Podcast appearances and mentions of neil barofsky

Ralph welcomes back his old running mate, Native American activist, Winona LaDuke, who has devoted her life to advocating for Indigenous control of their homelands, natural resources, and cultural practices to talk about her latest incarnation: hemp farmer. Then, we'll speak to Hal Weitzman, from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, about how Elon Musk's feud with Delaware may transform corporate America. Plus, we tick off Robert Reich's ten policy prescriptions the Democratic Party should fight for to beat the GOP in the upcoming midterms.Winona LaDuke is an activist, economist, and author, who has devoted her life to advocating for Indigenous control of their homelands, natural resources, and cultural practices. She is also a two-time vice-presidential candidate with Ralph Nader. Ms. LaDuke lives and works on the White Earth Ojibwe reservation in northern Minnesota, where she runs Winona's Hemp & Heritage Farm. She is also a member of the Indigenous Hemp & Cannabis Farmer's Cooperative.I'm looking first at seed sovereignty. We're growing [European hemp] varieties and then we're growing these feral hemp varieties. They're called feral varieties (which of course, that's something that I love) which means that when they eradicated hemp in the 1930s with the Marijuana Prohibition Act—well, they missed some spots. And those guys kept growing. And so 80 years of being illegal—isn't that great? Something that's illegal for 80 years is still with us, rocking out. And so I figure if you grew illegally for 80 years, you are really a tough hemp plant…And so we are growing out these hemp varieties and built a cooperative because we want to own the seeds and we want to own the technology (the value-added processing), and we want to use this hemp as a part of our future as tribes.Winona LaDukeMy grandsons are farming. I don't know who else can say their grandchildren are farming—let me know. My grandchildren are farming. They're running the horses. They're running the farms. You know, that's a retirement plan. My 401k will be worth nothing, but my grandchildren will feed me. This is my strategy.Winona LaDukeHal Weitzman is Executive Director for Intellectual Capital at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, editor-in-chief of Chicago Booth Review, and host of The Chicago Booth Review podcast. A former Financial Times editor and foreign correspondent, he is the author of Latin Lessons: How South America Stopped Listening to the United States and Started Prospering and What's the Matter with Delaware?: How the First State Has Favored the Rich, Powerful, and Criminal—and How It Costs Us All.There is a race to the bottom. There's been a race to the bottom for many decades. That's not new. I think it's accelerated somewhat. Delaware has joined that race from having been something of a “premium product” in terms of incorporating companies—Delaware has become a bit more “cut-price” I would say, and in that sense has followed Texas and Nevada. So the conclusion that we have a race to the bottom and it may be worse than Delaware—actually I think Delaware's already there. So it's not that it's getting worse outside of Delaware, it's getting worse including Delaware.Hal WeitzmanThe trend I think we're seeing is the exclusion of small shareholders completely—regardless of the status of your shares, this is about how big you are. And if you're a small shareholder there is no corporate democracy for you… It was practice in the past for activist groups, campaigning groups, to buy one share of a company and then to go to the shareholder meeting so they could make the point that they wanted to make. Now that kind of shareholder democracy is being encroached on. And the extent now is to say: unless you have a large position (regardless of the size of the company and the cost of the shares), you will not be allowed to bring suits against the executives for the correct running of the company.Hal WeitzmanNews 7/17/26* Our top story this week is New York Governor Kathy Hochul's decision to impose a one-year “pause” on the construction of AI data centers across the state. ABC7 reports that this is the first such moratorium in the nation, despite similar attempts in several states, most notably Maine where Governor Janet Mills vetoed a bill to this effect. Hochul argues that the pause is necessary so lawmakers and regulators can formulate “Guardrails to reduce the risk to our energy grid, minimize land disruption, noise pollution, and protect our natural resources, especially our water supply.” Hochul's move comes amidst a broader push against AI data centers from the left. Semafor reports Senator Bernie Sanders proposed a nationwide ban in March and many progressives running for state and local office in the midterms have made this a cornerstone of their campaigns. According to this piece, “In February, polling from Marquette Law School found 70% of all Wisconsinites agreeing that ‘the costs of the data centers outweigh the benefits.' Among Democrats, the number was 85%.”