Daily Archives: May 24, 2019

2019-05-24: News Headlines

Renee Parsons (2019-05-24). Peace With Iran Is a Good Thing. commondreams.org There is no question that neither Bolton nor Pompeo are to be trusted and that Bolton's over reach of authority is the key driver pushing for confrontation and divisiveness while Pompeo is a more personally shrewd team player and somewhat less of a loose cannon. (Photo: State Department via Wikimedia Commons) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/pompeo_2.jpeg

Countercurrents (2019-05-24). Assange Faces 175 Years in Prison with 17 More Charges. globalresearch.ca The U.S. justice department has filed 17 new charges against Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange. In reaction, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden tweeted: It's a war on journalism. Journalists have reacted: "Modern fascism is breaking cover". | The new charges expand the …

RT (2019-05-24). Trump directs AG Barr to declassify data on what prompted Russiagate probe. rt.com US President Donald Trump has allowed his attorney general to declassify information about what prompted the Russiagate investigation — and ordered the heads of the intelligence agencies to cooperate with the reveal.

Staff (2019-05-24). While War Drums Beat, Trump Wants to Keep Congress in the Dark. truthout.org At his hastily arranged Rose Garden press conference on Wednesday, President Trump made a patently laughable claim. "I am the most transparent President in U.S. history," he protested. But as part of his conspiratorial war against the so-called deep state, Trump has threatened the political neutrality of the military by directing the Department of Defense to decide for itself what is legislatively necessary for Congress to do its constitutionally-mandated job of oversight. | There hasn't been a real secretary of defense for five months, since Jim Mattis left the Cabinet abruptly under disturbing circumstances…

Lawrence Davidson (2019-05-24). Senator Schumer's Divine Mission. counterpunch.org Back on 31 March 2019 I wrote an essay entitled "God and U.S. Foreign Policy." The central figure in that essay was Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Pompeo is a Christian fundamentalist who believes that God is at work when it comes to both sustaining Israeli society as well as the U.S. foreign policies that underpin it. More

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2019-05-24). The Espionage Act and Julian Assange: The US Justice Department Expands Its Case. globalresearch.ca It seemed flimsy from the start, but the US Department of Justice is keen to get their man. What has certainly transpired of late is that Mike Pompeo was being unusually faithful to the truth when director of the CIA: …

Binoy Kampmark (2019-05-24). The Espionage Act and Julian Assange: The US Justice Department Expands Its Case. dissidentvoice.org It seemed flimsy from the start, but the US Department of Justice is keen to get their man. What has certainly transpired of late is that Mike Pompeo was being unusually faithful to the truth when director of the CIA: every means would be found to prosecute the case against WikiLeaks and Julian Assange. His …

Binoy Kampmark (2019-05-24). The Espionage Act and Julian Assange. counterpunch.org It seemed flimsy from the start, but the US Department of Justice is keen to get their man. What has certainly transpired of late is that Mike Pompeo was being unusually faithful to the truth when director of the CIA: every means would be found to prosecute the case against WikiLeaks and Julian Assange. His More

David Rosen (2019-05-24). 21st Century Conglomerate Trusts. counterpunch.org On May 13th, the Supreme Court voted to allow an eight-year-long antitrust case against Apple to proceed. The case, Apple Inc. v. Pepper, was originally brought in 2011 by Robert Pepper and three other iPhone users. They accused Apple of causing harm to them and other Apple users by requiring them to buy apps from the Apple App Store. Apple More

Caitlin Johnstone (2019-05-24). The Media is Finally Realizing What the Prosecution of Assange Means for Journalism. theantimedia.com (CJ Opinion) — Rachel Maddow has aired a segment condemning the new indictment against Julian Assange for 17 alleged violations of the Espionage Act. Yes, that Rachel Maddow. MSNBC's top host began the segment after it was introduced by Chris Hayes, agreeing with her colleague that it's surprising that more news outlets aren't giving this story more "wall to wall" coverage, given its immense …

Democracy Now! (2019-05-24). Exclusive: Julian Assange's Attorney Decries Espionage Charges as "Grave Threat to Press Freedom" democracynow.org In an unprecedented move, the Justice Department has indicted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on 17 charges of violating the Espionage Act for his role in publishing U.S. classified military and diplomatic documents exposing U.S. war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. The documents were leaked by U.S. Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning. The Espionage Act of 1917 has never been used to prosecute a journalist or media outlet. The new charges come just over a month after British police forcibly removed Assange from the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, where he took asylum in 2012. Initially the Trump administration indic…

Consortiumnews (2019-05-24). Assange Indicted Under Espionage Act on 17 New Counts. consortiumnews.com WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was indicted on Thursday under the Espionage Act, the first time a journalist has been charged under the Act for possessing and disseminating classified information. By Joe Lauria Special to Consortium News A journalist was indicted… Read more →

Robert Mackey (2019-05-24). Charging Julian Assange With Espionage Could Make His Extradition to the U.S. Less Likely. theintercept.com British authorities will have to decide whether to send the WikiLeaks founder to stand trial in the United States for publishing true information.

Staff (2019-05-24). Daniel Ellsberg on Julian Assange's Espionage Charges. therealnews.com The US Department of Justice issued an 18-count indictment against Julian Assange for violating the 1917 Espionage Act. We speak to Daniel Ellsberg about the dangerous implications this move has for journalism in the United States…

WSWS (2019-05-24). Oxford University student calls for defence of Julian Assange. wsws.org The following letter was received from a student at Oxford University who attended the May 12 public meeting in London convened by the SEP, in defence of jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and whistleblower Chelsea Manning.

