Daily Archives: April 28, 2019

2019-04-28: News Headlines

teleSUR (2019-04-28). US Wants To Carve Up Venezuela Like Syria and Libya: Russia. telesurenglish.net Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin accused Western countries, including the United States, of "carving Venezuela up like Libya and Syria" in order to destabilize the Latin American region. | RELATED: | Venezuelans Celebrate The Country's Official Exit From OAS | Naryshkin told the audience at the 8th Moscow Conference on International Security Thursday that the U.S. and its allies are using military force to further promote their interests in Lati…

Party for Socialism and Liberation (2019-04-28). Workshop "Wikileaks, Whistleblowers and the Right to a Free Press" indybay.org 2969 Mission St., near 26th St. | San Francisco…

RT (2019-04-28). 'Death by algorithm': Maddow inconsolable after YouTube recommends RT interview on Mueller report. rt.com Russiagate guru Rachel Maddow has caught wind of the latest Kremlin-linked outrage: YouTube recommended an RT video about the Mueller report! And now social media users have lined up to laugh at her.

teleSUR (2019-04-27). Ecuador Embassy Staff Contradicts Allegations Against Assange. telesurenglish.net Ecuador's president Lenin Moreno made a number of allegations against Julian Assange, including accusing the whistleblower of being disrespectful towards embassy staff. However, Ecuadors consul at the time has dispelled Moreno's accusations, calling them a "smokescreen". | RELATED: | Assange Was Put Through 'Hell' At Ecuadorean Embassy: Narvaez | Fidel Narvaez was the consul in London for 6 of the 7 years that Julian Assange stayed at the embassy, speaking to Russian outlet RT he s…

Staff (2019-04-27). Trump's Torrent of Twisted Claims on Russia. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — Russia keeps reverberating even with special counsel Robert Mueller's report now part of history. | As much as President Donald Trump says he wants the United States to move on, he's found it hard to turn away himself, as seen in a torrent of tweets and remarks railing against Democrats, trashing Mueller and painting his own actions in a saintly light. | There is little truth to be found in these statements. | A review of a week of Russia-heavy rhetoric from Trump and his team, also touching on the census and the economy: | RUSSIA | TRUMP: "No Collusion, No Obstruction — there has NEVER be…

Staff (2019-04-27). The President's Executive Privilege Strategy Could Mean a Messy Fight. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — Since George Washington's time, presidents have used executive privilege to resist congressional inquiries in the name of protecting the confidentiality of their decision-making. | President Donald Trump threatened this past week to broadly assert executive privilege to block a number of current and former aides from testifying, including some who have cooperated with special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. It's a strategy that could lead to a messy, protracted legal fight, but even if the White House is eventually defeated in court, the president and his allies could have the ch…

teleSUR (2019-04-27). Media Attacks Jeremy Corbyn For Refusing to Meet Trump. telesurenglish.net On Friday, Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the U.K.'s Labour Party, the official opposition, announced that he had refused an invitation from the Queen to attend a banquet, which is to be held for U.S. President Donald Trump during his upcoming state visit to Britain. Most media outlets have accused Corbyn of turning his back on Britain's relationship with the US. | RELATED: | Corbyn: UK Should Reject US Request For Assange Extradition | Donald Trump is set to visit the U.K. on June 3 an…

Staff (2019-04-27). Kansas Supreme Court Guarantees Right to Abortion. truthout.org In what advocates called an "historic" victory for women's reproductive rights, the Kansas Supreme Court on Friday ruled that women in the state have a constitutional right to abortion care regardless of federal laws. | The 6-1 ruling would protect the rights of women in the state in the event that Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that affirmed American women's right to abor…

Staff (2019-04-27). Is It Time to Take the Abortion Battle Hyperlocal? truthout.org Whether or not the Supreme Court decides to uphold Roe v. Wade and keep abortion legal in every state, it's an undeniable fact that abortion access has been decimated across the country. For more than half of U.S. states, the clinics that do remain are located in just a handful of cities, leaving most of the state without any provider at all. | Prior to 2016 and the resurgence of a national anti-abortion push, the right was heavily invested i…

WSWS (2019-04-27). Christoph Vandreier speaks at Berlin rally to defend Julian Assange. wsws.org Christoph Vandreier, Deputy National Secretary of the Socialist Equality Party in Germany and a candidate in the European elections, addressed a rally in front of the Ecuadorian embassy in Berlin in defense of the Wikileaks publisher.