* Another progressive Member of Congress quite literally stepped into another hot-button political issue this week. While visiting a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank Wednesday, Al Jazeera reports armed settlers stopped the van of Representative Ro Khanna and were “later joined by Israeli soldiers who continued to block the road.” In a video, Khanna points out, settlers can be seen “brandishing M4s [rifles], kicking the tyres of our van, laughing at us, mocking at us, videotaping us.” This continued for over an hour and was only resolved when he reached out to the American Embassy, according to Khanna. Israel has responded to this fiasco by blaming Khanna, accusing the congressman of failing to coordinate his trip with the Israeli government; Khanna retorted that “The [Israeli military] is lying” and called for the arrest of the violent settlers. Conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson excoriated U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, writing “An American member of congress is threatened by foreign terrorists carrying American rifles, backed by a foreign military paid for by American taxpayers, and the US ambassador to that country says not a word in defense of his own countryman…It's too much, too insulting and humiliating to America.”* Following his return from occupied Palestine, Khanna again teamed up with Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky to sponsor an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which would have removed the “United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative” from the must-pass legislation. Responsible Statecraft describes the initiative as “an unprecedented integration of the U.S. and Israeli military industrial complexes,” by creating “an executive agent within the Department of Defense whose sole responsibility is furthering U.S. and Israeli military tech integration across nearly every facet of the defense process.” This article also notes that “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described this shift in the U.S.-Israel relationship as ‘my plan.'” However, House leadership is not backing this commonsense, bipartisan amendment. In a letter, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he would vote against the amendment, calling it “overly broad” and claiming the amendment would “restrict our country's ability to confront Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations in the region who are sworn enemies of both the United States and Israel,” per the Times of Israel. However, Jeffries pledged not to whip votes against the amendment and indeed the House Minority Whip, Congresswoman Katherine Clark, voted for the amendment as did Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, despite the opposition of Jeffries and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar. The Congressional Progressive Caucus reportedly whipped votes in favor of the amendment.* In more Israel-related news, this week Marco Rubio – who serves as Secretary of State as well as the acting National Security Advisor – announced that the State Department will launch a “sweeping campaign to dismantle…the International Criminal Court.” CNN observes that “The administration's ire against the ICC goes back to President Donald Trump's first term, when it targeted the ICC for seeking to investigate alleged war crimes committed by US forces in Afghanistan,” and that since taking office for the second time, the Trump administration has “imposed a slew of sanctions against ICC officials for their attempts to investigate the US and Israel.” CNN also quotes a State Department official who said that top officials, including Secretary Rubio and US ambassadors, “are calling countries as part of a campaign to diplomatically isolate the International Criminal Court.” It is worth noting that “all American presidents since the ICC's ratification have maintained that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over Americans,” and that Congress even passed a law calling for an invasion and occupation of the Hague if any American serviceman was ever prosecuted by the ICC, implying that this crackdown on the court is not about American sovereignty at all but rather the prosecution of Israeli officials for their war crimes in Gaza.* In another stunning story starring Marco Rubio, the New York Times reports the Secretary of State is functionally “running Venezuela from afar.” The Times story characterizes Rubio's position as the “de facto viceroy of Venezuela,” effectively controlling the country's “finances, the distribution of its natural resources and its government.” This story makes clear that while Delcy Rodríguez, the former Vice President of Venezuela under Nicolás Maduro, nominally occupies the presidency, Rubio is the one really calling the shots, with Rubio setting the conditions on what Venezuela's export revenue “can be spent on, and by whom,” and having the authority to approve or deny key governmental appointments in the country, such as the minister of defense. In short, the United States has established a shocking explicitly neo-colonial regime in the country, fulfilling the gravest prognostications of anti-imperialist critics of American intervention in the Bolivarian Republic.* Closer to home, Bloomberg reports the federal government has officially launched a grand jury investigation into the United Auto Workers and the union's outspoken president, Shawn Fain. The investigation stems from accusations made by the union's Vice President, Rich Boyer, who alleged that Fain used his position to secure benefits for his fiancée and her sister – and when Boyer refused to approve the benefits, Fain retaliated by stripping Boyer of his duties as chief negotiator with Stellantis NV. Fain has called the allegations “false” and is accusing Boyer of seeking to influence the upcoming UAW leadership election. Fain also claims that Boyer is the one retaliating after Fain “refused the vice president's request to hire family members to positions in the union.” Fain has long maintained that the Justice Department, and specifically the DOJ-appointed monitor, Neil Barofsky, has a political grudge against him because “the UAW took an anti-war stance about what was happening in Gaza.” According to Bloomberg, “Both Fain and Boyer have slates running and each is accusing the other of attempting to abuse their positions to benefit family.”