Daily Archives: April 22, 2019

2019-04-22: News Headlines

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2019-04-22). Wiki-Gate: Julian Assange Was Framed by the People Who Supported Him. globalresearch.ca Assange has been the object of an all out smear campaign by those who supported him. The Economist which granted Assange the New Media Award in 2008 intimates that he is an "enemy agent" responsible for "information anarchy … culminating in the destabilization of American democracy"

Melvin Goodman (2019-04-22). The NYTs Tries to Rehabilitate Bloody Gina Haspel. counterpunch.org There is no more authoritative newspaper in the country, perhaps the world, than the New York Times. But when the Times gets it wrong, it is often a real doozy. In the 1930s, the Times' man in Moscow, Walter Duranty, completely missed the Kremlin's forced famine in the Ukraine that led to the death of six to seven million Ukrainians and More

teleSUR (2019-04-22). US Ends Sanction Waivers for Countries Importing Iranian oil. telesurenglish.net U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to eliminate all waivers issued to eight economies allowing them to buy Iranian oil without facing U.S. sanctions, the White House said on Monday, while vowing to ensure global oil market was well supplied. | RELATED: | John Bolton Admits US-backed Coup in Venezuela Is About Oil, Not Democracy | Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to make an announcement on Monday detailing the decision. | "The United States, Saudi Arab…

Binoy Kampmark (2019-04-22). Julian Assange as Neuroses. counterpunch.org Julian Assange continues to ripple and roam as a cipher through the political and media scape of the world. Detained in Belmarsh maximum security prison, the sort of stately abode only reserved for the most dangerous of criminals, many with indeterminate sentences, he electrifies and concerns. The US political classes continue to simmer with an More

Martin Armstrong (2019-04-22). IMF Hands $4.2 Billion in Loans for Ecuador for Julian Assange. globalresearch.ca The evidence of political pressure on Ecuador is surfacing. The IMF Executive Board Approved US$4.2 Billion (435% of quota and SDR 3.035 billion). | Extended Fund Facility for Ecuador. The Executive Board agreed to this arrangement with strings attached. The Board's …

Consortiumnews (2019-04-22). From Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, a Talk on Assange. consortiumnews.com Consortium News Editor Joe Lauria on Sunday delivered this talk about the Assange case to a group of activists who are living inside the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington to stop the illegitimate government of Venezuela from taking it over. Video… Read more →

Arnold August (2019-04-22). Cuba and the Politics of Culture in the U.S.: "The Invisible Hand of the Market"? globalresearch.ca Although this article was published in the original Spanish version last March, now that Julian Assange is in prison the analysis in this piece on "freedom of expression" is even more valid. | There is a wide-open debate/polemic in Cuba regarding …

Consortiumnews (2019-04-22). Debunking the 'Assange is A Russian Agent' Smear. consortiumnews.com The narrative that Assange worked for or knowingly conspired with the Russian government is a hallucination of the demented Russia hysteria which has infected all corners of mainstream political discourse, says Caitlin Johnstone. By Caitlin Johnstone CaitlinJohnstone.com Not even the… Read more →

Robert Reich (2019-04-22). Mueller Report Makes It Official: Trump a Morally Despicable Human Being. commondreams.org U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during an event recognizing the Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride in the East Room of the White House, April 18, 2019, the same day the Department of Justice released special counsel Robert Mueller's redacted report on Russian election interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-1137877404.jpg

Prof. James Petras (2019-04-22). Shadow Boxing for Empire: The Mueller Report. globalresearch.ca Introduction | By the end of the Obama regime, the US had gone through seven wars and was in the process of losing five of them. Washington was facing global challenges to its dominant economic and political role from Russia and …

Kenneth Surin (2019-04-22). Mueller Time? Not for Now. counterpunch.org The Mueller report does not exonerate Trump; it simply finds insufficient evidence of criminal conduct involved in Russian collusion. Mueller says he failed to find admissible or sufficient evidence proving criminal conduct beyond a reasonable doubt, that is, the standard of evidence involved in "making a traditional prosecutorial judgement". At the same time, while using More

Black Alliance for Peace (2019-04-22). Did the Mueller Report Distract You? $750 Billion Budget Increase for "National Security" globalresearch.ca The drama that has played out in the mainstream media over the release of the Mueller report had us at the Black Alliance for Peace asking the question we always come back to: What are the ruling-class minions in media …

WSWS (2019-04-22). Legal experts: Assange likely faces espionage charges if extradited to US. wsws.org If he is extradited to the US, Assange will be denied genuine due process and will likely face charges carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

WSWS (2019-04-22). Video: IYSSE (Australia) members at University of Melbourne demand freedom for Julian Assange. wsws.org "We demand the Australian government cease its collaboration with the US vendetta against Assange."