Natasha Lennard (2019-04-27). What Joe Biden's (Non-)Apology to Anita Hill Reveals About Him. theintercept.com Anita Hill in Waltham, Mass., on Nov. 20, 2018. | , the political calculus could not have been more transparent. Biden has had 28 years to apologize to Hill for the foul treatment she received in Senate Judiciary Committee hearings chaired by then-Sen. Biden. Hill had come to the Capitol to testify about her sexual harassment accusations against now-Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas — a hearing where, with Biden presiding, the young woman was eviscerated by a panel of 14 male senators.When Biden did finally call — a blatant and ill-conceived attempt at damage control in the lead up to his anno…

Andrew Korybko (2019-04-26). Did Russia and China Get the US to Accelerate Its Diplomatic Drawdown in Afghanistan? globalresearch.ca Reuters quoted "deep state" sources as reporting that the US will accelerate its diplomatic drawdown in Afghanistan, with this breaking news coming on the same day as its representatives met with their Russian and Chinese counterparts in Moscow to discuss …

Andy Thayer (2019-04-26). How Chicago Police Infiltrated, Spied on Anti-NATO Organizers. counterpunch.org Chicago Police here infiltrated the main anti-NATO summit organizing coalition shortly after its 2011 formation, and maintained that infiltration until shortly after the summit ended in May 2012, according to Chicago Police Department documents recently released under a Freedom of Information Act request. On January 11, 2012, Michael J. Mealer, Commander of the CPD's Intelligence More

John Feffer (2019-04-26). What's Driving Bolton's Attacks on the "Troika of Tyranny"? counterpunch.org If you're in the market for a troika of tyranny, Donald Trump, John Bolton, and Mike Pompeo certainly fit the bill. Or, if you'd rather focus on countries not individuals, you might single out Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt as the three most likely candidates. Perhaps, if you're in a confessional mood, More

Aaron Maté (2019-04-26). The Mueller Report Indicts the Trump-Russia Conspiracy Theory. thenation.com The Mueller Report Indicts the Trump-Russia Conspiracy Theory…

David Rosen (2019-04-26). Trump and False Consciousness. counterpunch.org Pres. Donald Trump is a media magician, able to artfully distort and/or deny the factual "truth" of an event or news report that exposes his failings or falsehoods. He is currently playing his grand political fan dance over information revealed in the redacted Mueller report. In late-March, his loyal-henchman, AG Bill Barr, first spun the hokum More

Consortiumnews (2019-04-26). Consortium News' Record on Russiagate—How CN Covered the 'Scandal': No. 7: 'Russiagate Is No Watergate or Iran-Contra'. consortiumnews.com Many comparisons have been made between Russiagate and the earlier scandals of Watergate and Iran-Contra, but the similarities are at best superficial, explained Robert Parry on June 28, 2017. On CNN last week Carl Bernstein astonishingly said that the Mueller… Read more →

Democracy Now! (2019-04-26). Headlines for April 26, 2019. democracynow.org Sri Lanka Lowers Death Toll from Easter Attacks; Top Officials Resign over Intelligence Failures, Anita Hill: I Am Not Satisfied by Biden's Apology over Handling of Clarence Thomas Allegations, As Comcast Lobbyist Hosts Biden's First Fundraiser, Campaign Boasts of Support from "Top 1%", Biden Hires Ex-Bernie Sanders Staffer as Senior Adviser, Hundreds of Thousands Protest in Sudan Demanding Civilian Rule, North Korea's Kim Jong-un Accuses U.S. of Acting in Bad Faith in Nuke Talks, In Response to Yellow Vest Protests, Macron Vows to Cut Taxes, Tells Nation It Must Work Harder, Report: U.S. Sanctions Have Killed 40…

Consortiumnews (2019-04-26). View 27th Vigil, a Fortnight After Assange's Arrest. consortiumnews.com Consortium News brought live coverage of the 27th Vigil. Watch the replay of a spirited discussion about the importance of public protest and the fate of Assange's extradition here. Read more →

Consortiumnews (2019-04-26). Assange's Imprisonment Arguably Reveals Even More Corruption Than WikiLeaks Did. consortiumnews.com By locking up Assange, the U.S, its allies and corporate media have inadvertently exposed themselves for what they are, and we're now able to point that out for everyone to see, writes Caitlin Johnstone. By Caitlin Johnstone CaitlinJohnstone.com Consortium News has launched… Read more →

WSWS (2019-04-26). UN official visits Julian Assange, investigating Ecuador's illegal surveillance. wsws.org Confronted by worldwide protests and petitions, the British government felt compelled to grant the UN access to the imprisoned WikiLeaks founder.

pip.hinman (2019-04-26). Letter from the US: Stop the persecution of Julian Assange. greenleft.org.au When the world saw the video of beefy police dragging Julian Assange out of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, it was clear that the media had been alerted to film the spectacle. | Ecuador had granted Assange asylum in its embassy since 2012, to block his threatened extradition to the United States at the time. | Media outlets such as CNN declared he looked crazy in the video. One CNN reporter said that one of the reasons the embassy called the police was that Assange had allegedly smeared faeces on walls inside the Embassy. | The real smears, however, have been by the press against the WikiLeaks founder. | The ac…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2019-04-26). Amid Fears of Federal Attack on Roe, Kansas Supreme Court Guarantees Right to Abortion in the Conservative State. commondreams.org In what advocates called a "historic" victory for women's reproductive rights, the Kansas Supreme Court on Friday ruled that women in the state have a constitutional right to abortion care regardless of federal laws. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/23880829317_48d973c7bf_o_0.jpg

RT (2019-04-26). DOJ could build Assange case on Espionage Act, carries possible death sentence. rt.com Julian Assange could be charged under the Espionage Act for leaking classified material in addition to the hacking charge he already faces, a US Department of Justice document indicates.