* This week, another victim of harassment by the federal government, student activist Mahmoud Khalil, filed a landmark civil rights suit alleging that the government conspired with a number of private groups – including the Heritage Foundation, Betar, and Canary Mission – to “suppress criticism of Israel through a coordinated campaign to dox, jail and ultimately deport student activists.” According to the lawsuit, said activists were “nearly automatically targeted by the Federal Defendants for arrest and removal.” Khalil's lawyers argue that this “public-private partnership” could violate the “Ku Klux Klan Act, a Reconstruction-era law that sought to restrict government coordination with vigilante groups.” The suit is led by the Center for Constitutional Rights. The AP reports “Soon after his arrest, both Canary Mission and Betar boasted of their role in flagging Khalil's noncitizen status to the government.” Since Khalil's arrest, Betar has agreed to “dissolve its nonprofit status,” following a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James accusing Betar's members of harassing Palestinians.* Turning to the state level, this week 12 state attorneys general, led by California's Rob Bonta, filed an antitrust lawsuit seeking to block the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance, controlled by the Trump-aligned David Ellison. The proposed, $110 billion merger was approved by the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department last month, which reached the dubious conclusion that the merger is “not likely to result in harm to competition or American consumers.” In the filing, Bonta and the state AGs for Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Washington allege that the merger “would extinguish competition between Paramount and Warner Bros. and inflict substantial harm on movie theatres, basic cable distributors, and, ultimately, audiences nationwide.” This from Reason.* In the world of philanthropy, CNBC reports Warren Buffett, the billionaire chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, has “excluded the Gates Foundation from his sizable annual charitable donations.” As this report notes, the Gates Foundation has been among the top recipients of his annual Berkshire donations, totaling $47 billion worth of Berkshire stock since 2006. The reason for the exclusion of the Gates Foundation has been much speculated upon, in particular, whether it was due to the recent revelations about Gates' relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Asked about this, Buffett said that he had “read a great deal…in terms of what happened, with Bill and Epstein,” calling their relationship “distasteful,” but also saying that he “found nothing in there that was beyond what [he] could picture [himself] doing.” Instead of the Gates Foundation, all of this year's donations will go to foundations linked to the Buffett family.* Finally, British multinational diamond conglomerate De Beers, famous for coining the “A Diamond is Forever” tagline in 1947, reported this week that they plan to halt work at their “flagship” Venetia mine in South Africa as demand for the stones wanes. The BBC highlights both slackening consumer demand as well as competition from lab-grown diamonds, particularly those produced in China. That said, the closing of the Venetia mine – the biggest in South Africa, accounting for over 40% of the country's diamond production – will send shockwaves through that country's already shaky economy. That mine alone employs more than 4,000 people, while the mining sector employs nearly half a million. De Beers said they plan to reopen the mine in two years; in the meantime, they are looking to expand copper mining to keep up with demand from AI data centers.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

We hear from Dr. Thaer Ahmad, a Palestinian American doctor who spent time in Gaza trying to administer to a civilian population under relentless siege. Plus, Constitutional scholar, Bruce Fein, takes apart the Supreme Court's decision to grant the president of the United States the powers of a king. Dr. Thaer Ahmad is a Palestinian-American emergency physician who has made numerous relief trips to Gaza. Dr. Ahmad is Assistant Program Director for the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at Chicago's Advocate Christ Medical Center. He also serves as the Global Health Director and Medical Ethics Director for the Emergency Department at Advocate Christ. Dr. Ahmad is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a board member for MedGlobal, a medical humanitarian NGO that works at building healthcare capacity and reducing health inequities globally.I don't think [Palestinian healthcare workers] get enough credit for what they've had to deal with over these last several months… These doctors are also displaced. Their families are displaced. They are living out of tents and they are showing up every day at the hospital to treat the community that's there. They've not been paid—the health ministry collapsed—they have no money. They're totally dependent on the scarce aid that gets in. These doctors are showing up to work when they should be in line at the bakeries that are producing some of the bread—where they should be in line collecting some of the aid that's being distributed. But they're showing up.Dr. Thaer AhmadI work with MedGlobal. They're doing fantastic work on the ground. They're in Gaza—more than 110 physicians and nurses who are Gazans are running medical points throughout the Gaza Strip. They have a malnutrition center that they're also using to help with the starvation that we were talking about. So I think that that's an excellent organization to contribute to—medglobal.org .Dr. Thaer AhmadBruce Fein is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on international law.  