Former Health and Human Services secretary Tom Price allegedly used military aircraft for overseas travel, reportedly costing taxpayers more than $500,000. “Price’s overseas trips on government planes included stops in Berlin, Geneva, Beijing, Ho Chi Minh City and Tokyo, where he attended world health meetings and met with other high-level officials.” http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/28/tom-price-military-jets-europe-asia-hhs-243276 Price resigns. “Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned Friday in the face of multiple investigations into his use of private charter and military jets to travel around the country at taxpayer expense.” http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/09/29/554475788/price-resigns-from-trump-cabinet-amidst-private-jet-investigations
About 20 senior Trump administration officials have withdrawn, resigned or been dismissed in eight months. “The following is a partial list of officials who have been fired or have left the administration since Trump took office on Jan. 20, as well as people who were nominated by Trump for a position, but did not take the job.” https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2017-09-29/factbox-price-resignation-is-latest-trump-administration-departure
FBI has about 1,000 domestic and 1,000 foreign terror investigations ongoing. “Government data on the number of white supremacist incidents compared to the number of Islamist attacks is scant, but some independent data suggests that the number could be as high as 2 to 1 — including both plots and attacks carried out.” http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/352670-fbi-has-1000-open-domestic-terror-investigations-director
Elementary school student reprimanded by teacher for taking a knee during the pledge of allegiance. “(Pasco County School District Spokesperson Linda) Cobbe said the school’s policy is that students must have a written letter from a parent advising the school that the student does not plan to say the Pledge of Allegiance.” http://abcnews.go.com/US/year-admonished-taking-knee-pledge-allegiance-florida-school/story?id=50128970
Second excessive force lawsuit filed against St. Louis police, city asks for federal assistance with investigation. “The City of St. Louis has asked the federal government to help with an independent investigation into two lawsuits and several complaints stemming from police response to protests that followed the acquittal of Jason Stockley, Mayor Lyda Krewson and interim Police Chief Larry O’Toole said Wednesday.” http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/2nd-suit-filed-over-st-louis-police-tactics-protests-city-asks-feds-help-investigate
Pennsylvania cop killer wanted to spark revolution, trooper’s widow sues man’s parents. “One of the defendant’s friends — Warren Ahner — testified Frein’s father “ridiculed his son while complaining that Americans have become ‘sheep’ in a country where the Constitution is no longer respected”.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/09/27/was-a-pennsylvania-cop-killer-driven-to-murder-by-his-fathers-anti-government-rants/
Did you “like” a Facebook page promoting an anti-Trump demonstration? The Department of Justice may be looking for you. “These (inauguration protest investigation) warrants ask for too much information not directly relevant to the federal probe, argues the ACLU. This includes information on the plaintiffs’ friends, associates, and the approximately 6000 individuals who just “liked” an anti-Donald Trump Facebook page.” https://lawnewz.com/crazy/doj-seeking-info-on-6000-people-who-liked-anti-trump-facebook-page/
Salt Lake City police union complains about release of nurse arrest video. “The two officers weren’t even put on administrative leave until after Wubbels went public with the video footage.” https://reason.com/blog/2017/09/27/police-union-complains-that-public-got-t
Interior Secretary Zinke and staff took a $12,375 charter flight on an oil industry owned jet. “Commercial airlines run daily flights between the two airports and charge as little as $300 (per person).” https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2017/09/28/59533ed8-a4b8-11e7-ade1-76d061d56efa_story.html?utm_term=.b0476d92b500
District of Columbia and state of Maryland sue Trump over income from foreign, state and local governments. “The suit, filed by Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh and his District of Columbia counterpart, Karl Racine, contends the president’s continued ownership of his global business empire — including the Trump International Hotel in Washington — enables him to make money from foreign and domestic governments, breaching two Constitutional clauses intended to prevent that.” https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-29/trump-lawyers-ask-court-to-toss-suit-threatening-hold-on-empire
