Archiv: affairs / scandals


10.07.2023 - 11:41 [ NLTimes.nl ]

Dutch PM Rutte says he will not seek re-election

Various opposition parties, including left-wing bloc GroenLinks and PvdA and far-right PVV, have announced their intention to submit or support a motion of no confidence against Rutte during the parliamentary debate today. Should the motion pass, Rutte would have to step down immediately.

Rutte IV collapsed 543 days after being sworn in by the King. The Rutte III Cabinet also ended in a collapse, that one over the childcare allowance scandal in which the Tax Authority unjustly accused thousands of parents of fraud and left many in financial difficulties by revoking their benefits.

05.07.2023 - 18:04 [ Rolling Stone ]

Biden’s DOJ Is Pressuring Journalists to Help Build Its Case Against Assange

The Department of Justice and FBI are pressuring multiple British journalists to cooperate with the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, using vague threats and pressure tactics in the process. I know because I am one of the British journalists being pressured to cooperate in the case against him, as someone who used to (briefly) work and live with him, and who went on to blow the whistle on WikiLeaks’ own ethical lapses.

18.05.2023 - 17:35 [ theHill.com ]

Jim Jordan, Mike Turner threaten CIA subpoena in Hunter Biden letter inquiry

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner (R-Ohio) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) are warning the CIA they could subpoena the agency if it does not produce documents related to a 2020 letter pushing back on the Hunter Biden laptop story.

“If the CIA does not produce all responsive documents, the Committees may resort to compulsory process,” Turner and Jordan wrote in the Wednesday letter to CIA Director William Burns, giving a May 30 deadline.

04.04.2023 - 06:40 [ Haaretz ]

U.S. Used Front Company to Buy Israeli NSO’s Spyware, Report Says

The Times’ investigation, published early Monday, revealed that five days after the Biden administration announced the blacklisting of NSO for activities contrary to the United States’ national security or foreign policy interests, the U.S. purchased a different software from NSO via a front company.

The software is known as “Landmark,” a geolocation system that reveals the exact location of a person by inputting their phone number.

The report comes one week after U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order banning the use of commercial spyware by the American government.

28.03.2023 - 16:10 [ New York Times ]

Biden Acts to Restrict U.S. Government Use of Spyware

The president signed an executive order seeking to limit deployment of a tool that has been abused by autocracies — and some democracies — to spy on dissidents, human rights activists and journalists.

16.02.2023 - 14:20 [ Independent.co.uk ]

Richard Sharp’s position as BBC chairman ‘untenable’, says former TV news boss

Writing for The Independent, Roger Mosey said Mr Sharp’s position appeared to be untenable – warning that there was an “ever-stronger sense that the end credits are about to roll” on his tenure.

Mr Sharp has been under growing pressure since a cross-party group MPs found that he had made “significant errors of judgment” by acting as a go-between for an £800,000 loan guarantee for Boris Johnson.

15.02.2023 - 22:12 [ Haaretz ]

Cambridge Analytica‘s Israeli Black Ops Team – Exposed at Last

The emails now being published – which were obtained in the course of the investigation by The Guardian – raise questions about the whistleblower’s memory lapses during her testimony in the British Parliament. They show that Kaiser, who had been Cambridge Analytica’s business development director, had been in contact with Hanan for a number of years and she in fact put him in touch with the company she worked for.

07.02.2023 - 02:57 [ Paul McLeary, National Security for @politico / Nitter ]

NEW: Ukrainian defense minister Oleski Reznikov likely safe for now, despite corruption in his building. Advisor to Kyiv tells me Zelensky informed Reznikov today he stays „if he fires all of his deputies and cleans up what needs to be cleaned up.“

07.02.2023 - 02:48 [ New York Times ]

Zelensky’s Party Says It Will Move to Replace Defense Minister

(05.02.2023)

The fate of the defense minister, Oleksii Reznikov, has been the subject of increasing speculation amid a growing scandal about financial impropriety within the ministry and an accompanying government investigation into corruption.

Davyd Arakhamia, the head of Mr. Zelensky’s Servant of the People party in Parliament, said on Sunday that Mr. Reznikov would be transferred to the leadership of another ministry and that Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, the current military intelligence chief, would replace him.

