May 31, 2020

Louisville TV news reporter shot with pepper-balls by police officer while on the air. “Who were officers aiming at, the anchor asked. ‘At us,’ (Kaitlin) Rust replied. ‘Directly at us.’ Rust was working with photographer James Dobson, and the news station reports that both were struck and suffered minor injuries.” https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2020/05/29/louisville-protests-officer-fires-pellets-tv-reporter-video/5288734002/ Los Angeles news crew claim they were targeted with police projectiles. “In a tweet from Molly Hennessy-Fiske of the Los Angeles Times, she said that police fired ‘tear gas canisters at point blank range’, after she and other reporters identified themselves as media.” https://www.newsweek.com/police-crack-down-minneapolis-unrest-after-mayor-blames-cartels-white-supremacists-1507631 Minneapolis CBS photographer shot with rubber bullet, arrested. “Tom Aviles, a photographer with CBS Minnesota station WCCO was struck with a rubber bullet and arrested while covering the intensifying protests Saturday night.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tom-aviles-arrested-wcco-photographer-arrested-and-shot-with-rubber-bullet-2020-05-30/

White supremacists may be masquerading as protesters. “By 7 PM the Atlanta protesters appear to have been joined by (white, male) elements who had an ulterior motive. What explains the attack on the CNN building that Friday evening?” https://www.justsecurity.org/70497/far-right-infiltrators-and-agitators-in-george-floyd-protests-indicators-of-white-supremacists/ “Far-right extremists are showing up, with guns, to the protests against police brutality that have exploded across the country. Others are egging on the violence from behind their computers, urging followers to carry out acts of violence against black protesters with the goal of sparking a ‘race war’.” https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pkyb9b/far-right-extremists-are-hoping-to-turn-the-george-floyd-protests-into-a-new-civil-war And who are the guys in the Hawaiian shirts with the igloo flags? “As protests over the death of George Floyd heated up in Minneapolis on May 26th, members of Boogaloo groups across Facebook considered it a call to arms. Memes were churned up that day, adding (Floyd) to the movement’s list of martyrs.” https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2020/05/27/the-boogaloo-movement-is-not-what-you-think/

More than two dozen cities have imposed curfews on residents. “At least 25 cities across 16 states have now imposed curfews.” https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-05-30-20/h_dc6ce9f14c78f97c4b6c40430a781b45

Atlanta police chief calls rioters ‘terrorists’. “Chief (Erika) Shields said those who incited the violence were not Atlantans, but a ‘highly calculated terrorist organization’ embedded inside the peaceful protesters…. ‘These people weren’t here to fight for civil rights, they were here to destroy Atlanta.'” https://atlantaintownpaper.com/2020/05/breaking-mayor-police-chief-denounce-anarchists-and-terrorists-who-destroyed-city-curfew-begins-at-9-p-m/

More than 500 protesters arrested in Los Angeles. “Protesters physically battled police, smashed windows, looted and set items on fire during the confrontation, which lasted until the early morning hours on Saturday.” https://deadline.com/2020/05/lapd-makes-more-than-500-arrests-in-friday-street-protests-mayor-garcetti-calls-for-peaceful-end-1202947292/ Hong Kong scale arrests!

Video shows NYPD SUV plowing into crowd of protesters. “An NYPD spokesperson did not immediately comment on the clip or say if there were injuries caused by the incident.” https://nypost.com/2020/05/30/nypd-officer-plows-into-crowd-of-george-floyd-protesters-in-brooklyn/ Video can be viewed here: https://twitter.com/rob_bennett/status/1266894785375240193

Only 0.5% of Minneapolis police officers are disciplined after citizen complaints. “In 2012, the civilian (police review) board in Minneapolis was replaced by an agency called the Office of Police Conduct Review. Since then, more than 2,600 misconduct complaints have been filed by members of the public, but only 12 have resulted in an officer being disciplined…. The most severe censure has been a 40-hour suspension…” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/30/us/derek-chauvin-george-floyd.html

Chicago police attack protesters with batons. “Officers struck multiple demonstrators with batons amid the protest near the Trump Tower on the city’s Near North Side, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/thousands-converge-in-chicago-for-minneapolis-death-protest/2020/05/30/fabe9f7a-a2d4-11ea-be06-af5514ee0385_story.html

Pope Francis suggests countries spend less on weapons and more on pandemic prevention. “He prayed that the Madonna would ‘touch (leaders’) consciences so that enormous sums spent to possess more armaments and to perfect them be instead destined to the promotion of sufficient research to prevent such catastrophes in the future’.” https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-pope/divert-weapons-funding-to-research-to-prevent-next-pandemic-pope-says-idUSKBN2360ON

George Floyd protests may increase spread of coronavirus. “Images showing thousands of screaming, unmasked protesters have sent shudders through the health community, which worries its calls for social distancing during the demonstrations are unlikely to be heard.” https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-05-30/us-cities-fear-protests-may-fuel-new-wave-of-virus-outbreaks

Former NFL VP for communications, Joe Lockhart, admits that Colin Kaepernick was passed over by teams because he was ‘bad for business’. “No teams wanted to sign a player — even one as talented as Kaepernick — whom they saw as controversial, and, therefore, bad for business.” https://sports.yahoo.com/in-light-of-george-floyds-death-ex-nfl-exec-admits-what-we-knew-all-along-protests-ended-colin-kaepernicks-career-175616379.html

FBI’s general counsel Dana Boente resigns. “Boente signed one of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants authorizing surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page; the Justice Department inspector general would later come to find that those warrants were deeply problematic.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/dana-boente-fbi-retires/2020/05/30/47990d1a-a2b9-11ea-9590-1858a893bd59_story.html

Militarized police units accused of using excessive force against protesters, journalists and bystanders. “… in at least one instance, (police) pushed over an elderly man who was walking away with a cane. Here are some of the ways law enforcement officers escalated the national unrest.” https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/05/george-floyd-protests-police-violence.amp

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May 30, 2020

New video of George Floyd arrest shows three Minneapolis police officers on top of him. “Disturbing new video shows another angle of George Floyd being restrained by police and saying he can’t breathe before his death.” https://news.yahoo.com/video-shows-another-angle-george-022939787.html Knee to the neck restraint technique was still legal in Minneapolis. “The maneuver (Derek Chauvin) employed had been taught until 2016 at Hennepin Technical College, which trains roughly half of Minnesota’s police officers, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported…. While the chokehold has been banned in most of Minnesota, it was still allowed in Minneapolis.” https://www.yahoo.com/news/george-floyd-death-in-custody-puts-spotlight-on-warrior-training-for-police-195640810.html Officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, but family says ‘it was a group act’. “The new video shows the other side of the Minneapolis police vehicle where the arrest occurred. The video appears to show Chauvin and two other officers kneeling on Floyd.” https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/29/us/george-floyd-new-video-officers-kneel-trnd/index.html A forensic expert told CNN that it may have been the pressure on Floyd’s back that prevented Floyd from breathing, since it prevented his chest from expanding.

National Guard troops in armored vehicles, carrying rifles, confront protesters in Atlanta (at about 2:25 and 4:50 in the video). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq-urD1Utgg

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol reportedly deployed drone to Minneapolis. “The agency, which typically patrols the nation’s border and ports of entry, said the drone was going to provide live video to assist law enforcement in Minneapolis as they responded to protests that have left dozens of stores burned and looted…. The drone returned to its base in Grand Forks, North Dakota, after ‘the requesting agency determined that the aircraft was no longer needed for operational awareness’.” https://www.startribune.com/the-latest-9-arrested-in-southern-california-protest/570864882/ It wasn’t just a drone, it was a Predator. “Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is flying a Predator drone, military technology used for surveilling and killing terrorists abroad, over Minneapolis as protesters continue to demonstrate against police brutality, according to publicly available flight data.” https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/5dzbe3/customs-and-border-protection-predator-drone-minneapolis-george-floyd The Predator was reportedly unarmed, however.

