Raven Clabough
Documents Raise Further Questions About Domestic Drone Use
Documents released as a result of a Freedom of Information Request lawsuit indicate that domestic drones may in fact be intended to spy on the American people. The Electronic Frontier Foundation submitted a Freedom of Information request in April of 2011 but received no response, prompting the organization to file a lawsuit against the Department of Transportation in January. The lawsuit resulted in the release of thousands of documents related to the use of domestic drones, which have raised further privacy concerns.
Federal Court Gives Conflicting Rulings on Ala., Ga. Immigration Laws
Conflicting rulings came down from the 11th U.S. Court of Appeals in cases involving immigration laws in the states of Alabama and Georgia. According to the federal appeals court on the Georgia law, law enforcement may verify the immigration status of criminal suspects who do not show proper identification. But that same court determined that it would be unconstitutional for the state of Alabama to check the immigration status of schoolchildren when they enroll, or to require illegal immigrants to carry identification.
War With Iran Appears More Imminent
There has been ongoing speculation on the possibility of an Israeli-U.S. strike on Iran for quite some time. Publicly, the Obama administration has indicated that while military action was not off the table, it was also not the first choice of the administration. President Obama had hoped Israel would delay an attack on Iran until after the presidential election in November, but the Israeli government is apparently serious about attacking earlier.
Odd Life of Timothy Green: Magical Film About a Miracle
The Odd Life of Timothy Green is a magical film about a miracle. It truly highlights the importance of family and familial love. It celebrates the wonderful support system that married couple Jim and Cindy have provided for one another, and the unconditional love of parents for their children.
New Jersey, Christie, Fight to Allow Sports Gambling
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is fighting to defend a law he signed in January that permits betting on professional sporting events. Though Christie has bipartisan support for the law in the state government and support amongst New Jersey residents, several major sporting leagues are suing the state, asserting that the law undermines federal law and threatens to undermine the nature of sports and the relationship between teams and their fans.
ICE Chief of Staff Takes Leave Amid Allegations of Lewd Conduct in Agency
Suzanne Barr, chief of staff for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has “voluntarily placed herself on leave,” amid allegations that she created a “frat-house"-style work environment. Barr is currently under internal review by the Department of Homeland Security, which is investigating allegations of lewd conduct inside ICE.
Several ICE employees have come forward to complain about behavior within the agency. Employees have provided sworn affidavits regarding graphic remarks made by two top officials at ICE. The affidavits were submitted as part of a discrimination and retaliation suit filed by James T. Hayes, Jr., head of the New York office for ICE.
WH Website Takes Down Anti-TSA Petition
A petition about the screening procedures used by the Transportation Security Administration at airports was removed from the White House “We the People” website just before it reached the necessary 25,000 signatures to compel the Obama administration to issue a public response. The site holding the petition also went down for “maintenance” after an article on Wired.com called attention to the petition.
Cartel Member Makes Startling Claim About Fast and Furious
According to Jesus Vicente Zambada-Neibla, known as the “logistics coordinator” for the Sinaloa cartel and a close associate of Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the U.S. government used Operation Fast and Furious to “divide and conquer” rival drug cartels in Mexico.
DOJ Will Not Pursue Criminal Case Against Goldman Sachs
The U.S. Justice Department has announced that it will not be prosecuting Wall Street firm Goldman Sachs or its employees following an investigation into financial fraud. A Senate panel had been investigating allegations that the firm marketed four sets of risky mortgage securities without informing their clients that the securities were risky.
New "Whistleblower" Position Created Inside Justice Department
The Justice Department's Office of Inspector General (OIG) has announced the creation of a new position entitled "Whistleblower Ombudsman" to protect federal employees who come forward to report misconduct within their department. Analysts contend the position was prompted by allegations from whistleblowers at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (still known as ATF) who claim they have faced retaliation for exposing the bureau's scandalous "Fast and Furious" gunwalking operation that armed Mexico's largest drug cartel with thousands of assault rifles. The new ombudsman position is one of the first of its kind in the federal government.