WSWS (2019-04-26). Leaked documents implicate French government in war crimes in Yemen. wsws.org Leaked intelligence documents expose top French officials' denials that Saudi-led coalition forces use French-made weapons against Yemeni civilians as bald-faced lies.

Martha Rosenberg (2019-04-26). Corruption and Mismanagement at USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service's Put Consumers at Risk, Whistleblower Says. counterpunch.org The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which operates under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and employs more than 10,000 people, is tasked with ensuring the safety and proper labeling of U.S. meat, poultry and eggs. FSIS inspectors are present at over 6,200 U.S. slaughter, food processing and import facilities to check for diseased animals, compliance More

Bill Blum (2019-04-26). Unequal Justice: As the Next Census Approaches, Will the Supreme Court Side with Trump in his War on Immigrants? commondreams.org The U.S. census sets the number of votes each state is accorded in the electoral college, the number of seats states are allocated in the House of Representatives, and determines how some $880 billion per year in federal funds are distributed throughout the country. (Photo: US Census Bureau) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-04-26_at_1.42.28_pm.png

Mark Fiore (2019-04-25). Free Advice for Democrats. progressive.org Now that the redacted Mueller report lays out what appears to be evidence of a president obstructing justice, it's up to Congress.

Staff (2019-04-25). Leaked Report: Western Arms Are Essential to Saudi Arabia's War in Yemen. therealnews.com A French intelligence report reveals that Saudi Arabia and UAE depend on Western support for their war in Yemen. Just Foreign Policy co-director Hassan El-Tayyab speaks about the report and the need to override Trump's veto of the Yemen War Powers resolution…

John Nichols (2019-04-25). Here's a Handy Impeachment Refresher for Donald Trump. thenation.com Here's a Handy Impeachment Refresher for Donald Trump…

Consortiumnews (2019-04-25). Special Counsel Mueller: Disingenuous and Dishonest. consortiumnews.com Larry C. Johnson sees real meat on the bone for Barr's upcoming investigation of spying by law enforcement and intelligence on the Trump campaign. And Trump has tweeted about it. On Wednesday Donald Trump tweeted: "Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson… Read more →

unitedEditor (2019-04-25). A Dangerous global trend (part two). uwidata.com The Belgian intelligence service (VSSE) had earlier warned that members of a far-right racist group, mainly based in Austria and Belgium, were "actively arming themselves." According to the VSSE, the far-right in Western Europe began to "call on their members to learn to shoot and acquire weapons both legally and illegally." This information, alongside a …

Bill Blum (2019-04-25). Unequal Justice: As the Next Census Approaches, Will the Supreme Court Side with Trump in his War on Immigrants? progressive.org The idea for reinstating the citizenship question came from discussions including White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, both of whom have long histories as proponents of anti-immigrant policies.

Democracy Now! (2019-04-25). From Crime Bill to Iraq War Vote, Biden's Legislative History Under Scrutiny as He Enters Race. democracynow.org Former Vice President Joe Biden has entered the 2020 race for the White House, becoming the 20th Democrat to seek the nomination in the largest and most diverse field of Democratic candidates ever to run for president. Biden will face scrutiny for his long and checkered record in the coming weeks, including his 1994 crime bill, that helped fuel mass incarceration with financial incentives to keep people behind bars, and his handling of Anita Hill's sexual harassment allegations against Supreme Court justice nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991. Biden is also known for close ties to the financial industry and voting to…

ACLU (2019-04-24). An Indictment in All But Name. aclu.org The report dispassionately lays out the facts, which are an indictment in all but name. | Special Counsel Robert Mueller's long-awaited report, released to the public in a redacted version on April 18, lays out in meticulous detail both a blatantly illegal effort by Russia to throw the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump and repeated efforts by President Trump to end, limit, or impede Mueller's investigation of Russian interference. Trump's efforts included firing or attempting to fire those overseeing the investigation, directing subordinates to lie on his behalf, cajoling witnesses not to cooperate, and…

Shadowproof (2019-04-24). 'Pod Save The World' And Their Awful Discussion Of Case Against Julian Assange. shadowproof.com President Donald Trump's Justice Department will need the rhetorical support of liberal Democrats to succeed in prosecuting WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange. Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security advisor for strategic communications, and Tommy Vietor, former national security spokesperson and special assistant to the president, worked in President Barack Obama's administration.

Democracy Now! (2019-04-24). Supreme Court Appears Set to OK Census Citizenship Question Despite Risk of Undercounting Millions. democracynow.org The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a case challenging the Trump administration's plans to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census. Voting rights activists fear that adding the question will deter immigrants from participating in the census and lead to a vast undercount in states with large immigrant communities. Census officials have estimated 6.5 million people will not respond to the census if the citizenship question is added. This undercount could affect everything from the redrawing of congressional maps to the allocation of federal funding. The case centers on whether Commerce Secre…

Brendan Joel Kelley and Hatewatch Staff (2019-04-23). QAnon Conspiracy Increasingly Popular with Antigovernment Extremists. splcenter.org Antigovernment extremists, including some who've committed violent acts, are increasingly subscribing to and propagating the QAnon conspiracy theory, which asserts that pro-Trump forces will soon take down the so-called deep state.

