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EXCLUSIVE: US Chamber's Lobbyists Solicited Hackers To Sabotage Unions, Smear Chamber's Political Opponents
ThinkProgress has learned that a law firm representing the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the big business trade association representing ExxonMobil, AIG, and other major international corporations, is working with set of “private security” companies and lobbying firms to undermine their political opponents, including ThinkProgress, with a surreptitious sabotage campaign. According to e-mails obtained by ThinkProgress, the Chamber hired the lobbying firm Hunton and Williams. Hunton And Williams’ attorney Richard Wyatt, who once represented Food Lion in its infamous lawsuit against ABC News, was hired by the Chamber in October of last year.
Papers, Please! » Blog Archive » How the USA imposes travel bans within Europe
In an article here yesterday, we mentioned a report earlier this month by Andrej Hunko, a member of the German national legislature (”Bundestag”) , based on responses to his information access requests to the German government about its collaboration with DHS and use of PNR data. There was more about this in DHS testimony at yesterday’s hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives. The following is an English translation of Andrej Hunko’s report, republished by permission of the author: How the US Department of Homeland Security imposes travel bans within the EU by Andrej Hunko , September 28, 2011
It could be one of the most disturbing e-voting machine hacks to date. Voting machines used by as many as a quarter of American voters heading to the polls in 2012 can be hacked with just $10.50 in parts and an 8th grade science education, according to computer science and security experts at the Vulnerability Assessment Team at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. The experts say the newly developed hack could change voting results while leaving absolutely no trace of the manipulation behind.
Diebold voting machines can be hacked by remote control - 2012 Elections
Possible security breach: Secret Service agents had president's schedule in rooms
New details about the Secret Service personnel alleged to have brought prostitutes to their hotel rooms have emerged, including reports that two of the 11 were supervisors. NBC's Kristen Welker reports. By Isolde Raftery, msnbc.comAfghan war whistleblower Daniel Davis: 'I had to speak out – lives are at stake' | World news | The Observer
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Davis claims US generals are lying to the public about the military campaign in Afghanistan. Photograph: Observer "I am – how do you say it? – persona non grata," said Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Davis, as he sat sipping a coffee and eating a chocolate sundae in a shopping mall, just a subway stop from the Pentagon. The career soldier is now a black sheep at the giant defence department building where he still works.
US secret service agents sent home from summit over claims of misconduct | World news
Barack Obama arrives in Cartagena, Colombia, for the Summit of the Americas meeting. Photograph: Leonardo Munoz/EPA US secret service agents sent to provide security for Barack Obama at a summit in Colombia have been relieved of their duties and sent home after allegations of personal misconduct. A secret service spokesman would neither confirm nor deny an anonymous claim to the Associated Press that the misconduct involved prostitutes in Cartagena, where the Summit of the Americas meeting is being held. A US official said 12 agents had been relieved of duty.
A U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) team has found that a sharp jump in earthquakes in America's heartland appears to be linked to oil and natural gas drilling operations. As hydraulic fracturing has exploded onto the scene, it has increasingly been connected to earthquakes. Some quakes may be caused by the original fracking — that is, by injecting a fluid mixture into the earth to release natural gas (or oil).
Shale Shocked: "Remarkable Increase" In U.S. Earthquakes "Almost Certainly Manmade"
Republicans launched an unprecedented frontal assault against environmental protections and regulations this year, prompting Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) to call his chamber “the most anti-environment House in history.” Here are the 10 most powerful and outspoken opponents of clean air, clean water, conservation and climate action. That’s the Los Angeles Times editorial board opening its “ Year in Review: Congress’ 10 biggest enemies of the Earth ,” what they call “Observations and provocations from The Times’ Opinion staff.” Here are the opponents 10 to 8: 10.
L.A. Times: Earth's Top 10 Biggest Enemies in Congress
The hidden infrastructure of the 2012 campaign has already been built. A handful of so-called Super PACs, enabled to collect unlimited donations by the continued erosion of campaign finance regulations, are expected to rival the official campaign organizations in importance this election. In many cases, these groups are acting essentially as outside arms of the campaigns. These are America’s best-funded political factions, their war chests filled by some of the richest men (and almost all are men) in the country. More than 80 percent of giving to Super PACs so far has come from just 58 donors, according to the Center for Responsive Politics analysis of the latest data, which covers the first half of 2011. The Republican groups have raised $17.6 million and the Democratic groups $7.6 million.
Red money, blue money: The making of the 2012 campaign
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission , 558 U.S. 310 (2010), a landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that the First Amendment prohibited the government from restricting independent political expenditures by corporations and unions. The nonprofit group Citizens United wanted to air a film critical of Hillary Clinton and to advertise the film during television broadcasts in apparent violation of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (commonly known as the McCain–Feingold Act or "BCRA"). [ 2 ] In a 5–4 decision, the Court held that portions of BCRA §203 violated the First Amendment.
Obama Signs NDAA Bill With Signing Statement Clarifying Indefinite Detention Provisions
After a long battle over one section of the latest National Defense Authorization Act, President Obama signed the bill into law today - but with a signing statement. The statement, which can be read in full here , clarifies why Obama signed the bill and how the controversial provisions on indefinite detention will be treated. Although Obama says in the statement that he does not agree with the entire bill, passing it is necessary to maintain the operation of our military. He also added that the indefinite detention provision (section 1021) just codifies how our military currently operates rather than changing anything, and that "my Administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens."Statement by the President on H.R. 1540: Today I have signed into law H.R. 1540, the “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012.” I have signed the Act chiefly because it authorizes funding for the defense of the United States and its interests abroad, crucial services for service members and their families, and vital national security programs that must be renewed. In hundreds of separate sections totaling over 500 pages, the Act also contains critical Administration initiatives to control the spiraling health care costs of the Department of Defense (DoD), to develop counterterrorism initiatives abroad, to build the security capacity of key partners, to modernize the force, and to boost the efficiency and effectiveness of military operations worldwide.
BREAKING: Obama Signs Defense Authorization Bill
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While Drafting SOPA, the U.S. House Harbors BitTorrent Pirates
In recent weeks we discovered BitTorrent pirates at the RIAA, Sony, Fox, Universal and even law-abiding organizations such as the Department of Homeland Security. By now it should be clear that people are using BitTorrent pretty much everywhere, and not only for lawful downloads. Today we can add the U.S. House of Representatives to that list, the place where lawmakers are drafting the much discussed “Stop Online Piracy Act” (SOPA).by John Brennan Recently by John Brennan: Obama’s Latest Speech <img src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/lg-share-en.gif" width="125" height="16" border="0" alt="" /> The United States has done a remarkable job over the years convincing you that the folks in law enforcement are here for no other reason then to "protect and serve." The words sound honorable and are meant to instill trust and confidence. You see this worn out, duplicitous motto emblazoned across every squad car in every small town across America.
The New Breed of Hero by John Brennan
Many Occupy L.A. protesters arrested during demonstrations in recent months are being offered a unique chance to avoid court trials: pay $355 to a private company for a lesson in free speech. Los Angeles Chief Deputy City Atty. William Carter said the city won't press charges against protesters who complete the educational program offered by American Justice Associates. He said the program, which may include lectures by attorneys and retired judges, is being offered to people with no other criminal history and who were arrested on low-level misdemeanor offenses, such as failure to disperse. There have been more than 350 arrests at Occupy demonstrations in Los Angeles since protesters first set up camp outside City Hall in October.
Some Occupy L.A. protesters may get a lesson in free speech - latimes.com
Iraq project