Bringing People to the Process. Michael Moore: 10 Things They Won't Tell You About the Flint Water Tragedy, But I Will. News of the poisoned water crisis in Flint has reached a wide audience around the world.
The basics are now known: the Republican governor, Rick Snyder, nullified the free elections in Flint, deposed the mayor and city council, then appointed his own man to run the city. To save money, they decided to unhook the people of Flint from their fresh water drinking source, Lake Huron, and instead, make the public drink from the toxic Flint River. When the governor’s office discovered just how toxic the water was, they decided to keep quiet about it and covered up the extent of the damage being done to Flint’s residents, most notably the lead affecting the children, causing irreversible and permanent brain damage.
Citizen activists uncovered these actions, and the governor now faces growing cries to resign or be arrested. Here are 10 things that you probably don’t know about this crisis because the media, having come to the story so late, can only process so much. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. OpenSecrets.org: Money in Politics. 'Dark Money' and Anonymous Speech Are Awesome, Unless You Want Political Thugs Jumping on Your Head. MCSOEmbattled Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Arizona's own dose of seemingly unshakeable political herpes, is asking supporters to cough up cash to fund his defense against potential federal criminal contempt of court charges.
He'll probably get it too. His opponents, even though they finally sense weakness in the old bastard, are unlikely to have the same luck shaking the tree for money. That's because Arpaio has a history of crude and brutal retaliation against anybody he perceives as an enemy. If America's toughest sheriff isn't strong evidence in favor of anonymous political expenditures, then nothing is. Arizona Republic columnist Robert Robb made this case yesterday: If Arpaio is to be defeated, the business community probably has to conclude that he's enough of a damaging menace to warrant funding an independent campaign in that range. Yes, you read that right—criminal investigations and bogus criminal charges. Maricopa County supervisors settle lawsuits filed by ‘New Times’ founders, Stapley. Citizen-Journalist Fined for Telling the Truth.
- Advertisement - Fracking(image by Daquella manera) DMCA by Walter Brasch Vera Scroggins of Susquehanna County, Pa., was found to be in contempt of court, Thursday, and fined $1,000.
Her offense? She tells the truth. Truth is something that apparently has bypassed the court of Judge Kenneth W. The case began in October 2013. Scroggins, a retired real estate agent and nurse's aide, was in Common Pleas Court to explain why a temporary injunction should not be issued against her. Before Judge Seamans were three corporate lawyers, a lawyer from the county, and several Cabot employees who accused Scroggins of trespassing and causing irreparable harm to the company that had almost $1 billion in revenue the previous year. Since 2009, Scroggins has led Pennsylvania and New York residents, celebrities, government officials, and journalists on tours of the gas fields. Seamans told her he wouldn't grant a continuance because she didn't give the court 24 hours notice.
Tennessee Leaders Call on the FCC to Axe State Broadband Restrictions. Without gigabit connectivity, small towns will suffer economic hardships in the coming years, according to elected officials speaking at a rally on high-speed broadband expansion on Tuesday, Nov. 18, in Chattanooga, Tenn.
State representatives, mayors and private-sector leaders all gathered in “Gig City” to support recent petitions to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that would vacate state restrictions on community broadband operations in Tennessee and North Carolina. The pundits stressed that rural areas with limited or no access to broadband will be unable to develop, attract and retain bright young minds and new businesses unless cities are free to operate publicly owned networks. Tennessee Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma, called the Internet “the essential utility of the 21st century,” adding that Tennessee’s restriction on expanding Chattanooga’s gigabit network needs to be lifted.
Andrew Kreig: Alabama Journalist Roger Shuler Beaten and Arrested! Shuler after arrest by Shelby County, Alabama My guest today is Justice Integrity Project's Andrew Kreig.
Welcome back to OpEdNews, Andrew. JB: I just saw a headline that Alabama-based investigative journalist Legal Schnauzer, Roger Shuler was arrested. What can you tell us about this upsetting turn of events? AK: Joan, thanks so much for having me back. Roger Shuler, the prominent progressive blogger whose columns frequently appear in OEN, was arrested and beaten by Shelby County sheriff's deputies at his Alabama garage upon returning home about 6 p.m. Later, authorities were holding Shuler indefinitely on two contempt of court charges issued by a judge in what seems like a "kangaroo court. " But there are much larger free press issues at stake than simply his freedom, or that of his wife, Carol. JB: Good intro, Andrew. Shuler's failure to agree immediately to clearly unwarranted and illegal demands by the judge has brought reprisals against him and his wife.