Dennis J. Bernstein (2019-04-23). Daniel Ellsberg Speaks Out on the Arrest of Julian Assange. progressive.org "Without whistleblowers we would not have a democracy. And there have to be people to distribute work and publish it."

Consortiumnews (2019-04-23). New CN Series: The Revelations of WikiLeaks: No. 1—The Video that Put Assange in US Crosshairs. consortiumnews.com "Collateral Murder" created a media sensation in 2010 and led to Chelsea Manning's imprisonment and to a DOJ investigation of Julian Assange, reports Elizabeth Vos. But the war crimes the video exposed got no one else in trouble. Consortium News today begins… Read more →

Democracy Now! (2019-04-23). Headlines for April 23, 2019. democracynow.org Sri Lankan Minister Says Easter Bombings Were Retaliation for NZ Mosque Attacks, Trump Admin to Ratchet Up Unilateral U.S. Sanctions on Iranian Oil, House Democrats Subpoena Former White House Counsel Don McGahn, Trump Sues to Quash Subpoena Requesting 10 Years of Financial Records, Sen. Kamala Harris Calls for Trump's Impeachment, Breaking from Democratic Leaders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren Proposes Canceling Student Loan Debt, Making Public Colleges Free, Supreme Court to Weigh Citizenship Question on 2020 Census, Supreme Court to Decide If LGBTQ Workers Are Protected by Civil Rights Act, Charges Dropped Against 3 A…

Democracy Now! (2019-04-22). Headlines for April 22, 2019. democracynow.org Easter Sunday Attacks Kill Nearly 300 Across Sri Lanka, House Judiciary Chair Subpoenas Unredacted Mueller Report, Sen. Elizabeth Warren Calls on Congress to Impeach President Trump, Afghanistan: 10 Killed in Suicide Attack as Taliban Peace Talks Collapse, Libya Death Toll Climbs to 227 as Trump Backs Renegade General, Hundreds of Thousands of Algerians March Demanding Democratic Reforms, Thousands March on Morocco's Parliament, Demanding Release of Political Prisoners, Sudan Protest Leaders End Talks with Ruling Military Council, Volodymyr Zelensky, Who Played a President on TV, Elected to Lead Ukraine, France:…

ACLU (2019-04-22). Supreme Court Takes Cases of People Fired for Being LGBTQ. aclu.org The court will consider whether to take anti-discrimination protections away from LGBTQ people. | Can a business fire someone because they're LGBTQ? The Supreme Court will soon tell us. | After a funeral home outside Detroit fired Aimee Stephens because she is transgender, Aimee won a federal appeals court ruling that the firing violated the federal law barring sex discrimination in the workplace. After Don Zarda was fired from his job as a skydiving instr…

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…

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 …

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.

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…

Kevin Gosztola (2019-04-19). On WikiLeaks Email Releases, Mueller Team Ignored Findings Of Former US Intelligence Officials. shadowproof.com 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…

Mark Fiore (2019-04-18). Barring the Mueller Report. progressive.org Barr does know we're talking about President Trump, right?

Reese Erlich (2019-04-18). Foreign Correspondent: Can Wikileaks' Julian Assange Get a Fair Trial? progressive.org "I'm sure he's going to get a kangaroo court. I don't see the government allowing Assange to put on a vigorous defense."

2019-04-28: Social Media Postees

US Wants To Carve Up Venezuela Like Syria and Libya: Russia
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-04-28
Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin accused Western countries, including the United States, of "carving Venezuela up like Libya and Syria" in order to destabilize the Latin American region. | RELATED: | Venezuelans Celebrate The Country's Official Exit From OAS | Naryshkin told the audience at the 8th Moscow Conference on International Security Thursday that the U.S. and its allies are using military force to further promote their interests in Lati…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-Wants-To-Carve-Up-Venezuela-Like-Syria-and-Libya-Russia–20190428-0005.html

'Death by algorithm': Maddow inconsolable after YouTube recommends RT interview on Mueller report
RT | rt.com | 2019-04-28
Russiagate guru Rachel Maddow has caught wind of the latest Kremlin-linked outrage: YouTube recommended an RT video about the Mueller report! And now social media users have lined up to laugh at her. | …
rt.com/usa/457741-maddow-rt-video-russiagate/

Workshop "Wikileaks, Whistleblowers and the Right to a Free Press"
Party for Socialism and Liberation | indybay.org | 2019-04-28
2969 Mission St., near 26th St. | San Francisco…
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/04/25/18822958.php