Mr. Fein was Associate Deputy Attorney General under Ronald Reagan and he is the author of Constitutional Peril: The Life and Death Struggle for Our Constitution and Democracy, and American Empire: Before the Fall.[On Trump v. United States]: The court gave nothing more than the equivalent of, “We know when it's not immune when we see it, but otherwise you try to guess what that's going to be.”Bruce FeinIt's a judicial counter-revolution. It's a violation because it basically turns the Constitution into a scrap of paper—it means whatever the Justices want it to mean. It doesn't have to find even a single word in the Constitution to justify the opinion.Bruce FeinIt's really a judicial coup d'etat that occurred on July 1, 2024. It's hard to fathom the belief that these six judges think they're going to get away with it. There is going to be all kinds of damage to all kinds of people—regardless of their political labels—and there's going to be a big pushback. Do they think they're going to get away with it? These unelected, lifetime-position judges?Ralph NaderNews 7/10/24 In Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantis1. Haaretz reports that in the immediate wake of the October 7th attack, the Israeli Defense Forces implemented the ominously named “Hannibal directive” which “directs the use of force to prevent soldiers being taken into captivity.” In other words, the explicit order of the Israeli military was for Israelis to kill Israeli soldiers to prevent them from being taken hostage by Hamas, in order to deny the group leverage in negotiations. As Haaretz reports, this directive also put civilian lives at risk. The Hannibal Directive had been a secretive but official Israeli policy since the 1986 capture of three soldiers by Hezbollah in Lebanon, but was formally revoked in 2016. 2. Lancet, the prestigious British medical journal, has published a study estimating that as many as 186,000 people have been killed in Gaza as a direct or indirect result of the genocidal Israeli military campaign. This casualty count, far higher than the commonly cited figure of under 40,000, supports estimates offered by advocates. If accurate, this would mean Israel has wiped out nearly 8% of the total population of the Gaza Strip.  3. Due to previous legal entanglements, the United Autoworkers union is subject to a consent decree with the federal government. Included within this consent decree is a federal monitor assigned to the union. Yet, the Detroit News reports that this monitor, Neil Barofsky, went far beyond his mandate to pressure the union over its position on the crisis in Gaza. According to this report, following UAW's official call for ceasefire, Barofsky called UAW president Shawn Fain to share his “concerns” about the union's position. Later, Barofsky signed off on an email which included an ADL complaint about the union's call for a ceasefire. Benjamin Dictor, outside counsel for the UAW, wrote to Barofsky saying “Your call to President Fain on an issue so blatantly outside of the Monitor's jurisdiction was inappropriate…[and] represents a surprising lack of integrity.”   4. More misbehavior from the ADL is on display in a recent expose from the Guardian. According to this report, based on a leaked internal memo from 2020, “the ADL collected information on a Black Indianapolis activist, Tatjana Rebelle, who worked on Deadly Exchange, a national campaign against an ADL-backed program to send US police officials for training with the Israeli military.” Rebelle is quoted in this piece saying “It scared the s**t out of me…It stopped me from moving forward because I don't want to put people in my life at risk – I work with youth, so it stopped me in my tracks.” The ADL calls itself the “leading anti-hate organization in the world,” with a straight face. 5. AP reports Boeing has taken the deal offered by the Department of Justice, and will “will plead guilty to a criminal fraud charge stemming from two crashes of 737 Max jetliners that killed 346 people.” The plea deal, which must still be approved by a federal judge, dictates that Boeing must pay an additional $243.6 million fine and submit to independent monitor-ship for three years, among other provisions. Ike Riffel, whose sons Melvin and Bennett died in the Ethiopian Airlines crash, is quoted saying “Boeing has paid fines many a time…When people start going to prison, that's when you are going to see a change.” 6. President Biden shows no intention of stepping aside as the Democratic nominee. This is despite open calls from prominent Democratic lawmakers, such as Jerrold Nadler and Adam Schiff, as well as a full-blown revolt from major Democratic donors like Abigail Disney. Recent polls show Biden losing most swing states by a substantial margin, including an AARP poll in Wisconsin showing him running 12 points behind Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin. Infuriating many of those who wish to avoid a second Trump term, Axios reports “President Biden indicated…[in his interview with George Stephanopolous] that he would be at peace if he lost to former President Trump ‘as long as I gave it my all.'” 7. Hurricane Beryl is ravaging Texas, leaving millions without power, according to CNN. This widespread power outage will only compound an incoming heatwave, with the Houston heat index reaching 100 degrees on Tuesday. Las Vegas hit a record high temperature of 120 degrees the same day, per Fox 5. As many have remarked, this is likely to be the coldest summer for the rest of our lives. 