Tuesday, August 13, 2019
The True Origins Of The Seth Rich Conspiracy Theory
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/seth-rich-conspiracyland_n_5d249169e4b0cfb595fc2b7a?fbclid=IwAR0Sct-EoTeBrivMc68ykTaCThumJpQbwf6GD09751zJi-aZW8m9U-33qLU
"In the summer of 2016, Russian intelligence agents secretly planted a fake report claiming that Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich was gunned down by a squad of assassins working for Hillary Clinton, giving rise to a notorious conspiracy theory that captivated conservative activists and was later promoted from inside President Trump’s White House, a Yahoo News investigation has found. Russia’s foreign intelligence service, known as the SVR, first circulated a phony “bulletin” — disguised to read as a real intelligence report —about the alleged murder of the former DNC staffer on July 13, 2016, according to the U.S. federal prosecutor who was in charge of the Rich case. That was just three days after Rich, 27, was killed in what police believed was a botched robbery while walking home to his group house in the Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington, D.C., about 30 blocks north of the Capitol. The purported details in the SVR account seemed improbable on their face: that Rich, a data director in the DNC’s voter protection division, was on his way to alert the FBI to corrupt dealings by Clinton when he was slain in the early hours of a Sunday morning by the former secretary of state’s hit squad. Yet in a graphic example of how fake news infects the internet, those precise details popped up the same day on an obscure website, whatdoesitmean.com, that is a frequent vehicle for Russian propaganda. The website’s article, which attributed its claims to “Russian intelligence,” was the first known instance of Rich’s murder being publicly linked to a political conspiracy."
"In the summer of 2016, Russian intelligence agents secretly planted a fake report claiming that Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich was gunned down by a squad of assassins working for Hillary Clinton, giving rise to a notorious conspiracy theory that captivated conservative activists and was later promoted from inside President Trump’s White House, a Yahoo News investigation has found. Russia’s foreign intelligence service, known as the SVR, first circulated a phony “bulletin” — disguised to read as a real intelligence report —about the alleged murder of the former DNC staffer on July 13, 2016, according to the U.S. federal prosecutor who was in charge of the Rich case. That was just three days after Rich, 27, was killed in what police believed was a botched robbery while walking home to his group house in the Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington, D.C., about 30 blocks north of the Capitol. The purported details in the SVR account seemed improbable on their face: that Rich, a data director in the DNC’s voter protection division, was on his way to alert the FBI to corrupt dealings by Clinton when he was slain in the early hours of a Sunday morning by the former secretary of state’s hit squad. Yet in a graphic example of how fake news infects the internet, those precise details popped up the same day on an obscure website, whatdoesitmean.com, that is a frequent vehicle for Russian propaganda. The website’s article, which attributed its claims to “Russian intelligence,” was the first known instance of Rich’s murder being publicly linked to a political conspiracy."
YouTube’s Plan To Rein In Conspiracy Theories Is Failing
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/youtube-conspiracy-theories_n_5d320f69e4b004b6adafbb99?fbclid=IwAR1OtLFgD63qpTAGmjJI857XMnai9kzHUts_1S3R36WAGq8e5lC0akJIw-A
"Six months ago, under tremendous public pressure, YouTube announced that it would tweak its algorithm to recommend fewer videos “that could misinform users in harmful ways.” It was a major step for a company that has spent years driving people toward increasingly sensationalist content — including dangerous disinformation — that would keep viewers glued to their screens for as long as possible to maximize advertising revenue. The announcement in late January triggered panic within YouTube’s sprawling network of conspiracy theorists. The host of JustInformed Talk, a channel with nearly a quarter-million subscribers that spreads QAnon theories and baseless claims about Democratic politicians, warned in a February video that the new measure was sure to “instantly destroy” the ability of pages like his to get traffic."
"Six months ago, under tremendous public pressure, YouTube announced that it would tweak its algorithm to recommend fewer videos “that could misinform users in harmful ways.” It was a major step for a company that has spent years driving people toward increasingly sensationalist content — including dangerous disinformation — that would keep viewers glued to their screens for as long as possible to maximize advertising revenue. The announcement in late January triggered panic within YouTube’s sprawling network of conspiracy theorists. The host of JustInformed Talk, a channel with nearly a quarter-million subscribers that spreads QAnon theories and baseless claims about Democratic politicians, warned in a February video that the new measure was sure to “instantly destroy” the ability of pages like his to get traffic."
