and Operation Treadstone . The film also stars Brian Cox as Ward Abbott , Joan Allen as Pamela Landy and Julia Stiles as Nicky Parsons .

neg: Wicked (1998 film) Wicked is a 1998 American thriller film starring Julia Stiles as a disturbed teenage girl .

neg: Déjà Vu (2006 film) Déjà Vu ( stylised onscreen without accents ) is a 2006 American science fiction thriller film directed by Tony Scott , written by Bill Marsilii and Terry Rossio , and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer . The film stars Denzel Washington , Paula Patton , Jim Caviezel , Val Kilmer , Adam Goldberg and Bruce Greenwood . It involves an ATF agent who travels back in time in attempts to prevent a domestic terrorist attack that takes place in New Orleans and to save a woman with whom he falls in love . Filming took place in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina .   The film was premiered in New York City on November 20 , 2006 , and released widely in the United States and Canada two days later on November 22 , 2006 . It received mixed reviews from critics , and earning $ 64 million in the United States and $ 180 million worldwide . It was the 23rd most successful film worldwide for 2006 . The film was nominated for five awards , and also won the Golden Reel Award .

neg: Redacted (film) Redacted is a 2007 American war film written and directed by Brian De Palma . It is a fictional dramatization , loosely based on the 2006 Mahmudiyah killings in Mahmoudiyah , Iraq , when U.S. Army soldiers raped an Iraqi girl and murdered her along with her family . This film , which is a companion to an earlier film by De Palma , 1989 's Casualties of War , was shot in Jordan .   Redacted premiered at the 2007 Venice Film Festival , where it earned a Silver Lion `` best director '' award . It was also shown at the Toronto International Film Festival , the New York Film Festival and the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema . The film opened in Spain , and in fifteen theaters in limited release in the United States on November 16 , 2007 . The film received mixed reactions from critics and a poor financial response in its limited U.S. release .

neg: Bunker 6 Bunker 6 is a Canadian psychological thriller film set in an alternate timeline in which a nuclear holocaust takes place during the Cuban Missile Crisis . Most of the film 's action is set a decade later , inside a very large fallout shelter , in which a group of survivors are faced with the dilemma of continuing life in the shelter or facing the uncertainty of life in a world contaminated by radiation . Theatrically released , the film was also destined for television and `` direct-to-video '' release . Directed by Canadian writer and director Greg Jackson , in his first feature film , it stars Andrea Lee Norwood and Molly Dunsworth . The supporting cast includes Jim Fowler , Glen Matthews and Shelley Thompson . The film was shot in an actual fallout shelter in Nova Scotia .

neg: Samantha Morton Samantha Jane Morton ( born 13 May 1977 ) is an English actress , screenwriter and director . She has received critical acclaim and numerous accolades throughout her career , including one BAFTA Award , one BIFA Award , one Golden Globe Award and has been nominated twice for an Academy Award and once for an Emmy Award . She has been described as one of the greatest actresses of her generation .   Brought up in Nottingham , Morton joined the Central Junior Television Workshop , and soon began her career in British television in 1991 . She guest-starred in Soldier Soldier and Cracker and appeared from 1995 to 1996 in the ITV series Band of Gold . She made the transition to film with lead roles in the dramas Emma ( 1996 ) , Jane Eyre ( 1997 ) and the well-received Under the Skin ( 1997 ) . The latter made director Woody Allen cast Morton in Sweet and Lowdown ( 1999 ) , which earned her nominations for the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress .   In the 2000s , Morton continued to draw critical praise for her performances in numerous arthouse and independent films . Her role in Morvern Callar ( 2002 ) garnered her the BIFA Award for Best Actress , and she received her second Academy Award nomination , this time in the Best Actress category , for In America ( 2003 ) . She also found mainstream success with the science fiction thriller Minority Report ( 2002 ) . For her role in 2006 's television biopic Longford , she received BAFTA and Emmy Award nominations and won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress -- Television Film . Morton starred in the dramas Control ( 2007 ) , Synecdoche , New York ( 2008 ) and The Messenger ( 2009 ) , and she made her directorial debut with the British television film The Unloved ( 2009 ) , winning the BAFTA Television Award for Best Single Drama .   Her most recent acting credits include the science fiction action film John Carter ( 2012 ) , the thriller Cosmopolis ( 2012 ) , the drama Decoding Annie Parker ( 2013 ) , the period film Miss Julie ( 2014 ) , the European limited series The Last Panthers ( 2015 ) and the film adaptation Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them ( 2016 ) .