Jake Johnson, staff writer (2019-04-22). Amid Push for New Oil Sanctions, Pompeo Reportedly Jokes About Secret Coup Plot Against Iran. commondreams.org The Secretary of State reportedly said during a private meeting there are "no guarantees" the sanctions won't harm ordinary Iranians | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/pompeo_5.jpg

Curt Wechsler (2019-04-22). What the Mueller Report Doesn't Say. indybay.org "When you read it, it's pretty devastating," said former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. The New Yorker columnist Susan Glasse wrote "The Mueller Report Won't End Trump's Presidency, But It Sure Makes Him Look Bad… After reading the report, it was hard to recall the world of utter vindication and Presidential victimization that Attorney General Barr had painted earlier in the day."

Michael Steinberg (2019-04-22). Exradition: Wikileaks and the IRA in SF. indybay.org The looming extradition of Julian Assange to the US reminds us off another such case in San Francisco 25 years ago.

WSWS (2019-04-22). At least 290 killed in terrorist bomb attacks in Sri Lanka. wsws.org Despite an intelligence alert 10 days before, both the government and police failed to warn the public and took little or no action to prevent the terrible bombings.

Mathias Broeckers (2019-04-22). Freedom of the Press is Dead Worldwide. indybay.org CIA Director Pompeo claims Wikileaks is a "hostile secret service" and Julian Assange is not a journalist. Wikileaks embodies what a free press should be as the fourth branch – control power. This indispensable function as a democratic watchdog is the reason why press freedom is an essential asset of all constitutional states.

WSWS (2019-04-22). Germany's IT Security Act 2.0: Another step towards a police state. wsws.org The German government's new legislation must be seen in connection with the arrest of Julian Assange and his imminent extradition to the US.

WSWS (2019-04-22). SEP (Australia) to hold election rally and meetings in defence of Assange. wsws.org The events are aimed at building the mass movement required to compel the Australian government to fulfill its obligations to Assange.

RT (2019-04-22). Twitterati pounce on MSNBC for sending reporter to pester Mueller near church on Easter Sunday. rt.com Russiagate-obsessed news network MSNBC sent one of its journalists to talk to the one person in a position to feed the dying hopes that the now-public Mueller report still holds the key to ousting President Donald Trump.

teleSUR (2019-04-21). Chomsky: Fixation on Russia May Have Handed Trump a 2020 Win. telesurenglish.net U.S. intellectual Noam Chomsky talked to Democracy Now about how the Democratic party's "unwillingness to deal with fundamental issues", and rather focus on the Russiagate scandal might have handed Donald Trump a big win for the 2020 presidential election. | RELATED: | Chomsky: Assange and Lula the Same Case to Silence Their Voices | "The Democrats invested everything in this issue. Wel…

Staff (2019-04-21). Mueller and a Dangerous Moment in Human History — Jay and Curry. therealnews.com The threat of nuclear war; the climate crisis; Trump's regime change plans for Iran and Venezuela; and confrontation with China are far more significant threats than election meddling — former Pres. Clinton advisor Bill Curry and Paul Jay join host Jacqueline Luqman…

Denis Rogatyuk (2019-04-21). Sell Out: How Corruption, Voter Fraud and a Neoliberal Turn Led Ecuador's President Moreno to Give Up Assange. globalresearch.ca The images of six Metropolitan police officers dragging Julian Assange out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London have provoked rage by citizens around the world. Many have warned that his extradition to the US for trial on conspiracy charges — …

Staff (2019-04-21). Accuracy at Heart of Census Question Before Supreme Court. truthdig.com WASHINGTON—Justice Elena Kagan's father was 3 years old when the census taker came to the family's apartment on Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn, New York, on April 10, 1930. | Robert Kagan was initially wrongly listed as an "alien," though he was a native-born New Yorker. The entry about his citizenship status appears to have been crossed out on the census form. | Vast changes in America and technology have dramatically altered the way the census is conducted. But the accuracy of the once-a-decade population count is at the he…

Will Bunch (2019-04-20). Trump Thought Mueller Would Be 'the End of My Presidency.' It Should Be. commondreams.org Buried on Page 290 of the long-awaited Mueller report into Russia's 2016 election interference and questions of collusion and cover-up surrounding President Donald Trump was one of those rare peeks behind the curtain of our insane presidency — exactly why the 440-page report was so highly anticipated for so long.

WSWS (2019-04-20). CIA director called out for complicity in torture. wsws.org US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Gina Haspel was delivering a recruiting pitch to students at Auburn University on Thursday where she was called out by an audience member for her participation in torture and other crimes.

