#corruption
It never gets anything but uglier and more corrupt with each new revelation about Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas. And, yet, in so many ways, this corruption has gone on right out in the open, brazenly, with a contemptuous challenge to the public to try and do anything about calling an untouchable Supreme Court justice to accountability.
Marine Le Pen, bientôt au tribunal? Le parquet demande la mise en examen de la (vraie) patronne du RN pour "détournement de fonds publics" dans l'affaire des assistants fictifs du Parlement européens. 26 autres personnes sont concernées dont papy Le Pen, Louis Aliot, ou encoreJulien Odoul, selon l'AFP. #ExtremeDroite #RN #Corruption #Justice #MarineLePen #Europe #Parlement
Again, #ProPublica on the scene with hard reporting:
Clarence Thomas Secretly Participated in Koch Network Donor Events
🔴 Affaire des assistants parlementaires du FN : le parquet de Paris demande un procès contre Marine Le Pen et 26 autres personnes, dont son père Jean-Marie :
Clarence Thomas Secretly Participated in Koch Network Donor Events — ProPublica https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-secretly-attended-koch-brothers-donor-events-scotus
#supremecourt #clarencethomas #corruption
Revolving door of Australian politics. We call it the #gameofmates the rest of the world calls it #corruption
#shame Where is the royal commision?
#Auspol #GoldmanSachs #Fraudenberg #ASIC #TheKlaxon #Corruption #Fraud #LNPCrimeFamily #CronyCapitalism
‘Former Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who covered-up a corruption scandal at the top of the nation’s corporate regulator, has been appointed Australian chair of Goldman Sachs, the global investment bank famously known as the “giant vampire squid” for its unethical and rapacious practices.
‘Goldman Sachs…is the former long-time employer of James Shipton — the corporate regulator boss whose alleged corruption Frydenberg covered-up.
Frydenberg commissioned CPM Reviews to conduct an independent review of the scandal then had his Treasury Dept doctor the report to make it appear it had cleared Shipton of any wrongdoing.
‘Yet as revealed by The Klaxon…three of the four key findings, all relating to Shipton, had been secretly removed.
Author of the report, Vivienne Thom resigned ‘almost immediately after Frydenberg released the doctored version of her report.’
‘Frydenberg has been refusing to respond to The Klaxon’s requests for comment regarding his cover-up of the ASIC scandal for the past two-and-a-half years.
‘No other politician or public figure — including the current executive at ASIC, CPM Reviews, or the report’s author Dr Vivienne Them — has backed up Frydenberg’s claims Shipton was found to have engaged in no wrongdoing, despite many approaches by The Klaxon.’
From: @RichForrest2
https://aus.social/@RichForrest2/111105745518465909
CORRUPTION TRACE
New UK ‘net zero’ minister Claire Coutinho linked to oil-funded think tank
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/policy-exchange-claire-coutinho-minister-net-zero-fossil-fuels/
Not just any oil-funded think tank, the Atlas network member think tank that helped write the legislation criminalizing protest as a direct response to increased climate protests.
#government #corruption #conflictofinterest #criticalposition #capturedbyperpetrators #ClimateCrisis #ClimateAction
The irony after a 70 year reign of #lies #disinformation facilitating #corruption #subversion of #democracy #billionaire #media mogul ‘Rupert Murdoch says in a note to staff today upon announcement of his retirement: "The battle for the freedom of speech and, ultimately, the freedom of thought, has never been more intense" https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/rupert-murdochs-70-year-career-australia-global-media-mogul-2023-09-21/
Just more proof, as if any was needed, of how that horrid person Margaret Thatcher, poisoned the well of all that was good in Great Britain for decades to come.
Her evil legacy perdures.
