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On Sept 5, 2008, best friends, 16-year-old Maisy Odjick and 17-year-old Shannon Alexander attended a dance in Maniwaki Quebec, Canada. The following day the two teens disappeared, leaving behind their belongings including their purses, wallets, IDs, and medication. Although several leads have been investigated, the two girls remain missing as of May 2025. Below is a description of the girls at the time that they went missing: Shannon Mary Dale Alexander: Was 17 years old in 2008, would be in her mid 30s now 5'9” tall 141-145 lbs Dark brown/ black hair Brown eyes Scar on left knee, pock marked complexion with scars on face Pierced ears May have been wearing a silver necklace with a feather on it Maisy Marie Odjick Was 16 years old in 2008, would be in her mid 30s now 5'10” tall 120-125 lbs Short brown/ black hair Brown eye Facial piercings; left eyebrow and 2 on her lower lip If you have any information on the girls or their whereabouts, please contact any of the following resources: Quebec's Central Info-Crime line: 1-800-659-4264 Missing Children Society of Canada: 1-800-661-6160 Missing Children's network: 1-888-692-4673 Sources: “The Disappearances of Shannon Alexander & Maisy Odjick”, Stories of the Unsolved, Feb 19, 2021, https://storiesoftheunsolved.com/2021/02/19/the-disappearances-of-shannon-alexander-maisy-odjick/, accessed May 16, 2025. Maggie McDonnell, “Maisy Odjick and Shannon Alexander”, We Are Here Canada, June 5, 2022, https://weareherecanada.ca/maisy-odjick-shannon-alexander/, accessed May 16, 2025. Sherry Aske, “The search for Shannon Alexander and Maisy Odjick”, CBC News, July 20, 2017, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/timeline-disappearance-shannon-alexander-maisy-odjick-1.4212703, accessed May 16, 2025. Research and Statistics Division, “Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls”, The Government of Canada, July 2017, https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/jr/jf-pf/2017/july04.html, accessed May 16, 2025. “Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women”, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_and_Murdered_Indigenous_Women, accessed May 16, 2025. “National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls”, https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/home-page/, accessed May 16, 2025. Amanda Follett Hosgood, “Will Carney's Government Act on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Report?”, The Tyee, May 5, 2025, https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/05/05/Will-Carney-Government-Act-Missing-Murdered/, accessed May 16, 2025.
This Day in Legal History: Cicero is BornOn January 3, 106 BC, Marcus Tullius Cicero, one of ancient Rome's most influential lawyers, orators, and statesmen, was born in Arpinum, a small town southeast of Rome. Cicero's life and work laid the foundations for modern legal and political thought, intertwining law, philosophy, and rhetoric. As a novus homo (the first in his family to achieve senatorial rank), Cicero rose through the Roman cursus honorum, eventually serving as consul in 63 BC. His tenure is most remembered for his decisive action in quelling the Catiline Conspiracy, a plot to overthrow the Republic.Cicero's legal career was marked by his exceptional eloquence and emphasis on justice. His speeches, such as those in defense of Sextus Roscius and against Verres, revealed his dedication to exposing corruption and advocating for fairness. Beyond his courtroom success, Cicero's philosophical treatises, including De Legibus (On the Laws), explored the nature of justice and the rule of law. His writings profoundly influenced thinkers of the Enlightenment and modern legal systems.In one of his letters, Cicero wrote to his friend – one of his most famous quotes:“What is morally wrong can never be advantageous, even if it enables you to rule the world.”This succinct insight captures his belief in the universality of law as a moral and societal cornerstone.Cicero's life was not without turmoil. His opposition to Julius Caesar's dictatorship and later to Mark Antony cost him dearly. He was executed in 43 BC during the proscriptions. Cicero endures not only as a towering figure in law and politics but also as one of those ancient philosophers whose works people skim through, extract a handful of pithy quotes, and then relentlessly share at dinner parties or on social media. His knack for universal truths ensures his words still resonate, even as they occasionally overstay their welcome in the mouths of exhausting folks.President Biden plans to issue an executive order permanently banning new offshore oil and gas development in specific U.S. coastal waters. This move, based on the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, is intended to be difficult for future administrations to reverse and comes as Biden seeks to solidify his environmental legacy in the final weeks of his presidency. The protections aim to safeguard marine ecosystems, protect vulnerable coastal communities, and combat climate change, aligning with calls from environmental groups and congressional Democrats. While Biden's actions will not affect existing leases, the scope of the new protections is expected to include key areas like parts of the Pacific near California and the eastern Gulf of Mexico near Florida. Conservationists have praised the move as a necessary step to protect U.S. waters, while oil industry advocates argue it jeopardizes energy independence. Former President Donald Trump is likely to attempt reversing the order, though previous court rulings suggest such efforts may face significant legal hurdles. Offshore drilling remains a contentious issue, with opposition particularly strong in coastal regions reliant on tourism.Biden to Ban More Offshore Oil Drilling Before Trump Arrives (1)A group of Tesla shareholders is appealing a Delaware Chancery Court decision that voided Elon Musk's $56 billion pay package, which would have been the largest CEO compensation in U.S. history. Filed on December 31, the appeal also challenges Chancellor Kathaleen St. J. McCormick's $345 million award in attorneys' fees. McCormick had ruled that Tesla's board and Musk breached fiduciary duties to investors when approving the massive compensation plan. Despite shareholder approval votes in 2018 and 2024, the court found the deal unfairly tilted in Musk's favor. The plaintiffs, including ARK Investment Management LLC and individual investors, argue the appeal is necessary to restore shareholder voting rights and accountability.Attorneys for the shareholders assert that over 70% of investors supported the pay package in two separate votes, emphasizing the high level of approval. Legal representation for Musk, the board, and opposing shareholders have yet to respond to requests for comment. The appeal seeks to overturn a ruling that has intensified debates about executive compensation and corporate governance.Elon Musk Pay Deal Decision Appealed to Delaware High Court (1)The U.S. Supreme Court's 2025 docket includes pivotal labor and employment cases addressing workplace discrimination, wage law exemptions, and employee benefits. Among the key issues is whether workers from "majority backgrounds," like white or heterosexual individuals, face higher hurdles in proving discrimination claims under Title VII. The Court's decision could reshape lawsuits challenging diversity policies. Another case will decide if retirees can sue former employers for disability bias, as exemplified by a Florida firefighter denied benefits. This issue has divided lower courts on whether retirees meet the Americans with Disabilities Act's requirements. Wage law exemptions are also under review, with the Court considering the evidentiary standard employers must meet to prove workers are exempt from overtime protections.Additionally, justices will address the standards for lawsuits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), involving allegations of excessive fees in retirement plans. These cases could have broad implications for labor law, corporate practices, and workplace equity, shaping the rights of employees and obligations of employers across the nation.Reverse bias, wage law exemptions top US Supreme Court's 2025 labor docket | ReutersThe U.S. Judicial Conference declined to refer Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to the Department of Justice over allegations of ethics violations related to unreported gifts and luxury travel from a wealthy benefactor. The Conference cited amendments Thomas made to his financial disclosure reports, addressing issues raised by Democratic lawmakers. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson faced similar scrutiny over omissions in her reports but had also filed corrections, leading to the rejection of a referral request against her.Democratic lawmakers argued that Thomas's failure to disclose violated the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, but Thomas stated he was advised such disclosures were unnecessary for "personal hospitality." He committed to following updated guidelines in future filings. The Judicial Conference pointed to its recent efforts to clarify financial disclosure rules and noted Thomas's compliance with the new standards.The body also raised constitutional concerns about its authority to refer the matter to the DOJ, further noting the issue was moot since lawmakers had already requested an investigation directly from Attorney General Merrick Garland. Critics accused the judiciary of failing to hold Thomas accountable, while the judiciary emphasized the ongoing improvements to ethical oversight.US Supreme Court's Thomas will not be referred to Justice Department | ReutersThis week's closing theme is by Johann Strauss Jr. This week's closing theme celebrates Johann Strauss Jr., affectionately known as the "Waltz King," whose music epitomizes the charm and elegance of 19th-century Vienna. Born in 1825 into a musical dynasty, Strauss Jr. surpassed his father's legacy, becoming one of the most celebrated composers of light music. His works captured the spirit of Viennese high society, turning the waltz from a simple dance into an art form beloved across Europe.Strauss's compositions, such as The Blue Danube and Tales from the Vienna Woods, are synonymous with refinement and festivity, making him a perennial favorite for New Year's concerts worldwide. His waltzes are not merely music for dancing; they evoke vivid imagery, from shimmering ballrooms to idyllic countryside scenes. Known for his melodic genius and rhythmic vitality, Strauss's music remains a joyful celebration of life and beauty.This week, we highlight a medley of Strauss Jr.'s waltzes, a perfect encapsulation of his artistry and his gift for weaving together effervescent themes. It's a chance to immerse yourself in the glittering world of 19th-century Vienna and to reflect on the enduring magic of his music. Whether as a tribute to the New Year or simply an appreciation of Strauss's timeless melodies, this medley invites us to waltz into the weekend with grace and exuberance.Without further ado, a waltz medley by the Waltz King – Johann Strauss Jr. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
On this weeks program Chris catches up with one of our regular guests, Dr John Symons from BikeWest, about ongoing safety issues for bicycle riders with Dynon Road, Footscray Road, the Westgate Tunnel Project and if the Victorian Government will act upon 56 recommendations contained in Legislative Assembly Economy and Infrastructure Committee: Inquiry into the impact of road safety behaviours on vulnerable road users. The final report was tabled on 1 May 2024 and to directly quote, 'The Government has six months to respond to the report from the tabling date"We discuss Brett Wallace's incident on Dynon Road, as reported by Rhiana Whitson ABC 7.30 (Cycling safety warnings ignored – until tragedy happened), Angus Collins death in February 2023, BikeWest advocates forcing the authorities to act via FOIs, ongoing WTG safety issues, a lack of safe systems in road design and the right to public life regardless if people drive a car or not.News includes 87th Melbourne Cup on Wheels, Cezary and Leo returning to naarm Melbourne after their incredible Two Birders Two Bikes journey to raise funds to build schools in Timor Leste, womens rides, Info session: Student Visas & Work Rights at Gig Workers Hub and the new WXSHP ride hub in Northcote.Program musicCamp dog, King StingrayCycling is fun, Shonen Knife
Congressman Jerry McNerney, a former 16-year Congressman from California now serves as a Senior Policy Advisor at Pillsbury Winthrop, LLP where he is in the process of creating an AI trade association, The AI Trust Foundation. In Congress, McNerney focused on energy, technology and veterans' issues, was the author of the AI in Government Act, and was chair of the Congressional AI and Grid Innovation Caucuses. Before coming to Congress, he spent 20 years developing renewable energy technology. McNerney is a PhD Mathematician. Former Missouri Congressman William Lacy Clay Jr. advises and advocates on behalf of clients whose interests intersect with the federal government. In guiding clients, Congressman Clay draws upon his 20 years as a member of the House of Representatives during which he served on the following House Committees: Financial Services, Natural Resources, and Oversight and Reform. During that time, he also served as Chair of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions; the Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance; Chairman of the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives of the Oversight and Reform Committee. Congressman Clay was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus (which his father co-founded), the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the U.S. Congressional International Conservation Caucus, the Congressional Arts Caucus, and a current board member of The National Democratic Club. In this episode, you'll hear about: Importance of diversity in the AI workforce and role of HBCUs and community colleges. AI's potential to reduce biases, especially in financial services like housing and credit. The need for international standards and legislation for AI policy. Prospects of bipartisan immigration reform in relation to AI talent recruitment. Dual-edged nature of AI in education, balancing enhancement and depersonalization. AI's impact on social justice, environmental justice, and sustainable energy solutions. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-mcnerney-6484501/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-lacy-clay-jr-aa37b2213/ Website Jerrymcnerney.org https://www.pillsburylaw.com/en/lawyers/jerry-mcnerney.html https://www.pillsburylaw.com/en/lawyers/lacy-clay.html Other Guest URLs www.theaitrust.org URLs mentioned in podcast recording https://www.nist.gov/standards Alcorn Immigration Law: Subscribe to the monthly Alcorn newsletter Sophie Alcorn Podcast: Episode 16: E-2 Visa for Founders and Employees Episode 19: Australian Visas Including E-3 Episode 20: TN Visas and Status for Canadian and Mexican Citizens Immigration Options for Talent, Investors, and Founders Immigration Law for Tech Startups eBook Alcorn Academy course for best practices for securing the O-1A visa, EB-1A green card, or the EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) green card—the top options for startup founders. Use promotion code EAB20 for 20% off the enrollment fee.
