Author: From the Wire
Trump Says He “Disagreed” With privately funded border wall, So why did his Administration award the builder $1.7 billion in contracts to erect more walls?
President Trump now claims this privately funded border wall — touted as the “Lamborghini” of fences — was built to “make me look bad,” even though the project’s builder and funders are Trump supporters. by Perla…
California bill to establish Nation’s second Public Bank applauded as ‘Historic challenge to Wall Street domination’
“If California is serious about addressing racial and income inequities, we must create a banking system that centers people not profits.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Friday, July 10 In a move advocacy groups celebrated as…
Lawmakers demand Trump rescind plan to force international students out of US
“ICE’s arbitrary new policy is irrational and xenophobic, and risks the health of students, faculty, and staff.” Even though NAU students will be affected by the ICE move US Rep. O’Halleran did not sign the letter….
Lag in Coronavirus Research Puts Pregnant Women and Babies at Risk
After months of asserting pregnant women were not at high risk for the coronavirus, the CDC recently released a study with sobering findings for expectant mothers. Experts say the data gaps are almost as worrisome as…
Judge orders Brazil to protect Indigenous people from ravages of COVID-19
Justice Luis Roberto Barroso gave the Brazilian government just three days to establish a crisis response team. The team must get check points installed on Indigenous lands – with military support if necessary – to prevent…
Holding US Government to its Treaty promises: Supreme Court rules nearly half of Oklahoma still Native American Territory
“The big news at the Supreme Court today will be Trump’s taxes,” said Cherokee writer Rebecca Nagle. “But for Indians in Oklahoma, we’ll be talking about today for decades.” by Julia Conley, staff writer Thursday, July…
Brazil’s Bolsonaro has COVID-19 – and so do thousands of Indigenous people who live days from the nearest hospital
Land grabs, insufficient health care, deforestation and stigmatization all threatened Indigenous Brazilians before the pandemic. Genocides can be that way. They are a process, not sudden, isolated events. Satere-mawe Indigenous men in face masks paddle…
Supreme Court allows New York prosecutor to subpoena Trump financial records
‘No One Is Above the Law’ A split decision on two separate cases pertaining to the president’s taxes will likely leave the documents out of public view until after the election. by Julia Conley, staff writer…
Trump gets no special protections because he’s president and must release financial records, Supreme Court rules
“[N]o citizen, not even the president, is categorically above the common duty to produce evidence when called upon in a criminal proceeding,” wrote Chief Justice John Roberts in the majority opinion. Follow the money. Investigators are…
Domestic terror in the age of Trump
A new database of domestic terror incidents shows attacks by far-right extremists have become far more lethal since Donald Trump became president. By David Neiwert Thursday, July 9, 2020 This article was reported in partnership with…
Eroding private border wall to get an engineering inspection just months after completion
Months after the “Lamborghini” of border walls was built along the Rio Grande, the builder agreed to an engineering inspection of his controversial structure. Experts say the wall is showing signs of erosion that threatens its…
Aerosols are a bigger coronavirus threat than WHO guidelines suggest – here’s what you need to know
by Byron Erath, Clarkson University; Andrea Ferro, Clarkson University, and Goodarz Ahmadi, Clarkson University Thursday, July 9 When someone coughs, talks or even breathes, they send tiny respiratory droplets into the surrounding air. The smallest…
How a Key Federal Civil Rights Agency Was Sidelined as Historic Protests Erupted
Launched by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964, the Community Relations Service has been without a director and short-staffed during recent unrest. The Trump administration has repeatedly tried to eliminate the agency. by A.C. Thompson and Robert…
One Federal Agency Was Suing Him for Fraud. Another Paid His Company Millions for Masks.
Court records show the federal government gave $20 million in contracts to a company partly controlled by a man with a history of shady business practices. by J. David McSwane Wednesday, July 8 Desperate to acquire…
Fed refuses to release documents on fossil fuel industry’s Covid-19 bailouts
‘The Public Has a Right to Know’ “As the climate crisis demands an abrupt shift away from fossil fuels, the federal government should not be creating programs to bail out these polluters.” by Jake Johnson, staff…
Teachers say rush to reopen schools without Covid-19 safety plan shows Trump and DeVos ‘Do not care about students’
“America must listen to the health experts on when to reopen schools and to educators on how to return to in-person instruction.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Wednesday, July 8 A coalition representing millions of American…
Trump, Health Secretary, say US healthcare workers ‘Don’t get infected’ with Covid-19
94,000 healthcare workers have contracted the virus. While the true toll Covid-19 has taken on healthcare workers is not yet known, one investigation found that more than 760 have died from the virus. by Jake Johnson, staff…
Seattle City Council passes progressive tax on big business to fund relief
“Working people and our movement have to unapologetically claim victory for what we’ve won, because we want to spread these victories to other cities.” by Andrea Germanos, staff writer Tuesday, July 7 The Tax Amazon movement…
Trump friends and family approved for millions in small business bailout
Beneficiaries of the PPP included a lettuce farming venture backed by Trump’s son, Kushner companies, and a dentist who golfs with the president. The figures were released after a lawsuit by several news organizations, including ProPublica….
Trump-connected lobbyists have raked in $10 billion in Covid-19 aid for corporate clients
“The crisis offered an especially lucrative opportunity for those lobbyists who enjoy close ties to President Donald Trump and his administration—and they seized it.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Tuesday, July 7 In yet another sign…
Some small businesses received just $1 in Covid-19 Relief loans as Kushner family, Wall Street investors raked in millions
“Serious questions remain about whether PPP funds were equitably distributed to minority-owned businesses, and there is an alarming rate of small-dollar loans.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Tuesday, July 7 The Kushner family, large chains backed…
As colleges resort to online learning, ICE issues rule pushing international students out of US
“The Trump administration is using ICE to threaten universities into teaching in person by threatening international students with deportation if they’re all online.” by Julia Conley, staff writer Monday, July 6 Immigrant rights advocates were angered…
On Wednesday, Nationwide Day of Action to target GOP Senators for going on vacation as pandemic surges
‘They Are Failing’ “Millions of workers—essential and unemployed—do not have the luxury of a vacation and our elected officials are not entitled to take one during this crisis.” by Jake Johnson, staff writer Monday, July 6…
Trump Administration discloses some recipients of $670 billion small business bailout
After resisting its release, the administration revealed information on companies that received more than $150,000 in PPP funds. by Paul Kiel and Justin Elliott Monday, July 6, 8:35-AM MST After months of delays and outright refusals,…