12.12.2022 - 08:14 [ facts4eu.org ]

Brussels rocked – EU Parliament Vice-President arrested in alleged Qatar corruption scandal

The Belgian Federal Prosecutor‘s Office said on Friday that it had already recovered €600,000 in cash in Friday‘s raids.

„For several months, investigators of the Federal Judicial Police have suspected a Gulf country of influencing the economic and political decisions of the European Parliament.

04.06.2022 - 13:42 [ ]

Hillary Clinton personally approved plan to share Trump-Russia allegation with the press in 2016, campaign manager says

(Fri May 20, 2022)

Robby Mook said he attended a meeting with other senior campaign officials where they learned about strange cyberactivity that suggested a relationship between the Trump Organization and Alfa Bank, which is based in Moscow. The group decided to share the information with a reporter, and Mook subsequently ran that decision by Clinton herself.

„We discussed it with Hillary,“ Mook said, later adding that „she agreed with the decision.“

11.02.2022 - 08:45 [ Mirror.co.uk ]

Dame Cressida Dick forced to quit Met Police after string of Scotland Yard scandals

But it comes after Scotland Yard has been rocked by multiple scandals in recent months, including the force‘s handling of partygate, Sarah Everard‘s murder and repeated claims of a culture of misogyny and racism.

11.02.2022 - 08:32 [ Telegraph.co.uk ]

Dame Cressida Dick forced out of role as Met Police chief

Country‘s most senior police officer says Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, ‚left her with no choice‘ but to quit

25.01.2022 - 15:26 [ Andrew Jacobs / Twitter ]

He’s still there because the Conservative party has no obvious credible replacement for him. I wonder if the 1922 committee already has the number of letters required for a no confidence vote but is sitting on it’s hands until the party has decided who they want to get behind?

25.01.2022 - 15:21 [ @FineLineDubai / Twitte ]

What’s the point of the Met Police investigating the No 10 Parties? Everyone knows Cressida Dick is biased in favour of Boris Johnson. We all know the truth won’t be told and justice will not be delivered. Another example of corruption & a waste of everyone’s time.

(…)

25.01.2022 - 15:17 [ nicki / Twitter ]

Partygate report to be delayed for WEEKS because of police probe: Met chief announces criminal investigation as ‚upset‘ Cabinet minister refuses to defend Boris‘s birthday party (so has Cressida done PM a FAVOUR?)

25.01.2022 - 14:51 [ BBC ]

Police to investigate Downing Street lockdown parties

Commissioner Cressida Dick said they were looking into „potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations“ in Downing Street and Whitehall since 2020.

07.09.2021 - 04:26 [ Glenn Greenwald ]

Ben Rhodes‘ Book Proves Obama Officials‘ Lies, and His Own, About Edward Snowden and Russia

The memoir of Rhodes, now appropriately an MSNBC contributor, is an incredibly self-serving homage to himself that repeatedly attempts to demonstrate his own importance and accomplishments. The passage about Rhodes’ conduct regarding Snowden is very much aligned with those goals. While repeatedly emphasizing how traumatic the Snowden revelations were for the Obama administrations, Rhodes boasts of the crucial role he played in preventing Snowden from leaving Russia as the NSA whistleblower was desperately attempting to do so — exactly the opposite of what people like Rhodes and Hillary Clinton were telling the public about Snowden.

It is really beyond words how willing these people are to lie.

12.02.2021 - 05:33 [ Haaretz ]

Illegal Missile Sale to ‚Asian Country‘ Could Harm Israel-U.S. Ties

Investigations by the Shin Bet and police into the alleged sale of military technology to an unnamed Asian country may become one of the most serious security issues in recent memory. Defense officials are concerned that the case may have far-reaching consequences involving a large number of people and potential intelligence and technological fallout.

26.11.2020 - 00:44 [ NBC News ]

Defense lawyers rail about unfair prosecutions. Flynn’s case shows why.

(09.05.2020)

Sometimes federal agents are criticized for „creating“ a crime instead of investigating one. Sting operations are examples of crimes that are a consequence of law enforcement actions. Agents create a fictional crime to trick a suspect into attempting to join that crime, thereby creating the crime.