FBI Document Warns Conspiracy Theories Are A New Domestic Terrorism Threat
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fbi-domestic-terrorism_n_5d430db7e4b0acb57fc91818?fbclid=IwAR0XoYmSIDSMKc3BNU-N1mzGlW0eYy3Z6WMIJ4rUPdlorFxR6A7i3qBSyQU
"The FBI intelligence bulletin from the bureau’s Phoenix field office, dated May 30, 2019, describes “conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists,” as a growing threat, and notes that it is the first such report to do so. It lists a number of arrests, including some that haven’t been publicized, related to violent incidents motivated by fringe beliefs. The document specifically mentions QAnon, a shadowy network that believes in a deep state conspiracy against President Trump, and Pizzagate, the theory that a pedophile ring including Clinton associates was being run out of the basement of a Washington, D.C., pizza restaurant (which didn’t actually have a basement)."
"The FBI intelligence bulletin from the bureau’s Phoenix field office, dated May 30, 2019, describes “conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists,” as a growing threat, and notes that it is the first such report to do so. It lists a number of arrests, including some that haven’t been publicized, related to violent incidents motivated by fringe beliefs. The document specifically mentions QAnon, a shadowy network that believes in a deep state conspiracy against President Trump, and Pizzagate, the theory that a pedophile ring including Clinton associates was being run out of the basement of a Washington, D.C., pizza restaurant (which didn’t actually have a basement)."
FBI warns that conspiracy theories like QAnon pose a domestic terror threat
https://thinkprogress.org/fbi-warns-that-conspiracy-theories-like-qanon-pose-a-domestic-terror-threat-5a7f630dc019/?fbclid=IwAR39NvH7QxzwjLAZSiWqWimJM-Vk9inwHvVDcY0uxoZ8aITkdb4fBClv9X8
"It's first time the Feds have waded into the swamp of the pro-Trump conspiracy theory."
"It's first time the Feds have waded into the swamp of the pro-Trump conspiracy theory."
Trump’s Encouraging QAnon May Result in Violence—Just ask the FBI
https://www.justsecurity.org/65659/trumps-encouraging-qanon-may-result-in-violence-just-ask-the-fbi/?fbclid=IwAR0jYCcIQiUKWrZtz59P1yrG1OLxPG3SoDrQjnyJOXm6GGL0pOOuJjNVqog
"On Thursday, Yahoo! News published an exclusive story detailing a May 2019 FBI assessment that online conspiracy theories “very likely” result in domestic extremists committing violent crimes. The report notes that it is “the first FBI product examining the threat from conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists and provides a baseline for future intelligence products,” and predicts an increased risk of violent outcomes as the United States enters “major election cycles such as the 2020 presidential election.” If that happens, it may be in no small part due to President Donald Trump’s endorsement and amplification of conspiracy theories and theorists such as QAnon. A few hours after the FBI assessment leaked, the President held a campaign rally in Cincinnati, where the pre-rally speaker Brandon Straka called out the phrase, “Where we go one, we go all,” a rallying cry of QAnon believers. That’s just the tip of the iceberg."
"On Thursday, Yahoo! News published an exclusive story detailing a May 2019 FBI assessment that online conspiracy theories “very likely” result in domestic extremists committing violent crimes. The report notes that it is “the first FBI product examining the threat from conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists and provides a baseline for future intelligence products,” and predicts an increased risk of violent outcomes as the United States enters “major election cycles such as the 2020 presidential election.” If that happens, it may be in no small part due to President Donald Trump’s endorsement and amplification of conspiracy theories and theorists such as QAnon. A few hours after the FBI assessment leaked, the President held a campaign rally in Cincinnati, where the pre-rally speaker Brandon Straka called out the phrase, “Where we go one, we go all,” a rallying cry of QAnon believers. That’s just the tip of the iceberg."