8. The Daily Beast reports the Pope has excommunicated Carlo Maria Vigano, an ultra-conservative archbishop who served as the Vatican's ecclesiastical diplomat to Washington from 2011 to 2016. A long time opponent of Pope Francis, Vigano has become increasingly unhinged in his criticisms, including accusing the supreme pontiff of being a “servant of Satan.” Other wild claims he has made in recent years include retweeting a Marjorie Taylor Greene post stating that  “The Covid vaccines are killing people,” and calling Black Lives Matter protests the machinations of “the children of darkness.” Vigano was accused of schism and found guilty.  9. In the United Kingdom, the New Arab reports five pro-Gaza independent candidates won seats in the House of Commons, including Shockat Adam, who defeated shadow Cabinet minister Jonathan Ashworth. Most prominent of these however is Left-wing luminary and former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who successfully defended his seat in Islington North after being expelled from the Labour Party over his criticism of Israel. Reuters reports that upon his victory, Corbyn said voters are “looking for a government that on the world stage will search for peace, not war.”  10. Finally, beating all expectations, the French Left emerged victorious from the second round of legislative elections. The New Popular Front lead by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, won the most seats, followed by Macron's centrist bloc, after the two formed a “Republican Front” to defeat the Far-right, led by Marine Le Pen. Now, negotiations are underway to choose the country's next Prime Minister, according to France24. Mélenchon has campaigned on a very simple platform, stating “I'm not saying we will create a paradise from one day to the next, but we will put an end to hell.” This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard.   Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Shoot us a Text.It's Tuesday, and we're talking about how Shawn Fain is under investigation, how a letter suggests Tesla would be better off with the dealer network, and how Apple is embracing AI.UAW President Shawn Fain is under investigation for alleged retaliation against other union leaders, raising significant concerns within the organization. Independent federal monitor Neil Barofsky is investigating claims from UAW Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock, who alleges retaliation for her refusal to authorize certain expenditures. Fain also faces accusations of retaliating against Rich Boyer, leader of the union's Stellantis department.Fain took over Boyer's duties at the end of May. Complaints alleged that the change came because Boyer refused to engage in acts of financial misconduct to benefit others, according to the court filing.Barofsky's probe began in February, and has faced document turnover delays. Only 2,600 of approximately 116,000 relevant documents have been reviewed, with the DOJ alleging that “[the Union's position is] making it difficult, if not impossible, for the Monitor [Barofsky] to fulfill his mandate to remove fraud, corruption and illegality from within the UAW."”Fain's response, “Taking our union in a new direction means sometimes you have to rock the boat, and that upsets some people who want to keep the status quo.”Haig Partners has published an open letter to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, urging him to consider a strategic partnership with dealers to propel Tesla into its next growth phase. They argue that such a partnership could transform Tesla's market position and profitability.Haig argues for the Advantages of Dealer Partnership:Buying Experience: Dealers provide in-person interactions, trade-ins, financing, and insurance.Service Improvements: More service centers reduce wait times and increase convenience.Higher Margins: Dealers can offer added benefits, allowing for higher vehicle prices.Capital Efficiency: Dealer networks require no investment from Tesla, freeing up capital.Support for Self-Driving Tech: Dealers can help deploy and maintain Tesla's robotaxi fleet.Apple's WWDC keynote revealed major AI advancements for its devices, focusing on enhancing user experiences across various platforms.Apple Intelligence (AI): New personal intelligence system for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, emphasizing security and on-device processing.Siri Upgrade: Deep integration with enhanced control and ChatGPT support for better query handling.AI in Apps: New features in Mail, Messages, Photos, and more, including email summarization and custom emojis.New Features in iOS 18: RCS support, scheduled texts, satellite SMS messaging, and more colorful Tapback options.Hosts: Paul J Daly and Kyle MountsierGet the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/ Read our most recent email at: https://www.asotu.com/media/push-back-email

This Day in Legal History: University of Alabama DesegregatedOn June 11, 1963, a pivotal moment in the American Civil Rights Movement unfolded at the University of Alabama. Governor George Wallace famously stood in the doorway of Foster Auditorium to block the enrollment of two African-American students, Vivian Malone and James Hood, symbolizing his commitment to segregation. This act of defiance came to an end when President John F. Kennedy federalized the Alabama National Guard, compelling Wallace to step aside under military pressure. The successful enrollment of Malone and Hood marked a significant step towards educational desegregation in the South. On the same day, President Kennedy delivered a landmark Civil Rights speech, addressing the nation and emphasizing the moral and legal necessity of ending racial discrimination. Kennedy's speech highlighted