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Sam Sacks - page 29

Sam Sacks has 859 articles published.

Lawmakers to Obama: Don’t Give Syrian Rebels Plane-Targeting Rockets

A bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter to President Obama on Thursday, urging him to shoot down a report which claims that the CIA has planned to arm Syrian rebels with anti-aircraft weaponry. Led by Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Ted Yoho (R-Fla.), the lawmakers sent the missive in response to an April story in the Wall Street Journal. That article stated the CIA is considering providing vetted rebels with shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles known as MANPADS, if the fragile Syrian ceasefire breaks down further. The… Keep Reading

C.F.P.B. Proposes Class Action Boost for Bank Victims

A long-anticipated regulation proposed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) aims to restore the ability of customers to sue misbehaving banks and credit card companies. The rule would prohibit so-called “forced arbitration” clauses, which firms have used to deny customers an opportunity to file class action lawsuits. Forced into one-on-one proceedings, cheated Americans are often over-matched by their corporate abuser’s legal resources, and unlikely to recoup any damages. “Signing up for a credit card or opening a bank account can often mean signing away your right to take the company to court if… Keep Reading

Ryan Fires Another Shot Across the Bow on Gitmo Closure

The Speaker of the House gave a heads up to the administration on Tuesday, warning President Obama to lawyer up if he is thinking about closing the military prison at Guantanamo Bay without Congress’ permission. Speaker Ryan seized on comments made by the President in a radio interview on WMUR this week. Obama said he would prefer to work with Congress on a plan he submitted earlier this year to close the Gitmo facility, but noted he’s “going to look at everything.” “President Obama admitted… Keep Reading

Sanders Wins Indiana, #NeverTrump Crowd Suffers Death Blow

Indiana voters didn’t get the memo from the Democratic and Republican establishments on Tuesday, handing victories to the two candidates that make party leadership especially uneasy. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) beat former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by five points with nearly all the votes counted. The senator was buoyed by the state’s open primary rules, which allow independents to participate in the nomination process—a group that Sanders won with 73 percent of on Tuesday. Despite the victory, Sanders and Clinton are walking away from the… Keep Reading

White House Follows C.I.A. Lead, Discredits 28 Pages Alleging Saudi Involvement in 9/11

Administration spokesman Josh Earnest is changing his tune regarding the release of a classified portion of the congressional 9/11 report, just days after the Director of the CIA claimed the section should not be disclosed to the public. The 28 pages in question could implicate elements of Saudi Arabian society in assisting the hijackers, according to the reports’ authors. “Those 28 pages are essentially unvetted law enforcement and investigative materials,” Earnest told the press on Tuesday, reiterating statements made over the weekend by CIA Director… Keep Reading

Sanders, DWS Clash Over Dem Party Inclusivity

The Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) chairwoman and the party’s left-wing presidential contender are sparring in the media over how welcoming the party should be toward independent voters. Heading into the Indiana primary on Tuesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is making the case that all party elections should be held as open contests. Primaries in the Hoosier state and nineteen others allow voters who identify as independents to participate in the Democrats’ nominating process. Sanders once again finds himself pitted against DNC Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-Fla.), who on Monday called… Keep Reading

If Gitmo Closed, Terrorists Will Ruin America’s #1 Vacation Spot, S.C. Governor Claims

The golf courses and beaches of South Carolina are no place for a Guantanamo Bay “terrorists,” Gov. Nikki Haley (R-S.C.) told a congressional committee on Thursday, pleading with them to reject President Obama’s plan to relocate the military prison’s remaining detainee population to stateside facilities. “Why would anyone want to put terrorists in Charleston?” Haley asked a House Homeland Security subcommittee, referring to Pentagon plans to bring Gitmo prisoners to a military prison near the city. “Charleston, the city we call the Holy City. The city… Keep Reading

It’s Unanimous: House Approves Email Privacy Act

Lawmakers made quick work of approving long-stalled legislation that enhances privacy protections for emails and digital documents stored in the cloud. Stagnant for years, the Email Privacy Act passed the House without opposition on Wednesday, less than two weeks after the body’s Judiciary Committee also approved the measure in a unanimous vote. The legislation would require the government to obtain a warrant before accessing an individual’s stored digital effects, updating a thirty-year old Reagan-era computer surveillance law. The 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) contained a… Keep Reading

G.O.P. Looks to Protect Union-Busting Firms From Transparency Rule

Republicans criticized a Department of Labor regulation that will force employers to disclose ties to outside union-busting advisers. Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), the Chairman of a House labor subcommittee, convened a hearing Tuesday, calling for the elimination of the so-called “Persuader Rule.” The measure took effect this week, seeking to shed light on the opaque anti-union consulting industry. “I think this needs to be stopped now and it should be bipartisan,” Rep. Roe said during the proceedings, claiming that the new regulation stifles employer free speech and… Keep Reading

After Clinton Wins in Northeast, Sanders Eyes Party Platform

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won four out of five primary contests on Tuesday night, effectively closing the narrow pathway that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) still had open in his bid to win the Democratic nomination. With nearly all the votes counted, Clinton picked up resounding victories in the delegate-heavy states of Maryland and Pennsylvania, winning by 30 points and 12 points respectively. She also won Delaware by 20 points, and picked up a smaller win in Connecticut by 5 points, netting roughly 60… Keep Reading

Flint Relief Not Dead Yet, “New Path Forward” Opens

A critical aid package for Flint, Mich. and other communities affected by water contamination will be considered by the senate as part of a broader water policy bill, according to news trickling out of Capitol Hill on Tuesday. The $220 million measure would authorize $100 million to cities declared emergency areas due to drinking water problems. Rejected last week in the energy policy bill passed by the senate, it was attached to the Water Resources Development Act—an infrastructure funding bill sponsored by Environment and Public Works Committee leaders, Sens.… Keep Reading

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