Seven shot in Louisville during protest against Breonna Taylor police shooting. “Videos posted on social media appeared to show shots being fired while demonstrators surrounded a police vehicle.” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/29/us/louisville-protest-shooting-breonna-taylor.html Detroit teenager dies after shots fired into crowd of protesters. “Police said the man was shot at 11:30 p.m. in the area of Congress and Randolph by an unknown suspect who was in a gray Dodge Durango. The suspect pulled up to the area, fired shots into the crowd and fled the scene.” https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2020/05/30/19-year-old-man-shot-killed-during-protests-in-downtown-detroit/

White House ‘locked down’ after hundreds of George Floyd protesters mass at the gates. “Protesters and Secret Service agents scuffled outside the White House fence.” https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/29/white-house-protest-lock-down-290224

Military police reportedly activated, on stand-by. “Soldiers from Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Drum in New York have been ordered to be ready to deploy within four hours if called, according to three people with direct knowledge of the orders. Soldiers in Fort Carson, in Colorado, and Fort Riley in Kansas have been told to be ready within 24 hours.” https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/protests-spread-to-several-us-cities-force-white-house-into-lockdown-20200530-p54xxn.html

Police brutality protests spring up across the country. “As protests continue into their fourth night in Minneapolis, here’s what’s happening in other cities around the nation.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/29/george-floyd-protests-intensify-atlanta-memphis-indianapolis-milwaukee/5288305002/

U.S. politicians accused of having a ‘double standard’ when it comes to violent protests. “… it’s fair to say that a good portion of the American political elite will stand up for the rights of people in other countries to protest injustice, even when protests turn violent, but don’t feel the same way about their fellow citizens. Never was this more evident than on Friday when Trump and his senior advisers announced new measures punishing China for its treatment of Hong Kong at a White House press conference, hours after Trump threatened to send the military to shoot protesters in Minneapolis.” https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/05/minneapolis-human-rights-china-russia-iran.html Actually, he threatened to shoot ‘looters’, but that is also illegal.

Space Force announces class offerings. “The curriculum includes three courses, each based on a specific discipline: orbital warfare, space battle management and space electronic warfare.” https://www.spacewar.com/reports/Space_Force_starts_teaching_courses_to_give_space_professionals_warfighting_mindsets_999.html Hmm, Didn’t NASA just publish guidelines for peaceful cooperation in space? Yes, they did. “International cooperation on Artemis is intended not only to bolster space exploration but to enhance peaceful relationships between nations. Therefore, at the core of the Artemis Accords is the requirement that all activities will be conducted for peaceful purposes, per the tenets of the Outer Space Treaty.” https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis-accords/index.html So, which is it?

Some activists say police reform has failed, so it’s time for public officials to start shrinking police departments by cutting their budgets. “… while protesters continue to call for individual officers to be arrested and prosecuted, there is a growing recognition that police misconduct will continue, no matter how many reforms politicians enact, as long as policing exists at the present scale.” https://theintercept.com/2020/05/29/george-floyd-minneapolis-police-reform/

Whistle-blower and animal rights activists reveal brutal method being used to kill surplus pigs. “What prompted both the DxE investigation and the whistleblower to come forward is Iowa Select’s recent adoption of the mass-extermination method known as ‘ventilation shutdown’, or VSD. Under this method, pigs at the company’s rural Grundy County facility are being ‘depopulated’, using the industry’s jargon, by sealing off all airways to their barns and inserting steam into them, intensifying the heat and humidity inside and leaving them to die overnight…. The recordings obtained by The Intercept include audio of the piercing cries of pigs as they succumb.” https://theintercept.com/2020/05/29/pigs-factory-farms-ventilation-shutdown-coronavirus/

Unionized public transit workers in Minneapolis refuse to transport police or arrested protesters. “As our members—bus drivers—have the right to refuse work they consider dangerous or unsafe during the pandemic, so too Minneapolis bus drivers—our members—have the right to refuse the dangerous duty of transporting police to protests and arrested demonstrators away from these communities where many of these drivers live.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/05/29/show-solidarity-public-transit-workers-refuse-transport-police-units-or-those

Federal prosecutor asks federal appeals court to allow a fifth Bundy trial over armed standoffs. “U.S. Circuit Judge William Fletcher pushed back on (U.S. Attorney Elizabeth White’s claim that the government shared all of its important evidence with the defense at a previous trial), pointing out that (U.S. District Judge Gloria) Navarro found the government failed to disclose at least eight pieces of evidence that it should have handed over to Payne and the Bundys.” https://www.courthousenews.com/fifth-times-a-charm-government-wants-another-bundy-trial/

Twitter, Reddit and internet group challenge State Department rules on disclosure of social media accounts. “The social media companies and the Internet Association filed an amicus brief on Thursday arguing that the State Department’s rule requiring visa applicants to disclose their online identifiers creates a chilling effect on speech and dissuades users from freely expressing their opinions on social media.” https://www.courthousenews.com/twitter-reddit-blast-social-media-disclosure-rules-for-visa-applicants/

May 29, 2020

Police officer accused of killing Minneapolis man had reportedly been the subject of numerous citizen complaints. “Only two of the 18 complaints against (Officer Derek) Chauvin were ‘closed with discipline’, according to a MPD internal affairs public summary. In both cases, the ‘discipline issued’ column indicated that a letter of reprimand had been issued in response.” https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/28/us/minneapolis-officer-complaints-george-floyd/index.html

Local and federal prosecutors claim not enough evidence yet to charge Officer Chauvin with a crime in death of George Floyd. “My job in the end is to prove he violated a criminal statute. And there is other evidence that does not support a criminal charge. We need to wade through all of that evidence and come to a meaningful decision and we are doing that to the best of our ability.” https://us.cnn.com/2020/05/28/us/minneapolis-george-floyd-thursday/index.html

President Trump signs executive order targeting social media companies. “‘We’re here today to defend free speech from one of the gravest dangers it has faced in American history, frankly,’ Trump said from the Oval Office.” https://www.npr.org/2020/05/28/863932758/stung-by-twitter-trump-signs-executive-order-to-weaken-social-media-companies “The president’s latest confrontation with Twitter was set off after the tech company placed fact-checking warnings on two of his tweets that claimed, without evidence, that casting ballots by mail allows for voter fraud.”

President Trump retweets threatening video made by supporters. “I’ve come to a place where I’ve come to the conclusion that the only good Democrat is a dead Democrat.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/president-trump-shares-video-of-supporter-saying-the-only-good-democrat-is-a-dead-democrat/ Couy Griffin, a local politician in New Mexico, then claims he didn’t mean it ‘in a physical sense’.

Vote on renewal of FISA surveillance programs dropped because House leaders didn’t have the votes to pass it. “The House had been expected to easily approve the FISA bill this week, with an unusual alliance of Republicans and Democrats who carried a similar version across the floor in March…. But that fragile coalition collapsed this week as Trump suddenly intervened, issuing a veto threat that seemed to contradict his own administration’s efforts to renew the law…. the Democratic caucus was facing its own revolt from the left, with about 100 progressives refusing to back legislation they saw as undermining the privacy rights of Americans.” https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/28/pelosi-pulls-fisa-bill-amid-objections-from-gop-and-progressives-286939

Nancy Pelosi accused of ‘end-run’ negotiations with the Senate in order to bypass a House vote on FISA renewal. “Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Schiff have done everything in their power to ensure the House cannot vote on the warrantless surveillance of Americans’ internet activity, and worse, to ensure Congress doesn’t know what it’s reauthorizing.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/05/28/pelosi-accused-trying-do-end-run-around-her-own-party-sending-spy-powers-bill

JCPenney reportedly planning to close 242 stores. “The chain is poised to close 242 stores permanently through its Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring plan, leaving it with about 600 remaining locations.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/05/28/jcpenney-bankruptcy-coronavirus-stores-closing-liquidation/5275295002/

Uber reportedly scrapping thousands of JUMP electric bikes. “A spokesman told CNBC ‘the best approach was to responsibly recycle them’, while video posted on Twitter from a North Carolina recycling center shows the candy red bikes being crushed as scrap metal…. ‘Probably THIRTY semi loads or more so far…'” https://www.engadget.com/uber-scraps-thousands-of-jump-bikes-193541447.html

Boeing to lay off 6,770 US-based employees. “Boeing has now concluded the voluntary layoff program that was initially announced last month, and the company has now reached the point where involuntary layoffs are needed.” https://onemileatatime.com/boeing-resumes-737-max-production/

Homeless California man breaks into bank to use microwave oven. “Police responded to Wells Fargo in San Diego around 3:30 a.m. after a burglary alarm sounded. The alarm company told officers a man could be seen on surveillance video in the break room using the microwave, KGTV reported.” https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-homeless-man-bank-hot-pocket-microwave-worth-it

