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Sam Knight - page 16

Sam Knight has 859 articles published.

More US Troops, Airstrikes Could Soon Be Headed to Afghanistan

The Trump administration looks poised to send up to 5,000 additional troops to Afghanistan while loosening the rules of engagement for US forces there. The deployment and ratcheting up of hostilities would be aimed at strengthening the Afghan government’s hand in peace negotiations with the Taliban, according to The Washington Post and The New York Times. The Post, which first reported the development late Monday, said that President Trump has yet to approve of the plan. He is expected make a decision before a May… Keep Reading

Kushner Sister Invokes Jared, In Appeal to Chinese Investors

The sister of White House aide Jared Kushner leveraged her brother’s name in a sales pitch to Chinese investors, on behalf of the family’s real estate venture. Nicole Meyer cited the high-level Presidential staffer and his recent involvement with Kushner Companies in Beijing, on Saturday, while attempting to raise capital to build luxury apartments in Jersey City, N.J.. Meyer mentioned her brother and touted the investment opportunity as important to “me and my entirely family,” according to both The New York Times and The Washington… Keep Reading

Pelosi Refuses to Back Single Payer, Despite GOP Deathmongering Suddenly Taking Center Stage

Democrats are endeavoring to point out that tens of thousands of Americans face a death sentence if House Republicans’ current healthcare plan is signed into law. “With the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, it is estimated that 43,956 people will die,” Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) said Thursday morning, on the House floor. “Long live the Republican Party.” But while Dems have shown an interest in saving lives, their leader is wasting an opportunity to advocate for the 27 million Americans left completely uninsured by Obamacare.… Keep Reading

Scumbag Scott? EPA Head Pruitt Allegedly Violated His Own Ethics Agreement Already

President Trump’s top environmental regulator has been accused by Senate Democrats of violating his own ethics agreement. Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt allegedly failed to seek proper authorization before partaking in a lawsuit over Ozone standards set by the Obama administration. Pruitt had an interest in the case as a plaintiff, while Oklahoma Attorney General. “Under your tenure as Administrator, the EPA has already asked the courts five times to delay consideration of a lawsuit,” five Democratic Senators said, in a letter sent on… Keep Reading

GOP Marks International Labor Day By Pushing Death of Mandatory Overtime

Republicans in Congress spent International Workers’ Day advancing legislation that could end mandatory overtime pay in the United States. The House Rules Committee on Monday set the parameters for considering the bill, in motions passed on party-line votes. Full deliberation on the proposal should begin on Tuesday, according to Republican leaders. The proposal would allow employers to offer 1.5 hours of paid time off, for every hour worked over the 40-hour overtime threshold. Current rules, under the Fair Labor Standards Act, force managers to pay… Keep Reading

Pentagon Watchdog Accused of “Doctoring” Whistleblower Retaliation Investigation Findings

A United States Senator has said that “a culture of corruption is thriving” at the office of the Pentagon’s internal watchdog. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) blasted the Defense Department Office of Inspector General on Thursday, relaying allegations of higher-ups “doctoring” the findings of whistleblower retaliation investigations. Grassley brought up the accusations on the Senate floor by discussing the case of Rear Adm. Brian Losey. The Pentagon inspector general had found Losey guilty of retaliating against numerous perceived whistleblowers. Revelations about these cases, brought to light… Keep Reading

Incoming CIA General Counsel Gives Trump Wiggle Room on “Taking Out Their Families”

President Trump’s pick to be the CIA’s top lawyer would not categorically state that the deliberate attacking of “terrorists’ families” is illegal. Agency General Counsel-nominee Courtney Elwood said that the practice “would implicate a variety of laws.” She also noted that it would target “persons who are not otherwise lawful targets under existing law.” But Elwood did not overtly state that the practice violates federal and international law, when asked by Democratic Senators. “If confirmed, I will work to ensure that all activities of the… Keep Reading

Investigation of Facility Forces US Marshals to Oversee Its For-Profit Prisons

An internal audit of a single private prison caused the US Marshals Service to admit that it wasn’t properly overseeing its for-profit detention facilities. The law enforcement agency said that it would establish onsite monitoring at each one of the fifteen contracted prisons under its purview, when pressed last year by the Justice Department Office of Inspector General. The inspector general’s final report, which was released on Tuesday, had been launched to probe a facility in Leavenworth, Kansas, run by CoreCivic, Inc. Internal auditors had… Keep Reading

Pentagon Ties Russia to Taliban Attack, Publicly Accuses Moscow of Arming Afghan Militants

The US military has increased its confidence in reports accusing Russia of arming the Taliban. Defense Secretary James Mattis and Gen. John Nicholson, the Commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, spoke about the claims on Monday, at a press conference in Kabul. When asked directly by a reporter about alleged Russian weapon shipments to the Taliban, Gen. Nicholson said: “Oh no, I’m not refuting that.” “The level of granularity and the level of success they’re achieving, I think the jury is still out on that,”… Keep Reading

While Verifying Iran Deal Compliance, Tillerson Outlines How Trump Could Scrap the Agreement

The Trump administration could still annul the Iran nuclear deal despite certifying Tehran’s compliance with the agreement, observers warned. The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) said Wednesday that President Trump could effectively rip up the accord, by violating its terms on sanctions. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson confirmed late Tuesday that Iran is currently abiding by the terms of the multilateral deal–one that involves all five permanent members of the UN Security Council. “With this certification, President Trump must now uphold the United States’ obligations and… Keep Reading

IRS Privatized Debt Collection Scheme Could Lead to Rip-Offs, Both Legal and Illegal

The IRS, earlier this month, announced the start of a program allowing private contractors to collect tax debt. On Monday, another federal agency warned that the move is giving an opening to con artists. The Federal Trade Commission published a blog post outlining rules governing the privatized tax collection scheme. Commission officials said Americans should be aware of the guidelines, cautioning them against falling prey to scams. “Anyone who says they’re collecting for the IRS and asks you to make a payment over the phone… Keep Reading

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