Similarly, Flynn’s crime of lying to government agents was the consequence of the government agents‘ investigation of Flynn. If there was no crime before Flynn‘s interview, then there‘s little reason to interview Flynn as part of a criminal investigation, unless the agents were looking to create a crime.

26.11.2020 - 00:40 [ CNN ]

Trump announces pardon for Michael Flynn in tweet

President Donald Trump announced in a tweet Wednesday that he has granted his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, a „full pardon,“ wiping away the guilty plea of the intelligence official, lobbyist and conservative fringe darling for lying to the FBI.

23.11.2020 - 11:02 [ theHill.com ]

Giuliani distances Trump campaign from attorney Sidney Powell

The Trump campaign on Sunday sought to distance itself from attorney Sidney Powell after she made a series of increasingly convoluted and baseless allegations of widespread nationwide election fraud.

Powell, who also represents former national security adviser Michael Flynn, had appeared with campaign lawyers at press events as recently as last week.

02.11.2020 - 11:09 [ Greenwald.substack.com ]

Article on Joe and Hunter Biden Censored By The Intercept

(29.10.2020)

All of these new materials, the authenticity of which has never been disputed by Hunter Biden or the Biden campaign, raise important questions about whether the former Vice President and current front-running presidential candidate was aware of efforts by his son to peddle influence with the Vice President for profit, and also whether the Vice President ever took actions in his official capacity with the intention, at least in part, of benefitting his son‘s business associates. But in the two weeks since the Post published its initial story, a union of the nation‘s most powerful entities, including its news media, have taken extraordinary steps to obscure and bury these questions rather than try to provide answers to them.

26.10.2020 - 07:19 [ Fox News ]

Biden rips Hunter Biden email leak as ‚smear campaign,‘ says Russia trying to spread disinformation

“From what I‘ve read and know the intelligence community warned the president that Giuliani was being fed disinformation from the Russians,” Biden said. „We also know that– Putin is trying very hard to spread disinformation about Joe Biden… And so when you put the combination of Russia, Giuliani– the president, together– it‘s just what it is.

Biden added: “It‘s a smear campaign because he has nothing he wants to talk about.”

26.10.2020 - 07:12 [ Washington Post ]

Biden relies on pattern of activity to blame Russia for release of data from what is said to be his son’s laptop

The Biden campaign’s decision to lean into accusations of Russian involvement in the episode, despite lacking specific proof, risks eroding public trust in U.S. allegations of foreign election interference if the suspicions in this case turn out to be unfounded, according to intelligence and foreign policy experts. Trump already has undermined such trust by casting doubt on proved Russian interference on his behalf during the 2016 campaign and denigrating U.S. intelligence officials.

26.10.2020 - 06:58 [ 60 Minutes / Twitter ]

Which country is the biggest threat to America? Russia, says Joe Biden. But China is our biggest competitor.

23.10.2020 - 14:13 [ Dailymail.co.uk ]

I met Joe Biden for an hour to talk about his family business in China and have three phones to prove what he knew claims Hunter‘s former business partner just before presidential debate – as Democrat DENIES foreign dealings

‘I will be providing to the FBI the devices which contain the evidence corroborating what I have said so I will not be taking any questions at this time,’ he told reporters who make up President Donald Trump’s traveling press pool.

‚I have heard Joe Biden say he‘s never discussed the business with hunter – that is false. I have firsthand knowledge about this because I directly dealt with the Biden family including Joe Biden, said Bobulinski.

23.10.2020 - 03:09 [ Wall Street Journal ]

The Biden ‘Family Legacy’: What we learned from the text messages of Hunter’s partner Tony Bobulinski.

Tony Bobulinski, a Navy veteran and institutional investor, has provided the Journal emails and text messages associated with his time as CEO of Sinohawk Holdings, a venture between the Bidens and CEFC China Energy, a Shanghai-based conglomerate. That correspondence corroborates and expands on emails recently published by the New York Post, which says they come from a Hunter laptop.

23.10.2020 - 03:02 [ Liberal HeartBreaker / Youtube ]

Tony Bobulinski FULL Press Conference 10/22/20

Hunter Biden’s ex-business associate Tony Bobulinski accused Democratic nominee Joe Biden of lying about his involvement in his family’s overseas dealings in a stunning appearance just 90 minutes before Thursday evening’s presidential debate.

