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Sam Sacks - page 2

Sam Sacks has 859 articles published.

U.S. Prepares to Strike First, Study Intel Later in Syria

President Trump is threatening imminent retaliation against the Syrian government over alleged chemical weapons attacks, but on Wednesday his Defense chief said that the incident is still being reviewed. Journalists at the Pentagon asked Secretary James Mattis if he was confident that the Assad government was responsible for the strike, which happened over the weekend. The attack took place in the Damascus suburb of Douma, reportedly killing 49 civilians. Mattis demurred, saying, “We’re still assessing the intelligence, ourselves and our allies. We’re still working on… Keep Reading

FBI Officials Attempted to Exploit San Bernardino Shooting to Obtain Favorable Court Ruling Against Apple

A Department of Justice Inspector General report suggests that top agents in the FBI may have suppressed information about Bureau capabilities in order to get a court order that could have drastically undermined consumer data security. The watchdog’s findings show that after the December 2015 San Bernardino shootings, Bureau agents were zeroing in on a method to break into one of the shooter’s iPhones, while at the same time FBI leaders were telling Congress and the courts that no such capability existed. Ultimately, the IG… Keep Reading

After “Rexit,” Iran Nuke Deal in Peril

President Donald Trump told reporters that he fired Rex Tillerson because he wanted to kill the Iran nuclear deal and his Secretary of State did not. America’s top diplomat was forced out on Tuesday morning after a tumultuous year on the job, and months of rumors that the former oilman’s ouster was imminent. “We disagreed on things,” Trump said of Tillerson, hours after news broke of the termination. “When you look at the Iran deal, I think its’ terrible, the President added. “I guess [Tillerson]… Keep Reading

Deconstruction of Obama Regulatory Agenda Continues: Animal Welfare Rule Repealed

The US Department of Agriculture announced Monday it would rescind a regulation aimed at improving animal conditions at certain slaughterhouses. In an announcement to be published in the Federal Register, the department claimed the rule exceeded its statutory authority. The regulation would have affected participants in the National Organic Program, requiring them to take a number of steps to improve the well-being of poultry and livestock. In order to keep their organic certification, the rule stipulated that producers must ensure chickens have free movement within… Keep Reading

Pelosi Retreats in Dreamer fight

Congress is set to consider a long-term spending measure next week, and the Democrats’ leader in the House offered up disappointing news about the process to Dreamers and gun reform advocates. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said that her caucus would not insist on a DACA fix or new gun control measures as part of the omnibus spending bill coming down the pike. The government runs out of money again on March 23, providing Democrats with leverage to demand Dreamer… Keep Reading

Trump’s Spy Chief Admits Destroying Iranian Nuke Deal Could Harm U.S. Intel

The President’s case for scrapping the Iranian nuclear agreement was undermined by his Director of National Intelligence on Tuesday. Appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, DNI Dan Coats testified that undoing the agreement could diminish US intel on Iran’s capabilities. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as it’s formally known, was implemented in 2015 during the Obama administration. The framework has long been the focus of derision from Republican lawmakers and the new administration. In submitted testimony to the Senate panel on Tuesday,… Keep Reading

Mulvaney Hints at CFPB Dimming The Spotlight on Most-Complained About Companies

A federal agency chartered to protect consumers is considering changes that could leave people in the dark about the nation’s most predatory companies. In a notice set to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is seeking public comment on “potential changes” to its publication of consumer complaint information, including data on the most complained about financial corporations. The CFPB regularly publishes reports about consumer complaints, with granulated detail at the state-level, including complaint trends over time, product reliability,… Keep Reading

Trump Roils Markets With Talks of Looming Tariffs

In a meeting with US steel producers on Thursday, President Trump said he would implement new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports–causing financial elites to worry about a pending trade war. US markets tumbled following the President’s announcement, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average ending the day off 449 points, nearly 2-percent. Trump told reporters that the tariff proposal is “being written now,” and he’ll sign it next week. The initiative will include a 25-percent tax on steel coming into the country, and 10 percent… Keep Reading

Democrats Lament a Lost Cyber “War” at Hearing with NSA Chief

Liberal lawmakers are upping their rhetoric over alleged Russian interference activities, with several senators on the Armed Services Committee describing them as “warfare.” The head of the National Security Agency (NSA) and US Cyber Command, Adm. Mike Rogers, testified before the panel on Tuesday about future funding, but mostly fielded questions related to the 2016 election and Russia’s online activities. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) was the first during the hearing to employ military language, when he described alleged Russian hacking as part of an “ongoing warfare against… Keep Reading

Ajit Pai’s Sinclair Connections Now Under FCC Internal Investigation

A watchdog within the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is probing the panel’s Chairman, Ajit Pai. David Hunt, the agency’s Inspector General, confirmed the investigation to Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), who had requested action following a series of decisions by Pai that directly benefited Sinclair Broadcast Group—the nation’s largest television broadcaster. “For months I have been trying to get to the bottom of the allegations about Chairman Pai’s relationship with Sinclair Broadcasting,” Pallone said in a statement Thursday. “I am grateful to the FCC’s Inspector General that… Keep Reading

Spy Chief Drags US National Debt Into the Realm of “Global Threats”

At an annual intelligence hearing on international threats, the head of the US spy community fear mongered about a highly politicized domestic issue: the national debt. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coates told senators on the Intelligence Committee Tuesday that increased annual deficit spending is a “dire threat” to US security. The warning came at the tail end of Coates’ remarks, after he ran the gamut of perceived global dangers from around the world–from transnational crime to North Korea’s nuclear ambitions to Russian influence operations.… Keep Reading

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