James Risen (2019-05-24). The Indictment of Julian Assange Under the Espionage Act Is a Threat to the Press and the American People. theintercept.com If the government gets to define journalism, what's to stop it from making similar rulings about any outlet whose coverage it doesn't like?

Democracy Now! (2019-05-24). Daniel Ellsberg: Espionage Charges Against Assange Are Most Significant Attack on Press in Decades. democracynow.org As the Justice Department charges WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act, we speak to Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg. In 1971, he was charged with violating the Espionage Act for leaking a top-secret report on U.S. involvement in Vietnam to The New York Times and other publications. At the time, Ellsberg faced over 100 years in prison. He tells Democracy Now!, "There hasn't actually been such a significant attack on the freedom of the press … since my case in 1971."

WSWS (2019-05-24). New charges against Julian Assange under the Espionage Act criminalize journalism. wsws.org The Trump administration's persecution of Assange is a historic attack on the First Amendment of the US constitution, for which the media and the Democratic Party share responsibility.

Ben Norton (2019-05-24). Trump's charges against Assange are historic attack on press freedoms. Media and Obama helped set the stage. thegrayzone.com It is not just Trump, but the media, Obama, Bush, mainstream "human rights" organizations, Republicans and Democrats alike that put…

Staff (2019-05-24). Daniel Ellsberg: Julian Assange's Espionage Charges Are a Travesty. truthdig.com What follows is a conversation between Daniel Ellsberg and Sharmini Peries of the Real News Network. Read a transcript of their conversation below or watch the video at the bottom of…

WSWS (2019-05-24). Defend the right to tell the truth! Defend Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning! wsws.org The following statement is being distributed today at climate change protests across the UK.

Democracy Now! (2019-05-24). Headlines for May 24, 2019. democracynow.org Julian Assange Indicted Under Espionage Act in "Terrifying Threat" to 1st Amendment, British Prime Minister Theresa May to Resign June 7, Trump Preparing to Circumvent Congress on Saudi, UAE Weapons Sales, Trump Grants Attorney General Sweeping Powers to Investigate Mueller Probe Origins, Trump Calls Nancy Pelosi "Crazy" After She Calls Out Trump's "Temper Tantrum", Doctored Video Showing "Drunk" Nancy Pelosi Retweeted by Trump Lawyer Rudy Giuliani, Trump Calls Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson "Dumb as a Rock", Banker Accused of Bribing Paul Manafort to Win Trump Administration Post, Trump Pledges $16 Bill…

Consortiumnews (2019-05-24). Assange Espionage Act Indictment: Watch 31st Vigil Live. consortiumnews.com Tune in here at 4 pm EDT Friday for a webcast discussion about Julian Assange's indictment under the Espionage Act and the grave implications for the future of American journalism. Join John Kiriakou, Caitlin Johnstone, Daniel Ellsberg, Senator Mike Gravel… Read more →

Kevin Gosztola (2019-05-24). In Charging Assange With 17 Espionage Act Offenses, Prosecutors Claim Power To Decide Who Is And Is Not A Journalist. shadowproof.com To listen to the story, click the above player. In a superseding indictment, the Justice Department charged WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with 17 charges of violating the Espionage Act. The Justice Department has relied upon the Espionage Act to target whistleblowers for unauthorized disclosures of information. It has treated journalists…

RT (2019-05-24). Lone US senator decries use of Espionage Act against Assange as establishment keeps mum. rt.com Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) has become a rare voice among the US politicians to denounce the new US indictment of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange as an encroachment on First Amendment rights.

Daniel Ellsberg (2019-05-24). Video: Daniel Ellsberg on Julian Assange's Espionage Charges. globalresearch.ca The US Department of Justice issued an 18-count indictment against Julian Assange for violating the 1917 Espionage Act. We speak to Daniel Ellsberg about the dangerous implications this move has for journalism in the United States | *** | SHARMINI PERIES: It's …

Christian Christensen (2019-05-24). Assange, Espionage, and the Cult of Personality. commondreams.org Wikileaks founder Julian Assange holds a press conference at Park Plaza Hotel on October 23, 2010 in London, England. The series released at the time included leaks of American military documents, nearly 400,000 in total, included details about how the torture and the abuse of detainees by Iraqi police, was ignored by U.S. forces. On Thursday it was reported that the U.S. government has filed charges under the Espionage Act for Assange's work as a journalist. (Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/julian_

Staff (2019-05-24). Julian Assange's Attorney Decries Espionage Charges as Threat to Press Freedom. truthout.org In an unprecedented move, the Justice Department has indicted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on 17 charges of violating the Espionage Act for his role in publishing U.S. classified military and diplomatic documents exposing U.S. war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. The documents were leaked by U.S. Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning. The Espionage Act of 1917 has never been used to prosecute a journalist or media outlet. The new charges come just over a month after British police forcibly removed Assange from the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, where he took asylum in 2012. Initially the Trump administration in…

Consortiumnews (2019-05-24). How Many Times Must Assange Be Proven Right? consortiumnews.com The espionage charges against Assange bear out what he's been saying and should open ears to what he's also said about the non-Russian source of the DNC emails, says Caitlin Johnstone. By Caitlin Johnstone CaitlinJohnstone.com And there it is…. Read more →

