Sharyl Attkisson

Untouchable Subjects. Fearless, Nonpartisan Reporting.

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Traumatic Brain Injury: A Full Measure investigation

Here's the print writeup of my cover story investigation into a tragic example of veterans left untreated for their Traumatic Brain Injury. It links to the video investigation and transcript as well.

Millions of military veterans get their medical care through the Veterans Administration or VA. You’ve probably heard over the years about systemic problems in the VA system that have caused scandals led to calls for reforms.

I recently dug into one issue brought to light by a VA whistleblower named James DeNofrio.

DeNofrio, an Army vet, worked as an administrator at the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He told me he was shocked to discover in 2013 a long list of vets with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) who were languishing on a list without a treatment plan.

"There were, I believe, 600 patients on that list,” DeNofrio told me. “Out of that 600, as I drilled down, six had committed suicide, one veteran had gone and shot up a local Subway,” shooting three people.

The vet who “shot up” the Subway restaurant was named Nick Horner. I did a little research and learned that Horner was convicted of murder for the crime, and was serving time in prison. But, as DeNofrio indicated, there was a lot more to Horner’s story.

Read the rest of the story at the link, and watch the video!

https://wjla.com/news/nation-world/va-waitlists-came-with-fatal-consequences

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President Trump on why he wants to end America's "endless wars"

At a rally this week, President Trump spoke in the most depth yet about America's "endless wars" in places like Syria and Afghanistan, and why he says it's important to finally end them.

Sometimes they’ll run to the coffin. They’ll break through military barriers. They’ll run to the coffin and jump on top of the coffin. Crying mothers and wives. Crying desperately.

President Trump, October 2019

(Full transcript follows video)

President Trump's remarks:

But it was time to bring our soldiers back home. So I see — and I will tell you: The hardest thing I have to do, by far, much harder than the witch hunt, is signing letters to parents of soldiers that have been killed. And it’s not only that — in areas where there’s not a lot of upside, if there’s any upside at all, and in many cases, it’s only downside.

And especially when that solider was killed in a Blue-on-Green attack. You know what that is, right? That’s where a solider being trained or whatever turns his gun on an American solider. “Here, son. Take your gun. You know how to use it.” And he takes the gun and he turns it. And he shoots one — we have many of them in Afghanistan — in particular, in Afghanistan.

The hardest thing I have to do is signing those letters. That’s the hardest thing I have to do. And each letter is different. We make each letter different. And last week, I signed five of them for Afghanistan; one in Iraq; one in Syria, from two weeks ago. And sometimes I call the parents. Sometimes I see the parents. I go to Dover, when I can, but it’s — it’s so devastating for the parents that — you know. It’s so devastating when they bring that boy or young woman out of the back of those big, powerful planes in a coffin, and the parents are there.

You know, we have people that do that. That’s what they do. They — they work that. They accommodate everybody. That’s what they do. They an incredible job. And they said — I said, “The parents seemed to be okay.” I’ll get there early. “The parents seemed to be okay.” “Well, actually, sir, they aren’t.” “No, no. The way they’re talking. They’re really okay, aren’t they?” “Sir, you never know until the back of that massive cargo plane opens up.” And they walk down holding a coffin with four or five great soldiers on each side of it, representing our various forces. That you never know.

And then I see it. And I see people that were smiling, “Oh, Mr. President, thank you for being here. Thank you for being here.” And I think they’re doing great. And then, twenty minutes later, we’ll be outside when that big plane pulls up and that door comes down, and they are walking the coffin with their boy inside this coffin with an American flag over the top. And they’re walking that coffin down this ramp. And I’ve seen people that I thought were really incredible the way they were ta- — I didn’t even understand how they could take it so well — scream, like I’ve never seen anything before. Sometimes they’ll run to the coffin. They’ll break through military barriers. They’ll run to the coffin and jump on top of the coffin. Crying mothers and wives. Crying desperately.

And this is on these endless wars that just never stop. And there’s a time and there’s a place, but it’s time to stop.

And just to finish, last Friday, I went to Walter Reed. And I gave out five Purple Hearts to incredible young men — in this case, all men. And they took a beating. Beautiful people. They took a beating. One couldn’t be there because the beating was so great that he was at a totally different part of the world. He lost a leg. He lost an arm. Ryan. He had tremendous damage, beyond even what these young folks went through.

But I’ll tell you what: For me, it’s very hard when I see that. It’s very hard. It’s easy to talk tough. You know, tough guys. All of these tough guys. “Let’s keep fighting. Let’s keep fighting.” If they had to go to Walter Reed — where they do unbelievable work. I have to tell you, these doctors are unbelievable. You know, it’s easy to say, “Oh, they’re not the…” They’re the best in the world. I’ve never seen anything like it.

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One young man, last week, had his nose rebuilt. And they said it was in a thousand pieces. And, I said, “So where were you hurt?” He said, “My face, sir, was almost obliterated.” I said, “You have a better face than I do.” (Laughter.) And he said, “Sir, I had a doctor who was unbelievable, and they put it together.” They said — he said “a thousand fragments.” Now, I don’t if that’s even possible. But a thousand fragments. And they put it together.

And his father, who was crying, came up to me and said, “You’re not going to believe this, but my son didn’t have a great-looking nose and now his nose is better.” (Laughter.) Okay? It’s an amazing thing.

But when you see these — and the Purple Hearts — you see this kind of thing — and I see a lot of it at Walter Reed. And, again, the job those doctors and the people do at Walter Reed, it’s something to be commended.

Thank you all very much. Thank you.

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E-cigarettes... and a question of why some health risks are publicized over others

The following is a news analysis.

As many Americans know, there has recently been a fairly sudden and very public effort to draw attention to the health risks of e-cigarettes.

This includes the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issuing weekly tallies of injuries and the states where they occur. Among the highlights: most injuries are occurring in males under age 35.

Contrast this effort to spread the word about e-cigarettes... with other health risks that seem to be kept largely under wraps.

This includes the CDC's refusal for many months to disclose the number of victims state-by-state when it comes to a mysterious virus and a possibly related mysterious polio-like paralysis that's been hitting American children since 2014.

Thousands of children have been impacted by the virus and paralysis. Yet CDC issued few public alerts, would not grant interviews when I asked, and initially claimed it could not give a list of the states where the paralysis occurred for "patient privacy" reasons. Of course, this was nonsensical reasoning since listing the states in no way identifies the children involved. Further, many parents said they wanted their children's cases publicized in order to help other families. CDC also made it very difficult to find out more about this mystery. I ended up pursuing a Freedom of Information Act request over a course of many years to get basic public information about a disease impacting the public health, as CDC fought disclosure. Eventually, CDC did release the list of states.

In short, it can be unclear as to why CDC widely publicizes some health threats, while downplaying others... even when greater numbers are involved.

In any event, here is CDC's latest information on e-cigarettes.

CDC updates number of cases of lung disease associated with e-cigarette use, or vaping

  • As of October 1, 2019, 1,080 confirmed and probable lung injury cases associated with e-cigarette product use, or vaping, were reported by 48 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
  • Among 578 patients with information on substances used in e-cigarette, or vaping, products in the 90 days prior to symptom onset:
    • About 78% reported using THC-containing products, with or without nicotine-containing products; 37% reported exclusive use of THC-containing products; and
    • 17% reported exclusive use of nicotine-containing products.
  • About 70% of patients are male.
  • Approximately 80% of the patients are under 35 years old; 16% are under 18 years old.
    • The median age of patients is 23 years, ranging from 13 to 75 years old.

Deaths

  • 18 deaths have been confirmed in 15 states: Alabama, California (2), Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas (2), Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oregon (2), and Virginia.
    • The median age of patients who have died is 50 years, ranging from 27 to 71 years old.

The increasing number of lung injury cases we see associated with e-cigarette use, or vaping, is deeply concerning. Unfortunately, this may be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the escalating health threat this outbreak poses to the American public, particularly youth and young adults. CDC will continue to work with FDA and state health partners to investigate the cause, or causes, of this outbreak and to bring an end to these lung injuries.

Dr. Robert R. Redfield, MD, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

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"Questions mainstream media won't ask"

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin)

If you're among those who believe the "mainstream media" often presents a one-sided picture of the news, you're in agreement with a prominent Republican Senator.

In a new article written for The Hill, Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, argues the press has largely avoided reporting the "coordinated effort to sabotage Trump's administration."

As the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Johnson says he has numerous questions about "corrupt behavior occurring within the Obama administration during the 2016 campaign and presidential transition."

Here are nineteen questions Sen. Johnson posits:

- Did President Obama see clintonemail.com (instead of an official government address) as Hillary Clinton’s email address when he communicated with her? 

- Why didn’t the FBI compel key witnesses to testify before the grand jury in its investigation of Clinton’s email scandal?

- Did the FBI require the preservation of evidence (computers and disk drives of Clinton and her associates)? If so, when? If not, why not?

- Why was no one charged with a crime after Clinton’s aides or employees used Bleachbit to permanently erase her emails and hammers to destroy two mobile devices?

- Why did the FBI allow fact witnesses Cheryl Mills and Heather Samuelson to join Clinton’s interview?

- What contact and involvement occurred between Ukrainian officials and members of the Clinton campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and/or Obama administration regarding the 2016 election?

- Did the Trump campaign receive a defensive briefing as thorough as was provided to Clinton’s campaign and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.)?

- What was the real reason James Comey briefed President-elect Trump on Jan. 6, 2017 about the unverified Steele dossier?

- What was Director of National Intelligence James Clapper’s role in engineering this part of the briefing?

- Who connected Joseph Mifsud with George Papadopoulos? How and why?

- Who connected Australia’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Alexander Downer, with George Papadopoulos in London? How and why?

- Did Obama and/or members of his White House staff communicate with the Department of Justice, the FBI, or intelligence agencies regarding the investigation of Trump and his campaign?

- Was there cooperation with foreign intelligence agencies during the investigation of the Trump campaign?

- What was the role of CIA Director John Brennan and the intelligence community in that investigation?

- How many Americans were “unmasked” during FISA surveillance? Which members of the Obama administration ordered unmasking, and why?

- Why were high-level State Department officials meeting with Christopher Steele and funneling his dossier to the FBI?

- What did Peter Strzok really mean by an “insurance policy”?

- In Peter Strzok’s Dec. 15, 2016 text, what leaks by “our sisters” was he referring to, and what did he believe they were worried about?

- Why was Peter Strzok - the FBI’s lead investigator on the Trump/Russia probe - concerned “there’s no big there there” as he was considering joining the Special Counsel team?

Read Sen. Johnson's entire article in The Hill by clicking the link below:

https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/465241-we-need-answers-to-questions-mainstream-media-wont-ask-about

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.

Poll: Too much news coverage dedicated to impeachment

Our latest unscientific poll at SharylAttkisson.com finds dissatisfaction with how much news time is dedicated to coverage of the Democrats' effort to impeach President Trump.

Eighty-five percent (85%) of those who responded says there is too much coverage.

Only about 2% said the amount of news coverage is "about right."

See the full results below. Meantime, vote in our new poll at the home page of SharylAttkisson.com! Look for the black box on the right sidebar or scroll way down on the mobile site.

The amount of news coverage dedicated to impeachment is:

1% Too little

85% Too much

2% About right

12% What news coverage?

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Exclusive: Puerto Rico's Federal Hurricane Aid by the Numbers. An original investigation

Puerto Rico hurricane victim Brenda Castro has received no assistance two years later

It wasn't easy getting the true numbers when it comes to how much U.S. aid has gone to Puerto Rico two years after their double hurricanes.

The results of my investigation are summarized in the table and chart below.

Also included in this post is the text of my Full Measure investigation from Puerto Rico and a link to the video.

Related: Puerto Rico Hurricane Aid and Fraud (Podcast)

Watch the video of the investigation by clicking the link below. Transcripts in both English and Spanish follow.

http://fullmeasure.news/news/cover-story/hurricane-recovery

Puerto Rico Hurricane Aid Follow the Money...and Fraud

Please note: Spanish translation follows English below

Imagine having the task of distributing the most aid money ever for a natural disaster responsibly to a government mired in corruption and under FBI investigation. That’s what’s happening right now in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico two years after two hurricanes, Maria and Irma. You have $91 billion reasons to care. That’s how much of your tax money is intended for recovery. Today, we go to Puerto Rico to follow the hurricane money and the fraud.