CNN: Here's A List Of Conspiracy Theories Promoted By Trump
https://crooksandliars.com/2019/08/cnn-anchor-highlights-many-conspiracy?fbclid=IwAR1nuULj-ccN76a8Swxk0LvNyFMDUTb-J6BYwZqgcvTFQQMzvwBtKiVfWhk
"It's bad enough that these idiotic and destructive rumors that take place on crazy chat rooms and websites on the Internet that are shared, but for these same lunatic ideas to emanate and be promoted from the White House is morally reprehensible and despicable."
"It's bad enough that these idiotic and destructive rumors that take place on crazy chat rooms and websites on the Internet that are shared, but for these same lunatic ideas to emanate and be promoted from the White House is morally reprehensible and despicable."
Leading Civil Rights Lawyer Shows 20 Ways Trump Is Copying Hitler’s Early Rhetoric and Policies
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/08/09/leading-civil-rights-lawyer-shows-20-ways-trump-copying-hitlers-early-rhetoric-and?fbclid=IwAR0gCP3VtfjKHmZLst4SBo-zwC61WZHGN3MZigZVzDTOZGBRPMbzZmu3yc8
"3. Both blame others and divide on racial lines. As Neuborne notes, “Hitler used his single-frequency radios to wax hysterical to his adoring base about his pathological racial and religious fantasies glorifying Aryans and demonizing Jews, blaming Jews (among other racial and religious scapegoats) for German society’s ills.” That is comparable to “Trump’s tweets and public statements, whether dealing with black-led demonstrations against police violence, white-led racist mob violence, threats posed by undocumented aliens, immigration policy generally, protests by black and white professional athletes, college admission policies, hate speech, even response to hurricane damage in Puerto Rico,” he says. Again and again, Trump uses “racially tinged messages calculated to divide whites from people of color.” 4. Both relentlessly demonize opponents. “Hitler’s radio harangues demonized his domestic political opponents, calling them parasites, criminals, cockroaches, and various categories of leftist scum,” Neuborne notes. “Trump’s tweets and speeches similarly demonize his political opponents. Trump talks about the country being ‘infested’ with dangerous aliens of color. He fantasizes about jailing Hillary Clinton, calls Mexicans rapists, refers to ‘shithole countries,’ degrades anyone who disagrees with him, and dreams of uprooting thousands of allegedly disloyal bureaucrats in the State Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, the FBI, and the CIA, who he calls ‘the deep state’ and who, he claims, are sabotaging American greatness." 5. They unceasingly attack objective truth. “Both Trump and Hitler maintained a relentless assault on the very idea of objective truth,” he continues. “Each began the assault by seeking to delegitimize the mainstream press. Hitler quickly coined the epithet Lügenpresse (literally ‘lying press’) to denigrate the mainstream press. Trump uses a paraphrase of Hitler’s lying press epithet—‘fake news’—cribbed, no doubt, from one of Hitler’s speeches."
"3. Both blame others and divide on racial lines. As Neuborne notes, “Hitler used his single-frequency radios to wax hysterical to his adoring base about his pathological racial and religious fantasies glorifying Aryans and demonizing Jews, blaming Jews (among other racial and religious scapegoats) for German society’s ills.” That is comparable to “Trump’s tweets and public statements, whether dealing with black-led demonstrations against police violence, white-led racist mob violence, threats posed by undocumented aliens, immigration policy generally, protests by black and white professional athletes, college admission policies, hate speech, even response to hurricane damage in Puerto Rico,” he says. Again and again, Trump uses “racially tinged messages calculated to divide whites from people of color.” 4. Both relentlessly demonize opponents. “Hitler’s radio harangues demonized his domestic political opponents, calling them parasites, criminals, cockroaches, and various categories of leftist scum,” Neuborne notes. “Trump’s tweets and speeches similarly demonize his political opponents. Trump talks about the country being ‘infested’ with dangerous aliens of color. He fantasizes about jailing Hillary Clinton, calls Mexicans rapists, refers to ‘shithole countries,’ degrades anyone who disagrees with him, and dreams of uprooting thousands of allegedly disloyal bureaucrats in the State Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, the FBI, and the CIA, who he calls ‘the deep state’ and who, he claims, are sabotaging American greatness." 5. They unceasingly attack objective truth. “Both Trump and Hitler maintained a relentless assault on the very idea of objective truth,” he continues. “Each began the assault by seeking to delegitimize the mainstream press. Hitler quickly coined the epithet Lügenpresse (literally ‘lying press’) to denigrate the mainstream press. Trump uses a paraphrase of Hitler’s lying press epithet—‘fake news’—cribbed, no doubt, from one of Hitler’s speeches."