the importance of civil rights as a fundamental issue of morality, equality, and justice, urging Congress to pass comprehensive civil rights legislation. This address and the events at the University of Alabama signaled a turning point, showcasing the federal government's commitment to enforcing desegregation and protecting civil rights. The confrontation in Tuscaloosa and Kennedy's impassioned plea laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which aimed to eradicate racial discrimination across various facets of American life.United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain is currently under investigation by the union's federal corruption monitor, Neil Barofsky, for allegations of retaliating against another union officer. This investigation poses a significant threat to Fain, who has built a reputation as a reformist leader closely allied with the Biden administration. The court-appointed monitor's 36-page report details claims of increased resistance from the union, including delays in providing documents mandated by a consent decree established in 2020 to avoid a federal takeover.Fain, who narrowly won the presidency last year by pledging transparency and reform, now faces accusations that challenge his public image. The same day the report was filed, the UAW achieved a landmark contract with Ultium Cells LLC, which significantly raised wages for workers. This victory followed Fain's success in unionizing a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, though efforts to unionize a Mercedes plant in Alabama failed.The monitor's report highlights at least two officials who allege retaliation for refusing to approve certain expenditures. One incident involves Fain reassigning duties from Vice President Rich Boyer, purportedly for “dereliction of duty,” though Boyer claims it was due to his refusal to engage in financial misconduct.Fain has denied these allegations, attributing them to his disruptive efforts to reform the union. He maintains that the UAW leadership is committed to democratic principles and serving its members, and welcomes the investigation to clear any doubts. The report also suggests that the UAW's cooperation with investigations has declined since February, complicating the monitor's efforts to address corruption.This investigation into Fain is connected to another probe involving Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock, who alleges that her power was curtailed in retaliation for not approving expenditures beneficial to Fain's office. The U.S. Department of Justice supports the monitor's claims, noting that the union's actions are impeding efforts to eliminate corruption within the UAW.UAW President Under Investigation by Federal Court Monitor (2)A secret recording of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, made public by liberal activist Lauren Windsor, reveals him supporting the idea of returning the country "to a place of godliness." The authenticity of the recording, shared on social media and with Rolling Stone, has not been independently verified by Reuters. Alito is heard agreeing with Windsor's statement about the necessity for believers in God to fight for the country's return to godliness.When questioned about political polarization, the voice identified as Alito's suggests that deep ideological differences make compromise difficult and predicts that one side will ultimately prevail. Windsor argues this reveals a bias, undermining judicial impartiality. James Duff, executive director of the Supreme Court Historical Society, condemned the secret recording as inconsistent with the event's spirit.Alito is also under scrutiny for flags linked to former President Trump's election fraud claims flying outside his homes. Despite Democratic calls for his recusal from related cases, Alito denied familiarity with the flags' symbolism and stated that his wife was responsible for the flag-flying.Supreme Court's Alito appears to back US return to 'godliness' in secret recording | ReutersThe 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans has decided against adopting a pioneering rule that would regulate the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) by lawyers in its proceedings. Initially proposed in November, the rule would have required lawyers to verify the accuracy of citations and legal analysis generated by AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT. Misrepresentation could have led to sanctions or filings being dismissed.The court's decision was influenced by public comments from the legal community, which largely opposed the rule, arguing that existing regulations already ensure the accuracy of court filings. Some other federal appeals courts have also considered similar regulations due to incidents where AI-generated briefs included fictitious citations. Despite scrapping the proposed rule, the 5th Circuit emphasized that parties and counsel are still responsible for ensuring their filings are truthful and accurate. The court made it clear that using AI will not excuse any violations of existing rules.5th Circuit scraps plans to adopt AI rule after lawyers object | ReutersIn November, Arizona voters will decide on a proposal that would grant homeowners greater property tax refunds. This proposal allows taxpayers to seek refunds for expenses incurred due to the state's inability to mitigate what is deemed a "public nuisance" caused by unhoused populations. I argue that a more compassionate approach would incentivize contributions to initiatives that assist the unhoused rather than compensating homeowners for their presence.This proposal risks fostering negative perceptions of unhoused individuals by framing homelessness as a detriment