This Day in Legal History: Nixon ResignsOn this day in legal history, August 8, 1974, President Richard Nixon announced his resignation from the office of the President of the United States, becoming the first and only president to do so. This unprecedented event followed the Watergate scandal, a complex political affair that began with a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and led to a series of revelations about abuses of power by the Nixon administration. Facing almost certain impeachment by Congress on charges of obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress, Nixon chose to resign rather than prolong the national crisis.In his televised resignation speech, Nixon acknowledged that he no longer had a sufficient political base in Congress to continue effectively governing. He expressed regret for any injuries caused by his actions and highlighted his achievements while in office, yet he did not admit to any wrongdoing in the Watergate affair. Vice President Gerald Ford was sworn in as President on August 9, 1974, and later granted Nixon a full pardon for any crimes he might have committed against the United States while in office.Nixon's resignation marked a significant moment in American legal and political history, underscoring the constitutional processes in place to address presidential misconduct. It also led to reforms aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in government, such as the Ethics in Government Act and amendments to the Freedom of Information Act. This event reshaped public trust in the presidency and highlighted the importance of upholding the rule of law at the highest levels of government.A federal judge indicated that the attorneys in a class action lawsuit against Google over Chrome's “Incognito” mode are unlikely to receive their full $217 million fee request. During a hearing in Oakland, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers also showed skepticism towards Google's proposal to cut the plaintiffs' attorney fees by 25%. She criticized Google's legal team for suggesting she personally review thousands of time sheet entries.The case, which began four years ago, was settled in April with Google agreeing to delete billions of records from Incognito mode users and make some reforms, but without providing monetary damages to users. The plaintiffs' attorneys, from firms including Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, claimed their fees were justified by 78,880 hours of work and sought a “lodestar multiplier” of 3.5, bringing their total request to $217 million.Judge Rogers commented that she rarely awards multipliers above three and noted the case's partial success. Google's attorney, Andrew Schapiro, argued that the plaintiffs' fees were excessive, pointing out that Google spent only $40 million on the case. The lawsuit initially filed in 2020 alleged that Incognito mode improperly retained user data despite claims of privacy.The settlement requires Google to clarify data collection practices and allow Incognito users to block third-party cookies for five years. Individuals can also seek monetary damages in California state court. The plaintiffs originally sought $9 billion in damages, but Google's attorney argued the final settlement warranted a lower fee due to its limited success. The case is Brown v. Google LLC.Google ‘Incognito' Case Attorneys Unlikely to Win $217 MillionThomas Girardi concealed a $53 million settlement from a young man, Joseph Ruigomez, whose home exploded, and misled him about the funds' status, a Los Angeles federal jury heard. Ruigomez and his family, receiving inconsistent interest payments, repeatedly asked Girardi for settlement details after their 2013 agreement with Pacific Gas & Electric, but Girardi never complied. Girardi claimed he held the funds for Ruigomez's protection, citing his youth and alleged drug dependency, though Ruigomez clarified he was on narcotics for pain management due to extensive medical procedures.During the trial, the defense presented numerous financial documents, while the prosecution did not clarify the annuity terms or the full distribution of the $53 million settlement, which included a $25 million annuity and $12.7 million in legal fees. Kathleen Ruigomez, Joseph's mother, testified that she only learned of the full settlement amount two years later and didn't suspect the discrepancy initially. She later sued Girardi with the help of Robert Finnerty, a former Girardi Keese lawyer.Girardi faces charges of wire fraud for allegedly stealing $15 million in settlement funds meant for clients. He pleaded not guilty, with prosecutors claiming he delayed payments under false pretenses. Girardi, who avoided disciplinary action despite over 200 misconduct complaints, also faces fraud charges in Illinois federal court and multiple civil lawsuits. His firm, Girardi Keese, went bankrupt in 2020. Girardi's mental competency to stand trial is contested, yet he was seen taking organized handwritten notes during the proceedings. The case is USA v. Girardi, in the Central District of California.‘Kingpin' Girardi Hid $53 Million Settlement, Client Says (1)Delta Air Lines Inc. is facing a proposed class action lawsuit following a software outage on July 19 caused by CrowdStrike, which led to widespread flight delays and cancellations. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, claims that Delta failed to adequately refund passengers or provide the promised meal, hotel, and transportation vouchers. Instead of issuing refunds, Delta allegedly offered e-credits without informing passengers of their legal right to cash refunds, resulting in many passengers accepting the e-credits.The plaintiffs argue that Delta did not fulfill its commitments to passengers affected by cancellations within the airline's control, leading to breaches of contract, fraud, unjust enrichment, and violations of state consumer protection laws. They are seeking class certification and damages, representing all passengers whose flights were canceled between July 19 and July 31, with specific subclasses for California, Colorado, Florida, and Washington state.The CrowdStrike software update that caused the outage disrupted millions of devices using Microsoft Windows, impacting thousands of flights globally. Delta, the official airline of Team USA, struggled particularly hard, affecting nearly 2,000 athletes and staff traveling to Paris for the Olympics. While other airlines recovered quickly, Delta continued to cancel flights into the following week, even though they announced normal operations by July 25.The US Department of Transportation is investigating Delta's response to the glitch after receiving 3,000 complaints from passengers. Delta has declined to comment on the lawsuit, which is being handled by Webb Klase & Lemond LLC and Sauder Schelkopf LLC. The case is Bajra v. Delta Air Lines Inc.Delta Sued Over Inadequate Refunds Following CrowdStrike OutageThe FCC's proposed rules for disclosing AI-generated content in political ads on radio and television have sparked a jurisdictional dispute with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The FCC's rules, announced on July 25, would require broadcasters to announce when AI is used in political ads. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel emphasized the need for voter transparency, comparing the requirement to existing rules about disclosing ad sponsors.Supporters, including AI regulation advocates, see it as a positive step amidst increasing deepfake use in campaigns. However, critics, including the FCC's two Republican commissioners and their FEC counterparts, argue that regulating political disclosures should fall under the FEC's jurisdiction.The proposed FCC rules, now open for public comment until September 4, face uncertainty about whether they can be finalized before the upcoming election. This uncertainty is compounded by the US Supreme Court's decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, which limits federal agencies' regulatory powers.The FEC had already been considering similar AI content regulations since last year and recently sought public input on deepfakes in political ads. FCC critics argue that the FCC's efforts overlap and potentially conflict with the FEC's authority. Democratic FEC Vice Chair Ellen Weintraub, however, supports the FCC's initiative, suggesting that both agencies can complement each other.Despite the challenges, proponents believe the FCC's move will raise public awareness about AI in political ads, though the timeline for finalizing these rules remains unclear. The case's complexity is heightened by the evolving legal landscape and potential challenges to the FCC's authority following recent Supreme Court rulings.FCC Election Deepfake Ads Proposal Sparks Turf Fight With FECRipple Labs has been ordered by a Manhattan court to pay the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approximately $125 million in penalties for the improper sale of XRP tokens. This decision follows the SEC's lawsuit against Ripple, CEO Brad Garlinghouse, and co-founder Chris Larsen, accusing them of raising over $1.3 billion through an unregistered securities offering by selling XRP. Although the SEC initially sought $2 billion in fines and penalties, the court's ruling resulted in a significantly lower amount.The SEC had dropped its claims against Garlinghouse and Larsen in October, but the case remained significant as one of the largest enforcement actions in the cryptocurrency sector. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse acknowledged the court's decision, expressing respect and a commitment to continue the company's growth. The SEC emphasized that securities laws apply to investment contracts irrespective of the technology or labels used.This ruling marks a critical moment in the regulation of cryptocurrency sales and enforcement of securities laws within the digital asset space.By way of brief background, the determination of whether a cryptocurrency qualifies as an "investment contract" is pivotal in deciding its classification as a security. This central question hinges on the application of the Howey Test, which examines whether an investment is one of money in a common enterprise with the expectation of profits primarily from the efforts of others–if it is, it constitutes an investment contract. If a cryptocurrency meets these criteria, it falls under the regulatory purview of securities laws, significantly impacting its issuance and trading.Ripple ordered to pay $125 million in penalty for improperly selling XRP tokens | Reuters This is a public episode. 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Every week, Chris Bates and Pete Wargent jump on the Australian Property Podcast airwaves to answer your questions or cover the top 3 property news stories of the week. Don't forget to send Chris and Pete your questions! In this week's episode, Chris and Pete cover: 1 – Government to buy off the plan properties in NSW, and more 2 – Mid-year respite for renters as students leave 3 – Insurance costs doubled in 2 years for Victorian homebuilders Episode resources 1 – Government as referee or active player https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/government-prepared-to-underwrite-housing-projects-to-boost-viability-20240613-p5jll7.html https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-16/nsw-to-invest-450-million-build-to-rent-homes-essential-workers/103984400 https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nsw-s-version-of-bank-of-mum-and-dad-to-help-build-more-homes-20240614-p5jluv.html https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2024/06/desperate-albo-to-build-demountable-shanty-towns/ https://theconversation.com/queensland-government-splashes-the-cash-around-but-its-unlikely-to-save-it-in-the-october-election-232259 https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2024/06/nsw-to-build-one-month-of-housing-in-historic-move/ 2 – Mid-year respite for renters https://sqmresearch.com.au/uploads/11_06_24_National_vacancy_rates_May_2024_Final.pdf https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2024/06/australia-renters-receive-stay-of-execution/ https://petewargent.blogspot.com/2024/06/temporary-respite-for-pressure-on.html https://petewargent.blogspot.com/2024/06/record-population-growth-in-2023.html 3 – New home builders hit with 65% insurance increase https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/building-insurance-to-increase-by-65-per-cent-for-new-homes-20240613-p5jlfh.html https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2024/06/australian-home-builders-hit-with-new-crisis/ https://petewargent.blogspot.com/2024/06/homebuilders-walloped-again.html https://www.raywhite.com/news-and-market-insights/economic-updates/shouldnt-we-already-be-in-recession ~~ Resources you'll love ~~ Invest with Owen: https://bit.ly/R-invest Mortgage Broking: https://bit.ly/broke-rask Financial Planning: https://bit.ly/R-plan Property Coaching: https://bit.ly/R-P-coach 100-point property checklist (PDF): https://bit.ly/prop-check Accounting with Grey Space: http://bit.ly/3DG5lWS Business Coaching: https://bit.ly/o-coach Ask a question: https://bit.ly/3QtiY00 DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you're confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week's Stansberry Investor Hour, Dan and Corey welcome their colleague John Engel to the podcast. John is the lead equity analyst on the Stansberry Innovations Report newsletter, where he finds companies that are revolutionizing their respective industries with cutting-edge technology. He also works on Prosperity Investor, a newsletter that focuses on opportunities in the health care sector. John kicks off the show by detailing the new Biosecure Act that's currently moving through Congress. Its purpose is to limit China's access to U.S. biological information. As he explains, this legislation is going to disrupt the industry, hurt biotech companies, and possibly even bankrupt the smaller players. But, conversely, it's going to allow other contract development and management organizations to replace Chinese ones, creating massive opportunities for investors. John also shares how he got his start in the biotech field at a fermentation lab and as a molecular biologist before shifting to the world of finance. (2:19) Next, John talks about the pandemic, vaccines, and the current bear market in biotech. He mentions one big story in biotech that he believes isn't getting enough attention – bispecific antibodies. This development allows one drug to hit two targets, so patients no longer have to receive two different drugs for treatment. This leads to a conversation about gene editing, personalized medicine, and rare diseases. (22:01) Finally, John delves into AI, Nvidia, and the "hype cycle" surrounding the technology. He points out that companies are desperate to use AI to their advantage, but for many of them, there's no use for it in their business. Plus, John discusses "advanced general intelligence," which involves systems that can reason like human beings. (42:27)
On this week's Stansberry Investor Hour, Dan and Corey welcome their colleague John Engel to the podcast. John is the lead equity analyst on the Stansberry Innovations Report newsletter, where he finds companies that are revolutionizing their respective industries with cutting-edge technology. He also works on Prosperity Investor, a newsletter that focuses on opportunities in the health care sector. John kicks off the show by detailing the new Biosecure Act that's currently moving through Congress. Its purpose is to limit China's access to U.S. biological information. As he explains, this legislation is going to disrupt the industry, hurt biotech companies, and possibly even bankrupt the smaller players. But, conversely, it's going to allow other contract development and management organizations to replace Chinese ones, creating massive opportunities for investors. John also shares how he got his start in the biotech field at a fermentation lab and as a molecular biologist before shifting to the world of finance. (2:19) Next, John talks about the pandemic, vaccines, and the current bear market in biotech. He mentions one big story in biotech that he believes isn't getting enough attention – bispecific antibodies. This development allows one drug to hit two targets, so patients no longer have to receive two different drugs for treatment. This leads to a conversation about gene editing, personalized medicine, and rare diseases. (22:01) Finally, John delves into AI, Nvidia, and the "hype cycle" surrounding the technology. He points out that companies are desperate to use AI to their advantage, but for many of them, there's no use for it in their business. Plus, John discusses "advanced general intelligence," which involves systems that can reason like human beings. (42:27)
The crisis of male violence against women in this country is escalating, as an average of one woman every four days is killed so far in 2024. The murder of NSW woman Molly Ticehurst allegedly at the hands of her former partner has sparked community outrage and calls for governments to act urgently to protect women against intimate partner violence. We've seen these calls before, but the numbers of dead women continue to be a national shame, so what can and should be done? The panel Bridget Brennan, Karen Middleton and Shane Wright discuss.Elsewhere this week, Australia is pushing back at the power of social media giants. The battle over who can watch video of a violent stabbing - has become an important test – being watched around the world. What control can a nation state wield over big tech? David Speers interviews Independent MP for Fowler in Sydney's southwest Dai Le about her community's social cohesion following the stabbing of a bishop. Mike Bowers talks the week in pictures with Lewis Hobba.
Auto manufacturers are phasing out AM radio from new models. FM radio became a superior choice decades ago. The AM Band is in decline, but some still want it around - Michael asks you this Daily Poll Question today at Smerconish.com: Should government act to save AM radio? Listen here (on a podcast, not AM radio, we get the irony), then vote!
This Day in Legal History: Watergate Figures SentencedToday in legal history, February 21 marks a significant moment in the annals of American jurisprudence and the power of the presidency. On this day in 1975, three key figures from President Richard Nixon's administration were handed prison sentences for their roles in the Watergate scandal, an event that would forever alter the landscape of political accountability and legal oversight in the United States. Former US Attorney General John Mitchell, Nixon's Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman, and domestic adviser John Ehrlichman were convicted of obstructing justice, each receiving sentences ranging from 2 1/2 to 8 years. This landmark decision underscored the principle that no one, regardless of their position in government, is above the law. The sentencing followed a scandal that began with the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex and spiraled into a cover-up that led to President Nixon's resignation—the only resignation of a U.S. President to date. The trial and subsequent convictions of Mitchell, Haldeman, and Ehrlichman were pivotal in bringing to light the extent of the Nixon administration's attempts to undermine the democratic process. The fallout from the Watergate affair led to sweeping reforms designed to increase transparency and reduce the potential for abuse of power within the federal government. This included the enactment of the Ethics in Government Act, the establishment of the Office of Government Ethics, and significant amendments to the Freedom of Information Act. The events of February 21, 1975, serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of democratic institutions and the perpetual need for vigilance, oversight, and accountability in preserving the integrity of governance.The Biden administration is actively soliciting feedback on the potential risks and benefits associated with "open-weight" artificial intelligence (AI) models, which are crucial for AI systems and have significant implications for national security. These open-weight models, by making AI more customizable and accessible, can foster innovation among a wider range of users, including small businesses and researchers, but also pose risks by potentially circumventing built-in safeguards. This initiative, part of a broader effort outlined in the administration's 2023 executive order on AI, aims to gather insights on the implications of public access to model weights, national security concerns, and the appropriate level of government involvement in regulating these technologies. Alan Davidson of the Commerce Department emphasized the dual nature of open-weight AI models: while they promise to democratize innovation and foster competition, they also introduce substantial safety and security challenges. The administration is also seeking to coordinate with international partners to develop guidelines for managing the dissemination and regulation of these models globally. Feedback is invited over a 30-day comment period.By way of very brief background, an open-weight AI model refers to an artificial intelligence system whose internal parameters, or "weights," are openly accessible and modifiable by users or developers. Unlike proprietary models, where the weights are closely guarded secrets, open-weight models are transparent, allowing for greater scrutiny, understanding, and customization. This openness fosters collaboration and innovation, as researchers and practitioners can build upon existing work, adapt the models to new tasks, or improve their performance and fairness. By sharing the detailed workings of these models, the AI community aims to accelerate progress, ensure broader access to cutting-edge technology, and facilitate the ethical use of AI by making it more interpretable and accountable.Of course with openness comes the potential for any safeguards or guardrails to be circumvented, thus the comment period seeking guidance on the extent to which regulatory action is necessary. White House Seeks Comments on the Risks of Open-Weight AI ModelsElon Musk has received guidance for relocating Tesla Inc.'s incorporation from Delaware to Texas, following a Delaware Court of Chancery decision that TripAdvisor Inc. can move its incorporation to Nevada. This guidance comes from Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster, who outlined the procedures required for such a move, drawing significant attention to the potential for corporate relocations to states with laws more favorable to officers and directors. The TripAdvisor case, challenged by investors for allegedly favoring directors at shareholders' expense, has highlighted the broader implications of corporate moves on shareholder rights and litigation risks.Delaware's status as a prime venue for corporate litigation, home to nearly 70% of Fortune 500 companies, is under scrutiny as corporations like Tesla consider relocation to states offering greater litigation protections. The recent court ruling against Musk's $56 billion Tesla pay package has fueled his criticism of Delaware courts and his consideration of Texas for Tesla's incorporation, aligning with his moves for SpaceX and Neuralink.Vice Chancellor Laster allowed the investor litigation against TripAdvisor's planned move to proceed, noting that Nevada's shareholder litigation protections are perceived to be weaker than Delaware's. This decision has sparked debate among legal experts about the comparative shareholder protections across states and the potential self-interest involved in such corporate relocations.The ruling sets a precedent that companies looking to relocate must ensure the process involves a disinterested special committee and shareholder vote, addressing concerns over conflicts of interest and self-dealing. However, Musk's ambition to relocate Tesla faces challenges, including his influence over board decisions and potential pressures on board members, illustrating the complexities of corporate governance and the balance between innovation and shareholder rights.This situation underscores the evolving landscape of corporate law, the strategic considerations of incorporation locations, and the ongoing debate over the best interests of shareholders versus the autonomy of corporate directors and officers.Musk Gets Guidelines for Moving Tesla With TripAdvisor OpinionThe Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, has initiated a lawsuit against Annunciation House, a Catholic nonprofit organization aiding migrants, on allegations of "alien harboring, human smuggling, and operating a stash house." This legal action aims to revoke the organization's operating license in Texas, accusing it of contributing to border chaos and illegal immigration with the support of federal funds from the Biden Administration. Paxton's lawsuit, filed in El Paso County District Court, asserts that Annunciation House knowingly sheltered around 300 migrants at a time to evade U.S. Customs and Border Protection, involving transportation and placement in secretive locations.Annunciation House has countered, arguing that Paxton's lawsuit stemmed from a denied immediate access to its records, deeming the legal challenge as a baseless attempt to shut down the nonprofit under pretexts that it decries as illegal, immoral, and anti-faith. In response, Dylan Corbett, executive director of the Hope Border Institute, expressed solidarity with Annunciation House, condemning the Texas Attorney General's actions as efforts to intimidate and criminalize humanitarian aid, conflicting with Christian teachings on neighborly love.The lawsuit highlights ongoing tensions between state and federal approaches to immigration, with Texas taking aggressive steps, such as constructing a military base camp near the Eagle Pass on the U.S.