The Right Wing Is Trying to Make It a Crime to Oppose Fascism
https://truthout.org/articles/the-right-wing-is-trying-to-make-it-a-crime-to-oppose-fascism/
"As the GOP shifts further to the right through the “Trump coalition,” white nationalist policies and the participation of organized white supremacist groups have become more commonplace. The antifascist movement is one of the largest grassroots social movements that is confronting both the threat of white nationalist violence and institutional racism, so many antifascists see this resolution as an indication that they see the movement as a threat to their political hegemony."
"As the GOP shifts further to the right through the “Trump coalition,” white nationalist policies and the participation of organized white supremacist groups have become more commonplace. The antifascist movement is one of the largest grassroots social movements that is confronting both the threat of white nationalist violence and institutional racism, so many antifascists see this resolution as an indication that they see the movement as a threat to their political hegemony."
Leaked Draft of Trump Executive Order to 'Censor the Internet' Denounced as Dangerous, Unconstitutional Edict
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/08/11/leaked-draft-trump-executive-order-censor-internet-denounced-dangerous?fbclid=IwAR07g00Xa8z7s2T9L2yZBdrihzcNF79W_4znXFLmn6rGMxTC1ZhKP_nUf90
"Civil liberties groups are warning of a major threat to online freedoms and First Amendment rights if a leaked draft of a Trump administration edict—dubbed by critics as a "Censor the Internet" executive order that would give powerful federal agencies far-reaching powers to pick and choose which kind of Internet material is and is not acceptable—is allowed to go into effect."
"Civil liberties groups are warning of a major threat to online freedoms and First Amendment rights if a leaked draft of a Trump administration edict—dubbed by critics as a "Censor the Internet" executive order that would give powerful federal agencies far-reaching powers to pick and choose which kind of Internet material is and is not acceptable—is allowed to go into effect."
Trump Used Asian Accent to Mock US Allies at Fundraiser
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-asian-accent-mock-south-korea-japan-870252/?fbclid=IwAR2m7C9YFxJtOPJLvO7elaCIHBMncCwB6YBrgasKyRFFlfAFRK-_HvxUXPo
"Trump also spoke in glowing terms about North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. “I just got a beautiful letter from him this week,” Trump said. “We are friends. People say he only smiles when he sees me"."
"Trump also spoke in glowing terms about North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. “I just got a beautiful letter from him this week,” Trump said. “We are friends. People say he only smiles when he sees me"."
Trump Sent Some Truly Weird Letters To Canadian PM Justin Trudeau
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-weird-letters-justin-trudeau-canada?fbclid=IwAR21_oyvuUyb-D1x-jUJiqibKluXQ3oNWc8ItTTOV9G13iUN_-zC-qZ_jIs
"President Donald Trump has sent at least two strange letters to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, one of which was so bizarre that the Canadian ambassador had to make sure it wasn’t a prank. According to an Axios report Sunday, Trump mailed Trudeau a torn-out cover of Bloomberg Businessweek declaring the Canadian leader the “Anti-Trump” in mid-2017. “Looking good! Hope it’s not true!” Trump reportedly wrote on the cover in silver Sharpie. The letter prompted Canadian ambassador David MacNaughton to reach out to the White House and ask if it was some kind of prank, two unnamed sources told Axios."
"President Donald Trump has sent at least two strange letters to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, one of which was so bizarre that the Canadian ambassador had to make sure it wasn’t a prank. According to an Axios report Sunday, Trump mailed Trudeau a torn-out cover of Bloomberg Businessweek declaring the Canadian leader the “Anti-Trump” in mid-2017. “Looking good! Hope it’s not true!” Trump reportedly wrote on the cover in silver Sharpie. The letter prompted Canadian ambassador David MacNaughton to reach out to the White House and ask if it was some kind of prank, two unnamed sources told Axios."
From Hong Kong to Kashmir to the US, Authoritarianism Is Rising
https://truthout.org/articles/from-hong-kong-to-kashmir-to-the-us-authoritarianism-is-rising/
"Over the past couple weeks, the global pattern of authoritarianism has become particularly visible, and particularly gut-wrenching. Global politics is changing quickly, with political discourse becoming increasingly degraded and dangerous in one country after the next. In Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling party boasted of the mass book burning and destruction that it has, apparently, carried out since the failed coup in 2016, trying to literally eliminate the words of its political opponents. The numbers are staggering: Over 300,000 books have been removed from schools and libraries in order to be physically destroyed. In China, the crackdown against protests in Hong Kong, in which huge numbers of residents have protested an attempt to impose an extradition treaty with the Chinese mainland government, intensified. Gangs, presumably working with a nod-and-a-wink of approval from China’s central authorities, descended on protesters and beat them indiscriminately. Then, as the protests continued apace, the People’s Liberation Army released a training video which, in great specificity, detailed how it was prepared to crush urban protests. Reports began surfacing at about that same time of thousands of Chinese troops amassed on Hong Kong’s borders, ready for the order to begin operations against the island dissenters — though the veracity of those claims remains unclear."
"Over the past couple weeks, the global pattern of authoritarianism has become particularly visible, and particularly gut-wrenching. Global politics is changing quickly, with political discourse becoming increasingly degraded and dangerous in one country after the next. In Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling party boasted of the mass book burning and destruction that it has, apparently, carried out since the failed coup in 2016, trying to literally eliminate the words of its political opponents. The numbers are staggering: Over 300,000 books have been removed from schools and libraries in order to be physically destroyed. In China, the crackdown against protests in Hong Kong, in which huge numbers of residents have protested an attempt to impose an extradition treaty with the Chinese mainland government, intensified. Gangs, presumably working with a nod-and-a-wink of approval from China’s central authorities, descended on protesters and beat them indiscriminately. Then, as the protests continued apace, the People’s Liberation Army released a training video which, in great specificity, detailed how it was prepared to crush urban protests. Reports began surfacing at about that same time of thousands of Chinese troops amassed on Hong Kong’s borders, ready for the order to begin operations against the island dissenters — though the veracity of those claims remains unclear."
What caused Russia’s radioactive explosion last week? Possibly a nuclear-powered missile.
https://www.vox.com/2019/8/13/20803332/russia-nuclear-missile-explosion-skyfall
"A mysterious explosion last week in Russia has increased fears of a Chernobyl-like situation — and it may have occurred because Moscow was trying out what could become one of the world’s most dangerous weapons."
"A mysterious explosion last week in Russia has increased fears of a Chernobyl-like situation — and it may have occurred because Moscow was trying out what could become one of the world’s most dangerous weapons."
Brazilian Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Gave Secret Talk to Bankers and Took Money From a Company He Was Investigating
https://theintercept.com/2019/07/26/brazil-car-wash-deltan-dallagnol-paid-speaking/
"Deltan Dallagnol, the coordinator of Brazil’s Car Wash prosecutors, gave speeches to bankers organized by XP Investimentos and the big-data firm Neoway."
"Deltan Dallagnol, the coordinator of Brazil’s Car Wash prosecutors, gave speeches to bankers organized by XP Investimentos and the big-data firm Neoway."
In Secret Chats, Brazil’s Chief Corruption Prosecutor Worried That Bolsonaro’s Justice Minister Would Protect President’s Son From Scandals
https://theintercept.com/2019/07/21/in-secret-chats-brazils-chief-corruption-prosecutor-worried-that-bolsonaros-justice-minister-would-protect-bolsonaros-senator-son-flavio-from-scandals/
"GRAVE CONCERNS THAT a major corruption scandal involving Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s son, federal Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, might be shielded from serious investigative scrutiny by Bolsonaro’s powerful Justice Minister Sergio Moro were expressed in secret chats involving Moro’s longtime ally, Deltan Dallagnol, the chief prosecutor of the anti-corruption Car Wash investigation."