#ukpolitics #thatcher #murdoch #corruption #conservatives #tories
This is great news, but the people that did this need to go to jail. Reversing course because you got caught does not absolve you of your role in a criminal conspiracy. #cdnpoli #corruption https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-stag-and-doe-integrity-commissioner-1.6974058
@cbcworld Yet another example that Danielle Smith is a raving incompetent dimwit. This time she's looting Albertans' pensions to turn the money over to her de facto employer, the fossil fuel industry. That's where this government will "invest" the cash. This is all about looting for industry, not providing a viable investment plan.
#UCP #FossilFuels #Alberta #Government #CPP #Pensions #Investment #corruption
Whatever Russia & China are, they are not communist countries, because communism doesn't have one leader or a minority of leaders.
Not even a "supreme" oppressive leader.
Not even billionaire leaders.
Democracies can choose leaders. They can also choose the losers that have led them into a #ClimateCrisis (plus war, etc.....)
#power #money #corruption #personality #business #ethics #justice #law #plutocracy #dictatorships
It should be noted here that there is nothing particularly new in the agreement with BlackRock; this agreement only continues and expands the sell-off of strategic sectors of the Ukrainian economy, which was started by the previous head of the Kiev regime, Petro #Poroshenko. The list of Ukrainian companies in which the Black Rock empire was interested includes such giants as Metinvest, DTEK (energy), PrJSC MHP (agriculture), Naftohaz, Ukrzaliznytsya, Ukravtodor, and Ukrenergo.
...
According to these data, in 2022, during the "acquaintance" with BlackRock, Vladimir #Zelensky 's personal fortune more than doubled: it increased from 650 million dollars to 1.5 billion dollars.
#^https://inosmi.ru/20230712/ukraina-264275318.html #lang_ru
Original: #^https://www.lantidiplomatico.it/dettnews-blackrock_e_la_svendita_dellucraina_al_capitale_transnazionale/45289_50332/ #lang_it
#USA #us #warmongers #blackrock #ukraine #economy #ukrainian #corruption #failstate
The ethics of what we were reporting, we knew the numbers were bad,” a former #FDLE employee told #NBCNews. “We foot-stomped it to leadership over and over again; they did not care. They did not care.”
Each of the former FLDE employees said there was a pervasive sense among agency staff that the numbers needed to say what their leadership wanted — and those demands were coming from the #governor’s office for #political reasons.
@s4mdf0o1 @Neoresistant Je rejette toutes les manifestations sportives compétitives. Je suis contre toutes les #Homologations car je suis contre le #Dopage et la #Corruption. Je suis aussi contre la #Prostitution qui entoure toujours ces #Compétitions #NonauxJO
Two cabinet ministers, a chief of staff, but NOTHING TO SEE HERE FOLKS
Today, Sept 21st is ‘International Day of Struggle Against Monoculture Plantations’. #Palmoil #corruption and violence is rife for #RSPO “sustainable” palm oil. It is a #greenwashing lie! Instead you should #Boycottpalmoil #landback #landrights #humanrights https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/09/21/september-21st-international-day-of-struggle-against-monoculture-plantations/
Dos au mur, Marine Le Pen a fini par rembourser les 339 000 euros qu’elle devait au Parlement Européen dans l’affaire des assistants fictifs. La (vraie) patronne du RN était menacée d’une saisie sur les comptes, révèle Mediapart. Les temps sont durs… et les Européennes approchent https://t.co/5rYVJcmj00 #MarineLePen #RN #Politique #Corruption #Europe #Europeennes #Justice
I'll give #Sunak this: He's managing to move peoples attention (and we know attention spans are short) to his agenda rather than folk remembering what and what party got this country in such a dire mess in the first place.#Starmer isn't exactly putting much clear blue water between the #Toties and his party at the moment either. #Sunak #Politics #Tories #Raac #Covid #Corruption #mastodon #fediverse
@JeanMarcvanTol @EU_Commission So 10 more years of glyphosate in Europe, approved by the European Commission🤔???
How about investigating corruption & bribery?
"A California jury on Friday found Monsanto liable in a lawsuit filed by a man who alleged the company’s glyphosate-based weed-killers, including Roundup, caused his cancer and ordered the company to pay $289 million in damages.