In the small Puerto Rican village of Corozal Brenda Rodriguez is still waiting for help. She recorded the frightening rise of the river outside her doorstep during Hurricane Maria.

Sharyl: What were you thinking when you saw the river coming up like that?

Brenda: That I was going to die and that the house would fall apart.

Two years later, Rodriguez still lives in the rotted-out home without a penny of the billions earmarked for hurricane recovery. She was surprised to learn she wasn’t eligible for assistance because she doesn’t own the house.

Brenda: A young man came around and gave me an application to fill and that’s it.

Sharyl: The mainland U.S.government gave a lot of money to the territory of Puerto Rico for hurricane recovery.

Rodriguez’s sister is on the phone helping translate.

Sharyl: Has she seen any of those funds they sent being used to help around your community?

Brenda: I haven’t seen any of that.

62,000 hurricane Puerto Rican victims, like Rodriguez, have been denied emergency help for technical reasons. That’s despite a record amount of U.S. tax money being devoted to recovery.

A Full Measure investigation crunched the numbers:

An estimated $48 billion dollars for Puerto Rico will come from emergency recovery funds.

$43 billion more has been appropriated by Congress so far.

In all, it’s estimated the recovery effort in Puerto Rico will amount to $91 billion U.S. tax dollars.

Of that amount, we found that the island has only received about $14 billion.

The biggest single chunk, $5 billion was spent fixing the electric system, which was already failing before the hurricane.

Nearly $20 billion has been earmarked for housing and shelter under “community planning and development” but two years after Maria, less than a million ($913,000) dollars has been paid out.

Omar Marrero is one of Puerto Rico’s top hurricane recovery officials.

Omar: When you talk about how much money has been allocated, earmarked for Puerto Rico, you're talking about billions. Then you're like, "Well, they're well off." No. That money, even though it has been obligated, there's not available still for the people.

Morrero told us not one damaged Puerto Rican school has seen permanent repairs in the past two years.

Omar:This is termites— I don't how to say in English.

Sharyl: Like their tunnel?

Omar: Yes.

Sharyl: Is this classroom being used?

Omar:Yes.

Sharyl: Well, and obviously it rains in here.

Omar: It rains .... exactly.

Omar: They’re painting over the mold, but the mold has not been remediated. The mold is from the hurricane.

To find out what’s wrong, we began with a helicopter tour of the 110-mile long island spotting dots of blue that mark homes that still have no roofs. Puerto Rico is extremely poor. At least 46% of its residents, 1.3 million people, were on welfare before the hurricanes.

Alberto Martinez, a history professor and Puerto Rico native, has been tracking the slow progress on the ground.

Alberto Martinez: Here we see one of the blue tarps distributed by FEMA to cover rooftops. These tarps were supposed to be usable only for 30 days, and yet it's two years after Hurricane Maria ... and yet still here it is.

Sharyl: Have the blue tarps kind of become a symbol of what's been left undone two years later?

Alberto Martinez: It's a symbol of the neglect. There's a bureaucracy in the way that prevents actual funds from being dispersed to individuals. Certainly contractors are making money, but individuals are not getting relief.

We took our questions to the top man in Puerto Rico from FEMA— the Federal Emergency Management Agency— Jonathan Hoyes.

Sharyl: Two years later, they're spending their own money, local money, to paint over mold because they don't have FEMA money or federal money to fix the roofs and to do anything else.

Jonathan Hoyes: We're not happy with the fact that people, as you say, if they are painting over mold are doing that.

But it turns out the biggest disaster relief effort in American history is also the most complicated.

Part of the explanation can be found in massive protests against Puerto Rico’s government while we were there in July.

Sharyl: Fueling discontent in Puerto Rico is news that the FBI is investigating a number of government officials and contractors are under fbi investigation over allegations of misuse of all the taxpayer money sent in after Hurricane Maria.

The FBI has arrested six top Puerto Rican government officials and consultants.

Also charged— FEMA official Ahsha Tribble - once an Obama homeland security adviser. Tribble took the lead on getting Puerto Rico’s electric grid fixed. Now she is accused of taking bribes to steer a $1.8 billion dollar contract to a company called Cobra. Cobra’s CEO at the time and a FEMA friend of Tribble's who went to work for COBRA were also arrested.

All have denied wrongdoing.

Sharyl: The FBI has arrested some top officials here and said that it's looking into Hurricane recovery fraud. How would it be possible to steal or commit corruption with this money that is being carefully tracked?

Omar: It could happen in the procurement process. Because, obviously, for any permanent work that was being initiated with disaster funding, you have to do procurement. So unfortunately, most of this recovery processes and as many other jurisdictions, we will not be exempt from wrongdoing.

What’s more, communities normally fund their own immediate repairs and then apply to get paid back by FEMA. But Puerto Rico was bankrupt and mired in a corruption scandal before the hurricanes. That means they didn’t have cash on hand.

Omar: FEMA it is totally agnostic to the fiscal economic situation in Puerto Rico. So as opposed to Texas, we don't have a rainy day fund.

Sharyl: Because you're already under financial management because of your, sort of like a bankruptcy.

Omar: Exactly, because when we came into public office, we were already dealing with two man-made hurricanes; fiscal and economic crisis.

Omar: Those challenges on the fiscal side exacerbates even more the recovery process of Puerto Rico.

Sharyl: The program may expect a community to lay out initial money and get paid back for it later?

Jonathan Hoyes: That's right.

But Puerto Rico really doesn't have that spare money.

Jonathan Hoyes: Some of the assumptions we have about what a community can do for itself and how quickly they can do it don't necessarily apply. And that's where we all have to be as flexible and as patient but as resourceful as we can be.

Both Puerto Rico and FEMA insist they’re doing what they can to get money to the needy while making sure it’s not lost to waste or fraud. Even without most of the recovery money actually in hand, Puerto Rico is slowly returning to normal.

Mego Garcia: We try to help each other recover but it was hard. It was really hard

For months, Mego Garcia says she cared for her mother and sister— both disabled— without power or running water.

Garcia: I don't work in seven or eight months.

Sharyl: You had to close down this business?

Mego Garcia: Yeah. I don't have money, no tourists.

Now, she’s been able to reopen the roadside business she’s operated for the past 27 years. And hurricane recovery officials tell us victims like Brenda Rodriguez may yet qualify for some aid, such as cash for relocating to a more livable house. For now, there’s just no telling when that might be.

Puerto Rico’s governor resigned in late July and the territory’s Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez Garced is the new governor. She announced plans to review Hurricane relief funds and all government contracts.

Spanish translation: 

En el pequeño pueblo Puertorriqueño de Corozal Brenda Rodriguez aún está esperando ayuda. Ella recordó el terrible alzamiento del río justo afuera de su puerta durante el Huracán María.

Sharyl: Qué estaba pensando cuando usted vio el río elevarse de esa manera?

Brenda: Que yo me iba a morir y que la casa se iba a despedazar.

Dos años luego, Rodriguez todavía vive en la casa deteriorada sin ni siquiera un centavo de los billones de dólares federales asignados para las reparaciones del huracán. A ella le sorprendió enterarse de que no era elegible para recibir fondos porque no es dueña de la casa.

Brenda: Un hombre joven vino por aquí y me entregó una solicitud para completar, y eso fue todo.

Sharyl: Estados Unidos envió mucho dinero a Puerto Rico para reconstrucción luego del huracán.

La hermana de Rodriguez está en el teléfono para ayudar a traducir.

Sharyl: Ha ella visto algo de los fondos enviados para ayudar en su comunidad?

Brenda: Yo no he visto nada de eso.

Como Rodriguez, hay 62,000 víctimas del huracán en Puerto Rico quienes han sido denegados asistencia de emergencia por razones técnicas. Eso a pesar de una cantidad record de dinero de impuestos Estadounidenses que han sido dirigidos a la recuperación.

Una investigación de Full Measure analizó los números:

Aproximadamente $48 billones de dólares para Puerto Rico vienen de fondos federales de emergencia.