Minnesota’s governor activates National Guard after protesters set fire to Minneapolis police station. “Early Friday, Minneapolis’ Third Precinct headquarters were in flames, and Guard troops were called in in hopes of making the area safe for firefighters.” https://www.startribune.com/trump-promises-action-over-the-growing-mpls-protests/570830002/ President Trump calls protesters ‘thugs’, threatens to ‘assume control’ and shoot looters. “These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!” https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1266231100780744704 Sounds like Trump has hired Rodrigo Duterte as his political advisor…

Attorney releases audio of 911 call after Breonna Taylor police shooting. “I don’t know what is happening,” (Kenneth) Walker said. “Somebody kicked in the door and shot my girlfriend.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/28/breonna-taylor-shooting-911-call-details-aftermath-police-raid/5278227002/

Conservative group sues Pennsylvania officials to pressure them to purge inactive voters. “The group has filed similar suits in North Carolina and Maryland. The Pennsylvania lawsuit follows notices Judicial Watch sent to 19 counties in Pennsylvania, California, Virginia, Colorado, and Kentucky last December, threatening lawsuits unless they removed ineligible voters from rolls.” https://theintercept.com/2020/05/28/pennsylvania-voter-rolls-purge-judicial-watch/

Federal corporate subsidies?: Large companies issued corporate bonds after Federal Reserve promised to buy them. “The American Prospect and The Intercept have identified at least 49 large companies that have issued corporate bonds since the Federal Reserve announced that it would purchase them. For some, the benefit of cheaper borrowing was worth hundreds of millions of dollars.” https://theintercept.com/2020/05/27/federal-reserve-corporate-debt-coronavirus/

Amnesty International accuses Ethiopian security forces of human rights violations. “In Amhara, according to the report, regional police, militia and local vigilante groups engaged in targeted attacks on ethnic Qemant, a minority group demanding more autonomy, in inter-communal violence which resulted in at least 130 deaths last year. In January 2019, at least 58 people were reportedly killed in less than 24 hours and buried in mass graves.” https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/may/29/ethiopias-security-forces-accused-of-torture-evictions-and-killings-report

Federal appeals court upholds low court’s decision to block fast-track permit for oil pipeline. “The ruling by that court vacated the Trump-backed permit for Keystone XL and also prohibited the Corps from replicating use of the fast-tracked approval process for other similar projects.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/05/28/latest-legal-blow-trump-and-dirty-energy-federal-appeals-court-upholds-block

Black CNN correspondent and his film crew arrested while covering Minneapolis unrest, while white CNN correspondent was allowed to remain on the scene. “(Omar) Jimenez could be seen holding his CNN badge while reporting, identifying himself as a reporter, and telling the officers the crew would move wherever officers needed them to. An officer gripped his arm as Jimenez talked, then put him in handcuffs.” https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/29/us/minneapolis-cnn-crew-arrested/index.html

California supreme court rules that cities can’t charge the public for redactions to police videos, after city of Hayward tried to bill a requester $3,000. “California law makes it clear that public agencies have to bear the costs of redacting public records,” (David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition) said. “The fact that technology is involved here doesn’t change that.” https://www.courthousenews.com/california-high-court-rules-cities-cant-charge-for-editing-police-videos/

May 28, 2020

YouTube takes down environmental documentary Planet of the Humans over alleged copyright violation. “A few seconds of (Toby) Smith’s video, Rare Earthenware, were used in (Michael) Moore’s film…. ‘This attempt to take down our film and prevent the public from seeing it is a blatant act of censorship by political critics of Planet of the Humans,’ (Director Jeff) Gibbs wrote. ‘It is a misuse of copyright law to shutdown a film that has opened a serious conversation about how parts of the environmental movement have gotten into bed with Wall Street.'” https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/26/21270549/youtube-michael-moore-film-renewable-energy-climate-change-removed These folks have apparently never heard of the Streisand Effect.

Arson and looting break out on second night of Minneapolis unrest. “By 9:30 p.m., (Police Chief Medaria) Arradondo told Fox 9 News that while the vast majority of protesters were peaceful, there was looting happening as well as ‘significant property damage’ and the ‘creation of Molotov cocktails’.” https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/05/27/violence-near-south-minneapolis-police-precinct-continues-a-second-day

U.S. coronavirus death toll hits 100,000. “We now have really clear evidence that wearing masks works — it’s probably a 50% protection against transmission. And so, what happens in the next month or two is very much in the hands of how people respond.” https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/27/health/us-coronavirus-wednesday/index.html

Trump camp goes crazy after Twitter fact checks president’s voting fraud claims. “Early Wednesday morning, (President Trump) had vowed to ‘strongly regulate’ biased social media companies, or even ‘close them down’…. Appearing on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight, (FCC member Brendan Carr) singled out Twitter’s fact check of Trump’s tweets as imposing a ‘partisan political viewpoint’ and slammed Facebook’s recent creation of an independent review board to review the company’s content decisions.” https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/27/trump-executive-order-social-media-twitter-285891 Trump’s supporters are clearly deploying ‘big lies’ on social media to sway voters, and now we can see how important this is to their campaign strategy. “Since 2016, its has been clear that Trump benefited from an unregulated social media environment, where pro-Trump content that is untrue or incendiary—whether generated by Americans, Russians, or Macedonians—can circulate freely online.” https://www.motherjones.com/2020-elections/2020/05/donald-trump-attacks-twitter/ Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says no need to fact check anything. “I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldn’t be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online.” https://www.foxnews.com/media/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-twitter-fact-checking-trump Says CEO of company that removes bogus covid-19 information. “Given its strong action on COVID-19 misinformation, (Facebook’s) hands-off approach to political ads makes even less sense.” https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/facebook-adds-new-measures-to-limit-the-spread-of-covid-19-misinformation/576224/

Vote on renewal of mass surveillance programs delayed. “Civil libertarians, led by Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., pushed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to allow an up-or-down vote on (the amendment to limit the FBI’s ability to access web browsing history and other online activity without a warrant), then send it back to the Senate, where it could pass with all senators voting. Pelosi instead told Lofgren to negotiate with Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff, the New York Times reported, and Schiff watered down the legislation.” https://theintercept.com/2020/05/27/fisa-surveillance-trump-veto/ “‘For Democrats to vote for this reauthorization, even with these amendments, would have to be sort of saying, we have so much trust in Donald Trump and the people he’s appointed that they would never lie to a FISA court, they would never just go after their enemies. We feel like he can be trusted and so can all the people he’s appointed,’ (Rep. Louie Gohmert) said.”

Democrats dropping FISA renewal amendment that would have required search warrants for surveillance of Americans’ internet activity; it may cost them the votes of progressive and conservative House members however. “It is not immediately clear whether dropping the amendment will give Democrats the votes necessary to push through the reauthorization package.” https://thehill.com/policy/technology/499784-democrats-drop-controversial-surveillance-amendment

Federal appeals court backs dismissal of lawsuit alleging social media political bias. “The judges concluded that Freedom Watch failed to offer a satisfactory First Amendment claim against the tech companies, noting that ‘in general, the First Amendment prohibits only governmental abridgment of speech’.” https://thehill.com/policy/technology/499808-appeals-court-rejects-claim-facebook-twitter-suppress-conservative-views Which is something that conservatives have long championed – exempting private companies and individuals from any requirement to observe constitutional rights. If your boss want to fire you for participating in a protest, he or she can. If he wants to read your company emails or text messages, he or she can. If he wants to track your movements when using a company car or phone, he or she can. If he wants to fire you for expressing your point of view, he or she can.