neg: The Betrayed (2008 film) The Betrayed is a 2008 American thriller film , directed by Amanda Gusack from her own screenplay and starring Melissa George , Oded Fehr and Christian Campbell .

neg: Rules of Engagement (film) Rules of Engagement is a 2000 American war film directed by William Friedkin , written by Jim Webb and starring Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson . Jackson plays U.S. Marine Colonel Terry Childers , who is brought to court-martial after men under Childers ' orders kill a large number of civilians outside the U.S. embassy in Yemen .

neg: Dark Streets Dark Streets is a 2008 film adaptation of the play by Glenn M. Stewart . Directed by Rachel Samuels ( The Suicide Club ) from a screenplay by Wallace King . The film stars Gabriel Mann ( The Bourne Supremacy ) , Bijou Phillips ( Choke ) , Izabella Miko ( Coyote Ugly ) , Elias Koteas ( The Thin Red Line ) Michael Fairman ( Thirteen Days ) and Toledo Diamond ( Don 's Plum ) . The film is produced by Andrea Balen ( American Night ) , Claus Clausen ( The Lucky Ones ) , Corina Danckwerts ( American Night ) and Glenn M. Stewart ( The Lucky Ones ) ; and executive produced by Steffen Aumueller ( The Lucky Ones ) . The film 's rich blues score is composed by George Acogny ( Blood Diamond ) , featuring B.B. King .

neg: Die Hard with a Vengeance Die Hard with a Vengeance is a 1995 American action film and the third in the Die Hard film series . It was co-produced and directed by John McTiernan ( who directed Die Hard ) , written by Jonathan Hensleigh , and stars Bruce Willis as New York City Police Department Lieutenant John McClane , Samuel L. Jackson as McClane 's reluctant partner Zeus Carver , and Jeremy Irons as Simon Peter Gruber . It was released on May 19 , 1995 , five years after Die Hard 2 , becoming the highest-grossing film at the worldwide box-office that year , but received mixed reviews . It was followed by Live Free or Die Hard and A Good Day to Die Hard in 2007 and 2013 , respectively .

neg: List of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. characters Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is an American television series created for ABC by Joss Whedon , Jed Whedon , and Maurissa Tancharoen , based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D. ( Strategic Homeland Intervention , Enforcement and Logistics Division ) , a fictional peacekeeping and spy agency in a world of superheroes . It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) , sharing continuity with the feature and short films of the franchise .   The series stars Clark Gregg , reprising his role of Phil Coulson from the films , as well as Ming-Na Wen , Brett Dalton , Chloe Bennet , Iain De Caestecker , and Elizabeth Henstridge . Nick Blood and Adrianne Palicki joined the cast for the second and third seasons , while Henry Simmons and Luke Mitchell had recurring roles in the second season before being promoted to the main cast for the third . John Hannah , who recurred in the third season , joined the main cast in the fourth . Additionally , several other characters from Marvel Cinematic Universe films and Marvel One-Shots also appear throughout the series , along with other characters based on various Marvel Comics properties . Several characters from the series also appear in the supplemental digital series Marvel 's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. : Slingshot .   This list includes the series ' main cast , all guest stars deemed to have had recurring roles throughout the series , and any other guest who is otherwise notable .

neg: The Theory of Everything (2014 film) The Theory of Everything is a 2014 British biographical romantic drama film directed by James Marsh and adapted by Anthony McCarten from the memoir Travelling to Infinity : My Life with Stephen by Jane Wilde Hawking , which deals with her relationship with her ex-husband , theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking , his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ( ALS , also known as Lou Gehrig 's disease or motor neurone disease ) , and his success in physics .   The film stars Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones with Charlie Cox , Emily Watson , Simon McBurney , Christian McKay , Harry Lloyd and David Thewlis featured in supporting roles . The film had its world premiere at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on 7 September 2014 .   The film was acclaimed critically worldwide , with praise for the musical score , cinematography and the performance of Felicity Jones and especially Eddie Redmayne , which earned him nominations for a variety of accolades in award shows and film festivals , including the Academy Award for Best Actor . The film received four Golden Globe Award nominations , winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Drama for Redmayne and Best Original Score for Jóhannsson . It received three Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations , winning one for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for Redmayne . It received 10 British Academy Film Awards nominations and won Outstanding British Film , Best Leading Actor ( for Redmayne ) and Best Adapted Screenplay ( for McCarten ) .