Kevin Gosztola (2019-04-20). On WikiLeaks, Mueller Ignored Findings of Former US Intelligence Officials. theantimedia.com (SP) — Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on an investigation into alleged Russian efforts to meddle in the 2016 presidential election does not confirm, without a doubt, that Russian intelligence agents or individuals tied to Russian intelligence agencies passed on emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign to WikiLeaks. Mueller's team highlighted statements from WikiLeaks on Twitter about former …

Jon Schwarz (2019-04-20). The Best Hot Take on the Mueller Report Is From 1796. theintercept.com Washington called all of this in his prescient Farewell Address as he left office. As he feared, the spirit of party has overwhelmed the U.S. political system.

RT (2019-04-20). NYT use actual ex-FBI agent to warn readers of Barr's 'Russian disinfo tactic' (with Soviet imagery). rt.com The Mueller report didn't just clear President Donald Trump of colluding with Russia, the New York Times said, it handed Russia's Vladimir Putin the "ultimate victory." If you thought otherwise, blame secret Soviet mind games. |

WSWS (2019-04-20). The Mueller report and the campaign against Russia. wsws.org An editorial in the New York Times makes clear that the central purpose of the Democrats' campaign against Trump has been to demand more aggressive action against Russia.

RT (2019-04-20). 'From pariah to linchpin in proving anti-Trump spy scandal'— George Papadopoulos to Larry King on RT. rt.com "Entrapped" by FBI agents in London, ex-Donald Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos shared the mysterious circumstances that led to his arrest — and to the opening of the Mueller probe — with Larry King on RT's Politicking.

Jeffrey St. Clair (2019-04-19). Roaming Charges: Time is Blind, Man is Stupid. counterpunch.org Some names always seem to resurface in American political scandals, so it was no surprise to stumble across "Ledeen" on page 63 of Mueller's Report, highlighting a scheme by Barbara Ledeen (wife of Iran/contra figure and Mike Flynn pal Michael) to track down HRC's emails at Flynn's request on behalf of the Trump campaign, an operation that funded in part by a $30,000 contribution from the blood-drenched accounts of Erik Prince. More

John Nichols (2019-04-19). AOC, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib Make the Necessary Call for an Impeachment Inquiry. thenation.com AOC, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib Make the Necessary Call for an Impeachment Inquiry…

Staff (2019-04-19). Will the Mueller Report Help Defeat Trump in 2020? (Pt 2/2). therealnews.com Trump and his base will remain unaffected by the Mueller Report, and it will mainly serve as a "political football" between Republicans and Democrats, say Gerald Horne and Kamau Franklin, but it can still be used against Trump in 2020…

Mark Gruenberg (2019-04-19). Mueller report: "Miners for Trump" rally in Pittsburgh was a fake. peoplesworld.org PITTSBURGH—Remember going to a "Miners for Trump" rally in downtown Pittsburgh, a month before the November 2016 general election? If you did, you were fooled by a Russian fake. A poster for the Oct. 2, 2016 rally, featuring a miner on a coal-black background wearing a headlamp-lit hard hat, illustrates the wide range of Russian-generated …

Staff (2019-04-19). Mueller Report: A Battle Over Maintaining 'Imperial Hegemony' (Pt 1/2). therealnews.com Gerald Horne and Kamau Franklin discuss the Mueller Report, Russiagate, and whether alleged Russian interference in the U.S. elections is actually significant…

Democracy Now! (2019-04-19). The Mueller Report: Glenn Greenwald vs. David Cay Johnston on Trump-Russia Ties, Obstruction & More. democracynow.org The Justice Department has released a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's 448-page report detailing Russian meddling in the 2016 election, the Trump campaign's contacts with Russia and President Trump's attempts to impede the special counsel's investigation. The report states the campaign "expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts," but Mueller concluded, "the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." Mueller also outlined…

Jimmysllama (2019-04-19). Before Ousting Assange, Moreno Government Spied on the Journalist for Over a Year. mintpressnews.com Assange and whistleblower Chelsea Manning brought the U.S. government to its knees by exposing its torture of Guantanamo Bay detainees and war crimes in Iraq. They have been trying to recover ever since and the Trump administration is now more than ever willing to exact full revenge upon those who exposed the truth.

Consortiumnews (2019-04-19). UK Blurring Two Very Different Extradition Claims. consortiumnews.com The Swedish and U.S. claims are vastly different, writes Jonathan Cook. But the public conversation in the U.K. is simply about which has first dibs on Assange. By JonathanCook Jonathan-Cook.net In a previous blog post, I warned that the media and political… Read more →

Binoy Kampmark (2019-04-19). Julian Assange as Neuroses. dissidentvoice.org Julian Assange continues to ripple and roam as a cipher through the political and media scape of the world. Detained in Belmarsh maximum security prison, the sort of stately abode only reserved for the most dangerous of criminals, many with indeterminate sentences, he electrifies and concerns. The US political classes continue to simmer with an …

Consortiumnews (2019-04-19). CN Radio—Episode 7: Francis Boyle on Extradition of Julian Assange. consortiumnews.com With Julian Assange facing an extradition hearing on May 2, Consortium News Radio speaks with international law expert Francis Boyle, professor at the University of Illinois. Francis Boyle on the U.S.-UK extradition treaty and the way forward for Assange. (30… Read more →

Consortiumnews (2019-04-19). 26th Vigil Held With Assange in Jail. consortiumnews.com The 26th Vigil for Julian Assange was held Friday with the latest news on the WikiLeaks founder and the Mueller Report. Watch it here. Read more →

Ruth Conniff (2019-04-19). The Mueller Report Shows How Bad Trump Is. Now What? progressive.org To get too caught up in Russian interference and the unfairness of the American electoral system is to overlook Trump's power, and to risk not learning the lessons of his popularity.

unitedEditor (2019-04-19). What we know so far from the Mueller Report. uwidata.com On Thursday, Special Attorney Robert Mueller's report on alleged "Russian interference" in the 2016 US elections was finally published, albeit partially censored. The report contains information on an investigation into the Donald Trump campaign's alleged connection with Russian authorities, as well as the possible methods of Russian influence in the elections. The document was submitted …

Bruce Shapiro (2019-04-19). The Mueller Report Is a Road Map for Congressional Investigation. thenation.com The Mueller Report Is a Road Map for Congressional Investigation…

Democracy Now! (2019-04-19). Headlines for April 19, 2019. democracynow.org Mueller Report Shows No Trump-Russia Conspiracy But Leaves Open Question of Obstruction, Trump Admin to Spend $40 Million on New Immigration Detention Camps, Central American Migrants Claim Assault by Mexican Authorities, ACLU Warns of "Fascist Militia" Holding Migrant Border Crossers at Gunpoint, Nicaragua Bans Anti-Government Protests, Arresting Dozens, Mali's Government Resigns as Protesters Condemn Ethnic Violence, Sudan: Mass Protests Demand Civilian Rule After Omar al-Bashir's Ouster, Bangladeshi Teen Burned to Death After Reporting Sexual Assault, Saudi Court Suspends Hearing for 11 Women's Rights Activist…

RT (2019-04-19). BuzzFeed looks for Mueller report 'hoaxes & spin,' gets served with its own conspiracy theories. rt.com BuzzFeed says it's watching out for fake news and partisan spin surrounding Robert Mueller's 'Russiagate' report. Readers sent in prime examples — BuzzFeed's own 'scoops' on the Steele dossier and Michael Cohen.

James Risen (2019-04-19). William Barr Misled Everyone About the Mueller Report. Now Democrats Are Calling for His Resignation. theintercept.com Instead of an honest reading of the Mueller report, Trump's attorney general distorted it. Now, Democrats are calling for his resignation.

2019-04-22: Social Media Postees

Wiki-Gate: Julian Assange Was Framed by the People Who Supported Him
Prof Michel Chossudovsky | globalresearch.ca | 2019-04-22
Assange has been the object of an all out smear campaign by those who supported him. The Economist which granted Assange the New Media Award in 2008 intimates that he is an "enemy agent" responsible for "information anarchy … culminating in the destabilization of American democracy"
globalresearch.ca/wiki-gate-julian-assange-was-framed-by-the-people-who-supported-him/5660128

The NYTs Tries to Rehabilitate Bloody Gina Haspel
Melvin Goodman | counterpunch.org | 2019-04-22
There is no more authoritative newspaper in the country, perhaps the world, than the New York Times. But when the Times gets it wrong, it is often a real doozy. In the 1930s, the Times' man in Moscow, Walter Duranty, completely missed the Kremlin's forced famine in the Ukraine that led to the death of six to seven million Ukrainians and…
counterpunch.org/2019/04/22/the-nyts-tries-to-rehabilitate-bloody-gina-haspel/

US Ends Sanction Waivers for Countries Importing Iranian oil
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-04-22
U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to eliminate all waivers issued to eight economies allowing them to buy Iranian oil without facing U.S. sanctions, the White House said on Monday, while vowing to ensure global oil market was well supplied. | RELATED: | John Bolton Admits US-backed Coup in Venezuela Is About Oil, Not Democracy | Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to make an announcement on Monday detailing the decision. | "The United States, Saudi Arab…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-Ends-Sanction-Waivers-for-Countries-Importing-Iranian-oil-20190422-0009.html

From Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, a Talk on Assange
Consortiumnews | consortiumnews.com | 2019-04-22
Consortium News Editor Joe Lauria on Sunday delivered this talk about the Assange case to a group of activists who are living inside the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington to stop the illegitimate government of Venezuela from taking it over. Video… Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/04/22/from-venezuelan-embassy-in-washington-a-talk-on-assange/

IMF Hands $4.2 Billion in Loans for Ecuador for Julian Assange
Martin Armstrong | globalresearch.ca | 2019-04-22
The evidence of political pressure on Ecuador is surfacing. The IMF Executive Board Approved US$4.2 Billion (435% of quota and SDR 3.035 billion). | Extended Fund Facility for Ecuador. The Executive Board agreed to this arrangement with strings attached. The Board's …
globalresearch.ca/imf-hands-4-2-billion-loans-ecuador-julian-assange/5675232

Debunking the 'Assange is A Russian Agent' Smear
Consortiumnews | consortiumnews.com | 2019-04-22
The narrative that Assange worked for or knowingly conspired with the Russian government is a hallucination of the demented Russia hysteria which has infected all corners of mainstream political discourse, says Caitlin Johnstone. By Caitlin Johnstone CaitlinJohnstone.com Not even the… Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/04/22/debunking-the-assange-is-a-russian-agent-smear/

Julian Assange as Neuroses
Binoy Kampmark | counterpunch.org | 2019-04-22
Julian Assange continues to ripple and roam as a cipher through the political and media scape of the world. Detained in Belmarsh maximum security prison, the sort of stately abode only reserved for the most dangerous of criminals, many with indeterminate sentences, he electrifies and concerns. The US political classes continue to simmer with an…
counterpunch.org/2019/04/22/julian-assange-as-neuroses/

Cuba and the Politics of Culture in the U.S.: "The Invisible Hand of the Market"?
Arnold August | globalresearch.ca | 2019-04-22
Although this article was published in the original Spanish version last March, now that Julian Assange is in prison the analysis in this piece on "freedom of expression" is even more valid. | There is a wide-open debate/polemic in Cuba regarding …
globalresearch.ca/politics-culture-u-s-invisible-hand-market/5675177

Mueller Report Makes It Official: Trump a Morally Despicable Human Being
Robert Reich | commondreams.org | 2019-04-22
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during an event recognizing the Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride in the East Room of the White House, April 18, 2019, the same day the Department of Justice released special counsel Robert Mueller's redacted report on Russian election interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-1137877404.jpg
commondreams.org/views/2019/04/22/mueller-report-makes-it-official-trump-morally-despicable-human-being?cd-origin=rss

Mueller Time? Not for Now
Kenneth Surin | counterpunch.org | 2019-04-22
The Mueller report does not exonerate Trump; it simply finds insufficient evidence of criminal conduct involved in Russian collusion. Mueller says he failed to find admissible or sufficient evidence proving criminal conduct beyond a reasonable doubt, that is, the standard of evidence involved in "making a traditional prosecutorial judgement". At the same time, while using…
counterpunch.org/2019/04/22/mueller-time-not-for-now/

Did the Mueller Report Distract You? $750 Billion Budget Increase for "National Security"
Black Alliance for Peace | globalresearch.ca | 2019-04-22
The drama that has played out in the mainstream media over the release of the Mueller report had us at the Black Alliance for Peace asking the question we always come back to: What are the ruling-class minions in media …
globalresearch.ca/mueller-report-2/5675198

Shadow Boxing for Empire: The Mueller Report
Prof. James Petras | globalresearch.ca | 2019-04-22
Introduction | By the end of the Obama regime, the US had gone through seven wars and was in the process of losing five of them. Washington was facing global challenges to its dominant economic and political role from Russia and …
globalresearch.ca/mueller-report/5675181

Germany's IT Security Act 2.0: Another step towards a police state
WSWS | wsws.org | 2019-04-22
The German government's new legislation must be seen in connection with the arrest of Julian Assange and his imminent extradition to the US.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/04/22/germ-a22.html

Exradition: Wikileaks and the IRA in SF
Michael Steinberg | indybay.org | 2019-04-22
The looming extradition of Julian Assange to the US reminds us off another such case in San Francisco 25 years ago.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/04/20/18822860.php

What the Mueller Report Doesn't Say
Curt Wechsler | indybay.org | 2019-04-22
"When you read it, it's pretty devastating," said former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. The New Yorker columnist Susan Glasse wrote "The Mueller Report Won't End Trump's Presidency, But It Sure Makes Him Look Bad… After reading the report, it was hard to recall the world of utter vindication and Presidential victimization that Attorney General Barr had painted earlier in the day."
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/04/20/18822857.php

SEP (Australia) to hold election rally and meetings in defence of Assange
WSWS | wsws.org | 2019-04-22
The events are aimed at building the mass movement required to compel the Australian government to fulfill its obligations to Assange.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/04/22/sepa-a22.html