China and India reportedly moving troops toward disputed Himalayan border. “Thousands of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops are reported to have moved into sensitive areas along the eastern Ladakh border…. In response, the Indian army has moved several battalions from an infantry division usually based in the Ladakh city of Leh to ‘operational alert areas’ along the border…” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/27/china-and-india-move-troops-as-border-tensions-escalate

Arizona suing Google over tracking of Android phone users. “Generally, smartphones running Android allow users to turn off a feature that tracks their movements. But the state alleged in its complaint Wednesday that these devices still recorded and kept location records for certain apps — including mapping and weather — as well as searches, even for users who disabled location tracking.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/05/27/google-android-privacy-lawsuit/

Act Up founder Larry Kramer dies at 84. “Even some of the (public) officials Mr. Kramer accused of ‘murder’ and ‘genocide’ recognized that his outbursts were part of a strategy to shock the country into dealing with AIDS as a public-health emergency.” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/27/us/larry-kramer-dead.html

Real election fraud – electronic voting machines that ‘lose’ votes. “In 2018, the Coalition for Good Governance (CGG), a nonprofit group in Georgia, decided to cross-reference poll tapes from Georgia precincts, which also used Diebold/ES&S touchscreen voting machines. It discovered that some 127,000 votes from predominantly black precincts had mysteriously vanished.” https://whowhatwhy.org/2020/05/27/touchscreen-voting-makes-everything-easy-including-hacking/

Retired Army officer points out U.S. replay of Soviet Union’s misadventure in Afghanistan. “(Mikhail) Gorbachev (or his three elderly predecessors) could have marched the Soviet troops out in 1979, 1982, 1984, or 1986 with the same outcome as he achieved in 1989. The same goes for recent American presidents. Bush could’ve pulled the ever-frayed cord in 2002, or Obama in 2014, when the US military held a far stronger (relative) hand than Trump inherited in 2017 and held at the recent peace deal. It’s not that earlier withdrawals would’ve amounted to victory, or made the post-occupation aftermath less messy, but far fewer rubles or dollars, and Soviet or American lives would’ve been wasted.” https://original.antiwar.com/Danny_Sjursen/2020/05/27/sigar-the-boys-who-cry-about-actual-wolves/ Not to mention the decades of death and trauma experience by Afghan civilians.

Thousands march in Hong Kong to protest tightening of China’s grip on the city, police arrest an estimated 300. “A heavy police presence around the Legislative Council deterred protesters planning to disrupt the debate of a bill that would criminalise disrespect of the Chinese national anthem.” https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/hong-kong-police-arrest-300-as-thousands-protest-over-security-laws/ar-BB14DNTo

Trump campaign gets online retailer to remove ‘The Trump Cult’ cartoon art from its website. “The illustration shows Trump (serving supporters in MAGA hats) a drink that has been labeled ‘Kool-Aid’, then ‘Chloroquine’ and finally ‘Clorox’…” https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/may/28/trump-campaign-attempts-to-remove-satirical-cartoon-from-online-retailer They reportedly claimed the depiction of MAGA hats was a trademark infringement. See Streisand Effect. You can view the cartoon here, on the website of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund: http://cbldf.org/2020/05/cbldf-leads-coalition-to-protect-the-first-amendment-rights-of-editorial-cartoonist/

Pakistan using anti-terror phone monitoring and tracking system to track people with coronavirus. “Authorities are also listening in to the calls of Covid-19 patients to monitor whether their contacts are talking about having symptoms. ‘The trace-and-track system basically helps us track the mobile phones of corona patients as well as anyone they get in touch with before or after their disappearance.'” https://www.courthousenews.com/pakistan-uses-terror-tracking-tech-against-virus/

May 27, 2020

Black forgery suspect George Floyd dies after being pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis policeman with his knee on the man’s neck. “Please. Please. I can’t breathe, officer. … I cannot breathe. I cannot breathe.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/minneapolis-police-george-floyd-fatal-arrest-officer-kneeling-neck/ Since a bystander caught the incident on video, the officer has been fired. Floyd had allegedly tried to spend a counterfeit $20 bill. “Floyd died at Hennepin County Medical Center soon after the encounter, which started when police detained him Monday evening on suspicion of trying to pass a fake $20 bill at a convenience store.” https://www.startribune.com/mpls-police-marchers-clash-over-man-s-death-in-custody/570763352/ Hundreds protest. “Activists had blocked traffic for several blocks in every direction, and the crowd spilled out into the streets.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/26/george-floyd-killing-minneapolis-protest-police Police respond to protests. “Minneapolis police officers dressed in riot gear fired rubber bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades into crowds of protesters…” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/05/27/disgusting-display-police-fire-rubber-bullets-stun-grenades-and-tear-gas

President Trump announces cap on insulin copays for seniors who sign up for Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans. “Trump said most senior Medicare recipients will be able to get prescription plans that cap copay costs for insulin… at no more than a copay of $35 for a month’s supply…. Insulin costs between $2.28 and $3.42 (per dose?) for drug makers to manufacture, yet many people with diabetes pay hundreds of dollars (per month?) for the lifesaving drug.” https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/26/politics/white-house-insulin-cap-medicare/index.html

Justice Department ends three out of four Senate stock dumping investigations. “(Sen. Kelly) Loeffler made large sales after she attended a private coronavirus briefing for senators on Jan. 24, but she insisted that third-party advisers handled stock sales for her and her husband, New York Stock Exchange chairman Jeffrey Sprecher. (Sen. Dianne) Feinstein and (Sen. James) Inhofe protested that they didn’t even attend the Jan. 24 briefing.” https://nypost.com/2020/05/26/feds-drop-coronavirus-insider-trading-probe-zero-in-on-richard-burr/

President Trump’s California voter fraud accusation over mail-in ballots doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. “The (Sacramento) Bee (daily newspaper) found that independent studies and experts have repeatedly found that voting by mail does not lead to much abuse at all. In fact, any sort of voter fraud is rare.” https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/election/california-elections/article243002506.html

U.S. House will hold vote over warrantless collection of Americans’ internet activity. “A majority — 59 of the 100 senators — voted for the Wyden-Daines amendment, which would have banned the F.B.I. from gathering (the public’s) internet records using a type of FISA court order that permits collection of business records deemed relevant to a case. But it fell one short needed under Senate rules to attach it to the bill at that stage.” https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/us/politics/fisa-bill-amendment.html

Concerns of new surge of covid-19 cases after Memorial Day crowds largely ignored social distancing advice. “I’m not afraid of this virus one bit!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fikq765WV3o

Top Hertz executives reportedly received bonuses after mass layoffs and before bankruptcy announcement. “Hertz paid a total of $16.2 million to 340 executives on May 19 as part of a plan to keep them in place while the company attempts to reorganize, the company announced in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.” https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/26/investing/hertz-bankruptcy-executive-bonuses/index.html

Coronavirus cases leapt at meat processing plants after Trump ordered them to reopen. “… according to a Washington Post analysis, the number of coronaviruses cases among Tyson workers has gone from under 1,600 a month ago to more than 7,000.” https://www.salon.com/2020/05/26/trumps-order-to-reopen-meatpacking-plants-caused-a-huge-coronavirus-outbreak-among-workers/

New book, The Jakarta Method, describes CIA-assisted massacre of Indonesia’s leftists between 1965 and 1966. “In total, it is estimated that between five hundred thousand and one million people were slaughtered, and one million more were herded into concentration camps. Millions more people were indirect victims of the massacres, but no one came around to inquire how many loved ones they had lost.” https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2020/05/18/how-jakarta-became-the-codeword-for-us-backed-mass-killing/

Palatir CEO admits that his company’s product ‘is used on occasion to kill people’. “If you’re looking for a terrorist in the world now you’re probably using our government product and you’re probably doing the operation that takes out the person in another product we build.” https://www.businessinsider.com/palantir-ceo-alex-karp-claims-the-companys-tech-is-used-to-target-and-kill-terrorists-2020-5 Of course, it only works on terrorists, not resistance fighters or opposition political activists. (sarcasm) “The software combs through disparate data sources—financial documents, airline reservations, cellphone records, social media postings—and searches for connections that human analysts might miss. It then presents the linkages in colorful, easy-to-interpret graphics that look like spider webs. U.S. spies and special forces loved it immediately…” https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2018-palantir-peter-thiel/

Australian SAS solider suspected in murder of Afghan farmer also killed another civilian, allege fellow soldiers. “ABC Investigations has spoken to two SAS patrol members, witnesses to the newly uncovered killing, who say the disabled man was shot in the back of the head as he was trying to ‘limp’ away.” https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-27/soldiers-say-they-saw-sas-operative-killing-another-civilian/12277976

Alberta’s energy minister proposes building controversial pipeline while coronavirus restrictions are in place. “Sonya Savage, who is Alberta’s energy minister, made the remark about the Trans Mountain Expansion project Friday during an appearance on the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors podcast. ‘Now is a great time to be building a pipeline because you can’t have protests of more than 15 people,’ she said. ‘Let’s get it built.'” https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/canadian-coronavirus-restrictions-limiting-protesters-makes-it-a-great-time-to-build-oil-pipeline-minister-says/ar-BB14CkLo