The case of school groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson was the first lawsuit to go to trial alleging glyphosate causes cancer. Monsanto, a unit of Bayer AG following a $62.5 billion acquisition by the German conglomerate, faces more than 5,000 similar lawsuits across the United States."
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-monsanto-cancer-lawsuit-idUSKBN1KV2HB
#BanGlyphosate #Cancerogene #Cancerous #Herbicides #Bayer #Monsanto #Glyphosate #AgentOrange #Corruption #Bribery #AgriCancerCulture
Somalia aid theft: EU suspends support after UN probe findings
Climate activists have told openDemocracy they are being hit with “crippling” bills totalling thousands of pounds because of legal action brought by government and public bodies to prevent protests and protect planet killers.
“This government in particular doesn't like being challenged by groups such as Just Stop Oil or Extinction Rebellion.”
#Fascism #EcocideProtection #ProfitPolicy #BillionsSuffer #Corruption #EconomicAssault #EnvironmentalAssault #JustStopOil #InsulateBritain #PlanetDefenders
#Iran passes stricter #headscarf law days after #protest anniversary
20/09/2023 | 16:30 PM
By Associated Press Reporters
"Iran’s parliament has approved a Bill to impose heavier penalties on women who refuse to wear the mandatory Islamic headscarf in public and those who support them.
"The move came just days after the anniversary of the death of #MahsaAmini, a 22-year-old woman who had been detained by the so-called morality #police for violating the country’s dress code.
"Her death in custody ignited months of #protests in which many called for the overthrow of Iran’s theocracy.
"The 70-item Bill extends punishments to business owners who serve women not wearing the mandatory headscarf, known as the #hijab, and #activists who organise against it. Violators could face up to 10 years in prison if the offence occurs in an organised way.
"The Bill, which was approved by 152 politicians in Iran’s 290-seat parliament, requires ratification by the Guardian Council, a clerical body that serves as constitutional watchdog. It would take effect for a preliminary period of three years.
"The demonstrations sparked by Ms Amini’s death on September 16, 2022, died down early this year following a heavy crackdown on dissent in which more than 500 protesters were killed and around 22,000 detained.
"But many women continued to flaunt the rules on wearing the hijab, prompting a new campaign to enforce them over the summer.
"Iran’s clerical rulers view the hijab law as a key pillar of the Islamic Republic and blamed the protests on Western nations, without providing evidence.
"The protesters said they were motivated by anger over the dress code as well as what they see as the corruption and poor governance of the country’s ruling clerics."
Martine Aubry visée par une enquête pour corruption lors des municipales de 2020, révèle BFM. La maire PS de Lille est soupçonnée d'avoir offert un emploi municipale à la championne de boxe Licia Boudersa en échange de son soutien https://www.bfmtv.com/grand-lille/lille-martine-aubry-visee-par-une-enquete-pour-corruption-lors-des-municipales-de-2020_AN-202309200635.html #Politique #Corruption #PS #Aubry #Municipales #Justice
This is why journalism is critical to a functioning democracy:
"Minister Kaleed Rasheed and Amin Massoudi got the “Good Luck Ritual” massage and developer Shakir Rehmatullah got a custom massage at the same time in the Spa at Encore, 4 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2020, which the hotel describes as a “truly opulent experience,” the three hotel employees said."
#OnPoli
#Greenbelt
#LandGrab
#DougFord
#Developers
#Corruption
#Liars
Gee, people set to make a lot of money at the expense of society and the environment are in favour of this plan to make a lot of money at the expense of society and the environment
🤔🤔🤔🤔
#Greenbelt
#Corruption
#OnPoli
#FordIsCorrupt
https://globalnews.ca/news/9967922/hamilton-landowners-favour-ford-governments-greenbelt-plan/
Just in: "They stole 20 years of my life from me. I want them held accountable.”
