Links, July 15, 2011

/45 Comments/in /by

In an effort to keep track of breaking stories without necessarily doing a post on all of them, I’m going to start doing a post of links every day. I’ll explain more on what I’m trying to achieve with this next week. And I expect most days the post will be longer than this. But in case you were looking for reading material over the weekend…

Thomas Drake: Drake was sentenced to a year of probation today for exceeding the authorized use of a computer. I guess the only revenge Michael Hayden gets on Drake for whistleblowing about SAIC’s waste is the knowledge that he’s ruined Drake’s career. That, and that this case further institutionalizes the government’s efforts to treat leaks as espionage.

Debt Limit Distractions: The geniuses in DC are still squabbling over how much worse to make the recession by cutting government spending while money is practically free. Obama’s solution for jobs continues to be sending them overseas. Meanwhile, at a house party near, you, real people will be talking about jobs. And remember how David Plouffe claimed that Americans were feeling better about their own economic situations? They’re not.

More Bank Bailouts and Austerity in Europe: Meanwhile, country after country in Europe faces big lending costs because the banksters haven’t taken their share of losses from the crash, with Ireland leading the way. And Italy pushed through its own austerity measures today, continuing the push among most developed nations to alter the social contract to help the banks.

Murdoch Scandal: Several big developments today: Both Rebekah Brooks and Les Hinton resigned today. Of note, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, the Saudi who owns a big chunk of News Corp, had called for Brooks’ resignation. Meanwhile, in the US, DOJ has announced it is investigating News Corp, though the investigation may be limited to whether or not the company hacked into the phones of 9/11 victims. And News Corp has hired Brendan Sullivan Jr (lawyer to both Ted Stevens and Ollie North, from Williams & Connolly.

Libya: The US and a slew of other nations have recognized Libyan rebels as the legitimate government of Libya. While the WaPo explains the US’ earlier hesitation stemmed from concerns about governance, Harold Koh had also said–in response to a question from Senator Webb–that the US was sustaining its recognition of Qaddafi because it made it easier to hold him responsible for his actions. I guess now we can assassinate him without violating our bans on such things? It will also give the US and other nations the ability to unfreeze assets.

The War on Terrorism our Constitution: Yesterday, DOJ indicted someone for linking to bomb-making instructions. Marty Lederman assesses the indictment in light of historical precedent and suggests there may be problems with both charges. Today, the DC Circuit Court ruled that TSA could continue to use naked scanners.

Corporate Torture: There have been two circuit decisions in the last week finding that corporations can held liable for torture. bmaz or I will have more comment on these in the near future. But the short version is–this question is definitely headed for SCOTUS.

45 replies
  1. Mary says:

    I just read that about half of Newt Gingrich’s campaign debt is because he’s going everywhere in private jets – I really think that all the Presidential candidates should have the pleasure of going through scanners and pat downs as they travel. It somehow seems unfair that they get to travel everywhere without that little pleasure that they’ve all supported for everyone else in the country.

  4. bmaz says:

    For Mary:

    Here is a link to a post at Cap’n Jack’s Lawfare Blog on today’s 7th Cir decision upholding the ATS etc as a viable claim and remedy for extraterritorial torture acts and participation by American businesses. Note a couple of things; first, the decision was unanimous and written by Conservative hero Richard Posner. Secondly, the blog post over at Lawfare was written by none other than your good friend John Bellinger, who added this little disclaimer nugget: “Disclosure again: I filed an amicus brief arguing against corporate liability.” Well, yeah, of course you did John.

  5. rosalind says:

    mary & dday: ah, but notice rummy got special treatment during his patdown – pics show he did NOT have to hold his arms out the whole time, but got to rest them comfortably at his sides.

    i, and others, get yelled at if our arms get tired and dip down. reallly adds to the process to have the TSA agent screaming in your face “arms up!”.

  7. emptywheel says:

    DDay

    I wasn’t sure whether to h/t you, or Yves, or any number of people. But yeah, stole it. Only you ALSO do all those posts!

    Incidentally, I have been avoiding all comment about Rummy’s pat-down bc I don’t want to voice publicly my speculation that he was wearing an adult diaper.

    Oops. I just did it.

    • bmaz says:

      Attention K-Mart shoppers, in the Blue Light special of the day, Ms.Wheeler has announced that Rummy wears adult diapers!

      Word on the street I hear is RummyGummy buys them used from David Vitter….

  11. behindthefall says:

    If this comment posts, it means that comments are accepted through Opera 11 — which is good: that last flurry of changes at FDL knocked Opera off the “usable browsers” list. (You’d enter a comment, and the site would say, “Please enter a comment.”)

  13. P J Evans says:

    rosalind, that’s the 405 that’s going to be closed two weekends in two years because the neighbors couldn’t stand the idea of a straight (and less expensive) bridge approach instead of the curved one they’ve had for the last mumble years. Which means all the utilities that are carried by said bridge have to be moved twice in two years. Expensive case of NIMBY.

  14. prostratedragon says:

    Fractal, the shock of the Bancroft family at the news of Murdoch’s and News Corp’s moral excresence is a heartwarming and reassuring sight to behold: .

  17. phred says:

    I’ve been venting my usual spleen about the TSA over at Kevin’s post at FDL, but here’s another link from yesterday to add to your collection.

    http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/07/tsa-blasted-congress-gao-security-breaches

    Apparently, GAO continues to be displeased with the lack of risk assessment by TSA.

    Sigh. Have I mentioned (recently) just how ticked off I get with being told I have to get naked because Americans (including judges apparently) suck at math? Grrrr…

  19. prostratedragon says:

    Put it this way: those that a specific person can control whenever they need to.

    They may still be fools, but they’re no longer “your” fools.

  20. bmull says:

    Hey Marcy and bmaz. I like the new site. But please consider changing your domain name registrar from GoDaddy to something else.

    GoDaddy CEO Bob Parsons is a really bad guy. Besides being infamous for his tastless big game snuff films, he’s a misogynist, narcissist, and right-wing nutjob. No reason for a progressive to be giving him money, yet many do unfortunately.

    To see who a site’s registrar is go to internic.net/whois.html –Thanks!

  22. nomolos says:

    WSJ’s previous owners said that they would not have if sold if they had only known that Roopurt was a bad guy…sure and the money had nothing to do with it.

  23. joanneleon says:

    Oh that’s too funny, WSJ’s previous owners didn’t know Rupert was a bad guy. Prior to the sale, there were tons of news stories about the concerns that it would be ruined by Murdoch, for a long period of time, IIRC.

  24. harpie says:

    I really like the idea of this daily links post!
    Here’s another tidbit I’m not sure has been mentioned yet:

    Obama Eliminates Warren as Consumer Head; Bloomberg News; 7/15/11
    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-15/obama-eliminates-warren-as-consumer-head.html

    President Barack Obama has chosen a candidate other than Elizabeth Warren as director of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, according to a person briefed on the matter. […]

    I feel like a hive full of angry hornets.

  26. harpie says:

    Blockquotes didn’t work in the previous comment. You could probably tell which part was Bloomberg and which was me, though.

  27. harpie says:

    Murray on teetering:
    The Power of Pinot Grigio; Craig Murray; 7/15/11
    http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2011/07/the-power-of-pinot-grigio/

    [blockquote]After five years of heated blogging, I take a couple of days off to watch golf and down many a litre of pinot grigio[…]The result? Rebekah Brooks falls, Murdoch teeters and the horrid nest of corrupt cop liars are in trouble.

    Who said alcohol isn’t good for you? It has wonderful results.[end quote]

  31. Gitcheegumee says:

    Gordon Duff over at Veterans Today has a thought provoking piece on l’affaire Murdoch. Anybody seen it yet?