Stephen Lendman (2019-05-24). Spurious US 18-Count Indictment of Julian Assange: A Mockery of Justice. globalresearch.ca It was just a matter of time before the Trump regime piled on more spurious charges against Assange, clearly prepared long before Thursday's release. | They're on top of falsely accusing him of "conspiracy to commit computer intrusion," according to an …

Democracy Now! (2019-05-24). Jeremy Scahill: New Indictment of Assange Is Part of a Broader War on Journalism & Whistleblowers. democracynow.org The Espionage Act charges filed against Julian Assange mark just the latest attempt by the Trump administration to criminalize journalism and whistleblowers. Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning is back in jail for refusing to testify before a grand jury. Two weeks ago, drone whistleblower Daniel Hale was arrested in Tennessee. We air a new video by The Intercept titled "Why You Should Care About Trump's War on Whistleblowers," featuring Jeremy Scahill. We also speak to Scahill and Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg about how the corporate media has failed to stand up for Assange and others.

Mohamed Elmaazi (2019-05-23). Former CIA director claims US is victim of '40 years of unprovoked aggression' by Iran. Twitter responds accordingly. thecanary.co The current US secretary of state — also an ex-director of the CIA — recently put out a statement regarding Iran. And it was so outrageous that the response on Twitter was overwhelming. | Mike Pompeo claimed — apparently without a hint of irony or shame — that the Iranian government had been engaged in "40 years of unprovoked aggression": | Going to the Hill shortly to have a serious discussion with lawmakers about 40 years of unprovoked aggression from the Iranian regime and to explain the…

South Front (2019-05-23). Preparations for War: NATO Intelligence Activity Around Russia's Borders. globalresearch.ca In addition to the militarization of Eastern Europe, NATO partakes in active intelligence operations — be it by land, sea and air. | There are numerous reports of various intelligence (spy) aircraft going and even entering Russian airspace, and the …

Staff (2019-05-23). U.S. Charges WikiLeaks' Assange With Publishing Classified Info. truthdig.com WASHINGTON — In a case with significant First Amendment implications, the U.S. filed new charges Thursday against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange that accuse him of violating the Espionage Act by publishing thousands of secret and classified documents, including the identities of confidential sources for American armed forces and diplomats. | The Justice Department's 18-count superseding indictment alleges that Assange directed former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in one of the largest compromises of classified information in U.S. history. It says the WikiLeaks founder damaged national security…

Jason Ditz (2019-05-23). US Might Send 10,000 More Troops to Middle East. theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — Citing ongoing US-Iran tensions and the secret intelligence on Iranian "threats" officials keep mentioning, CENTCOM is requesting that the Pentagon approve substantial numbers of additional US ground troops to be deployed somewhere in the Middle East. Though initial reports claimed that CENTCOM was only requesting "about 5,000" ground troops, subsequent reports said that the Pentagon are preparing …

Staff (2019-05-23). An Attack on Iran Would Violate US and International Law. truthout.org As President Donald Trump, National Security Advisor John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rattle their sabers, there is no evidence that Iran poses a threat to the United States. It was Trump who threatened genocide, tweeting, "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran." The Pentagon is now considering sending 10,000 additional troops to the Gulf region for "defensive" purposes…

Bruce Clark (2019-05-23). The Sovereign Indigenous Power of Veto in Canada. dissidentvoice.org 1. The Supreme Court of Canada in Tsilhqot'in Nation v. British Columbia, 2014 S.C.C. 44, [2014] 2 S.C.R. 256 erred as a matter of law by interpreting section 35(1): — in breach of the maxim1 interpretatio cessat in claris [interpretation stops when a text is clear]; since, as held in R. v. Nicholas, 232 A.P.R.248, ∂9 …

Tyler Durden (2019-05-23). Assange Could Face Death Penalty as US Government Files 17 Espionage Act Charges. theantimedia.com (ZH) — The worst fears of Julian Assange's legal team have just been realized. Just as Wikileaks' editor in chief anticipated, the DoJ has revealed that a grand jury in Virginia has returned a new 18-count superseding indictment against Assange that includes violations of the Espionage Act stemming from his role in publishing the classified …

Jason Ditz (2019-05-23). Assange Faces 170 Years in Prison as US Files 17 New Charges Under Espionage Act. theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — As the US prepares to try to acquire WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange through extradition, the Justice Department has revealed a new series of charges against him. Assange would face 170 years in US prison if convicted. The new charges are 17 separate charges under the Espionage Act. According to the Justice Department, the charges are all …

Consortiumnews (2019-05-22). Now, the Swedish Arrest Warrant for Assange. consortiumnews.com Craig Murray spots the latest phase of judicial and media bias against the publisher of WikiLeaks. By Craig Murray CraigMurray.org.uk In Sweden, prosecutors have applied to the Swedish courts to issue a warrant for Julian Assange's arrest. There is a… Read more →

Staff (2019-05-21). Trump Says the Military Industrial Complex is Pressuring him Into a War With Iran. therealnews.com With a thirty year Boeing veteran at the Pentagon, Patrick Shanahan as Acting Secretary of Defense, and with John Bolton and Mike Pompeo at the helm, war with Iran is likely says the former chief of staff to Secretary of State, Col. Larry Wilkerson…