Former death row inmate Clinton Young has filed a federal civil rights suit against two district attorneys who condoned the unethical behavior of the infamous 'moonlighting prosecutor': Ralph Petty sent Young to #prison while simultaneously working for #Midland county judges. https://www.texasobserver.org/clinton-young-death-row-lawsuit-midland/
#CriminalJustice #CivilRights #Texas #DeathPenalty #HumanRights #corruption #politics #USpol #news
As Charles Pierce says, commenting on the decision of a thoroughly corrupt Republican regime in Texas to exonerate the thoroughly corrupt attorney general Ken Paxton,
"Texas gonna Texas."
You can count on that.
#Texas #Republicans #Paxton #corruption
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a45191142/ken-paxton-impeachment-trial-conclusion/
'Much worse' than imagined: Mayor reveals OC Transpo's grim finances | #Ottawa Citizen https://bit.ly/45Wf3AC #ottnews #OCTranspo #ottpoli #OTrain #Corruption #BudgetShortfall #Debt #onpoli @ontariogreens @onpoli
Demonstrators rally in Guatemala to defend presidential election results
“'A lot of what we’re seeing now is the by-product of a party being in power for more than two decades, having total domination of all the statewide offices,' Jennifer Harris, a communications strategist who has worked for a number of Republican officials in Texas, said. 'As a partisan, back in the day, I could cheer that on, but I think you can become complacent, disconnected from your own voters.'”
"Paxton’s acquittal is further evidence that the Republican Party is captive to its most extreme voters. According to recent polling, the more that Texans—including Republicans—learned about Paxton’s actions, the less inclined they were to overlook them."
~ Rachel Monroe
I know you'll be shocked by this, but #SamuelAlito has an obvious conflict of interest in a pending #SCOTUS case. #corruption #ExpandTheCourt https://www.commondreams.org/news/alito-2665589141
Ben Sargent responds to the Saturday acquittal of Ken Paxton during his #impeachment trial.
More political #cartoons from Ben Sargent: https://www.texasobserver.org/topics/loon-star-state/
#politics #news #comics #USpol #corruption #CriminalJustice #law #Texas #TXlege #KenPaxton
From last week: With each vote, it became increasingly clear that Paxton was going to walk. But he's not out of hot water yet. https://www.texasobserver.org/ken-paxton-acquitted-impeachment/
"The state’s Lieutenant Governor—Dan Patrick—presided over the Senate trial. As Paxton sensed his growing exposure to impeachment, his PACs 'loaned' $2 million and donated $1 million to the campaign of Lieutenant Governor Patrick—who is not up for election for another three years."
~ Robert B. Hubbell
#Texas #Republicans #Paxton #corruption
Quite simply, corruption is what a sizable number of Americans want in our leaders. And the Republican party offers it to them.
https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/no-one-is-in-charge-of-house-gop
"Paxton is supported by hard-right wealthy donors and has used his position to advance Trump’s fortunes rather than to defend Texas laws. According to Axios’s Mike Allen, Trump allies Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk fired up their supporters to flood senators’ phones to demand acquittal, while party leaders warned senators that they would face well-funded primary opponents if they voted to convict."
~ Heather Cox Richardson
#Texas #Republicans #Paxton #corruption #Trump
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/september-17-2023
"For the past few years, it’s been neck-and-neck between Florida and Texas for the distinction of being the Most Corrupt State in the Country (with Wisconsin coming up fast). ...
But Texas really stepped up their corruption game by acquitting Paxton."
~ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
#Texas #Republicans #Paxton #corruption
https://kareem.substack.com/p/texas-just-became-the-most-corrupt
I mean Donald f*cking Trump was trying to extort Zelensky in order to harm Biden's 2020 chances (and probably at Putin's behest) so... we certainly can't point fingers here in the US anymore if we ever could. #Russia #Corruption
OPINION: Ukraine and Corruption
« Lastly, I challenge any Western nation to try and hold itself up as an example of unquestioned virtue and free of corruption, even those nations with hundreds of years of experience with democratic institutions at their disposal. In my opinion, for such a new democracy, Ukraine is proving to be an inspiration to the entire world, not just for its tenacious fight for survival against... »
#Ukraine #Russia #War #Corruption
https://www.kyivpost.com/opinion/21611
As Ruth Ben-Ghiat says, it's unsurprising that the Texas GOP acquitted Paxton: protecting the lawless is what authoritarian parties do, and the Texas GOP is one of the most extreme in the nation. As she notes, "Paxton has been a vociferous supporter of Trump's claim that Trump won the 2020 election." And Trump did not want Paxton impeached.
In short, the Republican party at present is monumentally corrupt.
#Republicans #Texas #Paxton #authoritarian #corruption
https://lucid.substack.com/p/paxton-acquittal-protecting-the-lawless
This is insane. The scariest thing I heard this week is that US Trumpers are playing this kind of hard ball against universities that study elections and/or social media, and that the chilling effect has even started extending to the UK (probably mostly oxbridge, who are more philanthropy dependent?) #AIEthics #giftArticle #corruption #theCultureWarIsPartOfTheWar
Texas attorney general acquitted in historic impeachment trial https://wapo.st/3PGJi8Y
Just in: The #Texas Senate sided with Attorney General Ken Paxton on all 16 charges, letting him slip free of consequences yet again.
But there's still more trouble to come for K-Pax, writes our #Politics Reporter @justinmiller in his wrap-up of the #impeachment trial ...
https://www.texasobserver.org/ken-paxton-acquitted-impeachment/
#Politics #USpol #news #KenPaxton #corruption #Republicans #GOP #TXlege
Latest cartoon on the right's plans to destroy the "administrative state" and replace government workers with cronies under the next Republican president
#authoritarianism #climatechange #climatecrisis #corruption #cartoon #uspol
The latest from Ben Sargent in Texas Observer magazine.
Read all our coverage of the #impeachment of Ken Paxton: https://www.texasobserver.org/tag/ken-paxton-impeachment/
#comics #culture #politics #USpol #Texas #TXlege #KenPaxton #corruption
Anything that can't go on forever will eventually stop. A new coalition dedicated to fighting corporate power has emerged, tackling capitalism's #monopoly power, and the #corruption and abuse of workers it enables. That coalition is global, it's growing, and it's kicking ass.
Case in point: California just passed a law that will give every fast-food worker in the state a 30% raise.
5/
About his own fellow Republicans, Romney now says,
“A very large portion of my party really doesn’t believe in the Constitution.”
Kuo adds,
"The truth is a welcome disinfectant today, even if the rot has been allowed to fester for years. We need to better understand the depth of Republican hypocrisy, cowardice, and fear in order to safeguard against its effects and call it out clearly. "
"They confirm what many have long suspected but the Republican Party has kept secret behind closed doors, and for the first time they confirm a very dark threat to the rule of law in our Republic.
With this book, Romney has broken faith, and ranks, and the party’s deep pathologies and treachery to our constitution are being laid bare."
Jay Kuo comments on Mitt Romeny's new "burn book," written by McKay Coppins, an excerpt of which just appeared in the Atlantic:
"Now that he has nothing to lose, along with a conscience and record he apparently wants to clear, Romney’s accounts of the GOP behind the scenes, and of the party he once led but now literally fears, are a gripping read, and ultimately very unsettling."
#Romney #Republicans #democracy #corruption
/1
https://statuskuo.substack.com/p/mitt-romney-calls-it-quits-and-his
@RollingStone Rule of thumb: Most "populists" are generally corruptionists.