-Mexico border, to curb illegal crossings. This case reflects broader debates over immigration policy, humanitarian aid, and the roles of NGOs at the border, underscored by contrasting perspectives on how to address the complexities of migration and border security.Texas sues immigration nonprofit, claiming it engaged in smuggling | Reuters Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday, November 17th, 2023. Download our new app!: You guys are aware that we have a new app right? If not you should download it right now! Head on over to your app store, and type in “CrossPolitic”, “Fight Laugh Feast”, or “PubTV”. Once you find the app, you may need to update your app, or if you have a droid phone, you may need to delete your current FLF app, and re-download it! Once downloaded you’ll be able to view or listen to our content right on your mobile device! As always, if you’d like to sign up for a pub membership, you can head on over to fightlaughfeast.com… that’s fightlaughfeast.com. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-ethics-committee-head-moves-to-expel-george-santos-after-release-of-damning-report House Ethics Committee head to move to expel George Santos after release of damning report The chairman of the House Ethics Committee will move to expel Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., from Congress after the release of a damning report into the embattled Long Island Republican. "Chairman Guest feels that the evidence uncovered in the Committee’s investigation is more than sufficient to warrant punishment, and that the most appropriate punishment is expulsion," Republican Mississippi Rep. Michael Guest's personal office told Fox News Digital on Thursday. "So, separate from the Committee process and his role as Chairman, he plans to file an expulsion resolution during tomorrow’s 9:00 am pro forma session." The ethics committee released a damning report that accused Santos of having "used campaign funds for personal purposes" and "engaged in fraudulent conduct," among other allegations. Guest filing the resolution on Friday tees up an expected vote on whether to boot Santos from the House sometime after lawmakers return from the Thanksgiving break on Nov. 28. A 56-page deep dive into the allegations against Santos by the panel's Investigative subcommittee detailed campaign funds being spent at spas and luxury stores, among other questionable places. The bipartisan subcommittee unanimously agreed that Santos "knowingly caused his campaign committee to file false or incomplete reports with the Federal Election Commission; used campaign funds for personal purposes; engaged in fraudulent conduct in connection with RedStone Strategies LLC; and engaged in knowing and willful violations of the Ethics in Government Act as it relates to his Financial Disclosure (FD) Statements filed with the House." That includes $50,000 in campaign donations that were wired to Santos' personal account on Oct. 21, 2022, and allegedly used to, among other things, "pay down personal credit card bills and other debt; make a $4,127.80 purchase at Hermes; and for smaller purchases at OnlyFans; Sephora; and for meals and for parking." Santos also spent more than $2,200 at resorts in Atlantic City, New Jersey, from July 23, 2022, to July 24, 2022, according to the report, despite a staffer telling the subcommittee that "he was not aware of any events in Atlantic City and did not attend any campaign events in Atlantic City." Santos posted a lengthy response to the report on X, in which he announced he would not seek re-election in 2024 and accused the House Ethics Committee of bias. "If there was a single ounce of ETHICS in the ‘Ethics committee’, they would have not released this biased report. The Committee went to extraordinary lengths to smear myself and my legal team about me not being forthcoming (My legal bills suggest otherwise)," Santos wrote. "It is a disgusting politicized smear that shows the depths of how low our federal government has sunk. Everyone who participated in this grave miscarriage of Justice should all be ashamed of themselves." GOP lawmakers from New York previously moved to expel Santos earlier this month, but the effort failed along bipartisan lines. Most Democrats who said they voted to punt the measure explained they were waiting for the findings of the ethics committee report. https://dailycaller.com/2023/11/16/chinas-xi-receives-standing-ovation-american-business-leaders/ China’s Xi Receives Standing Ovation From American Business Leaders Chinese President Xi Jinping received a standing ovation from American business leaders during an exclusive dinner in San Francisco on Wednesday. Xi met with President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in San Francisco Wednesday and had talks on a broad range of issues, including military communications, fentanyl trafficking and Taiwan. During a private dinner in the city’s downtown Hyatt Regency hours later, Xi gave a speech about the need for China-U.S. cooperation and received praise from hundreds of high-level American business executives. “China is pursuing high-quality development, and the United States is revitalizing its economy,” Xi said during his speech. “There is plenty of room for our cooperation.” Among the leaders at the reception and dinner were Apple CEO Tim Cook, Blackrock CEO Larry Fink, Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk and a number of executives from FedEx, Qualcomm, KKR, Blackstone and Boeing, according to The Wall Street Journal. Tickets to attend the dinner started at $2,000 per person, up to $40,000 for a chance to dine with Xi at his table. “I think it’s important Americans and Chinese are meeting again face to face,” said managing director for China of McLarty Associates John L. Holden, who attended the dinner, according to The New York Times. “This is not a magic bullet, but it is something that can provide possibilities that wouldn’t exist otherwise.” “All of you here this evening remain keenly interested to do business in China, and to find ways to advance our bilateral economic relationship,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told the audience at the dinner, CNBC reported. “I know that, because half of you have come to see me to tell me that.” During his speech, Xi claimed that China is “ready to be partners and friends” rather than adversaries with the U.S, according to the Times. He also evoked China’s history with the U.S., recalling American and Chinese cooperation to defeat the Japanese during World War II. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom gifted Xi a Golden State Warriors Basketball jersey during the dinner, according to a Chinese Foreign Affairs spokesperson in attendance. In his meeting with Biden hours prior, Xi agreed to reestablish military-to-military communication lines with the U.S., which had been cut off in February. Xi also agreed to take steps to “dramatically curtail” the creation of fentanyl precursors created in China, which often end up in Mexico to be made into completed products and are subsequently trafficked into the U.S. Biden praised his Wednesday meeting with Xi and then called him a “dictator” minutes later. “Well, look, he is,” Biden said during a press conference Wednesday. Biden again calls Xi ‘dictator’ after Chinese prez warns against ‘turning back’ on Beijing-Play Clip The White House and China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. https://www.foxnews.com/us/pro-palestinian-protesters-block-bridges-boston-san-francisco-rush-hour Pro-Palestinian protesters block bridges in Boston, San Francisco during rush hour Pro-Palestinian protesters blocked traffic on bridges in Boston and San Francisco during rush hour Thursday morning to call for a cease-fire in Gaza as Israel continues to target Hamas leadership more than a month after the militant group’s deadly incursion into Israel. On the Boston University bridge, the group IfNotNow, which says it represents members of Boston’s Jewish community, chanted "Cease-fire now!" and demanded that Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., support an immediate cease-fire and use her influence to stop the Israeli government’s military action in Gaza. The protest slowed traffic to a trickle on the bridge, which connects Boston and Cambridge, as the group held signs that said, "Let Gaza Live," and unfurled a banner across the roadway that read, "Jews say: Ceasefire now." "We care about Palestinian lives, we only want to hurt Hamas," one protester on the bridge told NBC Boston, while another said, "There can’t be peace for Jews unless there is peace for Palestinians." Meanwhile, Pro-Palestinian protesters also shut down the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, where President Biden was courting world leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. The Arab Resource and Organizing Center planned the demonstration, in which protesters were heard shouting, "Free Palestine" and "We want justice." Others chained themselves to the bridge or lay in the road covered with sheets smeared with fake blood, FOX2 KTVU reported. Authorities had closed one lane on the bridge as a preventative measure during the summit, the station reported, citing the California Highway Patrol. Israel vowed to wipe out Hamas after the militant group launched its Oct. 7 surprise attack, in which at least 1,200 people died in Israel and around 240 were taken captive by militants back to Gaza. More than 11,200 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. The protest came as Israeli forces dropped leaflets warning Palestinians to flee parts of southern Gaza, residents said Thursday, signaling a possible expansion of their offensive. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/11/15/nolte-miserable-chicagoans-drop-mayor-brandon-johnsons-approval-rating-to-28/ Miserable Chicagoans Drop Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Approval Rating to 28% In Wednesday’s glorious edition of Democrats Getting What They Voted For, newly elected Democrat Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has an approval rating of just 28 percent. Echelon Insights polled 800 registered voters in Chicago between October 18 and 22. So how is it possible that Johnson, who won a majority just seven short months ago, is now sitting with a dismal 28 percent approval rating, which is only one point higher than Lori Lightfoot (the sitting mayor he defeated) had in February 2023, which was only one month before she lost her reelection campaign? I think the answer to this disconnect is obvious. In Chicago, dead people can vote, but dead people cannot be polled over the telephone. When asked about Chicago’s worst issues, 69 percent of those polled said crime. That’s only a two-point decrease since February. Then came high taxes (31 percent) and homelessness (20 percent). Everything else was under 15 percent. When asked how Mayor Johnson is doing on those top three issues, only 21 percent approved of the job he’s doing on crime, while 66 percent disapproved. On economic development, only 32 percent approved, while 43 percent disapproved. On housing and homelessness, only 18 percent approved, while 63 percent disapproved. On the specific issue of “management of immigrants transported to the city,” only 23 percent approved, while 64 percent disapproved. This question relates directly to His Fraudulency, Joe Biden, throwing the southern border wide open to millions of unvetted, third-world illegal aliens. On that same question, living Chicago voters were asked, “How do you feel about Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed plan to house migrants in ‘base camps’ made up of large, heated tents in various parts of Chicago?” Only 28 percent approved, while 63 percent disapproved. Those who said they “strongly oppose” on this question made up nearly half, 46 percent. When asked if they supported or opposed Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city, a majority of 52 percent opposed, while 42 percent supported. In February 2023, the month before Chicago voted Lightfoot out, 28 percent said the city was headed in the right direction. That number has now dropped to just 20 percent, while 65 percent say things are headed in the wrong direction. Now that cash bail has been eliminated statewide, it hurts Chicago more than any other city. Only 35 percent of Chicagoans support that policy, but the Democrat governor who instituted that suicide pact won around 80 percent of the vote in Cook County, which is where Chicago sits. This poll tells us that Chicagoans are getting exactly what they voted for and are quite upset over it, which tells you just how damaged Democrats are.
This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday, November 17th, 2023. Download our new app!: You guys are aware that we have a new app right? If not you should download it right now! Head on over to your app store, and type in “CrossPolitic”, “Fight Laugh Feast”, or “PubTV”. Once you find the app, you may need to update your app, or if you have a droid phone, you may need to delete your current FLF app, and re-download it! Once downloaded you’ll be able to view or listen to our content right on your mobile device! As always, if you’d like to sign up for a pub membership, you can head on over to fightlaughfeast.com… that’s fightlaughfeast.com. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-ethics-committee-head-moves-to-expel-george-santos-after-release-of-damning-report House Ethics Committee head to move to expel George Santos after release of damning report The chairman of the House Ethics Committee will move to expel Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., from Congress after the release of a damning report into the embattled Long Island Republican. "Chairman Guest feels that the evidence uncovered in the Committee’s investigation is more than sufficient to warrant punishment, and that the most appropriate punishment is expulsion," Republican Mississippi Rep. Michael Guest's personal office told Fox News Digital on Thursday. "So, separate from the Committee process and his role as Chairman, he plans to file an expulsion resolution during tomorrow’s 9:00 am pro forma session." The ethics committee released a damning report that accused Santos of having "used campaign funds for personal purposes" and "engaged in fraudulent conduct," among other allegations. Guest filing the resolution on Friday tees up an expected vote on whether to boot Santos from the House sometime after lawmakers return from the Thanksgiving break on Nov. 28. A 56-page deep dive into the allegations against Santos by the panel's Investigative subcommittee detailed campaign funds being spent at spas and luxury stores, among other questionable places. The bipartisan subcommittee unanimously agreed that Santos "knowingly caused his campaign committee to file false or incomplete reports with the Federal Election Commission; used campaign funds for personal purposes; engaged in fraudulent conduct in connection with RedStone Strategies LLC; and engaged in knowing and willful violations of the Ethics in Government Act as it relates to his Financial Disclosure (FD) Statements filed with the House." That includes $50,000 in campaign donations that were wired to Santos' personal account on Oct. 21, 2022, and allegedly used to, among other things, "pay down personal credit card bills and other debt; make a $4,127.80 purchase at Hermes; and for smaller purchases at OnlyFans; Sephora; and for meals and for parking." Santos also spent more than $2,200 at resorts in Atlantic City, New Jersey, from July 23, 2022, to July 24, 2022, according to the report, despite a staffer telling the subcommittee that "he was not aware of any events in Atlantic City and did not attend any campaign events in Atlantic City." Santos posted a lengthy response to the report on X, in which he announced he would not seek re-election in 2024 and accused the House Ethics Committee of bias. "If there was a single ounce of ETHICS in the ‘Ethics committee’, they would have not released this biased report. The Committee went to extraordinary lengths to smear myself and my legal team about me not being forthcoming (My legal bills suggest otherwise)," Santos wrote. "It is a disgusting politicized smear that shows the depths of how low our federal government has sunk. Everyone who participated in this grave miscarriage of Justice should all be ashamed of themselves." GOP lawmakers from New York previously moved to expel Santos earlier this month, but the effort failed along bipartisan lines. Most Democrats who said they voted to punt the measure explained they were waiting for the findings of the ethics committee report. https://dailycaller.com/2023/11/16/chinas-xi-receives-standing-ovation-american-business-leaders/ China’s Xi Receives Standing Ovation From American Business Leaders Chinese President Xi Jinping received a standing ovation from American business leaders during an exclusive dinner in San Francisco on Wednesday. Xi met with President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in San Francisco Wednesday and had talks on a broad range of issues, including military communications, fentanyl trafficking and Taiwan. During a private dinner in the city’s downtown Hyatt Regency hours later, Xi gave a speech about the need for China-U.S. cooperation and received praise from hundreds of high-level American business executives. “China is pursuing high-quality development, and the United States is revitalizing its economy,” Xi said during his speech. “There is plenty of room for our cooperation.” Among the leaders at the reception and dinner were Apple CEO Tim Cook, Blackrock CEO Larry Fink, Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk and a number of executives from FedEx, Qualcomm, KKR, Blackstone and Boeing, according to The Wall Street Journal. Tickets to attend the dinner started at $2,000 per person, up to $40,000 for a chance to dine with Xi at his table. “I think it’s important Americans and Chinese are meeting again face to face,” said managing director for China of McLarty Associates John L. Holden, who attended the dinner, according to The New York Times. “This is not a magic bullet, but it is something that can provide possibilities that wouldn’t exist otherwise.” “All of you here this evening remain keenly interested to do business in China, and to find ways to advance our bilateral economic relationship,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told the audience at the dinner, CNBC reported. “I know that, because half of you have come to see me to tell me that.” During his speech, Xi claimed that China is “ready to be partners and friends” rather than adversaries with the U.S, according to the Times. He also evoked China’s history with the U.S., recalling American and Chinese cooperation to defeat the Japanese during World War II. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom gifted Xi a Golden State Warriors Basketball jersey during the dinner, according to a Chinese Foreign Affairs spokesperson in attendance. In his meeting with Biden hours prior, Xi agreed to reestablish military-to-military communication lines with the U.S., which had been cut off in February. Xi also agreed to take steps to “dramatically curtail” the creation of fentanyl precursors created in China, which often end up in Mexico to be made into completed products and are subsequently trafficked into the U.S. Biden praised his Wednesday meeting with Xi and then called him a “dictator” minutes later. “Well, look, he is,” Biden said during a press conference Wednesday. Biden again calls Xi ‘dictator’ after Chinese prez warns against ‘turning back’ on Beijing-Play Clip The White House and China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. https://www.foxnews.com/us/pro-palestinian-protesters-block-bridges-boston-san-francisco-rush-hour Pro-Palestinian protesters block bridges in Boston, San Francisco during rush hour Pro-Palestinian protesters blocked traffic on bridges in Boston and San Francisco during rush hour Thursday morning to call for a cease-fire in Gaza as Israel continues to target Hamas leadership more than a month after the militant group’s deadly incursion into Israel. On the Boston University bridge, the group IfNotNow, which says it represents members of Boston’s Jewish community, chanted "Cease-fire now!" and demanded that Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., support an immediate cease-fire and use her influence to stop the Israeli government’s military action in Gaza. The protest slowed traffic to a trickle on the bridge, which connects Boston and Cambridge, as the group held signs that said, "Let Gaza Live," and unfurled a banner across the roadway that read, "Jews say: Ceasefire now." "We care about Palestinian lives, we only want to hurt Hamas," one protester on the bridge told NBC Boston, while another said, "There can’t be peace for Jews unless there is peace for Palestinians." Meanwhile, Pro-Palestinian protesters also shut down the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, where President Biden was courting world leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. The Arab Resource and Organizing Center planned the demonstration, in which protesters were heard shouting, "Free Palestine" and "We want justice." Others chained themselves to the bridge or lay in the road covered with sheets smeared with fake blood, FOX2 KTVU reported. Authorities had closed one lane on the bridge as a preventative measure during the summit, the station reported, citing the California Highway Patrol. Israel vowed to wipe out Hamas after the militant group launched its Oct. 7 surprise attack, in which at least 1,200 people died in Israel and around 240 were taken captive by militants back to Gaza. More than 11,200 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. The protest came as Israeli forces dropped leaflets warning Palestinians to flee parts of southern Gaza, residents said Thursday, signaling a possible expansion of their offensive. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/11/15/nolte-miserable-chicagoans-drop-mayor-brandon-johnsons-approval-rating-to-28/ Miserable Chicagoans Drop Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Approval Rating to 28% In Wednesday’s glorious edition of Democrats Getting What They Voted For, newly elected Democrat Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has an approval rating of just 28 percent. Echelon Insights polled 800 registered voters in Chicago between October 18 and 22. So how is it possible that Johnson, who won a majority just seven short months ago, is now sitting with a dismal 28 percent approval rating, which is only one point higher than Lori Lightfoot (the sitting mayor he defeated) had in February 2023, which was only one month before she lost her reelection campaign? I think the answer to this disconnect is obvious. In Chicago, dead people can vote, but dead people cannot be polled over the telephone. When asked about Chicago’s worst issues, 69 percent of those polled said crime. That’s only a two-point decrease since February. Then came high taxes (31 percent) and homelessness (20 percent). Everything else was under 15 percent. When asked how Mayor Johnson is doing on those top three issues, only 21 percent approved of the job he’s doing on crime, while 66 percent disapproved. On economic development, only 32 percent approved, while 43 percent disapproved. On housing and homelessness, only 18 percent approved, while 63 percent disapproved. On the specific issue of “management of immigrants transported to the city,” only 23 percent approved, while 64 percent disapproved. This question relates directly to His Fraudulency, Joe Biden, throwing the southern border wide open to millions of unvetted, third-world illegal aliens. On that same question, living Chicago voters were asked, “How do you feel about Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed plan to house migrants in ‘base camps’ made up of large, heated tents in various parts of Chicago?” Only 28 percent approved, while 63 percent disapproved. Those who said they “strongly oppose” on this question made up nearly half, 46 percent. When asked if they supported or opposed Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city, a majority of 52 percent opposed, while 42 percent supported. In February 2023, the month before Chicago voted Lightfoot out, 28 percent said the city was headed in the right direction. That number has now dropped to just 20 percent, while 65 percent say things are headed in the wrong direction. Now that cash bail has been eliminated statewide, it hurts Chicago more than any other city. Only 35 percent of Chicagoans support that policy, but the Democrat governor who instituted that suicide pact won around 80 percent of the vote in Cook County, which is where Chicago sits. This poll tells us that Chicagoans are getting exactly what they voted for and are quite upset over it, which tells you just how damaged Democrats are.