neg: Blackway Blackway ( also known as Go With Me ) is a 2015 American thriller film directed by Daniel Alfredson and written by Joseph Gangemi and Gregory Jacobs , based on the 2008 novel Go with Me by Castle Freeman , Jr. . The film stars Anthony Hopkins , Julia Stiles , Ray Liotta , and Alexander Ludwig . Filming began on November 12 , 2014 , in Enderby , British Columbia . Although screened as Go with Me at the Venice Film Festival in 2015 , it was not released for public viewing in the U.S. until 10 June 2016 .

neg: Edmond (film) Edmond is a 2005 American drama film directed by Stuart Gordon and starring William H. Macy , based on the 1982 play Edmond by David Mamet . Mamet also wrote the screenplay for the film . Edmond features Julia Stiles , Rebecca Pidgeon , Denise Richards , Mena Suvari , Joe Mantegna , Bai Ling , Jeffrey Combs , Dylan Walsh and George Wendt in supporting roles . It was screened at several film festivals from September 2005 to May 2006 , and had a limited release on July 14 , 2006 .

neg: Glorious 39 Glorious 39 is a 2009 British war thriller film written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff . Starring Romola Garai , Bill Nighy , Julie Christie , Jeremy Northam , Christopher Lee , David Tennant , Jenny Agutter and Eddie Redmayne . The film was released on 20 November 2009 .   On the eve of World War II , as the formidable Keyes family tries to uphold its traditional way of life , daughter Anne ( Garai ) sees her life dramatically unravel when she stumbles upon secret recordings of the pro-appeasement movement .

neg: Catch .44 Catch .44 is a 2011 American crime thriller film starring Forest Whitaker , Bruce Willis , Malin Åkerman , Nikki Reed , Deborah Ann Woll , and Brad Dourif . The film is written and directed by Aaron Harvey .

neg: Allied (film) Allied is a 2016 romantic thriller film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Steven Knight . It stars Brad Pitt as a Canadian intelligence officer and Marion Cotillard as a French Resistance fighter and collaborator , who fall in love during a mission in Casablanca . Jared Harris , Simon McBurney and Lizzy Caplan also star .   Principal photography began in February 2016 in London . The film was released in the United States on November 23 , 2016 by Paramount Pictures , receiving mixed reviews from critics , although Pitt and particularly Cotillard 's performances were praised , and grossed $ 119 million worldwide . It received an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design .

neg: Julia Wong (film editor) Julia Wong is an American assistant/additional film editor for over a dozen films , such as Unfaithful ( 2002 ) , Honey ( 2003 ) , and After the Sunset ( 2004 ) . She has also branched out into editing TV series and made-for-television films such as The Pulse ( 2002 ) and Santa 's Slay ( 2005 ) . She also co-edited Brett Ratner 's film , X-Men : The Last Stand ( 2006 ) , with Mark Helfrich and Mark Goldblatt , for which they won a Satellite Award for Best Film Editing . In 2016 , she was invited into the Academy along with 683 new members in a push for more diversity .

neg: Immortal Clay Immortal Clay is the sixteenth episode of the second series of the 1960s cult British spy-fi television series The Avengers , starring Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman . It originally aired on ABC on 13 January 1963 . The episode was directed by Richmond Harding and written by James Mitchell .

neg: The Things We Bury `` The Things We Bury '' is the eighth episode of the second season of the American television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D. ( Strategic Homeland Intervention , Enforcement and Logistics Division ) , revolving around the character of Phil Coulson and his team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents as they search for a hidden alien city , and discover secrets about their enemies . It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) , sharing continuity with the films of the franchise . The episode was written by DJ Doyle and directed by Milan Cheylov .   Clark Gregg reprises his role as Coulson from the film series , and is joined by principal cast members Ming-Na Wen , Brett Dalton , Chloe Bennet , Iain De Caestecker , Elizabeth Henstridge , and Nick Blood . Hayley Atwell reprises her role from other MCU projects in flashbacks with connections to the television series Agent Carter and the films Captain America : The First Avenger and Captain America : The Winter Soldier .   `` The Things We Bury '' originally aired on ABC on November 18 , 2014 , and according to Nielsen Media Research , was watched by 4.58 million viewers . The episode received a mostly positive critical response , with the episode 's flashback sequences , and the performance of MacLachlan , praised , but an issue of ` over-crowding ' of storylines was frequently brought up by critics .