Ecuador Embassy Staff Contradicts Allegations Against Assange
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-04-27
Ecuador's president Lenin Moreno made a number of allegations against Julian Assange, including accusing the whistleblower of being disrespectful towards embassy staff. However, Ecuadors consul at the time has dispelled Moreno's accusations, calling them a "smokescreen". | RELATED: | Assange Was Put Through 'Hell' At Ecuadorean Embassy: Narvaez | Fidel Narvaez was the consul in London for 6 of the 7 years that Julian Assange stayed at the embassy, speaking to Russian outlet RT he s…
telesurenglish.net/news/Ecuador-Embassy-Staff-Contradicts-Allegations-Against-Assange–20190427-0020.html

Trump's Torrent of Twisted Claims on Russia
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-04-27
WASHINGTON — Russia keeps reverberating even with special counsel Robert Mueller's report now part of history. | As much as President Donald Trump says he wants the United States to move on, he's found it hard to turn away himself, as seen in a torrent of tweets and remarks railing against Democrats, trashing Mueller and painting his own actions in a saintly light. | There is little truth to be found in these statements. | A review of a week of Russia-heavy rhetoric from Trump and his team, also touching on the census and the economy: | RUSSIA | TRUMP: "No Collusion, No Obstruction — there has NEVER be…
truthdig.com/articles/trumps-torrent-of-twisted-claims-on-russia/

The President's Executive Privilege Strategy Could Mean a Messy Fight
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-04-27
WASHINGTON — Since George Washington's time, presidents have used executive privilege to resist congressional inquiries in the name of protecting the confidentiality of their decision-making. | President Donald Trump threatened this past week to broadly assert executive privilege to block a number of current and former aides from testifying, including some who have cooperated with special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. It's a strategy that could lead to a messy, protracted legal fight, but even if the White House is eventually defeated in court, the president and his allies could have the ch…
truthdig.com/articles/the-presidents-executive-privilege-strategy-could-mean-messy-fight/

Media Attacks Jeremy Corbyn For Refusing to Meet Trump
teleSUR | telesurenglish.net | 2019-04-27
On Friday, Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the U.K.'s Labour Party, the official opposition, announced that he had refused an invitation from the Queen to attend a banquet, which is to be held for U.S. President Donald Trump during his upcoming state visit to Britain. Most media outlets have accused Corbyn of turning his back on Britain's relationship with the US. | RELATED: | Corbyn: UK Should Reject US Request For Assange Extradition | Donald Trump is set to visit the U.K. on June 3 an…
telesurenglish.net/news/Media-Attacks-Jeremy-Corbyn-For-Refusing-to-Meet-Trump-20190427-0019.html

What Joe Biden's (Non-)Apology to Anita Hill Reveals About Him
Natasha Lennard | theintercept.com | 2019-04-27
Anita Hill in Waltham, Mass., on Nov. 20, 2018. | , the political calculus could not have been more transparent. Biden has had 28 years to apologize to Hill for the foul treatment she received in Senate Judiciary Committee hearings chaired by then-Sen. Biden. Hill had come to the Capitol to testify about her sexual harassment accusations against now-Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas — a hearing where, with Biden presiding, the young woman was eviscerated by a panel of 14 male senators.When Biden did finally call — a blatant and ill-conceived attempt at damage control in the lead up to his anno…
theintercept.com/2019/04/27/anita-hill-joe-biden-non-apology/

Is It Time to Take the Abortion Battle Hyperlocal?
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-04-27
Whether or not the Supreme Court decides to uphold Roe v. Wade and keep abortion legal in every state, it's an undeniable fact that abortion access has been decimated across the country. For more than half of U.S. states, the clinics that do remain are located in just a handful of cities, leaving most of the state without any provider at all. | Prior to 2016 and the resurgence of a national anti-abortion push, the right was heavily invested i…
truthout.org/articles/is-it-time-to-take-the-abortion-battle-hyperlocal/

Christoph Vandreier speaks at Berlin rally to defend Julian Assange
WSWS | wsws.org | 2019-04-27
Christoph Vandreier, Deputy National Secretary of the Socialist Equality Party in Germany and a candidate in the European elections, addressed a rally in front of the Ecuadorian embassy in Berlin in defense of the Wikileaks publisher.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/04/27/vide-a27.html

Kansas Supreme Court Guarantees Right to Abortion
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-04-27
In what advocates called an "historic" victory for women's reproductive rights, the Kansas Supreme Court on Friday ruled that women in the state have a constitutional right to abortion care regardless of federal laws. | The 6-1 ruling would protect the rights of women in the state in the event that Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that affirmed American women's right to abor…
truthout.org/articles/kansas-supreme-court-guarantees-right-to-abortion/

Did Russia and China Get the US to Accelerate Its Diplomatic Drawdown in Afghanistan?
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2019-04-26
Reuters quoted "deep state" sources as reporting that the US will accelerate its diplomatic drawdown in Afghanistan, with this breaking news coming on the same day as its representatives met with their Russian and Chinese counterparts in Moscow to discuss …
globalresearch.ca/russia-china-us-accelerate-diplomatic-drawdown-afghanistan/5675737