to homeowners. Traditionally, property taxes have funded public services that benefit communities, including support for vulnerable populations. State governments often use tax revenues to combat housing shortages and provide relief to economically disadvantaged groups. The proposed policy in Arizona, however, shifts this focus, potentially causing long-term harm by categorizing homelessness as a homeowner inconvenience.Arizona faces an affordable housing crisis, with a statewide shortage of 270,000 homes and a 72% rise in homelessness in Phoenix over the past six years. The proposal could drain state resources and set a precedent for taxpayers to claim refunds whenever state policies are perceived to cost them money. This shift undermines broader efforts to fund social services and could lead to selective taxpayer funding of services.A humane alternative would involve increasing property taxes in areas with high unhoused populations to fund comprehensive social services. This could include affordable housing, shelters, mental health services, and job training programs. Taxpayers could receive incentives for donations to approved nonprofits assisting the unhoused, creating a virtuous cycle where increased funding reduces homelessness and, consequently, lowers property tax bills.As Arizona voters consider this proposal, they will influence how the state addresses homelessness and the role of property taxes in supporting community welfare. They can proceed forward with either compassionate approaches that can mitigate homelessness or reinforce social divisions by using tax policy to marginalize the unhoused.Arizona Property Tax Bill Would Harm Unhoused to Help Homeowners 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

Jennifer Taub is Professor of Law at Western New England University School of Law, but is perhaps better known for her book, 'Big Dirty Money: the Shocking Injustice and Unseen Cost of White Collar Crime', and for her media appearances analyzing corporate governance, white collar crime, and banking and financial market regulation issues. Jennifer is a vigorous legal scholar and researcher with a myriad of peer reviewed articles to her credit. Her first book, 'Other People's Houses: How Decades of Bailouts, Captive Regulators, and Toxic Bankers Made Home Mortgages a Thrilling Business', followed the financial crisis, and was called a must read by no less an expert than Neil Barofsky, the Inspector General of TARP, the government's main program that prevented a general financial system collapse.Jennifer's research is methodical, but anything but dispassionate. To read Big Dirty Money is to become angry. To quote one review "Be prepared to blow your top. It's likely that you'd be familiar with most, if not all of the crimes that Taub details, but having them all in one place is like eating a plate full of habaneros. You'll get red face bug-eyed, sputtering, and pretty righteously hot under the collar".On this episode of Outside In, Jennifer talks with Jon about how big a problem white collar crime is in the US, the class based legal system and why she wants student loan forgiveness.

Host Kristin Calve sits down with Neil Barofsky, partner with Jenner & Block and head of their COVID-19 response team, to discuss what he anticipates within the financial and regulatory ...

In this second episode of Fraud Eats Strategy, Scott Moritz speaks to Neil Barofsky, a partner at Jenner & Block and the former Special Inspector General of the Troubled Asset Relief Program about these issues. We will explore the increased discovery of financial crimes that occur in a down cycle of the economy and how organizations can use fraud risk assessments to identify fraud, pursue avenues of recovery and strengthen their organizations against the potential negative consequences of fraud.

To listen to the full episode for free, head to cafe.com/preet and sign up to receive a link. Members of the CAFE Insider can listen to this episode in the podcast player of their choice. In this special episode of CAFE Insider, “The Oversight Wars,” Preet and Anne are joined by Neil Barofsky, who served as the Special Inspector General for TARP, the chief watchdog in charge of policing the 2008 Wall Street bailout. Drawing on Neil’s experience overseeing the last massive government stimulus package, Preet and Anne break down all the latest issues and developments, including: — The challenges inherent in the oversight system outlined in the stimulus law, and the incredible amount of power in the hands of Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. — Trump’s decision to appoint Brian Miller, one of his own White House lawyers, to the position of Inspector General for Pandemic Relief, and the importance of having independent-minded, qualified lawyers in oversight roles.  — The news that Trump has fired Michael Atkinson, the Inspector General for the Intelligence Community, ostensibly as payback for his role in bringing to light the whistleblower complaint that ultimately led to the President’s impeachment.  Preet and Anne also break down the latest politically-charged legal news, including: — The disturbing new report from the DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz exposing widespread problems with the FISA warrant application process. — The legal battle over voting in Wisconsin, the Supreme Court’s last-minute decision mandating that they move forward with the election, and the implications for the upcoming November election.  To hear the full episode, head to cafe.com/preet to receive a link.

Neil Barofsky was TARP’s chief inspector general, its top cop, with a mandate to flush out waste, fraud and abuse, now he talks with Bill Moyers about the CARES act.

The “Trump, Inc.” podcast has long explored how people have tried to benefit through their proximity to the Oval Office. And we're going to continue digging into that as the Trump administration is tasked with rolling out more than $2 trillion in bailout money.   We spoke to two people this week to help us understand the stakes. “Some policymakers sitting in the Treasury Department or some other government agency have this awesome power to say, ‘You get the money, you go out of business,.’” said Neil Barofsky, who served as the government’s watchdog for the 2008 bank bailout. “One of the most important things we can do is make sure that power is exercised fairly, consistently, and, most importantly, consistent with the policy goals that underlie this extraordinary outpouring of taxpayer money.”  We also spoke with journalist Sarah Chayes, a former NPR correspondent who has reported on corruption and cronyism in countries experiencing economic shock. She said powerful players often “take advantage of adversity and uncertainty to enrich themselves.”  But Chayes also described something else. She coined it “disaster solidarity.” That’s when there’s so much suffering, so much adversity, “that people's tolerance for selfish, hogging, me-first behavior is really low.”  And that’s where you come in. We want your help to dig into the coming bailout. If you know something, please tell us. Sign up for email updates from Trump, Inc. for the latest on WNYC and ProPublica's investigations.

This is our third and final installment of shows looking back on the financial crisis of ten years ago. It was such a big moment we felt we needed to devote most of September to remembering how the U.S. financial system was brought to its knees. Today we get the inside account from Neil Barofsky, the former Inspector General of TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) and author of Bailout: An Inside Account of How Washington Abandoned Main Street While Rescuing Wall Street. As you’ll hear, the discussion is basically a play-by-play of how the Treasury Department bungled the financial bailouts. At the height of the financial crisis in 2008, Barofsky gave up his job as a prosecutor in the esteemed U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York City, where he had convicted drug kingpins, Wall Street executives, and perpetrators of mortgage fraud, to become the inspector general in charge of overseeing administration of the bailout money. It’s fascinating to hear him talk about how from the onset, his efforts to protect against fraud and to hold big banks accountable for how they spent taxpayer money were met with outright hostility from Treasury officials in charge of the bailouts. Barofsky offers an insider’s perspective on the mishandling of the $700 billion TARP bailout fund. There’s no holding back as he reveals the extreme lengths to which our government officials were willing to go in order to serve the interests of Wall Street firms at the expense of the broader public, and at the expense of effective financial reform. Just like the book, this interview delivered an incredible account of Barofsky’s plunge into the political hot-seat of Washington, as well as a vital revelation of just how captured by Wall Street our political system is and why the too-big-to-fail banks have become even bigger and more dangerous in the wake of the crisis. If you have a money question, just email me! “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/  https://twitter.com/jillonmoney  https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney  https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/  https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/  http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money  https://apple.co/2pmVi50

Neil Barofsky, author of Bailout and the former Special Inspector General for the TARP program, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about his book and the government bailouts by the Bush and Obama Administrations. Barofsky recounts what he learned about how Washington works and the incentives facing politicians and bureaucrats. His book and this interview are a workshop in public choice economics. Along the way he unravels some of the acronyms of the last few years including TARP, TALF, and HAMP. The conversation concludes with lessons learned by Barofsky and what might be done in the future to prevent the corruption and ineffectiveness of past bailouts.

Neil Barofsky, author of Bailout and the former Special Inspector General for the TARP program, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about his book and the government bailouts by the Bush and Obama Administrations. Barofsky recounts what he learned about how Washington works and the incentives facing politicians and bureaucrats. His book and this interview are a workshop in public choice economics. Along the way he unravels some of the acronyms of the last few years including TARP, TALF, and HAMP. The conversation concludes with lessons learned by Barofsky and what might be done in the future to prevent the corruption and ineffectiveness of past bailouts.

Neil Barofsky, author of Bailout and the former Special Inspector General for the TARP program, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about his book and the government bailouts by the Bush and Obama Administrations. Barofsky recounts what he learned about how Washington works and the incentives facing politicians and bureaucrats. His book and this interview are a workshop in public choice economics. Along the way he unravels some of the acronyms of the last few years including TARP, TALF, and HAMP. The conversation concludes with lessons learned by Barofsky and what might be done in the future to prevent the corruption and ineffectiveness of past bailouts.

*Stimulating political talk* Paul Ryan as radical as Todd Akin, bullshit Romney ad attacks Obama over medicare, Matt Taibbi stone cold stunners wallstreet analysts, Neil Barofsky goes on CNBC, "fiscal cliff" nonsense peddled by politicians, 40% of US food wasted according to new report, study: 1 in 5 americans cant afford food, Mitt Romney to donors: i would say more but media is here, government destroys $1 billion in pot, Prince Harry naked in Vegas, record radiation found in Fukushima fish, USDA suspends slaughterhouse for animal abuse.