Maryam Saleh (2019-05-21). A Homeland Security Whistleblower Goes Public About ICE Abuse of Solitary Confinement. theintercept.com Ellen Gallagher was stunned when she first learned that immigrants detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement were sometimes placed in isolation with no human contact for 22 hours a day. It was February 2014, only a few months into her stint as a policy adviser at the Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, where she thought she'd be empowered to ensure that the department did not violate the rights of those who came into its crosshairs. | For the next several months, Gallagher educated herself on solitary confinement, a controversial practice used frequently in penal i…

Jim Naureckas (2019-05-21). Why Jon Chait Can't Read. fair.org Just as an aside, Jonathan Chait's critique (New York, 5/17/19) of Matt Taibbi is directed almost entirely at the headline of Taibbi's piece (Rolling Stone, 5/16/19), which as I'm sure Chait is well aware was most likely not written by Taibbi. | New York's Jonathan Chait ( 5/17/19)…

ACLU (2019-05-20). Alabama's Abortion Ban Is a Political Stunt That Will Cost Its Taxpayers. aclu.org The draconian law is a flagrantly unconstitutional attack on more than 40 years of established Supreme Court precedent. | This piece originally appeared at the Alabama Political Reporter. | For years, the Alabama legislature has been passing laws that push abortion out of reach. Now politicians have finally shown their true colors and are trying to ban abortion outright. | On Wednesday, Governor Ivey signed H.B. 314 — one of the most extreme attacks on the ri…

Staff (2019-05-20). Trump Appointees Refuse to Say They Support Brown v. Board of Education. therealnews.com 65 years ago, the Supreme Court ruled 9-0 to end school segregation. Now Trump's appointees to the federal bench and Department of Justice refuse to say they support it. What does the future hold?

Democracy Now! (2019-05-20). Headlines for May 20, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Threatens "Official End of Iran" Via Tweet If It Provokes the U.S., First Phase of Kushner's Middle East Peace Plan to Focus on Palestinian Economy, Sweden Requests Detention of Assange as WikiLeaks Accuses U.S. of Illegally Seizing His Property, Australian Voters Choose Conservative PM Morrison Over Opponent Who Vowed to Tackle Climate Change, Austria Calls Snap Election After Far-Right Leader Caught in Corruption Scandal, Protesters Take to the Streets Ahead of European Parliament Elections, Narendra Modi on Track for Second Term as Prime Minister as Voting Ends in India, Taiwan Legalizes Same-Sex Marriag…

Democracy Now! (2019-05-20). Bottle of Lies: How Poor FDA Oversight & Fraud in Generic Drug Industry Threaten Patients' Health. democracynow.org Generic drugs amount to 90% of all prescriptions filled in the U.S., most of them made in plants in India and China. Generic drugs can be more affordable, but in her new explosive book "Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom," investigative journalist Katherine Eban works with two industry whistleblowers to expose how some manufacturers are cutting corners at the cost of quality and safety. This comes as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration just issued its own update on the state of pharmaceutical quality that found the drug quality of factories in India and China scored below the world averag…

Staff (2019-05-19). New Abortion Laws 'Go Against Common Sense'. therealnews.com Conservatives have launched a new attack on abortion rights, which go against both medical science and common sense, says Anoa Changa, but the point is to bring the issue to the new conservative Supreme Court majority…

Democracy Now! (2019-05-17). What Does a Post-Roe America Look Like? As Anti-Choice Laws Multiply, Many Already Are Living In It. democracynow.org Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer issued what many considered a dire warning from the bench this week, implying that Roe v. Wade — the landmark ruling that recognizes the constitutional right to an abortion — is in danger. He wrote the comments in a dissent for an unrelated case in which the court voted to overturn a 40 year-old precedent. Breyer wrote "Today's decision can only cause one to wonder which cases the Court will overrule next." We speak to journalist Robin Marty about what a post-Roe America would look like, and how many people are already cut off from abortion access across the countr…

Joyce Chediac (2019-05-16). Iran war crisis: What's really going on? liberationnews.org It's time to get the U.S. military out of the Middle East, leave the people there to determine their own lives, and use the money instead to meet human needs at home.

2019-05-24: Social Media Postees

Assange Faces 175 Years in Prison with 17 More Charges
Countercurrents | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-24
The U.S. justice department has filed 17 new charges against Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange. In reaction, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden tweeted: It's a war on journalism. Journalists have reacted: "Modern fascism is breaking cover". | The new charges expand the …
globalresearch.ca/assange-faces-175-years-in-prison-with-17-more-charges/5678418

Trump directs AG Barr to declassify data on what prompted Russiagate probe
rt.com | 2019-05-24
US President Donald Trump has allowed his attorney general to declassify information about what prompted the Russiagate investigation — and ordered the heads of the intelligence agencies to cooperate with the reveal. | …
rt.com/usa/460133-trump-declassifies-russiagate-barr/

While War Drums Beat, Trump Wants to Keep Congress in the Dark
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-05-24
At his hastily arranged Rose Garden press conference on Wednesday, President Trump made a patently laughable claim. "I am the most transparent President in U.S. history," he protested. But as part of his conspiratorial war against the so-called deep state, Trump has threatened the political neutrality of the military by directing the Department of Defense to decide for itself what is legislatively necessary for Congress to do its constitutionally-mandated job of oversight. | There hasn't been a real secretary of defense for five months, since Jim Mattis left the Cabinet abruptly under disturbing circumstances…
truthout.org/articles/while-war-drums-beat-trump-wants-to-keep-congress-in-the-dark/