"GRAVE CONCERNS THAT a major corruption scandal involving Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s son, federal Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, might be shielded from serious investigative scrutiny by Bolsonaro’s powerful Justice Minister Sergio Moro were expressed in secret chats involving Moro’s longtime ally, Deltan Dallagnol, the chief prosecutor of the anti-corruption Car Wash investigation."
Brazilian Judge in Car Wash Corruption Case Mocked Lula’s Defense and Secretly Directed Prosecutors’ Media Strategy During Trial
https://theintercept.com/2019/06/17/brazil-sergio-moro-lula-operation-car-wash/
"BRAZIL’S JUSTICE MINISTER Sergio Moro, while serving as a judge in a corruption case that upended Brazilian politics, took to private chats to mock the defense of former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and direct prosecutors’ media strategy, according to newly unearthed chats from an archive obtained by The Intercept Brasil."
"BRAZIL’S JUSTICE MINISTER Sergio Moro, while serving as a judge in a corruption case that upended Brazilian politics, took to private chats to mock the defense of former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and direct prosecutors’ media strategy, according to newly unearthed chats from an archive obtained by The Intercept Brasil."
Trump Has Been Sending Creepy Handwritten Notes to Justin Trudeau
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/08/donald-trump-justin-trudeau-letters?fbclid=IwAR2W8BAX0c7ixdgQg7icUOk0ZtH9YDsmgstSh9s4WdROjjFg9U5cFS91-08
"Before Donald Trump became president, he had a long history of tearing out pages from magazines (or printing out offending articles), scrawling some nonsense in Sharpie, and mailing it to the party he believed had wronged him. But while most people in his current position probably would have dropped the habit—which feels not dissimilar to a kidnapper’s M.O. of cutting and pasting letters that spell “If you ever want to see your dog again...”—this particular president has been using his Zodiac Killer–inspired method of communicating to conduct matters of U.S. diplomacy. Axios reports that back in May 2017, Trump tore off the cover of Businessweek—which featured a picture of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and the headline “The Anti-Trump”—and wrote, in silver Sharpie, something to the effect of “Looking good! Hope it’s not true!” In spite of the concerns of some staffers, who were stricken with the crazy notion this was an inappropriate way to communicate with a foreign leader, the White House then sent the missive to the Canadian Embassy in Washington, where the Canadian ambassador thought he was being pranked. Per Axios, he called the White House to check, and was sadly told that the note was real. Alarmingly, that wasn’t the last time the president of the United States chose to communicate with the prime minister of Canada in such a fashion"
"Before Donald Trump became president, he had a long history of tearing out pages from magazines (or printing out offending articles), scrawling some nonsense in Sharpie, and mailing it to the party he believed had wronged him. But while most people in his current position probably would have dropped the habit—which feels not dissimilar to a kidnapper’s M.O. of cutting and pasting letters that spell “If you ever want to see your dog again...”—this particular president has been using his Zodiac Killer–inspired method of communicating to conduct matters of U.S. diplomacy. Axios reports that back in May 2017, Trump tore off the cover of Businessweek—which featured a picture of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and the headline “The Anti-Trump”—and wrote, in silver Sharpie, something to the effect of “Looking good! Hope it’s not true!” In spite of the concerns of some staffers, who were stricken with the crazy notion this was an inappropriate way to communicate with a foreign leader, the White House then sent the missive to the Canadian Embassy in Washington, where the Canadian ambassador thought he was being pranked. Per Axios, he called the White House to check, and was sadly told that the note was real. Alarmingly, that wasn’t the last time the president of the United States chose to communicate with the prime minister of Canada in such a fashion"
Bernie Sanders Calls for Brazil’s Judiciary to Release Lula in Wake of Corruption Exposure
https://theintercept.com/2019/06/11/brazil-lula-ro-khanna-operation-car-wash/
"FORMER BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva should be released from prison and his conviction should be annulled, said Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, on Tuesday. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., meanwhile, is calling on the Trump administration to investigate the case that imprisoned the former president on corruption charges, following The Intercept’s exposé that showed Judge Sérgio Moro plotted with prosecutors to convict Lula and prevent the Workers’ Party from returning to power."