Corruption and Mismanagement at USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service's Put Consumers at Risk, Whistleblower Says
Martha Rosenberg | counterpunch.org | 2019-04-26
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which operates under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and employs more than 10,000 people, is tasked with ensuring the safety and proper labeling of U.S. meat, poultry and eggs. FSIS inspectors are present at over 6,200 U.S. slaughter, food processing and import facilities to check for diseased animals, compliance…
counterpunch.org/2019/04/26/corruption-and-mismanagement-at-usdas-food-safety-and-inspection-services-put-consumers-at-risk-whistleblower-says/

The Mueller Report Indicts the Trump-Russia Conspiracy Theory
Aaron Maté | thenation.com | 2019-04-26
The Mueller Report Indicts the Trump-Russia Conspiracy Theory…
thenation.com/article/russiagate-trump-mueller-report-no-collusion/

Consortium News' Record on Russiagate–How CN Covered the 'Scandal': No. 7: 'Russiagate Is No Watergate or Iran-Contra'
Consortiumnews | consortiumnews.com | 2019-04-26
Many comparisons have been made between Russiagate and the earlier scandals of Watergate and Iran-Contra, but the similarities are at best superficial, explained Robert Parry on June 28, 2017. On CNN last week Carl Bernstein astonishingly said that the Mueller… Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/04/26/russia-gate-is-no-watergate-or-iran-contra/

Trump and False Consciousness
David Rosen | counterpunch.org | 2019-04-26
Pres. Donald Trump is a media magician, able to artfully distort and/or deny the factual "truth" of an event or news report that exposes his failings or falsehoods. He is currently playing his grand political fan dance over information revealed in the redacted Mueller report. In late-March, his loyal-henchman, AG Bill Barr, first spun the hokum…
counterpunch.org/2019/04/26/trump-and-false-consciousness/

How Chicago Police Infiltrated, Spied on Anti-NATO Organizers
Andy Thayer | counterpunch.org | 2019-04-26
Chicago Police here infiltrated the main anti-NATO summit organizing coalition shortly after its 2011 formation, and maintained that infiltration until shortly after the summit ended in May 2012, according to Chicago Police Department documents recently released under a Freedom of Information Act request. On January 11, 2012, Michael J. Mealer, Commander of the CPD's Intelligence…
counterpunch.org/2019/04/26/how-chicago-police-infiltrated-spied-on-anti-nato-organizers/

View 27th Vigil, a Fortnight After Assange's Arrest
Consortiumnews | consortiumnews.com | 2019-04-26
Consortium News brought live coverage of the 27th Vigil. Watch the replay of a spirited discussion about the importance of public protest and the fate of Assange's extradition here. Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/04/26/view-27th-vigil-a-fortnight-after-assanges-arrest/

Assange's Imprisonment Arguably Reveals Even More Corruption Than WikiLeaks Did
Consortiumnews | consortiumnews.com | 2019-04-26
By locking up Assange, the U.S, its allies and corporate media have inadvertently exposed themselves for what they are, and we're now able to point that out for everyone to see, writes Caitlin Johnstone. By Caitlin Johnstone CaitlinJohnstone.com Consortium News has launched… Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/04/26/assanges-imprisonment-arguably-reveals-even-more-corruption-than-wikileaks-did/

What's Driving Bolton's Attacks on the "Troika of Tyranny"?
John Feffer | counterpunch.org | 2019-04-26
If you're in the market for a troika of tyranny, Donald Trump, John Bolton, and Mike Pompeo certainly fit the bill. Or, if you'd rather focus on countries not individuals, you might single out Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt as the three most likely candidates. Perhaps, if you're in a confessional mood,…
counterpunch.org/2019/04/26/whats-driving-boltons-attacks-on-the-troika-of-tyranny/

DOJ could build Assange case on Espionage Act, carries possible death sentence
RT | rt.com | 2019-04-26
Julian Assange could be charged under the Espionage Act for leaking classified material in addition to the hacking charge he already faces, a US Department of Justice document indicates. | …
rt.com/usa/457658-doj-assange-espionage-act/

Letter from the US: Stop the persecution of Julian Assange
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2019-04-26
When the world saw the video of beefy police dragging Julian Assange out of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, it was clear that the media had been alerted to film the spectacle. | Ecuador had granted Assange asylum in its embassy since 2012, to block his threatened extradition to the United States at the time. | Media outlets such as CNN declared he looked crazy in the video. One CNN reporter said that one of the reasons the embassy called the police was that Assange had allegedly smeared faeces on walls inside the Embassy. | The real smears, however, have been by the press against the WikiLeaks founder. | The ac…
greenleft.org.au/content/letter-us-stop-persecution-julian-assange

Amid Fears of Federal Attack on Roe, Kansas Supreme Court Guarantees Right to Abortion in the Conservative State
Julia Conley, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2019-04-26
In what advocates called a "historic" victory for women's reproductive rights, the Kansas Supreme Court on Friday ruled that women in the state have a constitutional right to abortion care regardless of federal laws. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/23880829317_48d973c7bf_o_0.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2019/04/26/amid-fears-federal-attack-roe-kansas-supreme-court-guarantees-right-abortion?cd-origin=rss