Video: IYSSE (Australia) members at University of Melbourne demand freedom for Julian Assange
WSWS | wsws.org | 2019-04-22
"We demand the Australian government cease its collaboration with the US vendetta against Assange."
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/04/22/uofm-a22.html

Amid Push for New Oil Sanctions, Pompeo Reportedly Jokes About Secret Coup Plot Against Iran
Jake Johnson, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-04-22
The Secretary of State reportedly said during a private meeting there are "no guarantees" the sanctions won't harm ordinary Iranians | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/pompeo_5.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/04/22/amid-push-new-oil-sanctions-pompeo-reportedly-jokes-about-secret-coup-plot-against?cd-origin=rss

Twitterati pounce on MSNBC for sending reporter to pester Mueller near church on Easter Sunday
RT | rt.com | 2019-04-22
Russiagate-obsessed news network MSNBC sent one of its journalists to talk to the one person in a position to feed the dying hopes that the now-public Mueller report still holds the key to ousting President Donald Trump. | …
rt.com/usa/457191-msnbc-ambushes-mueller-church/

Legal experts: Assange likely faces espionage charges if extradited to US
WSWS | wsws.org | 2019-04-22
If he is extradited to the US, Assange will be denied genuine due process and will likely face charges carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/04/22/assa-a22.html

At least 290 killed in terrorist bomb attacks in Sri Lanka
WSWS | wsws.org | 2019-04-22
Despite an intelligence alert 10 days before, both the government and police failed to warn the public and took little or no action to prevent the terrible bombings.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/04/22/sril-a22.html

Freedom of the Press is Dead Worldwide
Mathias Broeckers | indybay.org | 2019-04-22
CIA Director Pompeo claims Wikileaks is a "hostile secret service" and Julian Assange is not a journalist. Wikileaks embodies what a free press should be as the fourth branch – control power. This indispensable function as a democratic watchdog is the reason why press freedom is an essential asset of all constitutional states.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/04/22/18822899.php

Chomsky: Fixation on Russia May Have Handed Trump a 2020 Win
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-04-21
U.S. intellectual Noam Chomsky talked to Democracy Now about how the Democratic party's "unwillingness to deal with fundamental issues", and rather focus on the Russiagate scandal might have handed Donald Trump a big win for the 2020 presidential election. | RELATED: | Chomsky: Assange and Lula the Same Case to Silence Their Voices | "The Democrats invested everything in this issue. Wel…
telesurenglish.net/news/Chomsky-Fixation-on-Russia-May-Have-Handed-Trump-a-2020-Win-20190421-0023.html

Mueller and a Dangerous Moment in Human History — Jay and Curry
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-04-21
The threat of nuclear war; the climate crisis; Trump's regime change plans for Iran and Venezuela; and confrontation with China are far more significant threats than election meddling — former Pres. Clinton advisor Bill Curry and Paul Jay join host Jacqueline Luqman…
therealnews.com/stories/mueller-and-a-dangerous-moment-in-human-history-jay-and-curry

Sell Out: How Corruption, Voter Fraud and a Neoliberal Turn Led Ecuador's President Moreno to Give Up Assange
Denis Rogatyuk | globalresearch.ca | 2019-04-21
The images of six Metropolitan police officers dragging Julian Assange out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London have provoked rage by citizens around the world. Many have warned that his extradition to the US for trial on conspiracy charges — …
globalresearch.ca/corruption-voter-fraud-neoliberal-led-ecuadors-lenin-give-assange/5675141

Accuracy at Heart of Census Question Before Supreme Court
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-04-21
WASHINGTON–Justice Elena Kagan's father was 3 years old when the census taker came to the family's apartment on Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn, New York, on April 10, 1930. | Robert Kagan was initially wrongly listed as an "alien," though he was a native-born New Yorker. The entry about his citizenship status appears to have been crossed out on the census form. | Vast changes in America and technology have dramatically altered the way the census is conducted. But the accuracy of the once-a-decade population count is at the he…
truthdig.com/articles/accuracy-at-heart-of-census-question-before-supreme-court/

Trump Thought Mueller Would Be 'the End of My Presidency.' It Should Be
Will Bunch | commondreams.org | 2019-04-20
Buried on Page 290 of the long-awaited Mueller report into Russia's 2016 election interference and questions of collusion and cover-up surrounding President Donald Trump was one of those rare peeks behind the curtain of our insane presidency — exactly why the 440-page report was so highly anticipated for so long.
commondreams.org/views/2019/04/20/trump-thought-mueller-would-be-end-my-presidency-it-should-be?cd-origin=rss

The Mueller report and the campaign against Russia
WSWS | wsws.org | 2019-04-20
An editorial in the New York Times makes clear that the central purpose of the Democrats' campaign against Trump has been to demand more aggressive action against Russia.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/04/20/pers-a20.html

