https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1lqNrptThc
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
'This is Not Normal': Human Rights, Press Freedom Advocates Denied Remote Access to Assange Hearing
The WikiLeaks founder, who exposed U.S. war crimes, faces up to 175 years in prison if the U.K. agrees to extradite Assange.
Lisa Newcomb, staff writer
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/09/07/not-normal-human-rights-press-freedom-advocates-denied-remote-access-assange-hearing
Human rights and press freedom advocates cried foul early Monday morning after they were denied remote access to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's extradition hearing taking place in the United Kingdom.
"This is not normal," said Marie Struthers, director of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Office of Amnesty Eastern Europe & Central Asia, in a video interview outside the court proceedings.
Struthers said the human rights group was "shocked to find out that our court observer has been denied access to the court online ... we conduct trial monitoring all over the world, week in, week out."
"Amnesty is almost always granted access to monitor court cases around the world," Struthers added. "For our legal observer to find out this morning that he has not been granted even remote access to the Assange proceedings is an outrage."
Amnesty had previously been granted remote access but was notified Monday morning, Struthers said, that the access was revoked because the group did not submit a required letter to the judge presiding over the trial.
She said they submitted the letter Monday morning, and that she "fully expects" they will be granted access going forward.
Meanwhile, critics—including NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden—condemned the U.S. effort to extradite Assange as a clear and present attack on press freedoms.
PEN Norway was also reportedly denied access to the Monday morning proceedings.
According to Shadowproof's Kevin Gosztola, who covered the trial from inside the courtroom:
Assange is accused of 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act and one count of violating a computer crime law that, as alleged in the indictment, is also an Espionage Act offense.
The trial portion of Assange’s extradition hearing in London began on September 7 at the Old Bailey Courthouse. It is expected to unfold over the next three to four weeks.
As of this writing, Judge Vanessa Baraitser rejected a request by Assange's lawyers to delay his extradition hearing until next year to give his lawyers more time to respond to U.S. allegations that he conspired with hackers to obtain classified information.
Asked at one point by the prosecution if he was "prepared to consent to be extradited," Assange reportedly answered: "No."
Court Rules NSA Surveillance Illegal - Snowden Vindicated
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG-UINAQscA&ab_channel=RedactedTonight
Nancy Altman On The Future Of Social Security: Solidarity Live Sept 4, 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L5k6tbE-4M
Postmaster General Urged to 'Immediately Step Aside' as North Carolina AG Backs Probe Into Campaign Finance Fraud Allegations
"It is extraordinarily disturbing that megadonor Louis DeJoy is abusing his power as Postmaster General to help President Trump win reelection, meanwhile apparently demonstrating disregard for key campaign finance laws designed to promote the integrity of our democratic elections," said Common Cause president Karen Hobert Flynn.
by
Jon Queally, staff writer
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/09/07/postmaster-general-urged-immediately-step-aside-north-carolina-ag-backs-probe
With less than two months before U.S. elections in November and amid demands for his immediate firing, high-level Democrats in Congress and the Attorney General of North Carolina called for both state and federal investigations into Postmaster General Louis DeJoy after explosive reporting Sunday afternoon contained allegations that the GOP megadonor now running the U.S. Postal Service criminally violated campaign finance laws.
First reported by the Washington Post, the story included claims from former employees of DeJoy, most notably from his human resources director David Young, who said DeJoy—a major donor to the Republican Party and President Donald Trump—would reimburse workers using payroll bonuses for political giving, an arrangement that is unlawful under both federal law and in North Carolina, where his logistics company, New Breed, is located.
North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein responded to the news Sunday evening by backing an investigation.
"It is against the law to directly or indirectly reimburse someone for a political contribution," Stein said in statement on social media. "Any credible allegations of such actions merit investigation by the appropriate state and federal authorities. Beyond this, it would be inappropriate for me as Attorney General to comment on any specific matter at this time."
While Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) called for DeJoy—described as "Trump's crony"—to be fired Sunday afternoon in response to the allegations, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer endorsed the idea of an immediate probe. Schumer said Trump's Justice Department under U.S. Attorney General William Barr should be left out.
"These are very serious allegations that must be investigated immediately, independent of Donald Trump's Justice Department," Schumer said. "The North Carolina Attorney General, an elected official who is independent of Donald Trump, is the right person to start this investigation."
Speaking on behalf of the Democratic Association of Attorneys General (DAGA), co-chairs AG Maura Healey of Massachusetts and AG Ellen Rosenblum of Oregon said that with the election fast-approaching—and DeJoy's role as Postmaster General so pivotal in terms of securing the integrity of the vote—the best option would be for DeJoy to step down while a thorough probe is conducted.
"The allegations that Postmaster DeJoy engaged in an extensive scheme to violate federal and state campaign finance laws are profoundly troubling," Healey and Rosenblum said in a joint statement. "If true, they call into question DeJoy's leadership and compliance with the law yet again, this time revealing a pattern of potentially criminal misconduct. This matter will require time to resolve—time that DeJoy does not have with the election just 60 days away. Postmaster DeJoy should immediately step aside, pending an independent investigation."
Common Cause—which along with other groups filed a lawsuit against DeJoy less than three weeks ago that alleged his actions to undercut the delivery of mail amounts to a constitutional violation of Americans' right to vote—said the revelations of his alleged campaign finance violations are just the latest reason that DeJoy cannot be trusted during such a crucial time.
"Megadonor Louis DeJoy seemingly broke multiple campaign finance laws, continuing a dangerous pattern of turning our institutions of government upside-down, from the postal service to our election campaigns," said Karen Hobert Flynn, president of Common Cause. "It is extraordinarily disturbing that megadonor DeJoy is abusing his power as Postmaster General to help President Trump win reelection, meanwhile apparently demonstrating disregard for key campaign finance laws designed to promote the integrity of our democratic elections."
Hobert Flynn said her organization was considering legal action to hold DeJoy accountable for these alleged criminal violations.
Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause North Carolina, added that if proven true, "the fundraising scheme allegedly perpetrated by Louis DeJoy is extremely troubling."
Such "big money in politics" operations, he added, erode "public confidence in the integrity of our political system and fuels cynicism. Concealing the source of campaign donations is even worse, because it deprives voters of information they could otherwise use to inform their votes."
"These are serious allegations of illegal activity that warrant a thorough investigation," said Phillips, "and there must be full accountability from Mr. DeJoy."
Trump Defunding Democrat States To Continue His Divide And Conquer Campaign
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjlBcmFICFw
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