También, $43 billones adicionales han sido asignados por el Congreso, hasta ahora.

En total, se estima que la inversión de reconstrucción en Puerto Rico será $91 billones de dólares de impuestos recaudados en Estados Unidos.

De ese dinero, hemos descubierto que la isla solamente ha recibido alrededor de $14 billones.

La porción más grande fue $5 billones invertidos para reparar el sistema eléctrico de la isla, el cual ya antes del huracán se encontraba en condición crítica de deterioro.

Aproximadamente $20 billones han sido separados para residencias y refugios bajo la categoría de “planificación y desarrollo de comunidades” pero dos años luego de María, menos de un millón ($913,000) dólares han sido pagados.

Omar Marrero es uno de los oficiales principales de Puerto Rico trabajando en la reconstrucción por el huracán.

Marrero: Cuando se habla de cuánto dinero ha sido asignado para Puerto Rico, se está hablando de billones de dólares. Entonces uno piensa, “Bueno, entonces ya están bien.” Pero no. Ese dinero, a pesar de que ha sido asignado, todavía no está disponible para la gente aquí.

Marrero nos informó que ni siquiera una sola escuela ha recibido reparaciones permanentes en los últimos dos años, desde el huracán.

Marrero: Aquí hay termitas — no sé como decirlo en inglés.

Sharyl: Como el túnel que hacen?

Marrero: Sí.

Sharyl: Y este salón está siendo usado para dar clases?

Marrero: Sí.

Sharyl: Y pues, aquí obviamente entra agua de la lluvia.

Marrero: Sí llueve . exactamente.

Marrero: Ahora han pintando por encima del hongo, pero el hongo no ha sido eliminado. El hongo surgió por el huracán.

Pare encontrar cuales son los problemas, tomamos un vuelo de helicóptero por las 110 millas de la isla viendo puntos azules que destacan las casas que aún no tienen techos. Puerto Rico es extremadamente pobre. Antes de los huracanes, al menos 46% de sus residentes, 1.3 millones de personas, recibían ayuda económica por la pobreza.

Alberto Martínez es profesor de historia y nativo de Puerto Rico, y ha estado siguiendo el lento progreso de recuperación.

Martínez: Aquí vemos uno de los toldos azules que fueron distribuidos por FEMA para cubrir los techos. Estos toldos se supone que fueran usados solo por 30 días, y sin embargo ya han pasado dos años desde el Huracán María y sin embargo ahí está.

Sharyl: Los toldos azules se han convertido en símbolo de lo que no se ha hecho dos años luego?

Martínez: Es un símbolo de la negligencia. Hay de por medio una burocracia que impide que los fondos federales sean entregados a las personas. Y algunos contratistas están cobrando mucho dinero, pero los individuos no reciben ayuda.

Llevamos nuestras preguntas a Jonathan Hoyes, el encargado más importante de FEMA en Puerto Rico — la Agencia Federal de Manejar Emergencias.

Sharyl: Dos años luego, están gastando su propio dinero, dinero local, para pintar por encima del hongo porque no tienen fondos de FEMA ni fondos federales para reparar los techos ni para hacer nada más.

Hoyes: No nos agrada el hecho de que la gente, como usted dice, estén pintando por encima del hongo.

Pero resulta que nuestro proyecto de ayuda más grande en la historia Americana es también el más complicado. Parte de la explicación se puede ver en protestas masivas en contra del Gobierno e Puerto Rico que transcurrieron mientras estábamos allí en Julio.

Sharyl: Agitando la amargura en Puerto Rico están las noticias que el FBI está investigando a un número de oficiales del gobierno y contratistas que también están bajo investigación del FBI por alegada malversación de fondos federales enviados luego del Huracán María.

El FBI ha arrestado a seis oficiales de alto rango del gobierno de Puerto Rico y a consultores.

También ha sido acusado la oficial de FEMA Ahsha Tribble, anteriormente consejera den seguridad nacional (Homeland Security). Tribble fue líder en el proyecto de reparar la infraestructura eléctrica de Puerto Rico. Ahora está siendo acusada de aceptar sobornos para entregar un contrato de $1.8 billones a una compañía llamada Cobra. El CEO de Cobra en ese momento y un amigo de él de FEMA se fueron a trabajar entonces para Cobra y también fueron arrestados.