"FORMER BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva should be released from prison and his conviction should be annulled, said Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, on Tuesday. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., meanwhile, is calling on the Trump administration to investigate the case that imprisoned the former president on corruption charges, following The Intercept’s exposé that showed Judge Sérgio Moro plotted with prosecutors to convict Lula and prevent the Workers’ Party from returning to power."
Leaked Chats Between Brazilian Judge and Prosecutor Who Imprisoned Lula Reveal Prohibited Collaboration and Doubts Over Evidence
https://theintercept.com/2019/06/09/brazil-lula-operation-car-wash-sergio-moro/
"A LARGE TROVE of documents furnished exclusively to The Intercept Brasil reveals serious ethical violations and legally prohibited collaboration between the judge and prosecutors who last year convicted and imprisoned former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on corruption charges — a conviction that resulted in Lula being barred from the 2018 presidential election. These materials also contain evidence that the prosecution had serious doubts about whether there was sufficient evidence to establish Lula’s guilt."
"A LARGE TROVE of documents furnished exclusively to The Intercept Brasil reveals serious ethical violations and legally prohibited collaboration between the judge and prosecutors who last year convicted and imprisoned former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on corruption charges — a conviction that resulted in Lula being barred from the 2018 presidential election. These materials also contain evidence that the prosecution had serious doubts about whether there was sufficient evidence to establish Lula’s guilt."
Concerns Over Police Brutality Persist as Hong Kong Protesters Shut Down One of World's Busiest Airports
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/08/12/concerns-over-police-brutality-persist-hong-kong-protesters-shut-down-one-worlds
"Thousands of pro-democracy protesters effectively shut down Hong Kong International Airport on Monday, the fourth day they have occupied one of the world's busiest airports as part of the mass demonstrations—against police brutality and a controversial extradition bill—that have rattled Hong Kong since June."
"Thousands of pro-democracy protesters effectively shut down Hong Kong International Airport on Monday, the fourth day they have occupied one of the world's busiest airports as part of the mass demonstrations—against police brutality and a controversial extradition bill—that have rattled Hong Kong since June."
Brazil’s Top Prosecutors Who Indicted Lula Schemed in Secret Messages to Prevent His Party From Winning 2018 Election
https://theintercept.com/2019/06/09/brazil-car-wash-prosecutors-workers-party-lula/
"AN ENORMOUS TROVE of secret documents reveals that Brazil’s most powerful prosecutors, who have spent years insisting they are apolitical, instead plotted to prevent the Workers’ Party, or PT, from winning the 2018 presidential election by blocking or weakening a pre-election interview with former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with the explicit purpose of affecting the outcome of the election."
"AN ENORMOUS TROVE of secret documents reveals that Brazil’s most powerful prosecutors, who have spent years insisting they are apolitical, instead plotted to prevent the Workers’ Party, or PT, from winning the 2018 presidential election by blocking or weakening a pre-election interview with former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with the explicit purpose of affecting the outcome of the election."
Sunday, August 11, 2019
The Justice Department’s Disgraceful Effort to Shield Trump From House Subpoenas
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/08/justice-department-mazars-subpoena-trump-barr.html?fbclid=IwAR3aZo8R8BngrkA51rnkx8YcD3yB-YblWoo0oyGmwkb4nwN6BSWGs_Pxscc
"The Justice Department represents the United States, not the president himself, and it has no business putting its thumb on the scale of Trump in his fight against Congress."
"The Justice Department represents the United States, not the president himself, and it has no business putting its thumb on the scale of Trump in his fight against Congress."
New Hampshire’s Republican governor just vetoed a bipartisan redistricting commission
https://thinkprogress.org/new-hampshire-republican-governor-sununu-veto-bipartisan-redistricting-commission-gerrymandering-6200ab9c9e46/?fbclid=IwAR1qe7b_niAgvRmK7LlyZOHVZbBy2OzfDybquXOOHixsUDYuXHik7T5SPlg
"New Hampshire’s Republican Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed a bipartisan bill Friday that would have allowed an independent redistricting committee to redraw the state’s legislative and congressional district maps in 2021 and beyond. The veto is just the latest sign that Republican Party leaders want to control the map-making process and preserve a system that allowed them to racially and politically gerrymander at historic proportions in several GOP-controlled states the last time district lines were redrawn in 2011."