UN official visits Julian Assange, investigating Ecuador's illegal surveillance
WSWS | wsws.org | 2019-04-26
Confronted by worldwide protests and petitions, the British government felt compelled to grant the UN access to the imprisoned WikiLeaks founder.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/04/26/assa-a26.html

Unequal Justice: As the Next Census Approaches, Will the Supreme Court Side with Trump in his War on Immigrants?
Bill Blum | commondreams.org | 2019-04-26
The U.S. census sets the number of votes each state is accorded in the electoral college, the number of seats states are allocated in the House of Representatives, and determines how some $880 billion per year in federal funds are distributed throughout the country. (Photo: US Census Bureau) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2019-04-26_at_1.42.28_pm.png
commondreams.org/views/2019/04/26/unequal-justice-next-census-approaches-will-supreme-court-side-trump-his-war?cd-origin=rss

Leaked documents implicate French government in war crimes in Yemen
WSWS | wsws.org | 2019-04-26
Leaked intelligence documents expose top French officials' denials that Saudi-led coalition forces use French-made weapons against Yemeni civilians as bald-faced lies.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/04/26/frye-a26.html

Free Advice for Democrats
Mark Fiore | progressive.org | 2019-04-25
Now that the redacted Mueller report lays out what appears to be evidence of a president obstructing justice, it's up to Congress.
progressive.org/dispatches/free-advice-for-democrats-fiore-190425/

Here's a Handy Impeachment Refresher for Donald Trump
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2019-04-25
Here's a Handy Impeachment Refresher for Donald Trump…
thenation.com/article/impeachmenti-donald-trump-mueller-report/

Special Counsel Mueller: Disingenuous and Dishonest
Consortiumnews | consortiumnews.com | 2019-04-25
Larry C. Johnson sees real meat on the bone for Barr's upcoming investigation of spying by law enforcement and intelligence on the Trump campaign. And Trump has tweeted about it. On Wednesday Donald Trump tweeted:…
consortiumnews.com/2019/04/24/special-counsel-mueller-disingenuous-and-dishonest/

A Dangerous global trend (part two)
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-04-25
The Belgian intelligence service (VSSE) had earlier warned that members of a far-right racist group, mainly based in Austria and Belgium, were "actively arming themselves." According to the VSSE, the far-right in Western Europe began to "call on their members to learn to shoot and acquire weapons both legally and illegally." This information, alongside a …
uwidata.com/3213-a-dangerous-global-trend-part-two/

Leaked Report: Western Arms Are Essential to Saudi Arabia's War in Yemen
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-04-25
A French intelligence report reveals that Saudi Arabia and UAE depend on Western support for their war in Yemen. Just Foreign Policy co-director Hassan El-Tayyab speaks about the report and the need to override Trump's veto of the Yemen War Powers resolution…
therealnews.com/stories/leaked-report-western-arms-are-essential-to-saudi-arabias-war-in-yemen

From Crime Bill to Iraq War Vote, Biden's Legislative History Under Scrutiny as He Enters Race
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-04-25
Former Vice President Joe Biden has entered the 2020 race for the White House, becoming the 20th Democrat to seek the nomination in the largest and most diverse field of Democratic candidates ever to run for president. Biden will face scrutiny for his long and checkered record in the coming weeks, including his 1994 crime bill, that helped fuel mass incarceration with financial incentives to keep people behind bars, and his handling of Anita Hill's sexual harassment allegations against Supreme Court justice nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991. Biden is also known for close ties to the financial industry and voting to…
www.democracynow.org/2019/4/25/from_crime_bill_to_iraq_war

Unequal Justice: As the Next Census Approaches, Will the Supreme Court Side with Trump in his War on Immigrants?
Bill Blum | progressive.org | 2019-04-25
The idea for reinstating the citizenship question came from discussions including White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, both of whom have long histories as proponents of anti-immigrant policies.
progressive.org/dispatches/unequal-justice-census-supreme-court-voting-blum-190425/

An Indictment in All But Name
ACLU | aclu.org | 2019-04-24
The report dispassionately lays out the facts, which are an indictment in all but name. | Special Counsel Robert Mueller's long-awaited report, released to the public in a redacted version on April 18, lays out in meticulous detail both a blatantly illegal effort by Russia to throw the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump and repeated efforts by President Trump to end, limit, or impede Mueller's investigation of Russian interference. Trump's efforts included firing or attempting to fire those overseeing the investigation, directing subordinates to lie on his behalf, cajoling witnesses not to cooperate, and…
aclu.org/blog/executive-branch/indictment-all-name

'Pod Save The World' And Their Awful Discussion Of Case Against Julian Assange
Shadowproof | shadowproof.com | 2019-04-24
President Donald Trump's Justice Department will need the rhetorical support of liberal Democrats to succeed in prosecuting WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange. Ben Rhodes, former deputy national security advisor for strategic communications, and Tommy Vietor, former national security spokesperson and special assistant to the president, worked in President Barack Obama's administration.
shadowproof.com/2019/04/24/former-obama-official-ben-rhodes-assange-justify-trump-doj-prosecution/

