Common thread? People abusing power through acts of commission or omission to the detriment of the rest of us. In short, it pays to be "connected":

AP: S.C. Supreme Court Asked to Explain Grade Changes for Some Bar Exam Takers
"The South Carolina Bar has called on the state's high court to explain why it changed the grades of 20 people -- including the children of a judge and legislator -- from "fail" to "pass" on the state bar exam taken in July." [Via Law.com]
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Andy Vuong/DenverPost:  Nacchio: Use of state secrets fought
"The state-secrets privilege "acts as an absolute bar to disclosure of material that would harm national security - regardless of a party's need for the information" . . ."
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BBC: Iraq reporter faces terror charge
"AP says in the past 19 months various allegations have been floated unofficially against Mr Hussein by the US military, but then withdrawn with little explanation. .. "Whenever we ask to see what's so convincing we get back something that isn't convincing at all," said AP's lawyer Dave Tomlin. "
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Analog connections image @  IT.Med.Miami.edu.