Combination of three generic drugs reportedly outperforms remdesivir in coronavirus patients. “… a three-drug regimen offered a greater reduction in the time it took patients to recover than remdesivir did. People who took the combination of interferon beta-1b, lopinavir-ritonavir, and ribavirin got better in seven days as opposed to 12 days for those who didn’t take it.” https://theintercept.com/2020/05/26/coronavirus-gileand-remdesivir-treatment/

Group that is pushing voter fraud accusations and opposing vote-by-mail is allegedly backed by same ‘dark money’ network that pushed for approval of Trump’s Supreme Court nominees. “Backed by a dark money group funded by right-wing stalwarts like the Koch brothers and Betsy DeVos’ family, the Honest Elections Project is part of the network that pushed the US supreme court picks Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, and is quickly becoming a juggernaut in the escalating fight over voting rights.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/27/honest-elections-project-conservative-voting-restrictions

Trump tweets gets fact check flags on Twitter. “They were applied – hours after the tweets initially went out – because Trump’s tweets violated Twitter’s ‘civic integrity’ policy, a company spokeswoman confirmed, which bars users from ‘manipulating or interfering in elections or other civic processes’, such as by posting misleading information that could dissuade people from participating in an election.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/26/trump-twitter-fact-check-warning-label

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo allegedly received more than $1 million in campaign donations from healthcare industry group. “Less than two years after that flood of cash from the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA), Cuomo signed legislation last month quietly shielding hospital and nursing home executives from the threat of lawsuits stemming from the coronavirus outbreak.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/26/andrew-cuomo-nursing-home-execs-immunity

Oklahoma must accept and count signatures collected for ACLU-backed justice reform ballot measure, state’s supreme court rules. “The court rejected the state’s concern that counting signatures during the pandemic would ‘present practical difficulties’…” https://www.courthousenews.com/oklahoma-high-court-rules-state-must-accept-signatures-on-sentencing-ballot-measure/

May 26, 2020

Hong Kong official warns of increase in pro-democracy ‘terrorism’. “‘Terrorism is growing in the city and activities which harm national security, such as ‘Hong Kong independence’, become more rampant,’ (Secretary for Security John) Lee said in a statement.” https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/889n4x/hong-kongs-government-is-now-calling-pro-democracy-protesters-terrorists

Trump administration economic advisor Kevin Hassett calls the country’s workers ‘human capital stock’ during news interview. “Our capital stock hasn’t been destroyed, our human capital stock is ready to get back to work, and so there are lots of reasons to believe that we can get going way faster than we have in previous crises.” https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-economic-advisor-hassett-human-capital-stock-1004909/

Some new Trump administration federal agency watchdogs have glaring conflicts of interest. “(Howard) Elliott serves simultaneously as the Transportation Department’s inspector general and head of the department’s pipeline and hazardous materials agency, whose mission includes enforcement of safety regulations on nearly 1 million daily shipments of gas, oil and other dangerous compounds. ‘The idea that an independent IG could simultaneously be part of the political team running an agency they are supposed to oversee is preposterous,’ said Danielle Brian, executive director of the nonprofit Project on Government Oversight.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/as-trump-removes-federal-watchdogs-some-loyalists-replacing-them-have-extensive-conflicts/2020/05/24/8dad46a4-9b89-11ea-a2b3-5c3f2d1586df_story.html

30% of Americans polled say they spent most of their stimulus checks on paying bills. “It’s alarming to look at how many Americans used these funds to keep a roof over their head and pay for necessities considering the federal government has not provided clarity about another round of stimulus payments being provided in the near future.” https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-no-1-thing-americans-are-spending-their-stimulus-checks-on-even-more-than-splurging-in-costco-walmart-and-target-2020-05-23

Investigator discovers deeper secrets about the NSA’s ‘metadata collection program’ targeting U.S. phone records – they were reportedly used to build a giant social network of the American public. “The NSA had built a live, ever-updating social graph of the US. Our phone records were not in cold storage. They did not sit untouched. They were arranged in a one-hop contact chain of each to all.” https://www.wired.com/story/inside-the-nsas-secret-tool-for-mapping-your-social-network/

Pentagon lashes out at New York Times over editorial criticizing base names. “It’s indisputable that the 10 bases cited by The New York Times are named after generals who fought for the Confederacy, but the military argues that at least some of the installations honor their actions outside of that conflict.” https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/may/25/pentagon-bashes-new-york-times-over-white-supremac/

Denver man billed $3,278 for coronavirus emergency room visit. “(Timothy) Regan and Kaiser Health News editor-in-chief Elisabeth Rosenthal appeared on CBS This Morning to discuss the four-figure bill from Denver Health and the fact that his insurance provider, UnitedHealthcare, initially only covered $1,042, leaving Regan’s family with $2,236 to pay…” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/05/25/3278-er-visit-coughing-fits-and-fever-amid-covid-19-pandemic-highlights-failure

Well-funded hospitals reportedly got more federal aid than less profitable ones serving poorer communities. “According to the New York Times, a disproportionate amount of the $72 billion approved by Congress to bolster hospitals amid the coronavirus outbreak is flowing ‘to hospitals that had already built up deep financial reserves to help them withstand an economic storm. Smaller, poorer hospitals are receiving tiny amounts of federal aid by comparison.'” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/05/25/here-we-go-again-richest-hospitals-sitting-billions-cash-got-golden-bailouts

May 25, 2020

Trump administration finally cuts off travel from Brazil for non-U.S. persons. “I have determined that it is in the interests of the United States to take action to restrict and suspend the entry into the United States… of all aliens who were physically present within the Federative Republic of Brazil during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States.” https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-bars-entry-of-non-us-citizens-traveling-from-brazil-citing-coronavirus-concerns It’s unclear to me, and the story does not really explain, what the 14 day period relates to. If you’ve been in Brazil less than 14 days, it’s ok to enter the U.S.? If you been in Brazil more than 14 days it’s ok? How would you be more or less likely to catch the disease if you were in Brazil for more or less than 14 days?

Federal judge rules Florida’s ban on felons voting until they pay all fines, fees and restitution is unconstitutional. “In a 125-page ruling, (U.S. District Judge Robert) Hinkle sided with critics of the bill, saying it discriminates against those who cannot afford to pay. The judge said the law is a violation of the 24th Amendment, which says the right to vote shall not be denied ‘by reason of failure to pay poll tax or other tax’.” https://www.npr.org/2020/05/24/861776313/federal-judge-rules-florida-law-restricting-voting-rights-for-felons-unconstitut

Memorial Day revelers forgetting to keep their distance. “Vacationers packed Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks over Memorial Day weekend, ignoring guidance to maintain 6 feet of social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/social-media-video-shows-lake-of-the-ozarks-packed-for-memorial-day-weekend-amid-coronavirus-pandemic/ It’s ok, they’re rural, white people – they’re immune. (sarcasm)

80% of corporations that received federal emergency coronavirus ‘small business loans’, but which are actually owned by stockholders, have reportedly not returned the money. “(Reuters) found that as of May 22, only 68 out of 424 public companies had returned the funds, with those declining to do so and claiming that they need the funds to maintain operations.” https://www.newsweek.com/80-percent-publicly-companies-that-received-coronavirus-stimulus-loans-small-businesses-will-keep-1506268

Iraqi freedom?: U.N. claims Iraqi protesters were abducted and tortured. “Dozens of Iraqi protesters disappeared during five months of anti-establishment demonstrations, with many being abducted and subject to ill-treatment and torture, a new United Nations report has said.” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/iraqis-abducted-tortured-partaking-protests-report-200523075151316.html

Turkish politician jailed for posting video of political stunt to social media. “Banu Ozdemir, the main opposition party’s former deputy chairwoman for Izmir, was detained late on Thursday on suspicion of ‘provoking public enmity’ by sharing videos of the incident, which saw the Turkish version of the song “Bella Ciao” broadcast for a few minutes from several mosques in Izmir earlier this week.” https://english.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2020/5/23/turkey-jails-politician-over-videos-of-song-from-mosques

Undercover police will be monitoring businesses in Ohio to enforce compliance with coronavirus health rules. “(Ohio Investigative Unit Enforcement Commander Eric) Wolf said the undercover agents don’t have a set checklist, but they will look for things such as groups larger than 10, patrons congregating in open areas or around the bar or people using pool tables and video games — all things still not allowed under the state health order.” https://www.dispatch.com/news/20200522/undercover-agents-enforcing-state-health-rules-at-restaurants-bars/1

Florida man charged with terrorism-related offense for coughing and spitting on police officer and claiming he was infected with coronavirus. “A federal grand jury in Tampa returned the indictment Wednesday against James Jamal Curry, 31, for committing a biological weapon hoax, a local CBS affiliate in Miami reported.… His attorney, Samuel Landes, argued in an email obtained by CBS Miami that prosecutors are stretching a law that is meant for terrorists…. ‘The United States Attorney’s position, in this case, would make each of the millions of COVID-19 patients ‘in possession’ of a biological weapon,’ Landes said.” https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/499306-florida-man-who-spit-coughed-on-police-officers-after-claiming-to-have

Federal appeals court upholds lower court’s refusal to grant immunity to Michigan officials involved in Flint water crisis. “At this stage, we must accept the reasonable inference from plaintiffs’ allegations that, whatever the (Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s) purported justifications for its actions, it rushed the switch to the Flint River knowing it would deliver contaminated water and that the decision-makers cared only about cost, not water quality. Their purported defense also does not explain why they failed to treat the water after they came under the EPA’s scrutiny, or why they lied to the EPA.” https://www.courthousenews.com/state-and-local-officials-denied-immunity-in-flint-water-suit/

May 24, 2020

President Trump travels to the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia to play golf with some buddies. “In 2014 on Fox and Friends he criticized Obama for golfing when there were two cases of Ebola in the United States saying, ‘it sends the wrong signal’ and he should have given up golf as president ‘to really focus on the job’.” https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/05/trump-plays-golf-virginia-club-coronavirus-deaths-rise.html

An estimated 2,000 Californians protest state’s coronavirus restrictions at ‘Liberty Fest’ near state capitol. “Social distancing was non-existent as the sidewalk and closed-off 10th Street were clogged with humanity. Masks were rare… and demonstrators said journalists who wore them were spreading fear.” https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article242946886.html

Nike warehouse in Memphis reportedly blocked public health official from entering after suspected covid-19 death of employee. “The inspector, whose formal title is ‘environmentalist’, from the Shelby County Health Department, responded to complaints of unsanitary conditions at the Nike distribution center on April 16 when she was denied access to the building by a security guard, ProPublica reported.” https://thehill.com/homenews/news/499287-a-public-health-official-was-denied-entry-to-a-nike-warehouse-after-a-worker

China’s president signals end to last vestige of socialism. “‘We’ve come to the understanding that we should not ignore the blindness of the market, nor should we return to the old path of a planned economy,’ Xi (Jinping) told political advisers gathered in Beijing for their annual legislative sessions on Saturday, according to the official Xinhua news agency.” https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-23/xi-says-china-won-t-return-to-planned-economy-urges-cooperation

American University job fair participants reportedly had their personal data shared with every employer who participated, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “Registrants were asked to provide the usual information: which employers they wanted to virtually meet, a student ID number, an email address, a phone number, and whether they required visa sponsorship for employment. They expected the university to pass on that information to recruiters representing those companies in which they had expressed interest. What they did not expect was that the career fair organizers contracted by the university would pass on that information to employers they did not want to meet, like the CBP recruiter in attendance.” https://whowhatwhy.org/2020/05/23/email-blunder-reveals-student-info-and-university-negligence/

Study examines why non-voters in the U.S. don’t vote. “In 2016, for example, nearly 100 million eligible voters did not cast a ballot in the general election, with non-voters (41.3%) constituting a larger bloc than the supporters of either Donald Trump (27.3%) or Hillary Clinton (28.5%).” https://whowhatwhy.org/2020/05/21/millions-of-americans-dont-vote-due-to-lack-of-faith-in-process/ Top reasons given: “Don’t like the candidates” (17%) and “My vote doesn’t matter” (12%).

Many progressive activists reportedly leaving Israel. “People with a similar political profile to mine have the feeling that we have been defeated and that we will no longer be able to exert a meaningful influence in Israel. In a profound sense, we do not see a horizon of repair, of true peace or a life of quality. A great many people understood this and looked for another place to live.” https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-losing-hope-for-change-top-left-wing-activists-and-scholars-leave-israel-behind-1.8864499 I left the U.S. before Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein came on the scene. George W. Bush had been elected to a second term, after invading Afghanistan and Iraq. He had also trashed the Constitution with the PATRIOT Act, and was ramping up and militarizing the police state. Fusion Centers were making lists of political activists, which was nothing new, but they were now being categorized as ‘terrorists‘. Protests were being described as ‘low-level terrorism‘. “As a long-time peace activist who is familiar with our government’s past history of surveillance of dissidents, I surmised that groups involved in First Amendment activities would be watched and infiltrated after 9/11,” said Max Obuszewski, a client of the ACLU. “With the growth of the surveillance state after 9/11, it was evident that government agencies would come looking for groups and individuals engaged in peaceful protest activity and label them terrorists. So in all honesty, I was not surprised to be informed that I was wrongfully labeled a terrorist.” https://www.aclu-md.org/en/press-releases/aclu-lawsuit-uncovers-state-police-spying-activists

President Trump extends Iraq ‘national emergency’ decree, signaling that a U.S. withdrawal is not imminent. “The original Executive Order 13303, signed by former US President George W. Bush on May 22, 2003, s parked controversy at the time as it appeared to hand US oil companies blanket immunity from lawsuits and criminal prosecution in connection with the sale of Iraqi oil.” https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/210520201

Widespread privatization of U.S. coastline is packing the public onto smaller beaches. “By 1970… over 95% of US coastlines suitable for recreation were closed to the general public…. 100 million Americans, especially people of color and poor communities, don’t have access to a decent park or public space, which includes beaches.” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/24/us-beaches-covid-19-florida-access-parks

120 arrested as Hong Kong police crush pro-democracy protest. “Hong Kong police have used teargas, pepper spray and water cannon on crowds after thousands took to the streets in protest against Beijing’s declaration that it intends to impose national security laws on the semi-autonomous region.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/24/hong-kong-protests-unauthorised-rally-police-china-laws

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have an $8 billion budget, but only receives $185 million for researching emergent influenza-like infectious diseases. “In 2019, the CDC spent $1.1 billion on its National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, which focuses on ailments like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes…. there are at least 10 other federally funded agencies—mostly within the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—engaged in similar health and wellness research.” https://reason.com/2020/05/13/mission-creep-and-wasteful-spending-left-the-cdc-unprepared-for-an-actual-public-health-crisis/

Arizona bill that would have abolished most convictionless civil asset forfeiture is defeated. “S.B. 1556, sponsored by state Sen. Eddie Farnsworth (R–Gilbert), would (have) tighten the rules further: It flat out requires a criminal conviction before police and prosecutors can attempt a forfeiture (government seizure of a suspect’s property), with some exceptions if a defendant dies, flees the state, or abandon the property.” https://reason.com/2020/05/22/why-did-arizona-democrats-kill-a-bill-protecting-citizens-from-police-overreach/

Federal judge rules that law enforcement agencies need a search warrant to access someone’s phone, even to turn it on, if they are looking for evidence. “The default rule is that a search is unreasonable unless conducted pursuant to a warrant. This default rule makes the term ‘search’ critically important because the term’s definition often dictates when the Government needs to obtain a warrant.” https://reason.com/2020/05/22/judge-to-fbi-you-shouldve-gotten-a-warrant-before-turning-on-that-phone/?itm_source=parsely-api

U.S. billionaires have profited from pandemic, while many low-wage workers have faced unemployment or exposure to the virus. “America’s billionaires saw their combined net worth soar by $434 billion between March 18 and May 19 while the coronavirus pandemic killed tens of thousands of people and ravaged the U.S. economy, forcing more than 30 million out of work.” https://consortiumnews.com/2020/05/22/covid-19-richest-americans-added-434-billion-in-wealth-since-pandemic-hit/

Two suspects killed in New Jersey in separate police shootings. “Authorities are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting on the Garden State Parkway here…. which involved the New Jersey State Police…. A fatal police shooting also occurred in North Jersey on Saturday, the Attorney General’s Office said…. Additional details of the incidents were not released.” https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/2020/05/23/bass-river-garden-state-parkway-police-involved-shooting/5251324002/(