On this day in legal history, August 1, 1833 the British Empire abolished slavery with the passage of the Slavery Abolition Act. Put differently, despite huge shortcomings to the act and its enforcement, the empire probably responsible for the most death and destruction worldwide got the message regarding the atrocities of slavery about 3 decades prior to the United States, which is pretty damning. The Slavery Abolition Act was passed by the British Parliament on August 29, 1833, and came into effect on August 1, 1834. It marked a significant milestone in British history by abolishing slavery in most parts of the British Empire, including the Caribbean, Mauritius, and South Africa. The Act did not cover the territories controlled by the East India Company, such as Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and some other exceptions.The passage of the Act was the result of years of campaigning by abolitionists, including prominent figures like William Wilberforce. The legislation provided for compensation to slave owners, allocating £20 million for this purpose (a considerable sum at that time), while former slaves received no compensation–a glaring oversight that betrays the motivations for abolition. Many former slaves were placed into an "apprenticeship" system, which tied them to plantation work for a number of years, effectively prolonging their servitude.The Act also provided for the establishment of the British African Squadron, charged with patrolling the West African coast to suppress the Atlantic slave trade. This naval force was instrumental in enforcing the ban on the slave trade, intercepting illegal slave ships, and freeing those enslaved.The Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 stands as a landmark piece of legislation, reflecting a broader shift in social attitudes and moral perspectives on human rights and personal freedoms. While it officially ended slavery within the British Empire, the legacy of slavery continued to impact the descendants of those who had been enslaved, and the transition to freedom was fraught with difficulties and injustices.A bipartisan group of 58 U.S. House members is urging the Biden administration to allow applicants stuck in green card backlogs to apply for permanent residency at the beginning of the new fiscal year. This move would ensure that all available green cards are utilized annually, providing interim relief such as increased employment flexibility and travel freedom while applicants await their green cards. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, one of the main signatories, highlighted the bureaucratic delays in the legal immigration system that hamper the economy and leave families in uncertainty. While the lawmakers' proposal would not alter the 140,000 annual cap on employment-based green cards, it would streamline the process and prevent green cards from going unused, as over 194,000 have in the past two decades. The proposal also has precedent from the George W. Bush administration. The measure would provide multiple benefits to immigrants, such as job mobility and protection for dependent children's legal status. Both the State Department and Department of Homeland Security have not officially commented on the proposal at this time.Lawmakers Push Biden for Earlier Green Card Applications (2)Justice Samuel Alito has laid the groundwork to challenge court financial disclosure rules, suggesting that no provision in the Constitution gives Congress the authority to regulate the Supreme Court. This could potentially lead to scrapping the 1978 Ethics in Government Act requirement that justices file annual financial disclosure reports, which include information about outside teaching and book income, spousal workplace, reimbursed travel, and major debts and investments. Alito, along with others, argues that the justices are not bound by this law, having only followed the disclosure statutes that apply to lower-court judges and executive-branch officials voluntarily. The article outlines a potential scenario where a lower-court judge might file a suit to overturn the law, claiming it's unconstitutional under separation-of-powers principles and burdensome. The scenario also includes possible support from Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas. If successful, this move could further exempt the Supreme Court from accountability measures, including gift and travel disclosures, and recusal rules, making the court completely unaccountable. The author of the article, executive director of Fix the Court, warns against allowing this to happen and emphasizes the importance of transparency and accountability in the federal courts.Alito Lays Groundwork to Scrap Court Financial Disclosure RulesSamuel Alito, the Supreme Court's Plain-Spoken Defender - WSJWalt Disney Co. and NBCUniversal are closely monitoring a bill in New York that could bar them from utilizing a state tax break if they use artificial intelligence (AI) to replace workers in their film and TV productions. Albany-based lobbyists for both companies began tracking the legislation (S.B. 7422) when it was introduced in June 2023. Neither company has publicly stated their stance on the proposal, but they could lose millions in future savings if the bill is approved. Assemblyman Demond Meeks, the bill's sponsor, believes that it could put New York at the forefront of maintaining workers' dignity amid fears of AI taking over jobs. Hollywood, particularly Disney and NBCUniversal, has shown increasing interest in AI, with Disney expressing its enthusiasm about the technology's potential. NBCUniversal has already received $96.7 million in state tax credits since 2022, and Disney has received $10.9 million for specific productions. Representatives of both companies have downplayed the significance of the bill, although they are keeping tabs on it, and the situation might change by the next legislative session.Disney and NBC Eyeing New York's AI Tax Break Ban ProposalAnd up ahead in the road there is something pulled over in the shoulder. It has LED headlights and looks like pseudo-futuristic stylizing. What can it be? Ahh yes, my column on the broken EV tax credit system. Electric vehicles (EVs) are currently facing a supply and demand imbalance, leading to a surplus of EVs on dealer lots. This shift is partially due to the EV tax credit system, which as it stands, severely restricts lower-income households from reaping the benefits. The credits are nonrefundable and tied to the amount of federal income tax liability for the purchase year, thereby making the full $7,500 credit inaccessible for many. Compounding the problem is the fact that these credits are available only once every three years, causing potential buyers to delay their purchase until they can avail the full credit.Further, the introduction of new vehicle restrictions pertaining to critical mineral and battery component sourcing has added to the complexity. These requirements mandate a certain percentage of metals used in EV batteries to be extracted or processed in the U.S. or a country with a U.S. free trade agreement. Currently set at 50% for 2023, these regulations have disqualified a significant number of affordable EVs. As a result, a new battery recycling industry has emerged, which could potentially hinder the supply chain. Furthermore, the slowing pace of EV adoption could lead to a future depression in the market for used and recycled batteries. I conclude by advocating for a complete reevaluation of America's stance on the electrification of roadways. To make a successful transition away from the fossil fuel industry, policy changes are needed to ensure tax credits and regulations fully support this goal without unnecessary compromises or job creation agendas.We Need a Functional EV Tax Credit System Backed by Sound Policy Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe
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In this debate Yaron Brook and James Galbraith go head to head on the matter of income inequality. As income inequality continues to rise, should Government act to reduce inequality? This was a private event hosted in Dallas, TX on June 1, 2023.Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/@YaronBrook/joinLike what you hear? Like, share, and subscribe to stay updated on new videos and help promote the Yaron Brook Show: https://bit.ly/3ztPxTxBecome a sponsor to get exclusive access and help create more videos like this: https://yaronbrookshow.com/support-members/support-the-show/Or make a one-time donation: https://bit.ly/2RZOyJJContinue the discussion by following Yaron on Twitter (https://bit.ly/3iMGl6z) and Facebook (https://bit.ly/3vvWDDC )Want to learn more about Ayn Rand and Objectivism? Visit the Ayn Rand Institute: https://bit.ly/35qoEC3This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3276901/advertisement
Hour 1 * Guest: James Edwards – Race, Politics & Hypocrisy in 21st Century America – thepoliticalcesspool.org * NewsGuard is a journalism and technology tool that rates the credibility of news and information websites and tracks online misinformation – NewsGuardTech.com – Restoring trust and accountability. * NewsGuard Fact Check: Political and corporate elites empower NewsGuard to censor anyone that doesn't comply with their agenda. That's why they hate truth-fighters like Liberty RoundTable and PragerU. * They want to control the narrative on any and every topic—from climate change and COVID-19 treatments and vaccines to elections, Planned Parenthood, and the World Economic Forum (to name just a few!). Any outlet that does not conform to their agenda is targeted, blacklisted, and punished. * Trump to End a Long Boycott and Appear on CNN. * Will Screenwriter Strike Shut Down Hollywood? * Is Tucker actually still on Fox News payroll? * Megyn Kelly fingers who she thinks is sabotaging Tucker at Fox. * Kelly theorized Irena Briganti, Fox's senior executive vice president for corporate communications, is behind the leaks. * Vice, a former juggernaut with a $5.7B valuation, is the latest to be on the brink of going belly up. Hour 2 * Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz and Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced bipartisan legislation to ban financial investments by Congressional lawmakers and their families. * The Bipartisan Restoring Faith in Government Act, which would prohibit members of Congress and their immediate family members from engaging in stock trades. * Matt Gaetz AOC is not corrupt. * CIA director William Burns met with Jeffrey Epstein twice in 2014, and President Biden's White house declined to comment. * Hunter Biden claimed he didn't have the finances to pay child support for his out-of-wedlock child, using one of the most expensive lawyers in Washington, DC. * Biden's attorneys said Hunter has already paid $750,000 in child support to the mother of his love child for his four-year-old daughter, Navy Joan Roberts. The child's mother is Lunden Alexis Roberts, a former stripper with whom Biden had a brief affair. * The federal gov. is shelling out $13B to take over and sell First Republic Bank to JP Morgan Chase after the regional bank failed over the weekend. * IRS Seeks To Hire Agents With Guns In All 50 States – Ben Zeisloft, TheDailyWire.com * The IRS is attempting to hire individuals qualified to wield firearms for the tax collection agency's Criminal Unit as enforcement activities are expected to increase amid a recent funding windfall. * The University of Texas at Austin promoted alternative spellings of “women” without the suffix “-men” in a “glossary of terms,”. * The University of Texas is now promoting the word “wimmin,” so that students and faculty can “avoid the word ending in ‘-men.' * In the 2023 Stanford's Woke Dictionary – ‘American' Is Discriminatory. * From transgendered to ‘transabled': Now people are ‘choosing' to identify as handicapped – Some with ‘body integrity identity disorder' even desire amputation or other impairments. * Can an able bodied person claim to be a double amputee and claim the associated benefits? --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loving-liberty/support
Why did Government Act Against Kejriwal to Curtail his Power_ _ Omkar Chaudhary, Dhirendra.P And Sanjay Dixit
Fallout from former President Donald Trump's CNN town hall continued on Thursday, with some Republicans taking issue with Trump's comments on Ukraine. During the event, Trump declined to say whether he would like to see Russia or Ukraine win the war, and he refused to say Russian President Vladimir Putin is a war criminal. That drew criticism from some Senate Republicans, NBC News' Liz Brown-Kaiser, Garrett Haake and Dareh Gregorian report. An unlikely mix of lawmakers spanning MAGA Republicans and democratic socialists is joining forces in hopes of finally keeping fellow members of Congress from being able to trade stocks. The team includes two Republican representatives: Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, one of the House's most bipartisan members, and Matt Gaetz of Florida, who is among its most far-right. They introduced the Bipartisan Restoring Faith in Government Act on Tuesday along with two colleagues across the aisle: pro-business New Democrat centrist Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois and Democratic Socialists of America member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
Overnighters, Episode 540: Rough Seas for Regional Banks Nigeria's National Blockchain Policy Gates Closed on Congress Crypto Owners? and More The TL;DL North Carolina House of Representatives Passes Bill to Ban CBDC Payments-The North Carolina House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill on May 3 that would prohibit the state from accepting payments in the form of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). The bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration. If passed and signed into law, North Carolina would become the first state in the U.S. to ban CBDC payments. Shares of several regional banks in the United States plunged in after-hours trading on May 3-PacWest Bancorp's shares fell a whopping 52.5%, while Western Alliance Bancorp fell 22.4%, Metropolitan fell 16.2% and Homestreet dropped 7.8%. The sell-off comes amid growing concerns about the banking sector's health, following First Republic Bank's collapse in April. Coinbase has stopped issuing new loans through its Borrow service-Borrow allowed users to borrow up to $1 million using their Bitcoin holdings as collateral, all with no credit check. Existing loans will remain active, but new users will not be able to take out loans through Borrow. Nigeria approves national blockchain policy to boost economy-The policy aims to establish a blockchain-based economy and facilitate secure transactions, data sharing, and an exchange of value among individuals, businesses, and the government. The policy has the potential to help Nigeria become a leader in the blockchain industry and boost the country's economy. FTX is seeking to claw back nearly $4 billion from Genesis Global Capital-The bankrupt crypto exchange claims that Genesis was "largely repaid" the nearly $8 billion in loans it made to Alameda Research in the weeks leading up to FTX's bankruptcy in November. FTX is now trying to get back those funds to help pay back its creditors. The SEC has removed a definition of "digital asset" from its latest hedge fund rule-The SEC's decision does not mean that digital assets are not subject to regulation, and the agency has said it will continue to apply existing securities laws to digital assets. However, the lack of clarity from the SEC is frustrating for many in the crypto community, and it is unclear how the SEC will ultimately regulate digital assets. A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill that would prohibit members of Congress and their spouses from trading or owning certain financial instruments, including cryptocurrencies-The bill is called the Bipartisan Restoring Faith in Government Act, and it is a sign of growing momentum for reform on this issue. (5/4/2023)-Welcome back to the Crypto Overnighter. My name is Nikodemus, I'll be your host as we take a nightly look at the crypto, NFT, and metaverse space and the industry surrounding it. And keep in mind, nothing in this show should ever be considered financial advice. Email: nick@cryptoovernighter.com Salem Friends of Felines: https://sfof.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CryptoCorvus1 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=67416221
* Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz and Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced bipartisan legislation to ban financial investments by Congressional lawmakers and their families. * The Bipartisan Restoring Faith in Government Act, which would prohibit members of Congress and their immediate family members from engaging in stock trades. * Matt Gaetz AOC is not corrupt. * CIA director William Burns met with Jeffrey Epstein twice in 2014, and President Biden's White house declined to comment. * Hunter Biden claimed he didn't have the finances to pay child support for his out-of-wedlock child, using one of the most expensive lawyers in Washington, DC. * Biden's attorneys said Hunter has already paid $750,000 in child support to the mother of his love child for his four-year-old daughter, Navy Joan Roberts. The child's mother is Lunden Alexis Roberts, a former stripper with whom Biden had a brief affair. * The federal gov. is shelling out $13B to take over and sell First Republic Bank to JP Morgan Chase after the regional bank failed over the weekend. * IRS Seeks To Hire Agents With Guns In All 50 States - Ben Zeisloft, TheDailyWire.com * The IRS is attempting to hire individuals qualified to wield firearms for the tax collection agency's Criminal Unit as enforcement activities are expected to increase amid a recent funding windfall. * The University of Texas at Austin promoted alternative spellings of "women" without the suffix "-men" in a "glossary of terms,". * The University of Texas is now promoting the word "wimmin," so that students and faculty can "avoid the word ending in '-men.' * In the 2023 Stanford's Woke Dictionary - 'American' Is Discriminatory. * From transgendered to 'transabled': Now people are 'choosing' to identify as handicapped - Some with 'body integrity identity disorder' even desire amputation or other impairments. * Can an able bodied person claim to be a double amputee and claim the associated benefits?
Justin Elliott of ProPublica and former chief ethics lawyer for President George W. Bush, Professor Richard W. Painter, join me to discuss Justice Clarence Thomas's failure to disclose extravagant trips and real estate transactions, potentially violating federal law.Mr. Elliott provides details about the genesis of the ProPublica investigation and what he and his colleagues, Joshua Kaplan and Alex Mierjeski, uncovered.Professor Painter explains the federal statutes at issue and why he believes Justice Thomas's failure to report is a “clear- cut violation of the disclosure requirements.”Professor Painter teaches at the University of Minnesota Law School. In addition to serving as chief ethics lawyer to President Bush, he also served as Associate Counsel in the White House Counsel's Office during the Bush administration. He has testified many times before Congress on issues related to ethics in government. His most recent book is American Nero: The History of the Destruction of the Rule of Law, and Why Trump Is the Worst Offender.ProPublica articles:Clarence Thomas and the Billionaire (April 6)Clarence Thomas Defends Undisclosed “Family Trips” With GOP Megadonor (April 7)Ethics Watchdog Urges Justice Department Investigation Into Clarence Thomas' Trips (April 12)Billionaire Harlan Crow Bought Property from Clarence Thomas (April 13)Applicable statutes:Ethics in Government Act of 1978Financial Disclosure Requirements of Federal PersonnelSend your questions, comments, and feedback to summarilypod@gmail.com.Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not an advertisement for legal services. The information provided on this podcast is not intended to be legal advice. You should not rely on what you hear on this podcast as legal advice. If you have a legal issue, please contact a lawyer. The views and opinion expressed by the hosts and guests are solely those of the individuals and do not represent the views or opinions of the firms or organizations with which they are affiliated or the views or opinions of this podcast's advertisers. This podcast is available for private, non-commercial use only. Any editing, reproduction, or redistribution of this podcast for commercial use or monetary gain without the expressed, written consent of the podcast's creator is prohibited.
Liz and Andrew tackle three stories: an update on the dueling mifepristone rulings in Texas and Washington, Clarence Thomas's latest corrupt activities, and (for patrons) an update on Steve Bannon's sugar daddy. Notes OA 594: Impeach Clarence Thomas https://openargs.com/oa594-impeach-clarence-thomas/ OA 714 on Kwok https://openargs.com/oa714-gonna-be-hard-for-steve-bannons-sugar-daddy-to-write-those-checks-from-prison/ Kwok superseding indictment https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.595325/gov.uscourts.nysd.595325.19.0_1.pdf Ethics in Government Act of 1978, 5a U.S.C. §§ 101 et seq. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5a/compiledact-95-521/title-I Washington v. FDA Motion for Clarification https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.waed.102225/gov.uscourts.waed.102225.81.0_3.pdf Washington v. FDA Motion to Expedite https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.waed.102225/gov.uscourts.waed.102225.82.0.pdf FDA 5th Circuit Motion to Stay https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca5.213145/gov.uscourts.ca5.213145.20.0_4.pdf?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email Intervenors 5th Circuit Motion to Stay https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca5.213145/gov.uscourts.ca5.213145.22.1_1.pdf Robert EOY report on the Supreme Court 2021 https://www.supremecourt.gov/publicinfo/year-end/2021year-endreport.pdf NPR on 2022 state supreme court races https://www.npr.org/2022/11/05/1134514218/money-is-pouring-into-state-judicial-campaigns-this-year ProPublica Thomas story https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow Wall Street Journal on federal judges violating the ethics laws https://www.wsj.com/articles/131-federal-judges-broke-the-law-by-hearing-cases-where-they-had-a-financial-interest-11632834421 -Support us on Patreon at: patreon.com/law -Follow us on Twitter: @Openargs -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/openargs/ -For show-related questions, check out the Opening Arguments Wiki, which now has its own Twitter feed! @oawiki -And finally, remember that you can email us at openarguments@gmail.com
New Zealand's major banks have posted billions of dollars in profits. This has led to criticism from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who said it was wrong for banks to be making massive profits at a time when New Zealanders are struggling to make ends meet. Stable banks have long been seen as integral to the economy, but do the current profits go too far? And if so, what can we do to address this issue, in a way that doesn't harm economic stability in Aotearoa? Today, NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann joins Damien for discussion about the money machines in the New Zealand economy. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Damien VenutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-현무-C2 낙탄 사고 늑장대응.. 군사적 의미는?Guest: Lee Ha-young, ReporterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Ch1: Canadian troops are on the ground in Latvia, how are they doing and what are they doing in Latvia? Guest: Mercedes Stephenson, Global News Ottawa Bureau Chief and host of The West Block. Recording. Ch2: The deadline for BC businesses required to file groundwater applications was on March 1st. Guest: Ben Parfitt, policy analyst at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Ch3: The B.C. government is vowing to take action against record-breaking gas prices, but says freezing carbon tax increases or capping gas prices aren't on the table. Guest: Bruce Ralston, BC Minister of Energy, Mines, and Low Carbon Innovation and Minister Responsible for the Consular Corps. Ch4: Thousands of Vancouverites will flock to the VCC for the 2nd sneaker con in the city. Guest: Jason Manaois, ‘Mornings with Simi' Producer Ch5: We all know mice aren't dogs. But researchers at the University of Washington are hoping that the life extending effects they've observed in mice will translate to man's best friend. Guest: Matt Kaeberlein, a professor at the University of Washington.
