Sharyl Attkisson

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LISTEN: Attkisson on surveillance and other persistent government scandals

Radio host Ross Kaminsky (right)

Denver radio host Ross Kaminsky and Attkisson discuss impeachment, government surveillance, and what's next.

This is one of the biggest stories of our decade, at least...we have ignored screaming red flags for years.

Sharyl Attkisson, Investigative Reporter

Listen at the link below:

https://khow.iheart.com/content/2019-12-19-sharyl-attkisson-opines-on-impeachment-surveillance-abuse-and-the-media/

Fight improper government surveillance. Support Attkisson v. DOJ and FBI over the government computer intrusions of Attkisson's work while she was a CBS News investigative correspondent. Visit the Attkisson Fourth Amendment Litigation Fund. Click here.

Assange excluded from press organization's annual list of jailed journalists

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a press freedom organization, left off Julian Assange from its annual list of worldwide jailed journalists. That's according to an article in Medium.com by Kevin Gosztola.

The CPJ acknowledged to Gosztola that they anticipated pushback for not including Assange in their list.

CPJ indicated it considered Assange to be a "source" rather than a "journalist."

Gosztola takes issue with the CPJ (and other news outlets) referring to Assange as a "source", rather than a journalist, and suggests they have ulterior motives for that designation. Gosztola goes on to explain why he believes that Assange is, in fact, a journalist, under CPJ's own definition.

CPJ defines journalists as people who cover news or comment on public affairs through any media — including in print, in photographs, on radio, on television, and online.

Kevin Gosztola, Medium.com

Gosztola argues that it is easier to characterize Assange as a criminal if he is not thought of as a journalist.

Read Gosztola's article here:

https://medium.com/@kevin_33184/why-did-respected-press-freedom-organization-exclude-assange-from-annual-list-of-jailed-3f9ab5fe8906

Fight improper government surveillance. Support Attkisson v. DOJ and FBI over the government computer intrusions of Attkisson's work while she was a CBS News investigative correspondent. Visit the Attkisson Fourth Amendment Litigation Fund. Click here.

University of Phoenix to pay $191 million to settle false advertising claims

The University of Phoenix will pay $50 million to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and cancel $141 in student debt to settle false advertising charges, according to Reuters.

In ads targeting military and Hispanic students, the university allegedly falsely claimed to have relationships with several large corporations that could translate to jobs for graduates.

According to Reuters, university representatives denied wrongdoing but said they settled to avoid the distractions caused by lengthy and costly protracted litigation.

Read the Reuters article found in TaskandPurpose.com by clicking the link below:

https://taskandpurpose.com/university-of-phoenix-false-advertising

Fight improper government surveillance. Support Attkisson v. DOJ and FBI over the government computer intrusions of Attkisson's work while she was a CBS News investigative correspondent. Visit the Attkisson Fourth Amendment Litigation Fund. Click here.

Is U.S. Attorney Durham coming for ex-CIA Chief Brennan?

There's a new report from the New York Times that U.S Attorney John Durham is seeking to obtain emails and other communications belonging to ex-CIA Director John Brennan as part of the criminal investigation into the intelligence community's actions in the Trump-Russia probe.

A caution: The New York Times cites anonymous sources (and has proven incorrect many times before on this topic.)

But many analysts believe it's entirely possible that Durham's investigation is leading him to examine the actions of the controversial former intel chief. After leaving the Obama administration, Brennan became a frequent Trump attacker, spreading information and innuendo about the president-- some of it proven sorely wrong.

Brennan and former Direction of National Intelligence James Clapper along with ex-FBI Director James Comey all went public with frequent anti-Trump rhetoric after they were removed from their positions. All are all being scrutinized in the wake of an Obama-appointed Inspector General who concluded there was broad and egregious misconduct in the Trump-Russia probe.

The Inspector General previous recommended the Department of Justice consider filing criminal charges against Comey for mishandling classified and government documents in his effort to disparage Trump. But the Justice Department declined to prosecute saying Comey likely did not intend any harm.