Judge grants bail to man shot by police while being served an arrest warrant. “(Isaiah Swift) spent two weeks in a hospital receiving at least three emergency surgeries for the gunshot wound to his back, according to defense attorney Daymen Robinson…. prosecutors alleged that video showed Swift had dropped a gun and was reaching for it when the officer shot him. Swift has contended that he did not have a weapon at the time, according to news outlets.” https://www.whsv.com/content/news/Virginia-man-wounded-in-police-shooting-released-from-jail-570706561.html

Des Moines settles excessive force lawsuit for $75,000. “Williams’ daughter Khy’La, then 17, was hit with pepper spray and thrown to the ground by Sgt. Greg Wessels of the Des Moines Police Department in February 2018 at the downtown DART bus station, according to video taken at the time…. (Sgt. Greg) Wessels told students to clear the area, while Williams maintained that she had to wait for her bus.” https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2020/05/18/des-moines-approved-75-000-settlement-family-claiming-excessive-force/5213435002/

May 23, 2020

President Trump pressures states to allow church services to resume, despite numerous cases of large gatherings, including religious gatherings, resulting in widespread virus transmission. “The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now, this weekend. If they don’t do it, I will override the governors.” https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/22/politics/religious-gatherings-cdc-coronavirus/index.html

Concern over China’s plan to impose ‘national security laws’ on Hong Kong. “What will happen, as we understand it, [is that China’s parliament] will make an amendment to the basic law, which is Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, using a legal back door which essentially allows it to bypass the usual legislative processes in Hong Kong,” (Al Jazeera’s Katrina) Yu said. “This is because, as Beijing sees it, there’s simply too much opposition from pro-democracy lawmakers in Hong Kong, so they’re going to have to put this in themselves and make this very strong imposition of their power.” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/china-plans-national-security-laws-hong-kong-200521135932850.html

Joe Biden tells black radio host he ‘ain’t black’ if he is considering voting for Donald Trump. “Black voters who think the Democratic Party takes them for granted were offended and took to Twitter in droves to say so.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/05/22/joe-bidens-hill-just-got-steeper-thats-good-thing/

Federal judge dismisses libel lawsuit against Rachel Maddow, filed in part over her assertion that ‘the most obsequiously pro-Trump right wing news outlet in America really, literally, is paid Russian propaganda’. “‘Considering the totality of the circumstances – including the general context of the statements, the specific context of the statements, and the statements’ susceptibility of being proven true or false – a reasonable fact finder could only conclude that the statement was one of opinion not fact,’ U.S. District Judge Cynthia Bashant wrote in a 17-page ruling.” https://deadline.com/2020/05/rachel-maddow-one-america-news-network-defamation-1202942022/ The story notes that the plaintiff, the One America News Network, will be appealing this decision.

Virginia decriminalizes, but does not legalize, possession of small amounts of marijuana. “On Thursday, (Gov. Ralph) Northam, a Democrat, signed Senate Bill 2 and House Bill 972, creating a civil penalty of no more than $25 for possession of up to an ounce of marijuana, with no jail time.” https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/22/politics/virginia-decriminalizes-marijuana/index.html

Hertz files for bankruptcy. “The (car rental) company – which began operating a century ago in Chicago with a dozen Model T Ford cars – had already furloughed or laid off 20,000 employees, or around half of its global workforce, in response to the pandemic.” https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52780841

Coronavirus still spreading rapidly in many states, say researchers. “In 24 states, …the model shows a reproduction number over 1. Texas tops the list, followed by Arizona, Illinois, Colorado, Ohio, Minnesota, Indiana, Iowa, Alabama and Wisconsin.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/study-estimates-24-states-still-have-uncontrolled-coronavirus-spread/2020/05/22/d3032470-9c43-11ea-ac72-3841fcc9b35f_story.html

White House and State Department both ignore Congress’s demand for documents regarding firing of State Department’s inspector general. “President Trump’s unprecedented removal of Inspector General Linick is only his latest sacking of an inspector general, our government’s key independent watchdogs, from a federal agency. We unalterably oppose the politically-motivated firing of inspectors general and the President’s gutting of these critical positions.” https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/white-house-state-dept-fail-turn-over-documents-related-firing-n1213551

Fired State Department inspector general was also reportedly investigating allegations that Mike Pompeo was hosting State Department dinners for political donors and conservative celebrities. “Before coronavirus cancelled them, the ‘Madison Dinners’ were elaborate, unpublicized State dinners that Pompeo and his wife Susan hosted in Diplomatic Reception Rooms beginning in 2018. A bevy of big wig political donors, corporate CEOs, and conservative news media celebrities were invited to the dinners funded by taxpayers.” https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/exclusive-ig-probed-pompeos-donor-dinners-days-before-firing/ Yikes! Whatever happens at the State Department apparently stays at the State Department.

Digital forensics reporter discusses Guccifer 2.0’s strange behavior in connection with leaked/hacked Democratic National Committee emails. “Guccifer 2.0 fabricated evidence to claim credit for hacking the DNC, covered itself (and its files) in what were essentially a collection of ‘Made In Russia’ labels through deliberate processes and decisions made by the persona, and then, it attributed itself to WikiLeaks with a claim that was contradicted by subsequent communications between both parties. Guccifer 2.0 then went on to lie about WikiLeaks, contradicted its own hacking claims to attribute (the leak) to Seth Rich and even alleged that Julian Assange ‘may be connected with Russians’.” https://consortiumnews.com/2020/05/21/guccifer-2-0s-hidden-agenda/ Author also claims there is evidence that Guccifer 2.0 was actually operating from the east coast of the U.S.

Palestinian utility accuses Israel of restricting its water supply. “The Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) stated, on Thursday, that Israeli authorities (have) drastically cut the amount of water allocated to the West Bank districts of Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah and Hebron…” https://imemc.org/article/israel-cuts-palestinian-water-supply-in-west-bank/

Author says essential workers face a ‘Sophie’s Choice’ when deciding whether or not to keep showing up for their jobs. “… it is obscene and criminal that this choice, this impossible choice, between income for people who have to meet their mortgages, people who are desperate to put food on their table… to choose to work and… bring disease home to the people you love, or to yourself.” https://www.democracynow.org/2020/5/22/historian_mike_davis_increased_inequality_coronavirus

Coronavirus death toll in the U.S. continues its rapid rise. “As of Saturday morning, more than 96,000 deaths have been recorded in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University, which has been tracking the outbreak using combined data sources.” https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-coronavirus-cases-figures-1506146

Amid historically low crime rates, cities reluctant to shrink police forces. “New York City is currently spending more on policing than on health, homeless services, youth development, and workforce development combined. That’s wrong and unacceptable.” https://theintercept.com/2020/05/22/la-budget-nyc-police/

Australian court orders BP (formerly British Petroleum) to reinstate employee fired for sharing Hitler bunker video subtitled to depict the company’s negotiations with its union. “Australian workers have always been able to (make fun of) their bosses, with their colleagues, (on) their own time.” https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/may/23/australian-worker-sacked-over-hitler-parody-video-has-win-in-federal-court

Proposal to ‘fix’ government trust fund programs with expedited legislation is a cover for cutting these programs, say critics. “(Mitt) Romney’s TRUST Act would create a fast-track, closed door commission to cut Social Security and Medicare,” (Alex) Lawson said. “If Republicans cared about the American people, especially seniors, they’d be passing legislation to get PPE to essential workers, help the unemployed, and rush assistance to the nursing homes that are turning into death traps. Instead, they are focused on using this pandemic as an excuse to gut our most popular and effective government programs.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/05/22/gop-plot-gut-social-security-behind-closed-doors-gains-steam-senate-covid-19-talks

Minor party candidate sues to overturn Georgia ballot access rules. “Under the current law, third-party candidates must file a qualifying fee and gather the signatures of 5% of the number of registered voters in the district. Candidates nominated by the Democratic and Republican parties do not have to submit the nomination petition and automatically appear on the ballot…. ‘No third-party candidate for (U.S. House) representative has appeared on the general election ballot since the scheme was first enacted in 1943.'” https://www.courthousenews.com/fight-over-ballot-access-in-georgia-hits-11th-circuit/

EPA suggests writing salmon out of Columbia and Snake rivers’ lists of designated uses, instead of breaching dams to lower water temperatures to keep the fish alive. “To suggest that the rivers can no longer be used by fish, that salmon no longer belong in the rivers and that we’re not going to protect them is absurd and deeply cynical.” https://www.courthousenews.com/epa-report-suggests-rivers-arent-for-salmon/ “The 60-day public comment period for the EPA report opened Thursday.”