"New Hampshire’s Republican Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed a bipartisan bill Friday that would have allowed an independent redistricting committee to redraw the state’s legislative and congressional district maps in 2021 and beyond. The veto is just the latest sign that Republican Party leaders want to control the map-making process and preserve a system that allowed them to racially and politically gerrymander at historic proportions in several GOP-controlled states the last time district lines were redrawn in 2011."
Republicans Say the First Amendment Protects the Right to Gerrymander
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/08/michigan-partisan-gerrymander-lawsuit.html?fbclid=IwAR0Le4V-bWI1b2RCknBa_1w-XupdE6KgSx2hH_hMPMaiFlOFrswsx1tm9iI
"Even though the suit is weak, it would be a mistake to assume it will go nowhere. Just two terms ago, Kagan warned that the court was “turning the First Amendment into a sword.” The court has relied on the First Amendment to invalidate aggregate spending limits that prevented any one individual from contributing more than $25,000 to a political party or campaign; it has also used the First Amendment to invalidate limits on corporate spending in political campaigns. These decisions seem to imply that individuals have a First Amendment right to buy political power and voice in government. It is not a stretch to see how that reasoning could be contorted to find that individuals have a First Amendment right to exercise political power in ways that diminishes others’ political power. The Michigan suit is concerning not only because it has parallels to the court’s weaponization of the First Amendment. It is also concerning because the lawsuit has parallels with Republicans’ frontal attack on democracy itself. The Michigan redistricting lawsuit argues that individuals have a First Amendment right to skew elections in ways that make the elections less democratically responsive. The new lawsuit is the latest undemocratic tactic that Republican lawmakers have embraced. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has repeatedly blocked election security measures that would prevent foreign interference in our elections. Republican state legislatures across the country have enacted voter identification laws that make it harder for people to vote. Republican secretary of state offices have conducted voter purges that eliminated eligible voters from the voting rolls. And in several states where Republicans lost power in recent elections, outgoing legislatures passed laws that stripped their successors of political power, including the ability to appoint state supreme court justices. This lawsuit is not the first time Republicans have sought to get around democracy."
"Even though the suit is weak, it would be a mistake to assume it will go nowhere. Just two terms ago, Kagan warned that the court was “turning the First Amendment into a sword.” The court has relied on the First Amendment to invalidate aggregate spending limits that prevented any one individual from contributing more than $25,000 to a political party or campaign; it has also used the First Amendment to invalidate limits on corporate spending in political campaigns. These decisions seem to imply that individuals have a First Amendment right to buy political power and voice in government. It is not a stretch to see how that reasoning could be contorted to find that individuals have a First Amendment right to exercise political power in ways that diminishes others’ political power. The Michigan suit is concerning not only because it has parallels to the court’s weaponization of the First Amendment. It is also concerning because the lawsuit has parallels with Republicans’ frontal attack on democracy itself. The Michigan redistricting lawsuit argues that individuals have a First Amendment right to skew elections in ways that make the elections less democratically responsive. The new lawsuit is the latest undemocratic tactic that Republican lawmakers have embraced. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has repeatedly blocked election security measures that would prevent foreign interference in our elections. Republican state legislatures across the country have enacted voter identification laws that make it harder for people to vote. Republican secretary of state offices have conducted voter purges that eliminated eligible voters from the voting rolls. And in several states where Republicans lost power in recent elections, outgoing legislatures passed laws that stripped their successors of political power, including the ability to appoint state supreme court justices. This lawsuit is not the first time Republicans have sought to get around democracy."
Why is this Texas secession group’s flag hanging in Moscow?
https://thinkprogress.org/texas-nationalist-movement-secession-flag-hanging-moscow-e4c25166a730/?fbclid=IwAR1te_r8_uqEGn0HUa6lVVQK__AGCPbpz_WWrxnEoU4oM62QJWjZ0eGqo4I
"For years, the Texas Nationalist Movement has cultivated ties in Russia, especially among those who’ve received financing directly from the Kremlin."
"For years, the Texas Nationalist Movement has cultivated ties in Russia, especially among those who’ve received financing directly from the Kremlin."
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