Attorney General William Barr has said Durham's investigation is not expected to be completed before Spring or Summer 2020.

Fight improper government surveillance. Support Attkisson v. DOJ and FBI over the government computer intrusions of Attkisson's work while she was a CBS News investigative correspondent. Visit the Attkisson Fourth Amendment Litigation Fund. Click here.

Brother of ISIS member admits trying to sabotage U.S. passenger plane

A mechanic for American Airlines has plead guilty to sabotaging a plane at Miami International Airport.

According to the Miami Herald, 60-year old Abdul-Majeed Marouf Ahmed Alani now faces up to three years in prison.

Alani was not charged with a terrorist act, although authorities say he lied about taking a trip to Iraq, his brother is a member of the Islamic extremist terrorist group ISIS, the FBI found an ISIS video on Alani's phone showing someone being shot in the head and Alani "sent the video to someone with an Arabic message asking 'Allah' to take revenge against non-Muslims."

Officials reportedly believe Alani was just trying to cause a delay in the flight to get overtime.

In retrospect, it sounds like a very lucky save.

From the Miami Herald:

Read the Miami Herald article by clicking the link below:

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article238483208.html

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There could be contaminated water at 300+ U.S. military bases

More than 300 military sites are suspected of having water affected by toxic chemical known as PFAS, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

EWG created an interactive map of the military bases whose water, says the group, could be impacted by runoff from foam firefighters use in training and emergency response.

Map by Environmental Working Group

The EWG map includes 138 locations not previously identified as known contamination sites.

A proposed bill in Congress would phase out the use of the toxic chemical. The Department of Defense is also funding research for a new foam that could replace PFAS, according to MilitaryTimes.com.

Read more by clicking the link below.

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/12/11/here-are-more-than-300-bases-with-possible-toxic-forever-chemical-contamination/

Fight improper government surveillance. Support Attkisson v. DOJ and FBI over the government computer intrusions of Attkisson's work while she was a CBS News investigative correspondent. Visit the Attkisson Fourth Amendment Litigation Fund. Click here.

Illegal immigrants can now get driver's licenses in NY

New York's "Green Light" Law

This week, a new law went into effect that allows the state of New York to issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

Illegal immigrants can use foreign-issued documents to establish their age and identity. They do not need a valid social security number.

A New York county clerk had reportedly challenged the new law, but a federal judge ruled last Friday that the clerk did not have the legal right to bring the lawsuit against the state.

Several other legal challenges to the new law are pending. Meanwhile, undocumented immigrants formed long lines to get driver's licenses this week.

Read more in The Hill by clicking on the link below:

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/474558-judge-clears-way-for-ny-to-offer-drivers-licenses-to-undocumented

Fight improper government surveillance. Support Attkisson v. DOJ and FBI over the government computer intrusions of Attkisson's work while she was a CBS News investigative correspondent. Visit the Attkisson Fourth Amendment Litigation Fund. Click here.

REPORT: Officials knew about Flint poison risk

Internal company emails for one of the largest utility companies in the world reveal that senior executives were aware of the possibility that lead from the city's pipes could be leaching into drinking water. That's according to a recent article in The Guardian, written by Emily Holden, Ron Fonger, and Jessica Glenza.

Citizens of Flint, Michigan, noticed problems with their water soon after the city's water supply was switched from the Detroit water system to the Flint River in April 2014.

The Guardian reports that email exchanges between utility company executives and city contractors in February 2015 acknowledged safety problems and stated that the water supply should be changed to protect the residents of Flint.

Residents of Flint were not made aware of the wide-spread problem with the water supply until September, 2015.

Read the full article here:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/10/water-company-city-officials-knew-flint-lead-risk-emails-michigan-tap-water

Fight improper government surveillance. Support Attkisson v. DOJ and FBI over the government computer intrusions of Attkisson's work while she was a CBS News investigative correspondent. Visit the Attkisson Fourth Amendment Litigation Fund. Click here.