Iranian leader says Muslims have a ‘duty’ to liberate Palestine. “The aim of this struggle is the liberation of the entire Palestinian land” and “the return of all Palestinians to their country.” https://www.courthousenews.com/irans-khamenei-says-liberating-palestine-is-islamic-duty/

May 22, 2020

Trump administration asks local Planned Parenthood organizations to return emergency coronavirus PPP loans. “Under the program’s rules, small businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 500 employees can apply for forgivable loans. Planned Parenthood officials say local member organizations that fall within those limitations — not the larger, national group — applied for and received the funds.” https://www.npr.org/2020/05/21/860410536/trump-administration-to-planned-parenthood-return-coronavirus-relief-funds

Another 2.4 million Americans file for unemployment benefits. “The official unemployment rate is now 14.7%, the worst since records began.… most economists believe the real figure is higher and expect unemployment to rise to well above 20% in the coming months.” https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/may/21/us-unemployment-figures-jobs-lost-coronavirus

State judge rules in favor of governor on Michigan’s extension of ‘state of emergency’. “(Judge Cynthia) Stephens did rule that under the (Emergency Management Act), at the end of 28 days of a state of emergency, there are only two outcomes. One is the state of emergency is terminated – the other is continuing with legislative approval.” https://www.wxyz.com/news/coronavirus/judge-rules-in-favor-of-whitmer-in-republican-led-lawsuit-challenging-emergency-powers

University of California to phase out use of standardized tests for admissions. “Critics (of the tests) say the SAT and ACT are heavily influenced by race, income and parental education levels…. But the College Board and ACT strongly assert that their tests are not biased and that they reflect existing inequities in access to quality education.” https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-05-21/uc-drops-sat-and-act-test-requirement-for-admission It seems like this will penalize the serious students and boost the chances of high school students who are top athletes, founders of local charities and non-profit groups, animal shelter volunteers and student leaders. What is the actual purpose of college? A step towards career success for people who know how to work the system and how to tell people what they want to hear, or the further development of academically inclined or gifted young people who want to pursue knowledge and truth? What happens to a society when it pushes out the smart people and the truth-seekers, and replaces them with clever, well-connected people who know that challenging the status quo (developing new and possibly better ideas to replace the old ones) leads to career death? There’s a reason we have ‘admissions scandals’ – some people are not college material, no matter who their parents are. Do we really want higher education to turn into a ‘Sneetches with stars‘ situation, where people are basically just buying a diploma to advance socially and economically? And then we’re going to let these people run society?

FBI to investigate death of Louisville, Kentucky woman during police raid. “In March, (Breonna) Taylor was shot at least eight times when three officers forcibly entered her apartment to serve a search warrant in a narcotics investigation…. Officers didn’t find drugs in her apartment when they entered, Taylor’s mother said in the lawsuit.” https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/21/us/breonna-taylor-death-police-changes-trnd/index.html Police and witnesses differ on whether or not the officers, who had a ‘no knock’ search warrant, identified themselves before breaking down her door.

Barbers and stylists who gave protesters free haircuts outside Michigan’s capitol reportedly cited for ‘ disorderly conduct’. “The hairdressers were ticketed for disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor, after being warned by police, The Associated Press reported. Disorderly conduct is punishable by up to a $500 fine, 90 days in jail or both.” https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/499031-stylists-ticketed-for-cutting-hair-on-michigan-capitol-lawn-to

Philadelphia elections judge pleads guilty to stuffing ballot boxes for ‘political consultant’. “A political consultant hired by specific Democratic candidates gave (Domenick) DeMuro a cut of his fee to add votes for these candidates, who were running for judicial and various state, federal and local elected offices.” https://www.phillyvoice.com/voter-fraud-south-philly-judge-elections-guilty-domenick-demuro-democrat-voting-machines/

Researchers say quicker action by federal government on coronavirus would have saved tens of thousands of lives. “Disease modelers at Columbia University said in a study released Wednesday that 61.6% of deaths and 55% of infections nationwide could have been avoided if preventative measures in place on March 15 had been enacted a week earlier…. researchers determined that if the measures had begun two weeks earlier, then 82.7% of deaths and 84% of infections — or about 53,990 deaths and 960,937 cases — could have been prevented nationwide, they found.” https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/study-finds-earlier-coronavirus-restrictions-us-saved-36k/story?id=70808611

U.S. intelligence agencies reportedly sought help from consultants on how to conduct Trump briefings. “Intelligence officials told the (New York) Times that Trump becomes irritable when intelligence officials present information he doesn’t agree with or correct falsehoods he (has spread) publicly or privately. Once he is irate, it is reportedly difficult for him to retain information.” https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/499010-intelligence-agencies-have-hired-outside-consultants-to-improve The man is a genius, so he knows when you’re lying to him. (sarcasm)

Weakening of Earth’s magnetic field may indicate coming pole shift. “Researchers have speculated that the current weakening of the magnetic field is a sign that Earth is heading for an eminent pole reversal—in which the north and south magnetic poles switch places. Although that may sound dramatic, that type of event has happened throughout the planet’s long history, at a rate of about once every 250,000 years…” https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/earths-magnetic-field-weakens-impacting-satellites-and-spacecraft-report/ar-BB14qLNE

Egyptian government demands that publications provide it with real names of writers who publish work under pseudonyms. “On 12 May, Egypt’s Council for Media Regulation, an independent authority that monitors media operations, announced that print and online media outlets would be required to submit a request that clarifies the reason for using pseudonymous bylines (and) the duration of using them, in addition to the writers’ real names.” https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/egypt-restricts-use-pseudonyms-after-article-calls-sinai-independence Because writers in Egypt have nothing to fear from their own government. (sarcasm)

Three Algerian political activists jailed over Facebook posts. “Their lawyer, Abdelghani Badi, said on Facebook that (Larbi) Tahar was accused of having insulted President Abdelmadjid Tebboune by calling him ‘illegitimate’, while (Mohamed) Boudiaf had criticised the ‘injustice’ of Algeria’s judicial system.” https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/algerian-activists-sentenced-criticising-authorities-facebook-rights-groups

Senate Democrats introduce bill to continue pay and health insurance for laid-off workers. “The Paycheck Security Act—introduced with support from senators across the ideological spectrum of the Democratic caucus, and with the notable backing of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)—would massively expand the existing Employee Retention Tax Credit to cover wages, salaries, and benefits for laid-off or furloughed workers up to $90,000 per year.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/05/21/senate-bill-would-guarantee-paychecks-laid-workers-rest-2020-avoid-another-great

President Trump reportedly pressuring states not to allow mail-in voting in November election. “We don’t want anyone to do mail-in ballots.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/05/21/despite-deadly-pandemic-trump-says-we-dont-want-anybody-do-mail-ballots The fewer people who vote, the better Republican candidates do. “Last year, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) dismissed Democrats’ proposal to make Election Day a federal holiday, suggesting it was intended to help them win elections — apparently by increasing turnout.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/03/30/trump-voting-republicans/

President Trump threatens to withhold federal funds from states that allow mail-in voting. “Earlier today, President Trump threatened to withhold federal grants from the states of Michigan and Nevada if they proceed with plans to expand vote-by-mail options in order to make it safer to vote in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.” https://reason.com/2020/05/20/trumps-threat-to-withhold-federal-funds-from-states-that-expand-voting-by-mail-highlights-growing-menace-to-federalism-and-separation-of-powers/

Federal judge throws out lawsuit of wealthy California landowners seeking to bar the public from ‘their’ beaches. “We are pleased with the Court’s decision and we look forward to working with the (Hollister) Ranch owners and all stakeholders on developing an access plan that will provide meaningful public access to this beautiful stretch of California’s coast.” https://www.courthousenews.com/fight-to-keep-ritzy-california-beach-enclave-closed-to-public-fizzles-in-court/

Former Intercept journalist takes job as NYPD’s press officer. “The troubling pattern (of Intercept sources being exposed) raises serious questions about why sources of The Intercept, Richard Esposito, and Matthew Cole keep getting burned. Is it mere carelessness on the part of the reporters, or have US government agencies played a role?” https://thegrayzone.com/2020/05/20/the-intercept-reality-winner-richard-esposito-nypd/

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