23.10.2020 - 03:00 [ fox6now.com ]

Trump to bring Hunter Biden associate Tony Bobulinski as guest to final presidential debate

President Donald Trump is expected to bring a former associate of Hunter Biden as his guest to the final presidential debate on Thursday, according to FOX News.

Tony Bobulinski has claimed that Joe Biden was involved in his son’s foreign business dealings while serving as vice president, which Biden has repeatedly denied.

23.10.2020 - 02:03 [ theHill.com ]

Trump posts full ‘60 Minutes‘ interview showing him walking out

President Trump on Thursday posted his full interview with „60 Minutes“ ahead of its scheduled air time in an apparent attempt to undercut the news program after he walked out on the interview, bristling at questioning from journalist Lesley Stahl.

21.10.2020 - 10:46 [ CBS News ]

Trump cuts short „60 Minutes“ interview and tweets at Lesley Stahl

President Trump cut short an interview with CBS News‘ „60 Minutes“ on Tuesday with correspondent Lesley Stahl. The interview, which was taped at the White House, is slated to run on Sunday.

Later Tuesday, Mr. Trump called the interview „biased“ and threatened to release the interview before it aired.

05.10.2020 - 02:50 [ RealClearPolitics.com ]

Federalist‘s Sean Davis: CIA Director Haspel Personally Blocking Declassification Of Documents That Will Reveal Truth About Russiagate

„Unfortunately those releases and declassifications according to multiple sources I‘ve talked to are being blocked by CIA director Gina Haspel who herself was the main link between Washington and London,“ Davis said. „As the London station chief from John Brennan‘s CIA during the 2016 election. Recall, it was London where Christopher Steele was doing all this work. And I‘m told that it was Gina Haspel personally who is blocking a continued declassification of these documents that will show the American people the truth of what actually happened.“

24.09.2020 - 11:21 [ Haaretz.com ]

Putin Investigators Targeting LGBTQs, Navalny, Use Israeli Phone-hacking Tech

Carmil resents a comparison with the NSO Group. “I know the people at NSO and appreciate their know-how, but Cellebrite works in the legitimate world of the police force, whose abilities are closely controlled, unlike the world of NSO customers and others who engage in illegal and concealed activity. Cellebrite is totally on the good side, where court orders are used. We do not make tools for breaking into private entities or espionage organizations.”

05.09.2020 - 09:14 [ theGuardian.com ]

Donald Trump casts doubt on Navalny poisoning, saying US ‚hasn‘t had any proof‘

“I think we have to look at it very seriously, if it’s the case,” he said, before talking at length about his diplomatic efforts in North Korea and nuclear non-proliferation in Russia. “I don’t know exactly what happened. It’s tragic. It’s terrible, it shouldn’t happen. We haven’t had any proof yet, but I will take a look.

21.06.2020 - 15:43 [ CNN ]

Geoffrey Berman is leaving office immediately after standoff with Trump administration

Berman leaves behind a string of high-profile prosecutions and investigations. Since he became US attorney in early 2018, the office has prosecuted Trump‘s former attorney Michael Cohen, is investigating top Trump confidante Rudy Giuliani and indicted the former New York mayor‘s associates Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman.

27.05.2020 - 21:07 [ CNN ]

Trump tweet throws House vote on government surveillance powers into doubt

The request to shelve the vote was the latest hurdle for legislation reauthorizing authorities from the 2001 Patriot Act that‘s been squeezed both by FISA opponents who have pushed for more civil liberties protections and by the President and his allies furious over the role of the FISA court in the Russia investigation and the misconduct with warrants obtained on former Trump adviser Carter Page.

„I hope all Republican House Members vote NO on FISA until such time as our Country is able to determine how and why the greatest political, criminal, and subversive scandal in USA history took place!“ Trump tweeted on Tuesday evening.

27.05.2020 - 20:46 [ Journal-News.net ]

Handling of Flynn case should concern all Americans

Regardless of our political leanings, what happened to Michael Flynn should concern every American. While we should insist on details about his case, a more important question needs to be answered:

How many other people have been treated similarly by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies?