Ad
Mission Statement
Andrew Kreig
JIP Editor
The Justice Integrity Project (JIP) researches official misconduct
Get New Articles by Email
-
Editor's Choice: Scroll below for our monthly blend of mainstream and alternative September 2018 news and viewsNote: Excerpts are from the authors' words except for subheads and occasional "Editor's notes" such as this.
Nov. 15
Trump Rants Against Prosecutors
Washington Post, Trump blasts Mueller probe a week after installing new acting attorney general, John Wagner, Nov. 15, 2018. President Trump on Thursday lashed out anew at the investigation of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, calling his team of lawyers “a disgrace to our NationNation” and accusing them, without evidence, of threatening witnesses to get answers they want.
Trump’s rant, in a pair of morning tweets, came a week after the installation of Matthew G. Whitaker, right, as acting attorney general, a move many Democrats have said appears designed to curtail Mueller’s investigation into possible coordination between Russia and Trump’s campaign during the 2016 election.Trump angrily dismissed a reporter’s question about that notion last week and said he had not spoken to Whitaker about the Russia probe before naming him to replace ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Many of Trump’s complaints in Thursday’s tweets were familiar, but they took on heightened significance with Whitaker now overseeing Mueller’s probe, which is also examining whether Trump has obstructed justice.
Facebook's Sellout of Customers?
New York Times, Delay, Deny and Deflect: How Facebook’s Leaders Fought Through Crisis, Sheera Frenkel, Nicholas Confessore, Cecilia Kang, Matthew Rosenberg and Jack Nicas, Nov. 15, 2018 (print edition). In just over a decade, Facebook has connected more than 2.2 billion people, a global nation unto itself that reshaped political campaigns, the advertising business and daily life around the world. Along the way, Facebook accumulated one of the largest-ever repositories of personal data, a treasure trove of photos, messages and likes 
that propelled the company into the Fortune 500.But as evidence accumulated that Facebook’s power could also be exploited to disrupt elections, broadcast viral propaganda and inspire deadly campaigns of hate around the globe, Mr. Zuckerberg and Ms. Sandberg stumbled. Bent on growth, the pair ignored warning signs and then sought to conceal them from public view. At critical moments over the last three years, they were distracted by personal projects, and passed off security and policy decisions to subordinates, according to current and former executives.
New York Times, How Facebook Wrestled With Scandal: 6 Key Takeaways From The Times’s Investigation, Nicholas Confessore and Matthew Rosenberg, Nov. 15, 2018 (print edition). For more than a year, Facebook has endured cascading crises — over Russian misinformation, data privacy and abusive content — that transformed the Silicon Valley icon into an embattled giant accused of corporate overreach and negligence.An investigation by The New York Times revealed how Facebook fought back against its critics: with delays, denials and a full-bore campaign in Washington. Here are six takeaways.Facebook knew about Russian interference. In fall 2016, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, was publicly declaring it a “crazy idea” that his company had played a role in deciding the election. But security experts at the company already knew otherwise.
They found signs as early as spring 2016 that Russian hackers were poking around the Facebook accounts of people linked to American presidential campaigns. Months later, they saw Russian-controlled accounts sharing information from hacked Democratic emails with reporters. Facebook accumulated evidence of Russian activity for over a year before executives opted to share what they knew with the public — and even their own board of directors.
Saudis Charge Scapegoats?
Washington Post, Saudi Arabia seeks death penalty for five suspects in killing of Jamal Khashoggi, Kareem Fahim, Nov. 15, 2018. Saudi Arabia said Thursday it has indicted 11 people in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul last month and that it is seeking the death penalty against five of them for ordering and committing the killing, according to the country’s public prosecutor.Saud al-Mojeb said in a statement that the former deputy head of intelligence, Ahmed al-Asiri, had dispatched a Saudi team to Turkey to negotiate Khashoggi’s return to Saudi
Arabia. The order to kill the journalist came from the head of the Saudi team in Istanbul, the prosecutor added.Officials in several countries have said it is unlikely Khashoggi could have been killed without the knowledge of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, right, Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader. But no definitive evidence has emerged showing that Mohammed ordered the operation. Saudi officials deny that the crown prince was in any way responsible for Khashoggi’s death.
2018 Elections:
Washington Post, Judge orders Florida to allow more time to clear up disputed signatures on some ballots, Sean Sullivan and Isaac Stanley-Becker, Nov. 15, 2018.Florida’s historic recount was thrown once more into uncertainty Thursday when a federal judge ruled that voters whose mail-in and provisional ballots were rejected because of issues with their signatures will have two more days to resolve the problems and possibly have their votes counted.
The decision by Judge Mark Walker of the U.S. District Court in Tallahassee came just hours ahead of the Thursday afternoon deadline for elections officials to complete a machine recount. It is particularly notable in the too-close-to-call Senate race, in which Gov. Rick Scott (R), left, leads Sen. Bill Nelson (D) by fewer than 13,000 votes.Walker’s decision affects Floridians who cast their ballots by mail, or voted provisionally, but whose signatures did not match records maintained by state officials. More than 4,000 ballots across 45 counties in Florida were set aside because of inconsistent signatures, he wrote in his opinion. In the other 22 counties, the number is unknown.
Washington Post, Opinion: The real fraudster in Florida is Mitch McConnell, Dana Milbank, right, Nov. 15, 2018 (print edition). In Palm Beach, the elections supervisor said its outdated 
equipment overheated, causing figures to not add up as it attempts to meet the recount deadline of Thursday. Equipment problems in Broward also delayed the recount.There is deep cynicism in Republicans complaining about the lengthy recounts and, worse, ...
Andrew Kreig's Twitter
Broadcast
Broadcast and lecture audiences can count on the Project's director to deliver blunt, entertaining and cutting-edge commentary about public affairs, with practical tips for the millions of Americans caught up in unfair litigation or regulation.
Based in Washington, DC, Andrew Kreig is an accomplished fighter for the public interest. Learn from his decades of reporting, analysis and advocacy:
• Shocking tales of recent corruption, deception and cover-up by both parties in communities ranging from small towns to world capitals; and
• Practical how-to tips for reformers on action that brings real-world results.
To book guest broadcast appearances on your station, write: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Advertisements
Past News Reports
- November 2018 News Updates
- October 2018 News Reports
- September 2018 News Reports
- August 2018 News Reports
- July 2018 News Reports
- June 2018 News Reports
- May 2018 News Reports
- April 2018 News Reports
- March 2018 News Reports
- February 2018 News Reports
- January 2018 News Reports
- December 2017 News Reports
- November 2017 News Reports
- October 2017 News Reports
- September 2017 News Reports
- August 2017 News Reports
- July 2017 News Reports
- June 2017 News Reports
- May 2017 News Reports
- April 2017 News Reports
- March 2017 News Reports
- February 2017 News Reports
- January 2017 News Reports
- December 2016 News Reports
Find a Post
- Trump's New Acting AG Is Unfit To Serve
- Turnout Must Thwart Frauds, Lies, Bigotry, Health Threats
- Long-Secret Watergate Filing Could Provide Mueller Road Map For Trump Evidence
- American Visitors To Syria Challenge Western Media Bias / Propaganda
- Courts Continue Voter Suppression As Trump Celebrates With His Justice In Partisan White House Gala, Hatefest
More Info
Advertisements