    A Murdoch Note | Veterans Todaywww.veteranstoday.com/2011/07/13/a-murdoch-note/ – CachedJul 13, 2011 – A Murdoch Note. A Word Or Two on What Isn’t Being Said … Who is Rupert Murdoch ? What he is not is an Australian “right wing” billionaire. …

  32. Fractal says:

    Fabulous piece by Don Van Natta showing the wide scope of conspiracy (my word) or “collusion” (word used by one of Van Natta’s sources) between Scotland Yard and Murdoch to infiltrate both the Yard and News of the World with reciprocal agents to obstruct any investigation of crimes by Murdochians and manage the publicity (and engage in perjury) to deflect Parliamentary and judicial inquiries:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/17/world/europe/17police.html?hp=&pagewanted=print

  34. EoH says:

    Thanks for your continuing coverage of the Murdoch affair. I think it’s likely to affect Murdoch’s media empire far beyond the UK media market. It’s safe to say, therefore, that US corporate media will either not cover it or cover it with a too narrow focus.

    That Murdoch possibly withdrew from his BSkyB bid because of concerns from an Arab sheik rather than owing to pressure from UK regulators, the UK government, or US shareholders is important. Equally so is that it was not an outcome apparently demanded by his supine board members.

    Murdoch’s methodology is a microcosm for the process by which representative government is corrupted. It bears watching, too, because this is not the end, nor is it the beginning of the end for the Murdoch empire. I would regard this episode as a strategic withdrawal. More to come.

  35. Fractal says:

    @EoH: hope this does not sound like nit-picking, but what the Murdochians pulled off in the UK was hardly a “microcosm” for corrupting a government. I think Murdoch’s conspiracy was Exhibit “A” for how to execute a corporate takeover of a sovereign government. But the criminal conspiracy was discovered before it gained complete ownership of the main cable broadcaster. I.e., before it attained the level of power achieved by Berlusconi in Italy.

    I think Murdoch will not be allowed to return after this so-called “withdrawal,” and I think he will be forced to divest the 39% of British Sky Broadcasting that he owns. He will have no surviving patrons either in the police or in Parliament. Much of the top command of Scotland Yard will be sent to prison, many of the lawyers for Scotland Yard and Murdoch’s corporate shells will be disbarred, Cameron will be forced out, the Tory coalition with the Lib Dems may collapse, and Labour may form a new govt in coalition with the Lib Dems. Lib Dems have always hated Murdoch’s guts and have never been infiltrated. If Lib Dems switch sides, they will campaign to extirpate Murdoch from all media ownership.

  36. Gitcheegumee says:

    RE: EoH @ 2:45pm

    One can only ponder how this Murdoch methodology,with the apparent complicity of Scotland Yard, has shaded and cloaked the reportage on all things Al Yamamah ,BAE, and Saudis.(I read where the hacking goes back to Margaret Thatcher’s helm.) You sure as hell don’t hear much about it-and never did- on this side of the pond,especially from Faux Snews.

  37. EoH says:

    A big aspect of the Murdoch story will be the number of bent cops, in effect, on Murdoch’s payroll, an inquiry that Parliament and the government have been loathe to pursue. Operations the size of News International needed more than Andy Hayman to dig and dish dirt. If the investigation is pursued vigorously, we will likely discover that the linen on the line has more than a few permanent stains.

  38. EoH says:

    Fractal @ 2.59 pm, I suspect that your prediction about the demise of the Murdoch imperial presence in the UK is greatly exaggerated.

  40. Fractal says:

    EoH @3:10

    appreciate you skepticism. Consider this additional news: a member of the House of Lords, who formerly was chairman of the Guardian’s holding company, has publicly urged stockholders in British Sky Broadcasting to vote James Murdoch out as a director of BSkyB:

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/16/myners-james-murdoch-oust-bskyb/print

    Scotland Yard’s top brass directly intimidated and lied to Guardian’s editor in at least two face-to-face meetings, claiming that Guardian was wrong to imply Scotland Yard was in a conspiracy with News of the World:

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/15/phone-hacking-met-police-guardian/print

    At least five (5) current or former executives from News International, including Les Hinton, Andy Coulson and at least one attorney, testified to Parliament that “there was no evidence of widespread phone hacking at the paper [NoW]:

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/16/elisabeth-james-murdoch-family-crisis/print

    OTHO, Jack Shafer in Slate agrees with you, thinking now that Murdoch will survive, although in September 2010 Shafer thought the phone-hacking scandal would turn out to be Murdoch’s Watergate:

    http://www.slate.com/id/2299307/pagenum/all/#p2

    http://www.slate.com/id/2267468/

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