#RuleOfLaw #AccountabilityMatters #JusticeMatters #CodeOfConduct #Corruption #Bribery #PhonyRon #DeCorruptis #DisqualifyDeSantis
Corruption and pushbacks have moved human smugglers' departure point from Lebanon to inside Syria
#Humanrights #humantrafficking #humansmugglers #corruption #Syria #Cypres #Lebanon
From yesterday: This may be the final week of the Ken Paxton #impeachment hearings, but there's still a lot of juicy dirt to uncover about the Attorney General’s abuse of power. https://www.texasobserver.org/after-a-week-on-defense-ken-paxton-gets-the-floor/
#news #politics #USpol #Texas #TXlege #corruption #KenPaxton
an interesting #LongWatch about the many efforts of the soviet union to combat corruption, embezzlement, and other white collar crime. 👍
"[Alito] says Congress has no authority to regulate the Supreme Court. The Constitution he allegedly reveres says otherwise. A lot. …
Wrong on the facts, wrong on the history, on the wrong side of honesty and ethical standards, Justice Alito and his colleagues need to be reined in."
~ Norman J. Ornstein
#Alito #SupremeCourt #corruption #ethics #Constitution
https://newrepublic.com/article/175403/samuel-alito-wrong-arrogant-supreme-court-ethics
The Ken Paxton #impeachment hearings are expected to wrap this week, but there's still a lot of ground to cover.
In this new update, our #Politics Reporter @justinmiller gets into the #corruption, the abuse of power, and a bible owned by Sam Houston: https://www.texasobserver.org/after-a-week-on-defense-ken-paxton-gets-the-floor/
#news #politics #USpol #Texas #TXlege #KenPaxton #Austin #RealEstate #GOP
"A key question is now this: Did Leonard Leo use millions in nonprofit contributions in a conspiracy with others to illegally enrich himself and his friends, including the Thomases? (Narrator: Duh.)
~ Jay Kuo
And all of this is happening in the shadows, the dark, with no daylight shining in:
"The movement’s triumphs are now visible but its engine remains hidden: A billion-dollar network of groups, most of which are registered as tax-exempt charities or social welfare organizations. Taking advantage of gaps in disclosure laws, they shield the identities of most of their donors and some of the recipients of the funds."
A formula for corruption.
Who's really running the country? Leonard Leo, Ginni Thomas, the corrupt Supremes they've bought, and their super-rich backers:
"From those early discussions among Leo, Thomas and Crow would spring a billion-dollar force that has helped remake the judiciary and overturn longstanding legal precedents on abortion, affirmative action and many other issues."
~ Heidi Przybyla
#LeonardLeo #GinniThomas #SupremeCourt #corruption
/1
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/10/ginni-thomas-leonard-leo-citizens-united-00108082
Anyone thinks the high healthcare costs in #Switzerland might have anything to do with this?
"The 38 members of the parliamentary health commissions perceive 69 mandates from various healthcare lobbies" 🤔
…The application was approved 7 days before #ClarenceThomas joined the 5-4 majority on a decision that would open the door to a new era of major #spending on groups like the one his wife was forming. After putting up $500k, the lion’s share of her #nonprofit’s seed money, #HarlanCrow held an event for #GinniThomas at his palatial home in Dallas. The group later made clear its goal was disassembling President Barack #Obama’s agenda, mainly the #AffordableCareAct.
Many people trace the start of the #conservative #legal movement to 1982, the year of the founding of the #FederalistSociety, which provided a forum for #law students & profs w/conservative ideas to incubate their theories.
But the movement that has had such a profound impact on the courts today — one that involves #money & #politics, more than legal theories or principles — gained steam in the wake of the #CitizensUnited decision.
Legal News
Here’s a good overview of the creepy intermingling of dark billionaire money, phony front groups, far-right extremists, and the United States Supreme Court
What Ginni Thomas and Leonard Leo wrought: How a justice’s wife and a key activist started a movement
Thanks to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling, a trove of so-called “dark money” was about to be unleashed. Two activists prepared to seize the moment.
👀
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/10/ginni-thomas-leonard-leo-citizens-united-00108082
It sure looks like the rich are begging for a revolution, doesn’t it?
#PrivateEquity #capitalism #greed #ClimateChange #corruption #war #politics #education #employment