Todos han negado las acusaciones.

Sharyl: El FBI ha arrestado algunos oficiales de alto nivel y dice que está investigando fraude de la recuperación del huracán. Cómo sería posible cometer corrupción con este dinero que es supervisado con tanto cuidado.

Marrero: Puede pasar en el proceso de solicitud. Porque, obviamente, para cualquier trabajo permanente que fue iniciado con fondos de desastre, hay que hacer solicitud. Así que desafortunadamente, la mayor parte de este proceso de reconstrucción, y pregúntele a otras jurisdicciones, no vamos a ser exentos de malversación.

Además, las comunidades comúnmente invierten en sus propias reparaciones inmediatas y luego solicitan para ser reembolsados por FEMA. Pero Puerto Rico estaba en bancarrota y sumergido en un escándalo de corrupción antes de los huracanes. Por esto no tenían dinero a la mano.

Marrero: FEMA es totalmente indiferente sobre la situación fiscal económica en Puerto Rico. Por eso, a diferencia de Texas, no tenemos fondos de emergencia.

Sharyl: Porque ya están bajo supervisión fiscal (Marrero: Exactamente), es decir, debido a la bancarrota de Puerto Rico.

Marrero: Exacto, porque entramos a trabajar en el gobierno, y ya estábamos trabajando contra dos crisis hechas por los hombres: crisis fiscal y económica. Estos retos en el lado fiscal obstruyen aún más el proceso de recuperación de Puerto Rico.

Sharyl: El programe [de asistencia federal] puede requerir que una comunidad use su propio dinero inicialmente para luego ser reembolsada?

Hoyes: Es correcto.

Sharyl: Pero Puerto Rico en realidad no tiene el dinero disponible para usar.

Hoyes: Algunas de las impresiones que tenemos sobre qué puede hacer una comunidad por si misma y cuán rápido puede hacerlo no necesariamente son válidas. Y ahí es donde todos tenemos que ser lo más flexible posible, y lo más paciente e ingenioso que se pueda.

Ambos el gobierno de Puerto Rico y FEMA insisten que están haciendo lo que se puede para llevarle dinero a los desamparados mientras tratan de asegurar que no sea desperdicio o fraude. Aún sin la mayor parte del dinero en mano Puerto Rico lentamente va regresando a la normalidad.

Mego García: Tratamos de ayudarnos los unos a los otros, pero era difícil era bien difícil

Por meses, Mego García dice que estuvo cuidando a su madre y hermana — ambas incapacitadas — sin electricidad ni servicio de agua.

García: Yo no he tenido empleo por siete u ocho meses.

Sharyl: Usted tuvo que cerrar su negocio?

García: Sí. Yo no tenía dinero, ni habían turistas

Ahora, ella ha logrado reabrir su negocio al lado de la carretera, el cual había operado por los últimos 27 años.

Y oficiales de la recuperación nos dicen que víctimas como Brenda Rodriguez quizás aún puedan cualificar para para alguna ayuda [federal] tal como dinero para mudarse a una casa más apropiada para vivir. Pero por ahora, no hay ningún indicio de cuándo podrá pasar eso.

Traducción por Alberto A. Martínez

Inside the Resistance

The following is one of our Full Measure profiles of the anti-Trump "resistance." We will soon profile activists on the other side, including the "Walk Away" and "Blexit" movement. Watch the video by clicking the link at the end of this report.

Three years ago, just after President Trump’s surprise victory, we visited with Democrats forming The Resistance— desperate and determined to undermine the President and turn things in the next election. As we approach the Congressional midterm elections— the elections between Presidential election years— we decided to check back in with some of those resisters and found even though Trump isn’t on this ballot—he’s on their minds.

Caller: Just reminding people to get out and vote on November 6th

Sharyl: These members of the so called Democratic resistance in Pennsylvania’s capital of Harrisburg are working the phones around dinner time on a Wednesday evening, searching for like-minded voters who also want to join the movement.

Caller: She’s coming out to vote, right?

Their goal is to toss incumbent Republican Scott Perry out of Congress— and replace him with Democrat George Scott, a pastor and veteran. They’re also trying to keep Democrat Tom Wolf in the governor’s office and reelect the state’s single Democratic Senator. But more than anything else— they’re trying to stop President Trump.

Marlene Kanuck: All the different things that have been happening, like immigration, the regulations, the environmental regulations they have turned around, the tax break that’s for the top 1 percent. And not for the common people. The courts- changing the courts

Rogette Harris: People now see that elections do matter and they see what the policies are. And they’re scared.

Nearly two years ago, we were in Harrisburg, just after the President’s surprise Pennsylvania victory helped put him over the top. We met Democrat Party organizer Gene Stilp, then organizing a rally on the steps of the State Capitol

Stilp: We have basically an idiot running the government right now, or attempting to run the government, who only governs by Twitter.

This year, when we checked back with Stilp, he told us he’d been deployed out West to help Democrats in tight Senate races there. Also nearly two years ago, we also met a fledgling group of resisters at the home of Andrea Walker in Arlington, Virginia. Now going into the midterms, they told us they’re still active— focusing on trying to pick up a couple of Congressional seats currently held by the GOP.

Sharyl: The Resistance has remained energized and motivated since 2016— making an indelible mark with organized protests in the streets, chasing Republicans out of public places, disrupting the Supreme Court nominee process, and even backing what critics call the mob violence of Anti-Fascists or ANTIFA.

As for President Trump — he’s speaking overflow crowds across the country, using the tactics of the Resistance as a rallying cry.

President Trump: Republicans believe in the rule of law, not the rule of the mob. That’s what it is, it’s a mob.

But we found many on the left do not condone the in-your-face tactics. They are resisting quietly, doing the actual hard, organizational work needed to turn a political tide.

Marlane Kanuck: I’m thinking the best thing we can do right now is to look at the House and flip it and then if possible, flip the Senate. That’s the only way we’re going to stop the President from doing what he wants to do.

Pam Zidik organized this group in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Pam Zidik: I’m hopeful. Initially with the shock and everything, everyone was like gung ho. My level of hope is probably medium high that people will come out and vote and will make a difference this time.

They hope to translate enthusiasm and anger into votes but aren’t quite so willing to declare victory on the front end.

Caller: You guys will be coming out together right?

Rogettsot: I’m definitely hopeful. You know, one of the things I tell people especially those who like to go to the protests and the marches and activities is the next march we have to plan is the one to the ballot box. But you know, you never know until that day. So I’m not going to take it for granted. I think as a party we took 2016 for granted we saw that result.

The Harrisburg group has made a particular effort to engage young voters this year, but until election day, they won’t know if the effort pays off. 

Watch the entire Full Measure video story by clicking the link below.

http://fullmeasure.news/news/politics/the-resistance-10-23-2018

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.

Puerto Rico: hurricane relief, fraud, and FBI arrests

Finding out how much U.S. tax money has actually been sent to the territory of Puerto Rico for hurricane recovery... and where it's gone... is no easy task. This week, Full Measure tackles that challenge with a trip to the island.

One of our scenic views on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico

How much aid has really gotten to the Puerto Ricans who need it? And why have so many Puerto Rican officials and contractors been arrested by the FBI?

We'll also tell you why the FBI has arrested some Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials. Watch our cover story investigation Sunday on Full Measure.

UT Professor Alberto Martinez helps Full Measure dissect the hurricane aid numbers in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico resident Brenda Castro lives in a house that was mostly destroyed, but has received no federal assistance

Also this week, what happens to all of the people who cross into the U.S. illegally -- once they're released? They often have no money, no phone and can't speak English.

Some of them go to volunteer refugee centers for help. We take you inside one such center in Arizona where we speak to a woman who says she jumped the fence that very morning with her disabled son. 

Another story we will report pierces the veil of secrecy when it comes to who really writes the laws you have to follow in the state where you live. (It's not pretty.)

And from our trip to Northern Ireland, an interesting footnote about the Titanic! Learn how to find our program below!

We never waste your time rehashing news you've already seen all week. To learn how to watch Full Measure on TV, online or on demand, click: How to watch Full Measure

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.