Teen drug suspect claims she was sexually assaulted by two NYPD detectives. “She’s a teenager and she was basically kidnapped into a police vehicle without any justification,” (her) attorney said. “She had her handcuffs on when they raped her.” http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/nyc-teen-claims-nypd-cops-raped-arrest-drug-charge-article-1.3530054
Former Bank of America teller pleads guilty to stealing $185,000 from customer’s accounts. “The customer did not receive mailed statements, use email or have access to a computer and so remained oblivious.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/georgetown-bank-teller-stole-185000-from-homeless-customer-with-garbage-bag-of-cash/2017/09/28/bb89a59c-a48b-11e7-8cfe-d5b912fabc99_story.html
Tree trimming company hit with $95 million in penalties for employing undocumented workers. “Federal investigators assert the Willow Grove-based company used the same (name-switching) strategy to keep thousands of undocumented immigrants on its payrolls over four years — as many as 10 percent of its 30,000-person workforce, Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh A. Davison told U.S. District Judge John R. Padova in court Thursday.” http://www.philly.com/philly/news/crime/asplundh-tree-guilty-undocumented-immigrants-95-million-20170928.html
Top 10% hold 77% of America’s wealth. “3P’s examination of newly released Federal Reserve data also found that, “The bottom 38 percent of American families have an average net worth of $0.”” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/09/28/what-rigged-economy-looks-top-10-now-own-77-american-wealth
Supreme Court Justice Gorsuch addresses conference at Trump International Hotel. “Protestors gathered outside Trump International Hotel in Washington Thursday as Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch delivered the keynote speech at an event hosted by a right-wing advocacy group—a move critics argued crosses fundamental ethical boundaries, given that the venue is currently the subject of numerous emoluments lawsuits that could soon reach the Trump-appointed judge’s desk.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/09/28/protests-and-outrage-gorsuch-headlines-event-trump-hotel
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office misled public on fatal traffic accident involving officer and pedestrian. “The JSO’s initial public statement on Land’s death said he was potentially suicidal, and confused Land with another person who crossed the street a few seconds before Land stepped off the curb.” https://www.news4jax.com/news/evidence-video-shows-police-cruiser-hitting-pedestrian
Treasury Department accused of suppressing report saying 82% of corporate taxes fall on companies, not their employees. “Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has argued, against mountains of contrary evidence, that it is in fact workers who end up bearing the brunt of taxes on corporate profits, thus allowing him to paint a massive rate reduction—which Trump has proposed—as a boon for the working class.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/09/29/trump-accused-burying-research-showing-trickle-down-tax-cuts-just-snake-oil-scam
Some adjunct professors living in their cars or doing sex work to pay their bills. “She is so dependent on her job to maintain her living situation that when her mother died this summer, she didn’t take time off in part because she has no bereavement leave. She turned up for work at 8 am the next day, taught in a blur and, despite the cane she has used since a hip replacement, fell over in the parking lot.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/sep/28/adjunct-professors-homeless-sex-work-academia-poverty
7.5% of German anti-immigrant party’s members of parliament reportedly have “immigrant backgrounds”. “Some 22.5 percent of Germany’s 82 million population have an immigrant background, which means they did not have German citizenship at birth or were born to at least one parent who was not born German.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-election-immigration/germanys-far-right-afd-has-more-immigrant-mps-than-merkels-conservatives-idUSKCN1C42GZ
Untold history of the First World War. “A higher percentage of American men successfully resisted conscription during World War I than during the Vietnam War.” http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2017/09/28/world-war-i-when-dissent-became-treason/
Puerto Rico death toll likely under-reported. “…the official number is 15 deaths caused by—directly caused by Maria. But since yesterday, since we published our article, our phones have been ringing with many testimonies of many people around the island… telling us that in hospitals, even in their own houses, and in the emergency centers… many people are dying… and they’re not being accounted for.” https://www.democracynow.org/2017/9/29/as_death_toll_rises_in_puerto