Supreme Court Appears Set to OK Census Citizenship Question Despite Risk of Undercounting Millions
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-04-24
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a case challenging the Trump administration's plans to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census. Voting rights activists fear that adding the question will deter immigrants from participating in the census and lead to a vast undercount in states with large immigrant communities. Census officials have estimated 6.5 million people will not respond to the census if the citizenship question is added. This undercount could affect everything from the redrawing of congressional maps to the allocation of federal funding. The case centers on whether Commerce Secre…
www.democracynow.org/2019/4/24/a_threat_to_democracy_justices_appear

QAnon Conspiracy Increasingly Popular with Antigovernment Extremists
Brendan Joel Kelley and Hatewatch Staff | splcenter.org | 2019-04-23
Antigovernment extremists, including some who've committed violent acts, are increasingly subscribing to and propagating the QAnon conspiracy theory, which asserts that pro-Trump forces will soon take down the so-called deep state.
splcenter.org/hatewatch/2019/04/23/qanon-conspiracy-increasingly-popular-antigovernment-extremists

Daniel Ellsberg Speaks Out on the Arrest of Julian Assange
Dennis J. Bernstein | progressive.org | 2019-04-23
"Without whistleblowers we would not have a democracy. And there have to be people to distribute work and publish it."
progressive.org/dispatches/daniel-ellsberg-on-arrest-of-julian-assange-bernstein-190423/

New CN Series: The Revelations of WikiLeaks: No. 1–The Video that Put Assange in US Crosshairs
Consortiumnews | consortiumnews.com | 2019-04-23
"Collateral Murder" created a media sensation in 2010 and led to Chelsea Manning's imprisonment and to a DOJ investigation of Julian Assange, reports Elizabeth Vos. But the war crimes the video exposed got no one else in trouble. Consortium News today begins… Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/04/23/new-cn-series-the-revelations-of-wikileaks-no-1-the-video-that-put-assange-in-u-s-crosshairs/

Supreme Court Takes Cases of People Fired for Being LGBTQ
ACLU | aclu.org | 2019-04-22
The court will consider whether to take anti-discrimination protections away from LGBTQ people. | Can a business fire someone because they're LGBTQ? The Supreme Court will soon tell us. | After a funeral home outside Detroit fired Aimee Stephens because she is transgender, Aimee won a federal appeals court ruling that the firing violated the federal law barring sex discrimination in the workplace. After Don Zarda was fired from his job as a skydiving instr…
aclu.org/blog/lgbt-rights/lgbt-nondiscrimination-protections/supreme-court-takes-cases-people-fired-being

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/

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/

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/

Barring the Mueller Report
Mark Fiore | progressive.org | 2019-04-18
Barr does know we're talking about President Trump, right?
progressive.org/dispatches/barring-the-mueller-report-fiore-19418/

Foreign Correspondent: Can Wikileaks' Julian Assange Get a Fair Trial?
Reese Erlich | progressive.org | 2019-04-18
"I'm sure he's going to get a kangaroo court. I don't see the government allowing Assange to put on a vigorous defense."
progressive.org/dispatches/can-julian-assange-get-a-fair-trial-erlich-190418/

Chomsky: By Focusing on Russia, Democrats Handed Trump a "Huge Gift" & Possibly the 2020 Election
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-04-18
As Attorney General William Barr releases Robert Mueller's long-anticipated report into Russian interference in the 2016 election, we speak with world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author Noam Chomsky about what he sees as the political perils of "Russiagate."
www.democracynow.org/2019/4/18/chomsky_by_focusing_on_russia_democrats

NAACP BLASTS WOEFULLY DEFICIENT RELEASE OF MUELLER REPORT
Vanessa Mbonu@naacpnet | naacp.org | 2019-04-18
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 18, 2019 CONTACTS: NAACP@sunshinesachs.com BALTIMORE — Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP, issued the following statement regarding U.S. Attorney General William Barr's release of the redacted version of Special counsel Robert Mueller's report: "The report released today by Attorney General William Barr falls woefully short of what is owed to Congress and …
naacp.org/latest/naacp-blasts-woefully-deficient-release-mueller-report/

What the Supreme Court ruling could mean for civil asset forfeiture
Emily Early, Staff Attorney, Economic Justice Project | splcenter.org | 2019-04-16
As the U.S. Supreme Court pointed out on Feb. 20, the constitutional clause that protects Americans from having to pay "excessive fines" traces its lineage to the Magna Carta, which set forth certain rights in England more than 800 years ago.
splcenter.org/news/2019/04/16/what-supreme-court-ruling-could-mean-civil-asset-forfeiture

VIDEO: How the Pentagon and CIA Push Venezuela Regime-Change Propaganda in Video Games
Max Blumenthal | thegrayzone.com | 2019-04-15
The US military and CIA launder coup propaganda through popular first-person shooter video games like Call of Duty, simulating assassinations…
thegrayzone.com/2019/04/15/video-how-the-pentagon-and-cia-push-venezuelan-regime-change-propaganda-through-first-person-shooter-games/