Peace with Iran Is a Good Thing
Renee Parsons | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-24
After weeks of drama with Iranian 'threats' and having conducted classified briefings with Congress on Tuesday, acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo by his side, informed a press briefing that | "there will be | …
globalresearch.ca/peace-iran/5678387

The Espionage Act and Julian Assange: The US Justice Department Expands Its Case
Dr. Binoy Kampmark | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-24
It seemed flimsy from the start, but the US Department of Justice is keen to get their man. What has certainly transpired of late is that Mike Pompeo was being unusually faithful to the truth when director of the CIA: …
globalresearch.ca/espionage-act-julian-assange-us-justice-department-expands-its-case/5678367

Peace With Iran Is a Good Thing
Renee Parsons | commondreams.org | 2019-05-24
There is no question that neither Bolton nor Pompeo are to be trusted and that Bolton's over reach of authority is the key driver pushing for confrontation and divisiveness while Pompeo is a more personally shrewd team player and somewhat less of a loose cannon. (Photo: State Department via Wikimedia Commons) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/pompeo_2.jpeg
commondreams.org/views/2019/05/24/peace-iran-good-thing?cd-origin=rss

Senator Schumer's Divine Mission
Lawrence Davidson | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-24
Back on 31 March 2019 I wrote an essay entitled "God and U.S. Foreign Policy." The central figure in that essay was Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Pompeo is a Christian fundamentalist who believes that God is at work when it comes to both sustaining Israeli society as well as the U.S. foreign policies that underpin it.
counterpunch.org/2019/05/24/senator-schumers-divine-mission/

The Espionage Act and Julian Assange
Binoy Kampmark | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-24
It seemed flimsy from the start, but the US Department of Justice is keen to get their man. What has certainly transpired of late is that Mike Pompeo was being unusually faithful to the truth when director of the CIA: every means would be found to prosecute the case against WikiLeaks and Julian Assange. His…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/24/the-espionage-act-and-julian-assange/

The Espionage Act and Julian Assange: The US Justice Department Expands Its Case
Binoy Kampmark | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-05-24
It seemed flimsy from the start, but the US Department of Justice is keen to get their man. What has certainly transpired of late is that Mike Pompeo was being unusually faithful to the truth when director of the CIA: every means would be found to prosecute the case against WikiLeaks and Julian Assange. His …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/05/the-espionage-act-and-julian-assange-the-us-justice-department-expands-its-case/

21st Century Conglomerate Trusts
David Rosen | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-24
On May 13th, the Supreme Court voted to allow an eight-year-long antitrust case against Apple to proceed. The case, Apple Inc. v. Pepper, was originally brought in 2011 by Robert Pepper and three other iPhone users. They accused Apple of causing harm to them and other Apple users by requiring them to buy apps from the Apple App Store. Apple…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/24/21st-century-trusts/

Video: Daniel Ellsberg on Julian Assange's Espionage Charges
Daniel Ellsberg | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-24
The US Department of Justice issued an 18-count indictment against Julian Assange for violating the 1917 Espionage Act. We speak to Daniel Ellsberg about the dangerous implications this move has for journalism in the United States | *** | SHARMINI PERIES: It's …
globalresearch.ca/daniel-ellsberg-julian-assanges-espionage-charges/5678413

The Media is Finally Realizing What the Prosecution of Assange Means for Journalism
Caitlin Johnstone | theantimedia.com | 2019-05-24
(CJ Opinion) — Rachel Maddow has aired a segment condemning the new indictment against Julian Assange for 17 alleged violations of the Espionage Act. Yes, that Rachel Maddow. MSNBC's top host began the segment after it was introduced by Chris Hayes, agreeing with her colleague that it's surprising that more news outlets aren't giving this story more "wall to wall" coverage, given its immense …

The Media is Finally Realizing What the Prosecution of Assange Means for Journalism

In Charging Assange With 17 Espionage Act Offenses, Prosecutors Claim Power To Decide Who Is And Is Not A Journalist
Kevin Gosztola | shadowproof.com | 2019-05-24
To listen to the story, click the above player. In a superseding indictment, the Justice Department charged WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with 17 charges of violating the Espionage Act. The Justice Department has relied upon the Espionage Act to target whistleblowers for unauthorized disclosures of information. It has treated journalists…
shadowproof.com/2019/05/23/julian-assange-prosecutors-17-espionage-act-violations/

Assange Indicted Under Espionage Act on 17 New Counts
consortiumnews.com | 2019-05-24
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was indicted on Thursday under the Espionage Act, the first time a journalist has been charged under the Act for possessing and disseminating classified information. By Joe Lauria Special to Consortium News A journalist was indicted… Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/05/23/assange-indicted-under-espionage-act-on-17-new-counts/

Julian Assange's Attorney Decries Espionage Charges as Threat to Press Freedom
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-05-24
In an unprecedented move, the Justice Department has indicted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on 17 charges of violating the Espionage Act for his role in publishing U.S. classified military and diplomatic documents exposing U.S. war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. The documents were leaked by U.S. Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning. The Espionage Act of 1917 has never been used to prosecute a journalist or media outlet. The new charges come just over a month after British police forcibly removed Assange from the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, where he took asylum in 2012. Initially the Trump administration in…
truthout.org/video/julian-assanges-attorney-decries-espionage-charges-as-threat-to-press-freedom/

Daniel Ellsberg: Espionage Charges Against Assange Are Most Significant Attack on Press in Decades
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-05-24
As the Justice Department charges WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act, we speak to Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg. In 1971, he was charged with violating the Espionage Act for leaking a top-secret report on U.S. involvement in Vietnam to The New York Times and other publications. At the time, Ellsberg faced over 100 years in prison. He tells Democracy Now!, "There hasn't actually been such a significant attack on the freedom of the press … since my case in 1971."
www.democracynow.org/2019/5/24/daniel_ellsberg_espionage_charges_against_assange

Exclusive: Julian Assange's Attorney Decries Espionage Charges as "Grave Threat to Press Freedom"
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-05-24
In an unprecedented move, the Justice Department has indicted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on 17 charges of violating the Espionage Act for his role in publishing U.S. classified military and diplomatic documents exposing U.S. war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. The documents were leaked by U.S. Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning. The Espionage Act of 1917 has never been used to prosecute a journalist or media outlet. The new charges come just over a month after British police forcibly removed Assange from the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, where he took asylum in 2012. Initially the Trump administration indic…
www.democracynow.org/2019/5/24/exclusive_julian_assange_s_attorney_decries

Spurious US 18-Count Indictment of Julian Assange: A Mockery of Justice
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-24
It was just a matter of time before the Trump regime piled on more spurious charges against Assange, clearly prepared long before Thursday's release. | They're on top of falsely accusing him of "conspiracy to commit computer intrusion," according to an …
globalresearch.ca/us-18-count-indictment-julian-assange-mockery-justice/5678402

Defend the right to tell the truth! Defend Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning!
wsws.org | 2019-05-24
The following statement is being distributed today at climate change protests across the UK.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/05/24/assa-m24.html

Trump's charges against Assange are historic attack on press freedoms. Media and Obama helped set the stage
Ben Norton | thegrayzone.com | 2019-05-24
It is not just Trump, but the media, Obama, Bush, mainstream "human rights" organizations, Republicans and Democrats alike that put…
thegrayzone.com/2019/05/24/trump-charges-assange-press-freedoms-media-obama/

Oxford University student calls for defence of Julian Assange
wsws.org | 2019-05-24
The following letter was received from a student at Oxford University who attended the May 12 public meeting in London convened by the SEP, in defence of jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and whistleblower Chelsea Manning.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/05/24/oxfo-m24.html

Daniel Ellsberg on Julian Assange's Espionage Charges
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-05-24
The US Department of Justice issued an 18-count indictment against Julian Assange for violating the 1917 Espionage Act. We speak to Daniel Ellsberg about the dangerous implications this move has for journalism in the United States…
therealnews.com/stories/daniel-ellsberg-on-julian-assanges-espionage-charges

The Indictment of Julian Assange Under the Espionage Act Is a Threat to the Press and the American People
James Risen | theintercept.com | 2019-05-24
If the government gets to define journalism, what's to stop it from making similar rulings about any outlet whose coverage it doesn't like?
theintercept.com/2019/05/24/the-indictment-of-julian-assange-under-the-espionage-act-is-a-threat-to-the-press-and-the-american-people/

New charges against Julian Assange under the Espionage Act criminalize journalism
wsws.org | 2019-05-24
The Trump administration's persecution of Assange is a historic attack on the First Amendment of the US constitution, for which the media and the Democratic Party share responsibility.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/05/24/pers-m24.html

Assange, Espionage, and the Cult of Personality
Christian Christensen | commondreams.org | 2019-05-24
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange holds a press conference at Park Plaza Hotel on October 23, 2010 in London, England. The series released at the time included leaks of American military documents, nearly 400,000 in total, included details about how the torture and the abuse of detainees by Iraqi police, was ignored by U.S. forces. On Thursday it was reported that the U.S. government has filed charges under the Espionage Act for Assange's work as a journalist. (Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/julian_
commondreams.org/views/2019/05/24/assange-espionage-and-cult-personality?cd-origin=rss

Charging Julian Assange With Espionage Could Make His Extradition to the U.S. Less Likely
Robert Mackey | theintercept.com | 2019-05-24
British authorities will have to decide whether to send the WikiLeaks founder to stand trial in the United States for publishing true information.
theintercept.com/2019/05/24/julian-assange-espionage-act-us-extradition/

Assange Espionage Act Indictment: Watch 31st Vigil Live
consortiumnews.com | 2019-05-24
Tune in here at 4 pm EDT Friday for a webcast discussion about Julian Assange's indictment under the Espionage Act and the grave implications for the future of American journalism. Join John Kiriakou, Caitlin Johnstone, Daniel Ellsberg, Senator Mike Gravel… Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/05/24/assange-espionage-act-indictment-watch-31st-vigil-live/

Daniel Ellsberg: Julian Assange's Espionage Charges Are a Travesty
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-05-24
What follows is a conversation between Daniel Ellsberg and Sharmini Peries of the Real News Network. Read a transcript of their conversation below or watch the video at the bottom of…
truthdig.com/articles/daniel-ellsberg-julian-assanges-espionage-charges-are-a-travesty/

Jeremy Scahill: New Indictment of Assange Is Part of a Broader War on Journalism & Whistleblowers
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-05-24
The Espionage Act charges filed against Julian Assange mark just the latest attempt by the Trump administration to criminalize journalism and whistleblowers. Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning is back in jail for refusing to testify before a grand jury. Two weeks ago, drone whistleblower Daniel Hale was arrested in Tennessee. We air a new video by The Intercept titled "Why You Should Care About Trump's War on Whistleblowers," featuring Jeremy Scahill. We also speak to Scahill and Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg about how the corporate media has failed to stand up for Assange and others.
www.democracynow.org/2019/5/24/jeremy_scahill_new_indictment_of_assange

How Many Times Must Assange Be Proven Right?
consortiumnews.com | 2019-05-24
The espionage charges against Assange bear out what he's been saying and should open ears to what he's also said about the non-Russian source of the DNC emails, says Caitlin Johnstone. By Caitlin Johnstone CaitlinJohnstone.com And there it is…. Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/05/24/how-many-times-must-assange-be-proven-right/

Lone US senator decries use of Espionage Act against Assange as establishment keeps mum
rt.com | 2019-05-24
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) has become a rare voice among the US politicians to denounce the new US indictment of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange as an encroachment on First Amendment rights. | …
rt.com/usa/460127-assange-senator-first-amendment/

Former CIA director claims US is victim of '40 years of unprovoked aggression' by Iran. Twitter responds accordingly
Mohamed Elmaazi | thecanary.co | 2019-05-23
The current US secretary of state — also an ex-director of the CIA — recently put out a statement regarding Iran. And it was so outrageous that the response on Twitter was overwhelming. | Mike Pompeo claimed — apparently without a hint of irony or shame — that the Iranian government had been engaged in "40 years of unprovoked aggression": | Going to the Hill shortly to have a serious discussion with lawmakers about 40 years of unprovoked aggression from the Iranian regime and to explain the…
thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2019/05/23/former-cia-director-claims-us-is-victim-of-40-years-of-unprovoked-aggression-by-iran-twitter-responds-accordingly/

Preparations for War: NATO Intelligence Activity Around Russia's Borders
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-23
In addition to the militarization of Eastern Europe, NATO partakes in active intelligence operations — be it by land, sea and air. | There are numerous reports of various intelligence (spy) aircraft going and even entering Russian airspace, and the …
globalresearch.ca/preparations-war-nato-intelligence-activity-around-russia-borders/5678314

US Might Send 10,000 More Troops to Middle East
Jason Ditz | theantimedia.com | 2019-05-23
(ANTIWAR.COM) — Citing ongoing US-Iran tensions and the secret intelligence on Iranian "threats" officials keep mentioning, CENTCOM is requesting that the Pentagon approve substantial numbers of additional US ground troops to be deployed somewhere in the Middle East. Though initial reports claimed that CENTCOM was only requesting "about 5,000" ground troops, subsequent reports said that the Pentagon are preparing …

US Might Send 10,000 More Troops to Middle East

U.S. Charges WikiLeaks' Assange With Publishing Classified Info
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-05-23
WASHINGTON — In a case with significant First Amendment implications, the U.S. filed new charges Thursday against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange that accuse him of violating the Espionage Act by publishing thousands of secret and classified documents, including the identities of confidential sources for American armed forces and diplomats. | The Justice Department's 18-count superseding indictment alleges that Assange directed former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in one of the largest compromises of classified information in U.S. history. It says the WikiLeaks founder damaged national security…
truthdig.com/articles/u-s-charges-wikileaks-assange-with-publishing-classified-info/

An Attack on Iran Would Violate US and International Law
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-05-23
As President Donald Trump, National Security Advisor John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rattle their sabers, there is no evidence that Iran poses a threat to the United States. It was Trump who threatened genocide, tweeting, "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran." The Pentagon is now considering sending 10,000 additional troops to the Gulf region for "defensive" purposes…
truthout.org/articles/an-attack-on-iran-would-violate-us-and-international-law/

The Sovereign Indigenous Power of Veto in Canada
Bruce Clark | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-05-23
1. The Supreme Court of Canada in Tsilhqot'in Nation v. British Columbia, 2014 S.C.C. 44, [2014] 2 S.C.R. 256 erred as a matter of law by interpreting section 35(1): — in breach of the maxim1 interpretatio cessat in claris [interpretation stops when a text is clear]; since, as held in R. v. Nicholas, 232 A.P.R.248, ∂9 …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/05/the-sovereign-indigenous-power-of-veto-in-canada/

Assange Faces 170 Years in Prison as US Files 17 New Charges Under Espionage Act
Jason Ditz | theantimedia.com | 2019-05-23
(ANTIWAR.COM) — As the US prepares to try to acquire WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange through extradition, the Justice Department has revealed a new series of charges against him. Assange would face 170 years in US prison if convicted. The new charges are 17 separate charges under the Espionage Act. According to the Justice Department, the charges are all …

Assange Faces 170 Years in Prison as US Files 17 New Charges Under Espionage Act

Assange Could Face Death Penalty as US Government Files 17 Espionage Act Charges
Tyler Durden | theantimedia.com | 2019-05-23
(ZH) — The worst fears of Julian Assange's legal team have just been realized. Just as Wikileaks' editor in chief anticipated, the DoJ has revealed that a grand jury in Virginia has returned a new 18-count superseding indictment against Assange that includes violations of the Espionage Act stemming from his role in publishing the classified …

Assange Could Face Death Penalty as US Government Files 17 Espionage Act Charges

Now, the Swedish Arrest Warrant for Assange
consortiumnews.com | 2019-05-22
Craig Murray spots the latest phase of judicial and media bias against the publisher of WikiLeaks. By Craig Murray CraigMurray.org.uk In Sweden, prosecutors have applied to the Swedish courts to issue a warrant for Julian Assange's arrest. There is a… Read more ?…
consortiumnews.com/2019/05/22/now-the-swedish-arrest-warrant-for-assange/

Trump Says the Military Industrial Complex is Pressuring him Into a War With Iran
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-05-21
With a thirty year Boeing veteran at the Pentagon, Patrick Shanahan as Acting Secretary of Defense, and with John Bolton and Mike Pompeo at the helm, war with Iran is likely says the former chief of staff to Secretary of State, Col. Larry Wilkerson…
therealnews.com/stories/trump-says-the-military-industrial-complex-is-pressuring-him-into-a-war-with-iran

A Homeland Security Whistleblower Goes Public About ICE Abuse of Solitary Confinement
Maryam Saleh | theintercept.com | 2019-05-21
Ellen Gallagher was stunned when she first learned that immigrants detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement were sometimes placed in isolation with no human contact for 22 hours a day. It was February 2014, only a few months into her stint as a policy adviser at the Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, where she thought she'd be empowered to ensure that the department did not violate the rights of those who came into its crosshairs. | For the next several months, Gallagher educated herself on solitary confinement, a controversial practice used frequently in penal i…
theintercept.com/2019/05/21/ice-solitary-confinement-whistleblower/

Trump Appointees Refuse to Say They Support Brown v. Board of Education
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-05-20
65 years ago, the Supreme Court ruled 9-0 to end school segregation. Now Trump's appointees to the federal bench and Department of Justice refuse to say they support it. What does the future hold?
therealnews.com/stories/trump-appointees-refuse-to-say-they-support-brown-v-board-of-education

Alabama's Abortion Ban Is a Political Stunt That Will Cost Its Taxpayers
aclu.org | 2019-05-20
The draconian law is a flagrantly unconstitutional attack on more than 40 years of established Supreme Court precedent. | This piece originally appeared at the Alabama Political Reporter. | For years, the Alabama legislature has been passing laws that push abortion out of reach. Now politicians have finally shown their true colors and are trying to ban abortion outright. | On Wednesday, Governor Ivey signed H.B. 314 — one of the most extreme attacks on the ri…
aclu.org/blog/reproductive-freedom/abortion/alabamas-abortion-ban-political-stunt-will-cost-its-taxpayers

Bottle of Lies: How Poor FDA Oversight & Fraud in Generic Drug Industry Threaten Patients' Health
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-05-20
Generic drugs amount to 90% of all prescriptions filled in the U.S., most of them made in plants in India and China. Generic drugs can be more affordable, but in her new explosive book "Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom," investigative journalist Katherine Eban works with two industry whistleblowers to expose how some manufacturers are cutting corners at the cost of quality and safety. This comes as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration just issued its own update on the state of pharmaceutical quality that found the drug quality of factories in India and China scored below the world averag…
www.democracynow.org/2019/5/20/bottle_of_lies_how_poor_fda

New Abortion Laws 'Go Against Common Sense'
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-05-19
Conservatives have launched a new attack on abortion rights, which go against both medical science and common sense, says Anoa Changa, but the point is to bring the issue to the new conservative Supreme Court majority…
therealnews.com/stories/new-abortion-laws-go-against-common-sense

What Does a Post-Roe America Look Like? As Anti-Choice Laws Multiply, Many Already Are Living In It
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-05-17
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer issued what many considered a dire warning from the bench this week, implying that Roe v. Wade — the landmark ruling that recognizes the constitutional right to an abortion — is in danger. He wrote the comments in a dissent for an unrelated case in which the court voted to overturn a 40 year-old precedent. Breyer wrote "Today's decision can only cause one to wonder which cases the Court will overrule next." We speak to journalist Robin Marty about what a post-Roe America would look like, and how many people are already cut off from abortion access across the countr…
www.democracynow.org/2019/5/17/what_does_a_post_roe_america

NAACP Opposes Wendy Vitter and all Nominees Who Refuse to Affirm Brown v Board of Education
Aba Blankson | naacp.org | 2019-05-14
BALTIMORE — Today, the NAACP announced its opposition to the nomination of Wendy Vitter to the Eastern District of Louisiana and all nominees refusing to endorse the Supreme Court's seminal ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. "This week, we celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Brown v. Board of …
naacp.org/latest/naacp-opposes-wendy-vitter-nominees-refuse-affirm-brown-v-board-education/

After Assange, Ecuador's Lenin Moreno escalates persecution of critics and perceived foes
Denis Rogatyuk | thegrayzone.com | 2019-05-13
The US-backed, neoliberal Ecuadorian leader is persecuting Swedish software developer Ola Bini for his political sympathies, censoring critical media, and…
thegrayzone.com/2019/05/12/lenin-moreno-persecution-ola-bini/

Weekend Read: Brown v. Board of Education and modern-day segregation
splcenter.org | 2019-05-10
Friday marks the 65th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the unanimous ruling that outlawed racial segregation in public schools as a violation of the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.
splcenter.org/news/2019/05/11/weekend-read-brown-v-board-education-and-modern-day-segregation