On WikiLeaks, Mueller Ignored Findings of Former US Intelligence Officials
Kevin Gosztola | theantimedia.com | 2019-04-20
(SP) — Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on an investigation into alleged Russian efforts to meddle in the 2016 presidential election does not confirm, without a doubt, that Russian intelligence agents or individuals tied to Russian intelligence agencies passed on emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign to WikiLeaks. Mueller's team highlighted statements from WikiLeaks on Twitter about former …

On WikiLeaks, Mueller Ignored Findings of Former US Intelligence Officials

CIA director called out for complicity in torture
WSWS | wsws.org | 2019-04-20
US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Gina Haspel was delivering a recruiting pitch to students at Auburn University on Thursday where she was called out by an audience member for her participation in torture and other crimes.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/04/20/hasp-a20.html

NYT use actual ex-FBI agent to warn readers of Barr's 'Russian disinfo tactic' (with Soviet imagery)
RT | rt.com | 2019-04-20
The Mueller report didn't just clear President Donald Trump of colluding with Russia, the New York Times said, it handed Russia's Vladimir Putin the "ultimate victory." If you thought otherwise, blame secret Soviet mind games. | …
rt.com/usa/457118-nyt-soviet-tactics-mueller-barr/

'From pariah to linchpin in proving anti-Trump spy scandal'– George Papadopoulos to Larry King on RT
RT | rt.com | 2019-04-20
"Entrapped" by FBI agents in London, ex-Donald Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos shared the mysterious circumstances that led to his arrest — and to the opening of the Mueller probe — with Larry King on RT's Politicking. | …
rt.com/usa/457098-papadopoulos-mueller-larry-king/

The Best Hot Take on the Mueller Report Is From 1796
Jon Schwarz | theintercept.com | 2019-04-20
Washington called all of this in his prescient Farewell Address as he left office. As he feared, the spirit of party has overwhelmed the U.S. political system.
theintercept.com/2019/04/20/mueller-report-george-washington-farewell-address/

Roaming Charges: Time is Blind, Man is Stupid
Jeffrey St. Clair | counterpunch.org | 2019-04-19
Some names always seem to resurface in American political scandals, so it was no surprise to stumble across "Ledeen" on page 63 of Mueller's Report, highlighting a scheme by Barbara Ledeen (wife of Iran/contra figure and Mike Flynn pal Michael) to track down HRC's emails at Flynn's request on behalf of the Trump campaign, an operation that funded in part by a $30,000 contribution from the blood-drenched accounts of Erik Prince.
counterpunch.org/2019/04/19/time-is-blind-man-is-stupid/

AOC, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib Make the Necessary Call for an Impeachment Inquiry
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2019-04-19
AOC, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib Make the Necessary Call for an Impeachment Inquiry…
thenation.com/article/aoc-ilhan-omar-rashida-tlaib-impeachment-trump-mueller-report/

Before Ousting Assange, Moreno Government Spied on the Journalist for Over a Year
Jimmysllama | mintpressnews.com | 2019-04-19
Assange and whistleblower Chelsea Manning brought the U.S. government to its knees by exposing its torture of Guantanamo Bay detainees and war crimes in Iraq. They have been trying to recover ever since and the Trump administration is now more than ever willing to exact full revenge upon those who exposed the truth.
mintpressnews.com/before-ousting-assange-moreno-government-spied-on-the-journalist-for-over-a-year/257621/

On WikiLeaks Email Releases, Mueller Team Ignored Findings Of Former US Intelligence Officials
Kevin Gosztola | shadowproof.com | 2019-04-19
Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on an investigation into alleged Russian efforts to meddle in the 2016 presidential election does not confirm, without a doubt, that Russian intelligence agents or individuals tied to Russian intelligence agencies passed on emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign to WikiLeaks. | Mueller's team highlighted statements from WikiLeaks on Twitter about former Democratic National Committee (DNC) staff member Seth Rich, which seemed to relate to the alleged source of emails and documents the organization published. Yet, more explicit claims from WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Ass…
shadowproof.com/2019/04/19/on-wikileaks-email-releases-mueller-team-ignored-findings-of-former-us-intelligence-officials/

UK Blurring Two Very Different Extradition Claims
Consortiumnews | consortiumnews.com | 2019-04-19
The Swedish and U.S. claims are vastly different, writes Jonathan Cook. But the public conversation in the U.K. is simply about which has first dibs on Assange. By JonathanCook Jonathan-Cook.net In a previous blog post, I warned that the media and political… Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/04/19/uk-blurring-two-very-different-extradition-claims/