The war in Afghanistan is over. In this episode, we document how and why the Biden administration finally admitted defeat in our 20 year attempt to create a new government in Afghanistan and we take a hard look at the lessons we need to learn. Afghanistan is a country in a far away land, but there are disturbing similarities between the Afghanistan government that just collapsed and our own. We'd be wise not to ignore them. Executive Producer: Rachel Passer Executive Producer: Anonymous Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD236: January 6: The Capitol Riot CD218: Minerals are the New Oil CD210: The Afghanistan War CD124: The Costs of For-Profit War How We Got Here Craig Whitlock. The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War. Simon and Schuster, 2021. Patrick Tucker. August 18, 2021. “Trump's Pledge to Exit Afghanistan Was a Ruse, His Final SecDef Says.” Defense One. Eugene Kiely and Robert Farley. August 17, 2021. “Timeline of U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan.” FactCheck.org. Eric Schmitt and Jennifer Steinhauer. July 30, 2021. “Afghan Visa Applicants Arrive in U.S. After Years of Waiting.” The New York Times. Craig Whitlock, Leslie Shapiro and Armand Emamdjomeh. December 9, 2019. “The Afghanistan Papers: A secret history of the war.” The Washington Post. Mark Landler and James Risen. July 25, 2017. “Trump Finds Reason for the U.S. to Remain in Afghanistan: Minerals.” The New York Times. John F. Harris. October 15, 2001. “Bush Rejects Taliban Offer On Bin Laden ” Washington Post. The Evacuation: Those Left Behind William Mauldin. September 2, 2021. “Afghanistan Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Staff Left Behind.” Wall Street Journal. Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Annie Karni. August 29, 2021. “Series of U.S. Actions Left Afghan Allies Frantic, Stranded and Eager to Get Out.” The York Times. Sami Sadat. August 25, 2021. “I Commanded Afghan Troops This Year. We Were Betrayed.” The New York Times. Marjorie Censer. August 18, 2021. “US contractors rush to get former employees out of Afghanistan.” Defense News. Siobhan Hughes. August 18, 2021. “Afghanistan Veterans in Congress Trying to Prevent ‘a Death Warrant' for Helping America.” Wall Street Journal. Alex Sanz and Tammy Webber. August 18, 2021. “US friends try to rescue brother in arms in Afghanistan.” AP News. Seth Moulton. June 04, 2021. "Moulton, Bipartisan Honoring Our Promises Working Group to White House: Evacuate our Afghan Partners.” Contractors in Afghanistan Matt Taibbi. August 18, 2021. “We Failed Afghanistan, Not the Other Way Around.” TK News by Matt Taibbi on Substack. Jack Detsch. August 16, 2021. “Departure of Private Contractors Was a Turning Point in Afghan Military's Collapse.” Foreign Policy. Matt Stoller. July 15, 2021. “‘A Real S*** Show': Soldiers Angrily Speak Out about Being Blocked from Repairing Equipment by Contractors.” BIG by Matt Stoller. Lynzy Billing. May 12, 2021. “The U.S. Is Leaving Afghanistan? Tell That to the Contractors.” New York Magazine. Oren Liebermann. March 29, 2021. “Pentagon could open itself to costly litigation from contractors if US pulls out of Afghanistan this year.” CNN. Lucas Kunce and Elle Ekman. September 15, 2019. “Comment Submitted by Major Lucas Kunce and Captain Elle Ekman.” [Regulations.gov(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulations.gov). Aaron Mehta. Oct 25, 2016. “30 Years: William Perry — Reshaping the Industry.” Defense News. Jared Serbu. August 22, 2016. “DoD now awarding more than half its contract spending without competitive bids.” Federal News Network. 41 U.S. Code § 3307 - Preference for commercial products and commercial services. Money: Lost and Gained David Moore. August 23, 2021. “Lawmakers Benefit From Booming Defense Stocks.” Sludge. Lee Fang. August 20, 2021. “Congressman Seeking to Relaunch Afghan War Made Millions in Defense Contracting.” The Intercept. Anna Massoglia and Julia Forrest. August 20, 2021. “Defense contractors spent big in Afghanistan before the U.S. left and the Taliban took control.” OpenSecrets.org. Stephen Losey. April 16, 2021. “The Bill for the Afghanistan War Is $2.26 Trillion, and Still Rising.” Military.com. Eli Clifton. February 16, 2021. “Weapons Biz Bankrolls Experts Pushing to Keep U.S. Troops in Afghanistan.” Daily Beast. Open Secrets. 2021. Defense: Lobbying, 2021. Open Secrets. 2021. Defense: Money to Congress. Laws S.1790 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 Sponsor: Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) Status: Became Public Law No: 116-92 on December 20, 2019 H.R. 3237: Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 Sponsor: Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) Status: Signed into law, 2021 May 20 House Vote Breakdown Congressional Budget Office Score Law Outline TITLE IV: BILATERAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE GENERAL PROVISIONS EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF THE AFGHAN SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM Sec. 401: Amends the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 to expand eligibility to include Afghans who worked not only for the US Government for more than 1 year but also our allies as an off-base interpreter or if they performed "activities for United States military stationed at International Security Assistance Force (or any successor name for such Force). Increases the number of Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) to Afghan partners by 8,000, for a total of 34,500 allocated since December 19, 2014. Sec. 402: Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security and Secretary of state to jointly waive for 1 year (maximum 2 years with an extension) the requirement that Afghan partners eligible for SIVs get a medical exam before they can receive their visa. The Secretary of Homeland Security has to create a process to make sure Afghan SIV holders get a medical exam within 30 days of entry into the United States. Sec. 403: Allows the surviving spouse or child or employee of the United States Government abroad to be eligible for immigration into the United States if the employee worked for our government for at least 15 years or was killed in the line of duty. It also expands entry permissions for Afghan SIV applicants in addition to those who have already been approved. This is retroactive to June 30, 2021. Policies for Visa Processing: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Policy Manual, Chapter 9: Certain Afghan Nationals U.S Department of State -- Bureau of Consular Affairs. “Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans - Who Were Employed by/on Behalf of the U.S. Government.” Audio Sources Gen. Mark Milley: "There was nothing that I or anyone else saw that indicated a collapse of this army and this government in 11 days." August 18, 2021 General Mark Milley: The time frame of rapid collapse that was widely estimated and ranged from weeks to months, and even years following our departure, there was nothing that I or anyone else saw that indicated a collapse of this army and this government in 11 days. Central Command submitted a variety of plans that were briefed and approved by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of Defense and the President. These plans were coordinated, synchronized and rehearsed to deal with these various scenarios. One of those contingencies is what we are executing right now. As I said before, there's plenty of time to do AARs(After Action Reviews) and key lessons learned and to delve into these questions with great detail. But right now is not that time. Right now, we have to focus on this mission, because we have soldiers at risk. And we also have American citizens and Afghans who supported us for 20 years also at risk. This is personal and we're going to get them out. President Biden on Afghanistan Withdrawal Transcript July 8, 2021 Sound Clips 01:30 President Biden: When I announced our drawdown in April, I said we would be out by September, and we're on track to meet that target. Our military mission in Afghanistan will conclude on August 31. The drawdown is proceeding in a secure and orderly way, prioritizing the safety of our troops as they depart 3:40 President Biden: Together with our NATO allies and partners, we have trained and equipped nearly 300,000 current serving members of the military, the Afghan national security force, and many beyond that are no longer serving. Add to that hundreds of thousands more Afghan national defense and security forces trained over the last two decades. 04:04 President Biden: We provided our Afghan partners with all the tools, let me emphasize, all the tools -- training, equipment -- of any modern military. We provided advanced weaponry, and we're going to continue to provide funding and equipment and we'll ensure they have the capacity to maintain their Air Force. 5:54 President Biden: We're also going to continue to make sure that we take on Afghan nationals who worked side by side with US forces, including interpreters and translators. Since we're no longer going to have military there after this, we're not going to need them and they'll have no jobs. We're [sic] also going to be vital to our efforts. they've been very vital, and so their families are not exposed to danger as well. We've already dramatically accelerated the procedure time for Special Immigrant Visas to bring them to the United States. Since I was inaugurated on January 20, we've already approved 2,500 Special Immigrant Visas to come to the United States. Up to now, fewer than half have exercised the right to do that. Half have gotten on aircraft and come commercial flights and come and other half believe they want to stay, at least thus far. We're working closely with Congress to change the authorization legislation so that we can streamline the process of approving those visas. And those who have stood up for the operation to physically relocate 1000s of Afghans and their families before the US military mission concludes so that, if they choose, they can wait safely outside of Afghanistan, while their US visas are being processed. 8:13 President Biden: For those who have argued that we should stay just six more months, or just one more year, I asked them to consider the lessons of recent history. In 2011, the NATO allies and partners agreed that we would end our combat mission in 2014. In 2014, some argued one more year. So we kept fighting. We kept taking casualties. In 2015, the same, and on and on. Nearly 20 years of experience has shown us that the current security situation only confirms that just one more year of fighting in Afghanistan is not a solution, but a recipe for being there indefinitely. It's up to the Afghans to make the decision about the future of their country. Others are more direct. Their argument is that we should stay with the Afghans and Afghanistan indefinitely. In doing so they point to the fact that we we have not taken losses in this last year. So they claim that the cost of just maintaining the status quo is minimal. 9:19 President Biden: But that ignores the reality, and the facts that already presented on the ground in Afghanistan when I took office. The Taliban is at its strongest militarily since 2001. The number of US forces in Afghanistan had been reduced to a bare minimum. And the United States and the last administration made an agreement that they have to with the Taliban remove all our forces by May 1 of this year. That's what I inherited. That agreement was the reason the Taliban had ceased major attacks against US forces. 9:55 President Biden: If in April, I had instead announced that the United States was going to go back on that agreement, made by the last administration, the United States and allied forces will remain in Afghanistan for the foreseeable future, the Taliban would have again begun to target our forces. The status quo was not an option. Staying would have meant US troops taking casualties, American men and women back in the middle of a civil war, and we would run the risk of having to send more troops back in Afghanistan to defend our remaining troops. Once that agreement with the Taliban had been made, staying with a bare minimum force was no longer possible. 10:34 President Biden: So let me ask those who want us to stay: how many more? How many 1000s more Americans' daughters and sons are you willing to risk? How long would you have them stay? Already we have members of our military whose parents fought in Afghanistan 20 years ago. Would you send their children and their grandchildren as well? Would you send your own son or daughter? After 20 years, a trillion dollars spent training and equipping hundreds of 1000s of Afghan National Security and Defence Forces. 2,448 Americans killed, 20,722 more wounded, and untold 1000s coming home with unseen trauma to their mental health. I will not send another generation of Americans to war in Afghanistan with no reasonable expectation of achieving a different outcome. 11:51 President Biden: Today the terrorist threat has metastasized beyond Afghanistan. So, we are repositioning our resources and adapting our counterterrorism posture to meet the threats where they are now: significantly higher in South Asia, the Middle East and Africa. 12:07 President Biden: But make no mistake, our military and intelligence leaders are confident they have the capabilities to protect the homeland and our interests from any resurgent terrorist challenge emerging or emanating from Afghanistan. We're developing a counterterrorism over-the-horizon capability that will allow us to keep our eyes firmly fixed at any direct threat to the United States in the region and act quickly and decisively if needed. 12:38 President Biden: We also need to focus on shoring up America's core strengths to meet the strategic competition competition with China and other nations that is really going to determine our future. 14:58 Reporter: Is the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan now inevitable? President Biden: No. It is not. Because you have the Afghan troops, 300,000. Well equipped, as well equipped as any army in the world, and an air force against something like 75,000 Taliban. It is not inevitable. 15:45 President Biden: Do I trust the Taliban? No, but I trust the capacity of the Afghan military who is better trained, better equipped, and more competent in terms of conducting war. 18:07 Reporter: Your own intelligence community has assessed that the Afghan government will likely collapse President Biden: That is not true 18:53 President Biden: And I want to make clear what I made clear to Ghani, that we are not going to walk away and not sustain their ability to maintain that force. We are. We're going to also work to make sure we help them in terms of everything from food necessities and other things in the region. But there is not a conclusion that in fact, they cannot defeat the Taliban. I believe the only way there's going to be -- this is now Joe Biden, not the intelligence community -- the only way there's only going to be peace and secure in Afghanistan, is that they work out a modus vivendi with the Taliban, and they make a judgement as to how they can make peace. And the likelihood there's going to be one unified government in Afghanistan, controlling the whole country is highly unlikely. 21:30 Reporter: Mr. President, how serious was the corruption among the Afghanistan government to this mission failing there? President Biden: First of all, the mission hasn't failed yet. 22:00 President Biden: There were going to be negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan national security forces, and the Afghan government that didn't come to fruition. So the question now is where do they go from here? The jury is still out, but the likelihood there's going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely. 23:20 Reporter: Mr. President, "speed is safety," as you just said in your remarks. Are you satisfied with the timeline of relocating Afghan nationals? Is it happening quickly enough to your satisfaction if it may not happen until next month at the end? President Biden: It has already happened, there have already been people, about 1000 people have gotten on aircraft and come to the United States already on commercial aircraft. So as I said, there's over 2500 people, that as from January to now, have have gotten those visas and only half decided that they wanted to leave. The point is that I think the whole process has to be speeded up -- period -- in terms of being able to get these visas. Reporter: Why can't the US evacuate these Afghan translators to the United States to await their visa processing as some immigrants of the southern border have been allowed to? President Biden: Because the law doesn't allow that to happen. And that's why we're asking the Congress to consider changing the law. President Biden Remarks on Afghanistan Strategy Transcript April 14, 2021 Sound Clips 00:38 President Biden: I'm speaking to you today from the Roosevelt -- the Treaty room in the White House -- the same spot where in October of 2001, President George W. Bush informed our nation that the United States military had begun strikes on terrorist training camps in Afghanistan. It was just weeks, just weeks after the terrorist attack on our nation that killed 2,977 innocent souls, that turned Lower Manhattan into a disaster area, destroyed parts of the Pentagon and made hallowed ground in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and sparked an American promise that we would never forget. We went to Afghanistan in 2001, to root out al Qaeda to prevent future terrorist attacks against the United States planned from Afghanistan. Our objective was clear, the cause was just, our NATO allies and partners rallied beside us. And I supported that military action along with the overwhelming majority of the members of Congress. More than seven years later, in 2008 weeks before we swore the oath of office -- President Obama and I were about to swear -- President Obama asked me to travel to Afghanistan and report back on the state of the war in Afghanistan. I flew to Afghanistan to the Kunar Valley, a rugged, mountainous region on the border of Pakistan. What I saw on that trip reinforced my conviction that only the Afghans have the right and responsibility to lead their country. And that more and endless American military force could not create or sustain a durable Afghan Government. I believed that our presence in Afghanistan should be focused on the reason we went in the first place: to ensure Afghanistan would not be used as a base from which to attack our homeland again. We did that, we accomplished that objective. I said, along with others, we would follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell if need be. That's exactly what we did. And we got him. It took us close to 10 years to put President Obama's commitment into form. And that's exactly what happened Osama bin Laden was gone. That was 10 years ago. Think about that. We delivered justice to Bin Laden a decade ago. And we've stayed in Afghanistan for a decade since. Since then, our reasons for remaining in Afghanistan have become increasingly unclear, even as the terrorist threat that we went to fight evolved. Over the past 20 years, the threat has become more dispersed, metastasizing around the globe. Al Shabaab in Somalia, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, on Al Nusra in Syria, ISIS attempting to create a caliphate in Syria and Iraq and establishing affiliates in multiple countries in Africa and Asia. With the terror threat now in many places, keeping 1000s of troops grounded and concentrated in just one country at a cost of billions each year makes little sense to me and our leaders. We cannot continue the cycle of extending or expanding our military presence in Afghanistan, hoping to create ideal conditions for the withdraw and expecting a different result. I'm now the fourth United States President to preside over American troop presence in Afghanistan: two Republicans, two Democrats. I will not pass this responsibility on to a fifth. After consulting closely with our allies and partners, with our military leaders and intelligence personnel, with our diplomats and our development experts, with the Congress and the Vice President, as well as with Mr. Ghani and many others around the world. I concluded that it's time to end America's longest war. It's time for American troops to come home. 5:01 President Biden: When I came to office, I inherited a diplomatic agreement, duly negotiated between the government of the United States and the Taliban, that all US forces would be out of Afghanistan by May 1 2021, just three months after my inauguration. That's what we inherited. That commitment is perhaps not what I would have negotiated myself, but it was an agreement made by the United States government. And that means something. So in keeping with that agreement, and with our national interest, the United States will begin our final withdrawal beginning on May 1 of this year. 8:11 President Biden: You all know that less than 1% of Americans serve in our Armed Forces. The remaining 99%, we owe them. We owe them. They've never backed down from a single mission that we've asked of them. I've witnessed their bravery firsthand during my visits to Afghanistan. They've never wavered in their resolve. They paid a tremendous price on our behalf and they have the thanks of a grateful nation. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) High-Risk List Center for Strategic and International Studies Transcript March 10, 2021 Speaker: John Sopko - Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction Sound Clips 7:40 John Sopko: But right now, that state is under threat. In the wake of the February 2020 withdrawal agreement, all is not well. Compromise appears in short supply on either side. Taliban attacks have actually increased since the agreement was signed. Assassination of prominent officials, activists, journalists, aid workers and others have also increased, including an unsuccessful attack on one of the female members of the peace negotiating team. And the Taliban offensive on Kandahar city last October, as peace negotiations were ongoing, may well have succeeded, were it not for U.S. air support. Peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban have achieved little for Afghanistan so far, and only time will tell as to whether the new Biden administration initiative will bear fruit. And the Afghan people's fears for its own government survival are exacerbated by the knowledge of how dependent their country is on foreign military and financial support. 12:56 John Sopko: Another equally serious threat to Afghanistan's stability has also largely been ignored as we focus on the boots on the ground in Afghanistan. And that is the provision of last year's U.S.-Taliban agreement that stipulates that in addition to the departure of U.S. and coalition troops, or non-diplomatic civilian personnel: private security contractors, trainers, advisors, and supporting service personnel also must leave the country by May 1. Should this come to passSIGAR and many others believe this may be more devastating to the effectiveness of the Afghan security forces than the withdrawal of our remaining troops. Why is that? Because the Afghan government relies heavily on these foreign contractors and trainers to function. In the first quarter of fiscal year 2021 there are over 18,000 Defense Department contractors in Afghanistan, including 6000 Americans, and 7,000 3rd country nationals, 40% of whom are responsible for logistics, maintenance, or training tasks. Now, it is well known that the Afghan security forces need these contractors to maintain their equipment, manage supply chains, and train their military and police to operate the advanced equipment that we have purchased for them. For example, as of December, the Afghan National Army was completing just under 20% of its own maintenance work orders, well below the goal of 80% that was set and the 51% that they did in 2018. So that's actually going down. The Afghan National Police were just as bad if not worse, undertaking only 12% of their own maintenance work against a target of 35% and less than the 16% that we reported in our 2019 high risk list. Additionally, and more troubling. The Department of Defense does train, advise and assist command air, or commonly called TAC air recently reported that since late 2019, they have reduced their personnel in Afghanistan by 94%, and that the military drawdown now requires near total use of contract support to maintain the Afghan Air fleet. They assess that quote “further drawdown in the associated closure basis will effectively end all in country aviation training contracts in Afghanistan.” Again, why is this significant? Why do we view this as a high risk? Namely because contractors currently provide 100% of the maintenance for the Afghan Air Force, UAE 60 helicopters and CE 130 cargo aircraft and a significant portion of Afghans Light Combat Support aircraft. TAC air this January gave a bleak assessment, namely, that no Afghan airframe can be sustained as combat effective for more than a few months in the absence of contractor support. 17:51 John Sopko: Continued funding for U.S. reconstruction programs aimed at promoting economic development, rule of law, respect for human rights, good governance and security for the Afghan people may be more significant, because it may be the primary lever left for the US and other donors to influence that country. It appears that even the Taliban understand Afghanistan's dire need for foreign assistance. Because, as one of the few commitments that the US had to make last year was, “to seek economic cooperation for reconstruction, with the new post settlement, Afghan Islamic government.” Now how much the donor community wishes to stay involved will of course depend on what that government looks like and how it behaves. Numerous officials, including then Secretary of State Pompeo and Ambassador Halley, have stated that the US will be able to advance its human rights goals, including the rights of women and girls with the Taliban by leveraging or conditioning this much needed financial assistance. But unfortunately, as SIGAR has long reported, even when conditionality involved only dealing with the Afghan government, donors do not have a stellar record of successfully utilizing that conditionality to influence Afghan behavior. 27:19 John Sopko: Today our report suggests the donor community should realize the Afghan government is focused on a single goal, its survival. Afghanistan is more dependent on international support than ever before. It may not be an overstatement that if foreign assistance is withdrawn and peace negotiations fail, Taliban forces could be at the gates of Kabul in short order. Hearing: A PATHWAY FOR PEACE IN AFGHANISTAN: EXAMINING THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE AFGHANISTAN STUDY GROUP House Committee on Oversight and Reform: Subcommittee on National Security February 19, 2021 Testimony was heard from the following Afghanistan Study Group officials: Kelly A. Ayotte, Co-Chair; News Corp Board of Directors since April 2017 BAE Systems Board of Directors since June 2017 Blackstone Board of Directors Boston Properties Board of Directors Caterpillar Board of Directors Board of Advisors at Cirtronics General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. (Retired), Co-Chair Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Obama and Trump presidencies. Lockheed Martin Board of Directors since February 2020 Nancy Lindborg, Co-Chair President and CEO of the David Lucile Packard Foundation Former President and CEO of the US Institute for Peace Former Assistant Administrator for the bureau for democracy conflict and humanitarian assistance at USAID During the mid-Obama years. Sound Clips 3:13 Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA): I'd also like to take a moment to thank the nonpartisan US Institute of Peace for the support and expertise they provided to the study group during the course of its work. 3:23 Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA): In the fiscal year 2020 omnibus bill Congress led by Senator Graham Senator Patrick Leahy and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee of state foreign ops and related programs. They tasked the independent and bipartisan Afghanistan study group to quote, consider the implications of a peace settlement or the failure to reach a settlement on US policy, resources and commitments in Afghanistan. After nearly nine months of review and consultation with current and former US and Afghan government officials, allies and partners and other key stakeholders, the Afghanistan study group issued its final report earlier this month. 15:12 Kelly Ayotte: We recommend that US troops remain beyond may 1. We believe a precipitous withdrawal of US and international troops in May, would be catastrophic for Afghanistan, leading to civil war, and allow the reconstitution of terror groups which threaten the United States within an 18 to 36 month period. 15:41 Kelly Ayotte: Let me be clear, although we recommend that our troops remain beyond may 1, we propose a new approach toward Afghanistan, which aligns our policies, practices and messaging across the United States government to support the Afghan peace process, rather than prosecute a war. Our troops would remain not to fight a forever war, but to guarantee the conditions for a successful peace process and to protect our national security interests to ensure that Afghanistan does not become a haven again, for terrorists who threaten the United States of America. 37:15 General Joseph F. Dunford: Do we need to increase forces if the Taliban don't accept an extension past the first of May, and if they then would re initiate attacks against US forces? and Chairman, we heard exactly what you heard. In the fall. What we were told by commanders on the ground in the department of fence was that 4500 US forces, in addition to the NATO forces that are there was the minimum level to address both the mission as well as protection of our forces in the context of the conditions that existed in the fall in as you've highlighted, those conditions have only gotten worse since the fall so in in our judgment 2500 would not be adequate. Should the Taliban re initiate attacks against the United States Hearing: Examining the Trump Administration's Afghanistan Strategy House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Subcommittee on National Security January 28, 2020 Witness: John Sopko - Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) Sound Clips 48:54 John Sopko: We've almost created a system that forces people in the government to give happy talk success stories because they're over there on very short rotations. They want to show success. The whole system is almost geared to give you, and it goes up the chain of command, all the way to the President sometimes. He gets bad information from people out in the field because somebody on a nine month rotation, he has to show success, and that goes up. 54:24 John Sopko: Maybe incentivize honesty. And one of the proposals I gave at that time,be cause I was asked by the staff to come up with proposals, is put the same requirement on the government that we impose on publicly traded corporations. Publicly traded corporations have to tell the truth. Otherwise the SEC will indict the people involved. They have to report when there's a significant event. So put that onus, call it The Truth in Government Act if you want, that you in the administration are duty bound by statute to alert Congress to significant events that could directly negatively impact a program or process. So incentivize honesty. 1:10:25 John Sopko: Over 70% of the Afghan budget comes from the United States and the donors. If that money ended, I have said before and I will stand by it, then the Afghan government will probably collapse. Wartime Contracting Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs September 21, 2011 Witnesses: Charles Tiefer: Commissioner on the Commission on Wartime Contracting Clark Kent Ervin: Commissioner on the Commission on Wartime Contracting Sound Clips 1:11:30 Charles Tiefer: Our private security in Afghanistan appears to be a major source of payoffs to the Taliban. Our report has the first official statement that it's the second-largest source of money for the Taliban. Sen. Carl Levin: After drugs. Charles Tiefer: After drugs, that's right. 1:25:18 Clark Kent Ervin: It's critical that the government have a choice, and that means that there needs to be at least a small and expandable, organic capacity on the part of these three agencies to perform missions themselves, so the next time there's a contingency, the government has a choice between going with contractors and going in-house and the determination can be made whether it's more effective to do it either way, whether it's cheaper to do it either way. As we said at the inception, right now the government doesn't have an option. Contractors are the default option because they're the only option. President George W. Bush announces U.S. Military Strikes on Afghanistan October 7, 2001 President George W. Bush: Good afternoon. On my orders, the United States military has begun strikes against Al-Qaeda terrorist training camps and military installations of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. These carefully targeted actions are designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime. More than two weeks ago, I gave Taliban leaders a series of clear and specific demands: close terrorist training camps, hand over leaders of the Al-Qaeda network, and return all foreign nationals including American citizens unjustly detained in your country. None of these demands were met and now the Taliban will pay a price by destroying camps and disrupting communications. We will make it more difficult for the terror network to train new recruits and coordinate their evil plans. ** International Campaign Against Terrorism Senate Foreign Relations Committee October 25, 2001 Witness: Colin Powell: Secretary of State Sound Clip 27:00 Colin Powell: Our work in Afghanistan though, is not just of a military nature. We recognize that when the Al Qaeda organization has been destroyed in Afghanistan, and as we continue to try to destroy it in all the nations in which it exists around the world, and when the Taliban regime has gone to its final reward, we need to put in place a new government in Afghanistan, one that represents all the people of Afghanistan and one that is not dominated by any single powerful neighbor, but instead is dominated by the will of the people of Afghanistan. Executive Producer Recommendations Elect Stephanie Gallardo 2022 Krystal Kyle and Friends. August 21, 2021. “Episode 35 Audio with Matthew Hoh.” Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)
NCLA's NJ Supreme Court Challenge to Check Governor Murphy's Emergency Powers NCLA Litigation Counsel Kara Rollins joins the show to discuss Kravitz v. Murphy. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy used the Covid-19 public-health emergency to unilaterally and unlawfully modify the rights and obligations of housing providers and tenants who had mutually entered into contracts that explicitly required security deposits. This week, NCLA filed a petition for certification with the Supreme Court of New Jersey in Kravitz. NCLA asks the Supreme Court to reverse the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division's ruling that Governor Murphy's Executive Order 128 was a valid exercise of the Governor's emergency powers under the Disaster Control Act. U.S. v. Arthrex and the end of Morrison v. Olson The Supreme Court decision in United States v. Arthrex concluded that the Patent and Trademark Appeal Board (PTAB) is unconstitutionally structured, but it is unlikely to have a major impact on PTAB operations. The Court “fixed” the constitutional violation by adding an extra step to the administrative review process, thereby permitting PTAB for the most part to continue business as usual. But Arthrex will have a significant and largely overlooked impact on constitutional law: it has sub silentio overruled Morrison v. Olson, the highly controversial 1988 decision that upheld the constitutionality of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (aka the Independent Counsel Act). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Seán Fleming, Minister of State at the Department of Finance, and Rory Hearne, Assistant Professor Social Policy Maynooth University, on how quickly can the government deal with the issue of investors snapping up housing estates built for home-buyers?
Doug Robinson is by far the most recognized and respected thought-leader in all things state government and tech. NASCIO has played an instrumental role in championing the DOTGOV Online Trust in Government Act that was signed into law in the last days of 2020. To date this Act has gone largely unnoticed. Yet this Act contains wide-ranging implications for local governments of all sizes across the nation. This podcast we will learn about its origins as well as what the Act contains and what it means for cities and counties.
The events of January 6th were the people publicly assembled to present their grievances to their government. The government refused to listen and instead ran away and cowered behind their desks while Capitol police pepper sprayed, Tear gassed, and fired bullets at the citizens.
Today’s Patreon-fueled shout-out is for me to say… "Early voting is underway for all registered voters. Vote in-person or request a ballot by mail. Register to vote by October 13. Visit elections.virginia.gov/registration/voter-forms"*The city of Charlottesville has now had almost as many COVID cases as Albemarle County, despite the latter having twice the population. According to data from the Virginia Department of Health posted this morning, Charlottesville added 16 new cases for a total of 1,380 to date, whereas Albemarle added 15 new cases for a total of 1,383. Since August 29, Charlottesville has had 758 residents test positive for COVID-19 whereas Albemarle has added 366. Up to that date, Albemarle had 1,022 cases and Charlottesville had 648 cases. The rise in cases is believed to be attributed to the return of students to the University of Virginia. UVa began virtual instruction shortly after the pandemic and students were sent home after spring break, but many began to come back to apartments in early August. The return of students who live off campus to Charlottesville was one reason cited by administration officials for beginning in-person classes.“The vast majority of our students will be here in Charlottesville, living in private houses and apartments, regardless of whether classes are all online or not,” wrote President Jim Ryan in an August 28 announcement that classes could meet in-person. “By welcoming our students into classrooms and on Grounds – with adequate testing, rules about gatherings and mask-wearing, and enforcement – we will be in a better position to monitor what’s happening and to contain any outbreaks.”UVA has not updated their official COVID tracker since Friday afternoon, when they reported 270 active cases, as defined as someone with a positive test result in the past ten days. Of that number, 252 are students. Other information on the website is likely out of date by now. Statewide, there are another 687 new cases of COVID today, and a total of 42 new cases in the Thomas Jefferson Health District. To date, Fluvanna County has had 384 cases, Greene has had 239 cases, Louisa has had 312 and Nelson has had 110 cases. The seven-day average for positive tests statewide is at 4.8 percent for the second straight day. The figure is 5.2 percent in the Thomas Jefferson Health District for the second straight day. *Five of the eight Republican challengers running for U.S. House seats in Virginia have not disclosed financial assets on forms required by the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. One of three Democratic challengers has also not disclosed their assets on the form according to information retrieved from the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.Candidates are required to file the disclosure forms once their campaign has raised more than $5,000. Three of the Republicans filed the required documents, but did not disclose any assets. That includes 5th District challenger Bob Good who lists salary and liabilities information, but lists no assets. His Democratic challenger Cameron Webb did list assets, including retirement and savings accounts. Third District Republican John Collick, 4th District Republican Leon Benjamin and 1st District Democrat Qasim Rashid also filed forms but listed no assets. There are no online records of either Second District Republican Scott Taylor or 11th District Republican Manga Anantatmula submitting the form. Incumbent members of Congress are required to file periodic reports on their financial transactions. Read previous coverage of this topic on CBS19 and on the Rappahannock News.In all, Virginia has eleven districts and ten of them are contested this year. Only the 5th District race is a contest between two newcomers, as incumbent Denver Riggleman was not renominated for a second term by his party. *Former City Councilor John Conover has died, according to reports on social media. Conover was elected in 1980 and served one term during a time when Albemarle and Charlottesville entered into a revenue-sharing agreement to prevent further annexation of land by the city. Conover was an attorney with the Legal Aid Justice Center who was also an elected member of the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District. *Today in meetings, the Albemarle Architectural Review Board reviews a new three-story building including a coffee shop on U.S. 250 east of Exit 124, as well as an updated design for a redesign of the Albemarle Square Shopping Center for a new Aldi. Charlottesville City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. and has a public hearing on how to spend $4.1 million in a second round of CARES Act funding. There’s also a review of the Home to Hope initiative, a project to help people released from prison reenter society. The Louisa County Board of Supervisors meets at 5 p.m. For more information, check out this week’s Week Ahead newsletter on local government meetings. Interested in learning more about our feathered friends? At 3 p.m., Schuyer Lawson will lead a discussion at the Center on what equipment you need to become a birdwatcher and what science citizens can contribute to the field. Lawson is a Ph.D. Candidate in the School of Public Health at the University of Buffalo. Visit the Center’s website to register. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at communityengagement.substack.com/subscribe
LISTEN: UAE Government: Act Responsibly And Avoid Eid Family Gatherings
LISTEN: UAE Government: Act Responsibly And Avoid Eid Family Gatherings
The Trump administration has made a deal with the Taliban which has been reported as "the beginning of the end" of the Afghanistan war... But is it? In this episode, an examination of Afghanistan's past helps us understand our current role in Afghanistan and by looking into the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, 2020 government funding law, and some key Congressional hearings, we get some insight into our possible future in terms of America's "forgotten war". Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Click here to contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank’s online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD093: Our Future in War CD208: The Brink of the Iran War Bills HR 1158: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020 Page 53: Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide: Allows up to $225 million to be given to other countries for military operations in Afghanistan in addition to over $1 billion that can be giving to “foreign security forces or other groups or individuals” for any “Department of Defense security cooperation programs” Page 55: Afghanistan Security Forces Fund: Provides over $4.1 billion to the security forces of Afghanistan that can be spent on equipment, supplies, services, training, facility and infrastructure repair, construction, and “funding”. Out of this $4.1 billion, $10 million musth be used for recruiting women into the Afghanistan National Security Forces Section 9021: Funds for the Afghanistan Security Forces are allowed to be transferred to them even if they have conducted human rights abuses that are so bad that funding them would be illegal, as long as the Defense Secretary certifies that “a denial of such assistance would… significantly undermine United States national security objectives in Afghanistan” and that Afghanistan’s officials have promised to do better. National Defense Authorization Act - 1,119 pages Signed December 20 Sec. 1211: Extends the authority for the Defense Department to transfer weapons and provide military services to the security forces of Afghanistan for two more years, until December 31, 2022. Section 1213: Allows (but doesn’t not require) a maximum of $3 million per year to be paid to people injured or killed by US forces or our partners. The Defense Secretary gets to write the regulations determining the amounts of payments and to whom they will go. Section 1216: The Secretary of State “shall seek to ensure the meaningful participation of Afghan women in the peace process in Afghanistan” Section 1520: Requires $10 million of the Afghanistan Security Forces fund to be spent on women’s integration and other women’s program Articles/Documents Article: Retired Army 4-Star Jack Keane to Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom by Gina Harkins, Military.com, March 4, 2020 Article: Afghan conflict: Taliban to resume attacking local forces after deal with US by Cat Schuknecht, BBC News, March 2, 2020 Article: Taliban and U.S. Strike Deal to Withdraw American Troops From Afghanistan by Mujib Mashal, The New York Times, March 1, 2020 Article: Afghan President Rejects Timing Of Prisoner Swap Proposed In U.S.-Taliban Peace Deal by Cat Schuknecht, npr, March 1, 2020 Article: Afghan conflict: US and Taliban sign deal to end 18-year war by Lyse Doucet, BBC News, February 29, 2020 Article: The Saudi Connection: Inside the 9/11 Case that Divided the F.B.I. by Tim Golden and Sebastian Rotella, The Nation, February 14, 2020 Article: The Members of Congress Who Profit From War by Donald Shaw and David Moore, Sludge, January 23, 2020 Article: The Members of Congress Who Profit From War by Donald Shaw and David Moore, Sludge, January 13, 2020 Article: US military presence in the Middle East and Afghanistan by Alia Chughtai, Sludge, January 13, 2020 Document: MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES, 2020, Senate Appropriations Committee, 2020 Document: DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, 2020, Senate Appropriations Committee, 2020 Article: I Knew the War in Afghanistan Was a Lie By Maj. Danny Sjursen, truthdig, December 9, 2019 Article: What Did the U.S. Get for $2 Trillion in Afghanistan? By SARAH ALMUKHTAR and ROD NORDLAND, The New York Times, December 9, 2019 Article: At War With the Truth by Craig Whitlock, The Washington Post, December 9, 2019 Article: The U.S. Opioid Epidemic By Claire Felter, Council on Foreign Relations, September 17, 2019 Article: Afghanistan profile - Timeline BBC, September 9, 2019 Article: Timeline: US military presence in Afghanistan by Ellen Mitchell, Aljazeera, September 8, 2019 Article: Afghanistan’s Hired Guns by Paul D. Shinkman, U.S. News, April 26, 2019 Article: A retired general has twice turned Trump down to be defense secretary — a sign Trump has a self-inflicted personnel problem by Christopher Woody, Business Insider, January 8, 2019 Article: Here’s the blueprint for Erik Prince’s $5 billion plan to privatize the Afghanistan war By Tara Copp, Military Times, September 5, 2018 Article: Israel’s hugely controversial “nation-state” law, explained By Miriam Berger, Vox, July 31, 2018 Article: How the heroin trade explains the US-UK failure in Afghanistan By Alfred W McCoy, The Guardian, January 9, 2018 Article: At stake in US military efforts to stabilize Afghanistan: At least $3 trillion in natural resources By Mariam Amini, CNBC, August 19, 2017 Article: QUARTERLY REPORT TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS SIGAR - Special Inspector General forAfghanistan Reconstruction, July 30, 2017 Article: Trump Aides Recruited Businessmen to Devise Options for Afghanistan By Mark Landler, Eric Schmitt and Michael R. Gordon, The New York Times, July 10, 2017 Article: The MacArthur Model for Afghanistan by Erik D. Prince, WSJ, May 31, 2017 Article: What We Know About Saudi Arabia’s Role in 9/11 By Simon Henderson, Foreign Policy, November 20, 2016 Article: Ret. Army Gen. Jack Keane Says He Declined Trump's Defense Secretary Offer, npr, July 18, 2016 Article: What Sort of Foreign-Policy Hawk Is Hillary Clinton?, John Cassidy, The New Yorker, April 22, 2016 Article: How Hillary Clinton Became a Hawk, Mark Landler, The New York Times, April 21, 2016 Article: 10 years later, did the Big Dig deliver? by Anthony Flint, Boston Globe, December 29, 2015 Article: Robert Bales Speaks: Confessions of America’s Most Notorious War Criminal by BRENDAN VAUGHAN, GQ, October 21, 2015 Article: Why Ashraf Ghani Succeeded on his Rocky Road to the Afghan Presidency by Ali M Latifi, Vice, October 1, 2014 Article: Natural Resources Were Supposed to Make Afghanistan Rich. Here’s What’s Happening to Them. by Antony Loewenstein, The Nation, December 14, 2014 Article: A Historical Timeline of Afghanistan PBS, May 4, 2011 Article: From Errand to Fatal Shot to Hail of Fire to 17 Deaths By By James Glanz and Alissa J. Rubin, The New York Times, October 3, 2007 Additional Resources Homepage SIGAR - Special Inspector General for Afganistan Reconstruction Video Joe Rogan Experience #1436 - Adam Curry Mar 4, 2020 Sound Clip Sources Hearing: United States Strategy in Afghanistan, United States Senate Armed Services Committee, February 11, 2020 Witnesses Jack Keane: Chairman of the Institute for The Study of War Appointed by John McCain when he was Chairman to the Congressional Committee on the National Defense Strategy Dr. Colin Jackson: Professor at the United States Naval War College Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia Transcript: 27:30 Jack Keane: General, Scott Miller, one of our very best commanders in Afghanistan who was due to brief you next month, was working on reducing U.S. troop presence before negotiations began with the Taliban. He concluded after he took command and did his assessment that he had more troops than are required to do the mission. In other words, the troop reduction that we will undergo to 8,600 is an acceptable risk in the mind of the Commander in Charge. Second, we need to reduce the financial burden on the United States. Currently it's around $45.5 billion from a high down from a high of 110 billion in 2010 during the Afghan surge. Let's get it down. It's possible, certainly below 30 billion initially and eventually below that. Not just because of the troop reductions, but by reductions also in contractors who represent a $27 billion cost of the 45 billion. Ashraf Ghani, who I've spoken to on more than one occasion, if he forms a new government, wants to reduce the U.S. burden of $5 billion to the Afghan national security forces, he wants to provide more funds himself. He thinks he can do that, and he's had negotiations with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE and a couple of others to assist in the financing. 1:51:00 Sen. Angus King (ME): We're doing counter terrorism in other countries without a military presence. Colin Jackson: Absolutely. Sen. Angus King (ME): Would that be possible in Afghanistan? Colin Jackson: Not in the same way. In other words, it's much more...it's much easier for us geographically and politically to operate in a place like Yemen from offshore than it is for us to operate offshore into Afghanistan. It has to do with distances. It has to do with agreements with neighboring countries, that type of thing. 1:52:20 Sen. Angus King (ME): Is this a case, would you make to the American people that this is a place where we need an indefinite presence? Not at a terribly high level but as at a level that will enable us to keep, as I think you use the term "keep a foot on the throat of the terrorists." Jack Keane: I totally agree with that assessment. I think it's a political apple that leaders are not willing to swallow and talk to the American people honestly about - this is a multigenerational problem that we've got. We are being selective about which radical Islamic groups are threatening the American people. And you can make a case that we could possibly have to have a counterterrorism for us someplace in central South Asia, best place is Afghanistan, as long as that threat is there indefinitely. Sen. Angus King (ME): And it will require a military presence to support the counter terrorism function, is that what you're saying? Jack Keane: And I think we will eventually, frankly, get down below 8,600, at some point, and we'll narrow that down to Intelligence, Counter-Terrorism and Air Power that's outside the country to be able to support our activities. But it could possibly lead to an indefinite commitment of a small number of forces in that country. Much like we have less than a thousand now trying to keep our foot on ISIS, keep our foot on their throat in Syria to make sure that they don't re-emerge. Sen. Angus King (ME): I think you'd agree on it and I'm out of time, but I think you'd agree that if that's going to be the case, somebody's got to tell the American people. Jack Keane: I totally agree with that, Senator. Totally agree with that. Sen. Angus King (ME): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 1:53:48 Sen. Jim Inhofe (OK): I think there's merit in having a closed hearing for this committee. But not necessarily, we can do it ourselves. Good thought. We'll follow through. Hearing: Examining the Trump Administration’s Afghanistan Strategy, United States House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Homeland Security, January 28, 2020 Watch on Youtube Watch on CSPAN Witnesses John Sopko: Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction Transcript: 17:35 Rep. Jody Hice (GA): To date, American taxpayers have spent $780 billion on combat operations, $137 billion on reconstruction efforts since 2002, so we're pushing $1 trillion here during that time. And in spite of that money, we've lost 2,400 courageous American service members during the conflict and one stat that often is overlooked is over 20,000 who had been wounded in action, many of them very seriously. 18:15 Rep. Jody Hice (GA): The United States is drawn down our military presence from a peak of about a hundred thousand under the Obama administration to less than 14,000 today. 26:30 John Sopko: Unfortunately, since my last appearance, not much has changed on the ground in Afghanistan to diminish our concerns. The military situation is still a deadly stalemate. The Afgan economy - extremely weak. Corruption - rampant. Narcotics production - growing. Reintegration of ex-combatants - problematic. Women's rights - threatened. And oversight restricted by widespread insecurity. Our newest quarterly report, which will be released in a few days, discusses all of these threats and in particular highlights that if peace is to be sustainable, financial support from donors will need to continue and may need to continue for years to come. 28:00 John Sopko: Now more than ever, I caution that if there is a peace agreement and continued assistance provided to the Afghan people, oversight needs to remain mission critical. Otherwise you might as well pile up all the dollars and euros in Masood Circle and downtown Kabul and burn them for whatever good they can accomplish. 32:55 John Sopko: Every metric that we used to provide you the Congress and the American people in our quarterly reports. Every metric that you would find useful is now either classified or no longer available. Now it's available, some of it in a classified setting, and I know Chairman, you and I spent some time there briefing on it. You know how difficult it is to use that, but this was information that we'd been providing publicly for years, and then it's been taken away. So that is a problem, but I can't answer why they eliminated that. 46:00 John Sopko: We decided to embark upon trying to learn some lessons from those 18 years. And what happened is in the course of that, we got a lot of information, reviewed a lot of cables, interviewed a lot of people. Some of the people we interviewed were reflective of what happened 10 years ago. And they basically were saying...I think General Lute and others that...we didn't know what was going on, but that was sort of after the fact. They're reflecting. It was very useful information in some areas, but a lot of the information was also talking about the warfighting and none of our reports deal with the warfighting. We deal with reconstruction and the training. We don't look at whether we should be in Afghanistan or not. So when Ambassador Lute or General Flynn say, we shouldn't be there, that's nice. It's his opinion, it's their opinion. But it doesn't help us do these lessons learned reports, which we've done seven. So that explains it. It's not that these people were evil, they're just reflecting on what they saw and observed seven, eight years ago. 48:55 John Sopko: We've almost created a system that forces people in the government to give happy talk - success stories because they're over there on very short rotations. They want to show success. The whole system is almost geared to give you, and it goes up the chain of command all the way to the President sometimes. He gets bad information from people out in the field because somebody on a nine month rotation, he has to show success and that goes up. 50:25 John Sopko: Well, Congress, I don't know if I can answer the bigger question about whether we are wasting our time or not. I'm going to leave that to you and the President to decide. But we are giving them systems, whether it's military hardware or other systems, that they can't use. And one of the questions we asked early on is do the Afghans and know about what we're giving them? Will they use it? Do they want it? And we couldn't even get government agencies that asked those questions. And I have run across Afghans who said, "I didn't know that clinic was being built until it was given to us by the donors." 53:05 John Sopko: We also have this hubris, which I think was identified before, that we think we can turn Afghanistan into little America or another Norway. We can't. That's the hubris. 54:25 John Sopko: Maybe incentivize honesty. And one of the proposals I gave at that time, cause I was asked by the staff to come up with proposals, is put the same requirement on the government that we impose on publicly traded corporations. Publicly traded corporations have to tell the truth. Otherwise the SEC will indict the people involved. They have to report when there's a significant event. So put that on us, call it The Truth in Government Act if you want, that you in the administration are duty bound by statute to alert Congress to significant events that could directly negatively impact a program or process. So incentivize honesty. 56:15 John Sopko: Well, I think now more than ever, because there are fewer state department aid people and DOD people there, you need somebody watching the store. And there will be a tendency, because of a security situation, decrease staffing to give the money directly to the Afghan government or to give the money through third party monitors such as the world bank and UN and other international organizations. And we have reported in the past that, first of all, the Afghan government's incapable of handling the money. We really need to do a ministerial assessment ministry by ministry to determine whether they can handle our taxpayer money. And then secondly, we have some real questions about some of these international organizations. The UN and the World Bank we've already identified have serious problems with monitoring it. So what we're saying is don't just focus on the troop level. Don't just focus on the amount of money, focus on how we are going to protect the U.S. taxpayers dollars. That's why I think now more than ever, we have to keep our focus on that. 59:11 Rep. Tom Massie (KY): Can you tell us how much we have spent on Afghanistan reconstruction at this point? John Sopko Congressman Massey, I can. The latest figure is 136.97 billion as of December 31st. So 136, you can round it off to 137 billion. That's staggering to me. But just for reference, the entire federal budget for roads and bridges is 50 billion to 60 billion. It's gone up a little bit. We could double our spending on our nation's infrastructure for two or three years for what we've spent in Afghanistan. 1:04:10 John Sopko: This building of this empire. You talk about it, you don't want to see, well, there is a soldier or somebody from the Pentagon who is trying to oversee that. If he comes back and the first traunch who's going to be protecting your money? That's my concern. That is the big concern. Getting out as a concern. But we've kind of worked our way around that. But you can't cut the oversight capabilities of Aid, State, and DOD in this, this drive for what they called right-sizing. 1:06:35 John Sopko: It has been our goal from the beginning is that kicked the Taliban out and try to help to create an Afghan government to keep the bad guys out from attacking us. So that's been a constant goal of all of the administrations. Rep. Virginia Foxx (NC): However, that goal seems to be very far in the distance. I mean, we have a great difficulty in achieving that. Correct? John Sopko: Well, I think the obvious answer is that we got 80,000 or 60,000 Taliban plus you have five to 10,000, I think ISIS members, and you got 20 over terrorist groups there. So obviously we have not succeeded in keeping the bad guys out or creating a government that can keep them out. 1:10:25 John Sopko: 70%. Over 70% of the Afghan budget comes from the United States and the donors. If that money ended, I have said before and I will stand by it, then the Afghan government will probably collapse. 1:10:45 Rep. Stacey Plaskett (VI) I can only think of those soldiers, those USA ID individuals who had been there all these years through their rotations, risking life, supporting the Americans objective, to have that thrown away because we believe we need to withdraw our troops at this point is just such a slap in their face. 1:13:15 Rep. Virginia Foxx (NC): And the American people, be sure the money being sent to Afghanistan is being spent for legitimate purposes and not being used for corrupt purposes. John Sopko: As hard as we all try, I don't think I have a warm, fuzzy feeling about the money being spent and its intended purposes. And I don't mean to be facetious ma'am, but the former head of CSTCA is an example. That's the Combined Security Training Command Afghanistan - estimated at one point that 50% of the fuel that we purchase for the Afghans disappears. 50%, so we're talking billions. So it is a significant problem, ma'am. 1:16:30 Chairman Carolyn Maloney (NY): I'd like to focus my questions on the importance of women in Afghanistan and the differences that has made with a America allowing them to participate in the economy and an education. I recall when we first went to Afghanistan, women were murdered and killed if they went to school. And now I'm told that they have made a tremendous progress over the past 18 years. They make up a 14% of a kindergarten to 12th grade and 30% of university students now are women. And there are more than 170 public and private higher education institutions across the country, even in the most difficult parts of Afghanistan. And I'm told that women are the majority of teachers at these schools, which is important. And according to some government reports, women make up to 27% of government employees before they were not even allowed to work. And they serve as ministers, deputy ministers, judges, and in many other positions. According to the United nations, maternal mortality rates...They used to be second in the world and they have fallen substantially. And that is because there are so many women that are trained as midwives and health professionals now and are working to help other women. And I understand they're over 530 public and private hospitals and hundreds of health and sub health centers. And even if these numbers are exaggerated women appear to be an important part of the success that is happening, certainly in education and healthcare. And so, wouldn't that alone makeup our investments, wouldn't that alone justify our investments in the country? I know the United nations has made several reports that when women are educated and empowered and respected, the amount of terrorism in that country or in that village goes down. So investing in women and allowing them to be part of of the country and not killing them if they go to school. I think we've made a tremendous impact in that country. And I'm afraid if we retreat and leave, it'll go back to the way it was before. 1:19:40 John Sopko: I must admit, for all the trips I've gone there and all of the Afghan women I have talked to, I have not met one Afghan woman who trusts the Taliban. And the concern is if they're excluded from the negotiations or if the negotiations are done by men and they ignore the advances, it is going to be very bad for women in Afghanistan. 1:29:45 John Sopko: Well, we actually, at the request of former Congressman Walter P. Jones and others, we did an analysis on how much money was wasted in Afghanistan. It was a very difficult, long term project. So we looked at all of our contracts that we have reviewed. And so 52 billion of that, 136 billion we looked at, and we basically determined that up to 15 billion. So about 30% was either wasted or stolen. Now, that was just of the universe that we had already looked at. 1:31:00 John Sopko: And again, how do we define waste? You notice three variables that we as IGs look at inputs, outputs, and outcomes. We look at the outcome that the administrations told Congress they were supposed to resolve. So like in counternarcotics, it was to lessen the amount of opium, it was to end that scourge. Well, it's been a total waste. None of our programs have led to any reduction in opium in Afghanistan. As a matter of fact, opium is the largest export of Afghanistan. It's more than the licit crop. I think it's 1.2 to $2 billion in export. The licit, the pine nuts and everything else they sell comes to less than a billion. So we looked at that program and said, that's a waste. We spent, we wasted $9 billion. We've accomplished really nothing. 1:32:25 John Sopko: Back in 2013, I sent a letter to the Sec Def, Sec State and Administrator of USAID and I said, can you list your top 10 successes and your bottom 10 failures and why? And this would have forced the administration to rack and stack their programs, list what works, what doesn't, and try to understand what works there. They refused to answer the mail in 2013. So in 2014 we basically came up the lessons learned program. I was trying to answer my mail to you. You got to force the administration to be honest. And, and it's not political, Republican, Democrat. The administration has to come in and tell you specifically, why are you spending this money? What do you expect to accomplish at the end, you're going to spend $9 billion in counter narcotics and the end result is that there's actually more opium been grown. Are you going to spend $500 million on airplanes and they can't fly? You're going to spend millions of dollars on air on buildings that melt. I mean, you need to hold people accountable. You need to bring in the head of those programs and say, "what were you thinking?" And don't be negative about it. Just say, look at if it doesn't work, stop, do something else. 1:38:15 John Sopko: But if you decide this is important, then the biggest stick you have for the Afghans as well as the Taliban, because the Taliban want foreign assistance too. That's what's been reported, is that 70% of the budget, those billions of dollars that they will want, and you have to hold their feet to the fire. It's called conditionality. So if you want assistance, you can't go back to your old ways. I mean, that would be the way I would bargain this. 1:42:55 John Sopko: We need to have a government that the Afghan people trust and believe in, and it offers a modicum of services that those people want. Because the difficulty we have is that, for example, Afghan people want a little bit of justice. They don't want to have to pay a bribe to get it. What we gave them were a bunch of courthouses that looked nice. They would fit in any American city, but that's not what the Afghan people wanted. They wanted a modicum of justice that they didn't have to pay a bribe. Hearing: Craig Whitlock on the Afghanistan Papers, C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, January 6, 2020 Guest Craig Whitlock of the Washington Post Transcript: 1:45 Bill Scanlan: The Special Inspector General - SIGAR...They've done monthly reports, almost weekly updates. They're very transparent and open. What was the purpose they told you of these, these interviews and why had they been held secret or classified or unavailable to the public? Craig Whitlock: Right. So the reason they did these interviews was for a special project called Lessons Learned in which they were trying to figure out the mistakes made during the war in Afghanistan. This started in 2014 and it's important to remember, this was five years ago, people thought the war was coming to an end. You know, President Obama had declared an end to combat operations. He had promised to withdraw all U.S. troops by the end of his presidency. So the Inspector General thought it'd be a good time to figure out what mistakes were made that they could learn about for the future if they were ever involved in another war. So they did hundreds of these interviews and did publish a number of reports about these lessons learned. But what they did is they left out all the good parts, all the striking quotes, all the unvarnished commentary from people who were involved in the war about just how bad things were. They left all that out, and so we had to go in under the Freedom of Information Act and obtain those. That way. They're not classified, these are public documents. It's just we had to persuade the Inspector General to finally release them. Speech: U.S. Strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, C-SPAN, White House Speech, March 27, 2009 Full Transcript Guest Craig Whitlock of the Washington Post Transcript: 5:00 Barack Obama: So I want the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future. 12:00: Barack Obama: We will shift the emphasis of our mission to training and increasing the size of Afghan security forces, so that they can eventually take the lead in securing their country. 13:55 Barack Obama: to advance security, opportunity and justice -- not just in Kabul, but from the bottom up in the provinces -- we need agricultural specialists and educators, engineers and lawyers. That's how we can help the Afghan government serve its people and develop an economy that, isn't dominated by illicit drugs. And that's why I'm ordering a substantial increase in our civilians on the ground. That's also why we must seek civilian support from our partners and allies, from the United Nations and international aid organizations. 15:20 Barack Obama: As we provide these resources, the days of unaccountable spending, no-bid contracts, and wasteful reconstruction must end. So my budget will increase funding for a strong Inspector General at both the State Department and USAID, and include robust funding for the special inspector generals for Afghan Reconstruction. Testimony: International Campaign Against Terrorism, C-SPAN, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, October 25, 2001 Witness Colin Powell: Secretary of State Transcript: 26:50 Colin Powell: Our work in Afghanistan though, is not just of a military nature. We recognize that when the Al Qaeda organization has been destroyed in Afghanistan, and as we continue to try to destroy it in all the nations in which it exists around the world, and when the Taliban regime has gone to its final reward, we need to put in place a new government in Afghanistan, one that represents all the people of Afghanistan and one that is not dominated by any single powerful neighbor, but instead is dominated by the will of the people of Afghanistan. 27:10 Colin Powell: We need to put in place a new government in Afghanistan. 27:25 Colin Powell: Ambassador Richard Haass, the Director of Policy Planning at the State Department is my personal representative working with the United Nations. 42:45 Colin Powell: I think once the Taliban regime is gone and there's hope for a new broad-based government that represents all the people of Afghanistan, and when aid starts to flow in, I think that will cause most of the groupings in Afghanistan to realize this is not the time to fight this as the time to participate in this new world. That's our hope. Public Address: U.S. Military Strikes, C-SPAN, President George W. Bush, October 7, 2001 Transcript: President George W. Bush: Good afternoon. On my orders, the United States military has begun strikes against Al-Qaida terrorist training camps and military installations of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. These carefully targeted actions are designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime. More than two weeks ago, I gave Taliban leaders a series of clear and specific demands, closed terrorist training camps, hand over leaders of the Al Qaeda network, and return all foreign nationals including American citizens, unjustly detained in your country. None of these demands were met and now the Taliban will pay a price by destroying camps and disrupting communications. We will make it more difficult for the terror network to train new recruits and coordinate their evil plans.
Andy and Dave take a look at the reintroduction of the “AI in Government Act,” a bill that intents to get more AI technical experts into the US Government. San Francisco bans facial recognition software (but leaves the door open in the future), while Moscow announces plans to weave AI facial recognition into its urban surveillance net. Facebook opens up its data to academic researchers for analysis. DARPA announces the Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program, to automate air-to-air combat; DARPA also announces Teaching AI to Leverage Overlooked Residuals (TAILOR), to make soldiers fitter, happier, and more productive. And IARPA announces Trojans in AI (TrojAI), an effort to inspect AI for malicious code. In research, Andy and Dave discuss research from Frankle at MIT that proposes a “Lottery Ticket” hypothesis, which suggests only certain “winning combinations” are necessary for training a neural networks, and that researchers have been training neural networks that are much larger than they need to be to increase the chances of includes one of these winning combinations. Leon Bottou at Facebook AI proposes a method for using AI to identify causal relationships in data (and which goes against common modern practice of combining data sets into one giant dataset). And research from Cambridge, George IT, and the University of Pennsylvania demonstrates that Magic: the Gathering is officially the world’s most complicated game (and is Turing complete). In reports of the week, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute releases the Impact of AI on Strategic Stability and Nuclear Risk. IKV and Pax Christi release The State of AI. Analytics Vedhya has compiled a list of 25 open datasets for deep learning. Benedek Rozemberczki has curated a list of decision tree research papers. The IEEE Spectrum releases a report on Accelerating Autonomous Vehicle Technology. The May 2019 issue of The Scientist contains 15 articles on how Biology is tackling AI. David Kriesel provides A Brief Introduction to Neural Networks. COL Jasper Jeffers wins the 2019 Sci-Fi Writing Contest with AN41. The ICLR 2019 provides video on four talks, including Frankle’s Lottery Ticket hypothesis, and Bottou’s Casual Invariance. Melanie Mitchell gives a Ted Talk on the Collapse of AI and the possibility of an AI winter. And the National Academies-Royal Society Public Symposium will be meeting in DC on 24 May for an International Dialogue on AI.
The Mueller Report is in, but it hasn't been made public in its entirety. Attorney General William Barr, however, released several major points from the report. The Sons of History discuss this major historical moment, and what can be expected moving forward. The Sons of History also give their book recommendations and their first movie recommendations. For further research, here are some of our resources from the episode: BARR BRIEF AMENABLE SITTING PRESIDENT FED REG VOL 64 37038-37041 SPECIAL COUNSEL HISTORY Ethics in Government Act of 1978 RULE 6 (e)
In response to the Boston Tea Party, Parliament gets tough by passing several acts designed to punish Massachusetts. The Boston Port Act closes Boston Harbor until the city compensates everyone for damages related to the destruction of tea. The Government Act gives power to the Crown appointed Governor to fill most government positions and bans town meetings to discuss issues. The Administration of Justice Acts takes away the colony's right to try soldiers or other officials for murder. The Quartering Act permits soldiers to take over colonial buildings for their use. Parliament also passes the Quebec Act, giving Canada control over all disputed lands in the Ohio Valley. Parliament hopes these laws will show the colonists that they cannot get away with flouting the authority of the King and Parliament. Colonists must accept Parliament's control or suffer serious economic and political consequences. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic.
In response to the Boston Tea Party, Parliament gets tough by passing several acts designed to punish Massachusetts. The Boston Port Act closes Boston Harbor until the city compensates everyone for damages related to the destruction of tea. The Government Act gives power to the Crown appointed Governor to fill most government positions and bans town meetings to discuss issues. The Administration of Justice Acts takes away the colony's right to try soldiers or other officials for murder. The Quartering Act permits soldiers to take over colonial buildings for their use. Parliament also passes the Quebec Act, giving Canada control over all disputed lands in the Ohio Valley. Parliament hopes these laws will show the colonists that they cannot get away with flouting the authority of the King and Parliament. Colonists must accept Parliament's control or suffer serious economic and political consequences. Visit my site at https://blog.AmRevPodcast.com for more text, pictures, maps, and sources on this topic.
On a new episode of Versus Trump, Jason, Easha, and Charlie begin with a background on the case of Lovitky v. Trump, in which an attorney named Jeffrey Lovitky has sued the President claiming that his financial disclosure form violated the Ethics in Government Act—which requires, among other things, candidates to disclose outstanding debts. We discuss Lovitky's argument and the five reasons the government has given that the case should be dismissed. Although the group agrees that Lovitky is unlikely to succeed on the suit as a whole, they conclude that it will be worth watching which specific arguments of the government the court thinks is strongest. [2:47-18:22].Next, Easha talks with Leah Litman, a law professor at of UC-Irvine in California. Leah discusses this week's decision on the ban from the Ninth Circuit, makes a few points about what might happen in the Supreme Court, and then gives her thoughts on the value of oral argument in high profile cases. [18:22-33:40]The episode concludes with a few quick Trump Lumps highlighting some other cases to watch out for. [33:40-end]Please share or provide feedback, and rate us in iTunes. You can find us at @VersusTrumpPod on twitter, or send us an email at versustrumppodcast@gmail.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The 115th Congress has begun! In this episode, we take a quick look at that government funding law that sets up an April funding crisis for this new Congress and we take a closer look at the shady new rules governing the 115th House of Representatives. Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Contact PayPal If you would like them bring back the feature that allows you to choose your own monthly subscription amount, please contact PayPal: By phone: 1-888-221-1161 By email Thank you! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD093: Our Future in War Bills/Laws Discussed in this Episode HR 2028 "Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations Act" (Continuing Resolution) Bill Highlights Funds the government until April 28, 2017 Funds the War on Terror until September 30, 2017 Allows the Department of State to hire contractors until September 30, 2018 Exception for Trump's Defense Secretary Appointment Expedites the process for passing a bill that allows General James Mattis to be nominated as Defense Secretary by granting an exemption to the National Security Act of 1947 that prohibits the nomination of someone who has retired from the military within the previous seven years. 115th House Rules Text of the Rules for the 115th Congress, Congressional Record, January 3, 2016. H.R. 26: Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2017(REINS Act) Highlighted in the 113th Congress in CD038: Wasting July Forces Federal agencies to get Congressional approval before enacting major rules Sound Clip Sources House Proceeding: January 3, 2017 Congressional Record (full transcript) 3:30pm EST - Rep. Steny Hoyer: Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman knows, there is a provision in the rules that are proposed which are not in the rules of the last Congress, which give us great pause because we think it tends to put Members in a difficult place from a constitutional perspective and from a freedom-of-speech perspective. The rule, of course, of which I speak is the rule that relates to empowering the Sergeant at Arms to levy fines. May I ask the gentleman first: Did the Rules Committee find that there was any precedent for such a provision in rules historically? Rep. Pete Sessions: Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much. I would like to refer to something which I believe has been made available, and, if not, I would be very pleased to do it. The House has delegated fining authority, section 1103 of the Manual, where the House incorporates, by reference, title I of the Ethics in Government Act. Under this section, if a financial disclosure is filed late, the filer is subject to a $200 filing fee. It is a fine by another name that is administered by the House Ethics Committee. So what I am suggesting to you is we have seen where there has been the backup of rules that have been backed up by the levying of a fine, and I believe that is what the gentleman is seeking. 3:22pm EST- Rep. Steny Hoyer: If I may conclude, as the gentleman knows, and I won’t say thousands, but hundreds of pictures were taken just an hour ago on this floor—hundreds. We were in session, not in recess. *Rep. Pete Sessions: If I could address that, and I want to do this very gingerly because I do not want to start a battle here. The gentleman and I both know what caused this action was a deep, deep feeling that many Members on your side had about a particular issue. It resulted in what could be seen as—and I saw it as—a protest. Look, we are used to that in this body, people being upset. We are not used to people violating the rule, and it already was a rule that you cannot use, for recording purposes, those devices. We did not make this up. That was already a rule. So it became an advent of a protest. 3:23pm EST- Rep. Steny Hoyer: Very frankly, I think the gentleman is correct; it was a pro- test which gave rise to this rule which I think is ill-advised, but I understand the difference. The protest was because—and as Rules chairman, the gentleman probably knows this better than anybody else—we asked for an amendment that we thought 85 to 90 percent of the American people were for. We didn’t get transparency, we didn’t get openness, and we did not get an opportunity to express our views. That is why we are so concerned because we think, frankly, this is analogous to a gag rule: to shut us down, to shut us out, and to shut us up. Democrats Stage a Sit-In by Trevor Noah on The Daily Show, June 23, 2016. Trevor Noah explains the Democrat's House floor protest Middle East Security Challenges hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (aired on C-SPAN), April 22, 2016. General James Mattis on the biggest threats to the United States (Iran) Global Challenges and US National Security Strategy, Senate Committee on Armed Services, January 27, 2015 General James Mattis on his preferred detainee policy Additional Reading House Republicans revive obscure rule that allows them to slash the pay of individual federal workers to $1 by Jenna Portnoy and Lisa Rein, Washington Post, January 5, 2017. House votes to condemn U.N. security council resolution on Israeli settlements by Karoun Demirjian, Washington Post, January 5, 2017. In Republicans' Ethics Office Gambit, a Spectacle of Tweets and Retreats by Carl Hulse, New York Times, January 4, 2017. House GOP rules change will make it easier to sell off federal land by Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post, January 3, 2017. U.S. declines to veto U.N. Security Council resolution for Israel to stop Jewish settlement activity by Carol Morello and Ruth Eglash, Washington Post, December 23, 2016. A Historic Numbers of Electors Defected and Most Were Supposed to Vote for Clinton by Kiersten Schmidt and Wilson Andrews, New York Times, December 19, 2016. Trump's Defense Pick Challenges Rules Regarding Civilian Control of the Military by Brian Naylor, NPR, December 2, 2016. Additional Information Sergeants at Arms, United States House of Representatives History, Art, & Archives. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations
Conflict of interest’ is embedded in many areas of public ethics. Certain enactments named for their ethical content, such as the U.S. Ethics in Government Act, have sections devoted to ‘conflict of interest,’ and the legal community, government officials, financial organizations, and many news organizations have strict guidelines on such conflicts. Yet, the term is rather new to the scientific and medical research communities. My talk explores the ethical foundations of conflict of interest (COI) in the sciences by investigating the concepts of stewardship, transparency, consequentialism, and scientific integrity. This framework is used to inform the current guidelines on conflicts of interest issued by the National Institutes of Health. Sheldon Krimsky is the Lenore Stern Professor of Humanities & Social Sciences at Tufts University and the Carol Zicklin Professor of Philosophy at Brooklyn College. Professor Krimsky received his bachelors and masters degrees in physics from Brooklyn College, CUNY and Purdue University respectively, and a masters and doctorate in philosophy at Boston University. His research has focused on the linkages between science/technology, ethics/values and public policy. He is the author of ten books, the latest of which is the 2013 Biotechnology in Our Lives: What Modern Genetics Can Tell You about Assisted Reproduction, Human Behavior, and Personalized Medicine, and Much More, co-authored with Jeremy Gruber. Dr. Krimsky has also published over 180 essays and reviews that have appeared in numerous books and journals. Professor Krimsky has served on several advisory committees and study panels, holds numerous editorial and advisory board positions, and been awarded many accolades including election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
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