Julian Assange as Neuroses
Binoy Kampmark | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-04-19
Julian Assange continues to ripple and roam as a cipher through the political and media scape of the world. Detained in Belmarsh maximum security prison, the sort of stately abode only reserved for the most dangerous of criminals, many with indeterminate sentences, he electrifies and concerns. The US political classes continue to simmer with an …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/04/julian-assange-as-neuroses/

26th Vigil Held With Assange in Jail
Consortiumnews | consortiumnews.com | 2019-04-19
The 26th Vigil for Julian Assange was held Friday with the latest news on the WikiLeaks founder and the Mueller Report. Watch it here. Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/04/19/with-assange-in-jail-join-us-for-the-26th-vigil/

CN Radio–Episode 7: Francis Boyle on Extradition of Julian Assange
Consortiumnews | consortiumnews.com | 2019-04-19
With Julian Assange facing an extradition hearing on May 2, Consortium News Radio speaks with international law expert Francis Boyle, professor at the University of Illinois. Francis Boyle on the U.S.-UK extradition treaty and the way forward for Assange. (30… Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/04/19/cn-radio-episode-7-francis-boyle-on-extradition-of-julian-assange/

Top 20 Mueller Report "Findings"
Joshua Frank | counterpunch.org | 2019-04-19
There are a few things stand out as the most relevant in Robert Mueller's Special Council report on alleged Russian interference in the 2016 campaign, which was released in redacted form on Thursday. After consuming as much of the report as a sane person possibly can (I'm attempting to save you the trouble), here are what I see as the more important Mueller finds.
counterpunch.org/2019/04/19/top-20-mueller-report-findings/

What we know so far from the Mueller Report
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-04-19
On Thursday, Special Attorney Robert Mueller's report on alleged "Russian interference" in the 2016 US elections was finally published, albeit partially censored. The report contains information on an investigation into the Donald Trump campaign's alleged connection with Russian authorities, as well as the possible methods of Russian influence in the elections. The document was submitted …
uwidata.com/3154-what-we-know-so-far-from-the-mueller-report/

Will the Mueller Report Help Defeat Trump in 2020? (Pt 2/2)
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-04-19
Trump and his base will remain unaffected by the Mueller Report, and it will mainly serve as a "political football" between Republicans and Democrats, say Gerald Horne and Kamau Franklin, but it can still be used against Trump in 2020…
therealnews.com/stories/will-the-mueller-report-help-defeat-trump-in-2020-pt-2-2

Mueller report: "Miners for Trump" rally in Pittsburgh was a fake
Mark Gruenberg | peoplesworld.org | 2019-04-19
PITTSBURGH–Remember going to a "Miners for Trump" rally in downtown Pittsburgh, a month before the November 2016 general election? If you did, you were fooled by a Russian fake. A poster for the Oct. 2, 2016 rally, featuring a miner on a coal-black background wearing a headlamp-lit hard hat, illustrates the wide range of Russian-generated …
peoplesworld.org/article/mueller-report-miners-for-trump-rally-in-pittsburgh-was-a-fake/

Mueller Report: A Battle Over Maintaining 'Imperial Hegemony' (Pt 1/2)
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-04-19
Gerald Horne and Kamau Franklin discuss the Mueller Report, Russiagate, and whether alleged Russian interference in the U.S. elections is actually significant…
therealnews.com/stories/mueller-report-a-battle-over-maintaining-imperial-hegemony-pt-1-2

The Mueller Report Is a Road Map for Congressional Investigation
Bruce Shapiro | thenation.com | 2019-04-19
The Mueller Report Is a Road Map for Congressional Investigation…
thenation.com/article/mueller-report-roadmap-obstruction-congress-impeachment/

The Mueller Report: Glenn Greenwald vs. David Cay Johnston on Trump-Russia Ties, Obstruction & More
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-04-19
The Justice Department has released a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's 448-page report detailing Russian meddling in the 2016 election, the Trump campaign's contacts with Russia and President Trump's attempts to impede the special counsel's investigation. The report states the campaign "expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts," but Mueller concluded, "the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." Mueller also outlined…
www.democracynow.org/2019/4/19/the_mueller_report_glenn_greenwald_vs

The Mueller Report Shows How Bad Trump Is. Now What?
Ruth Conniff | progressive.org | 2019-04-19
To get too caught up in Russian interference and the unfairness of the American electoral system is to overlook Trump's power, and to risk not learning the lessons of his popularity.
progressive.org/dispatches/mueller-report-conniff-190419/

What the Mueller Report Didn't Say About Felix Sater and the Trump Tower in Moscow
Johnny Dwyer | theintercept.com | 2019-04-19
The special counsel's report notes Sater's role in the Moscow project but oddly fails to mention his background as a felon and informant.
theintercept.com/2019/04/19/felix-sater-mueller-report/