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Despite Being Repeatedly Ignored, State Dept Gave Egypt Passing Grade on Human Rights for Military Aid

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Although the State Department was ignored by the government of Egypt after inquiring about the use of American-made riot gear, US diplomats said the security assistance was in compliance with human rights law. They did the same after Egyptian officials failed to reply to questions about the destination of US-provided night vision goggles—although State knew it was going to the Ministry of Interior; an organization notorious for its repressive elements. And when Egyptian officials failed to disclose to US officials, in a pre-sale check, what military…

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Feinstein Questions if Deletion of Senate Torture Report Was More Than an “Accident”

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An oversight body charged with keeping tabs on the Central Intelligence Agency reportedly deleted the only draft it had of the Senate’s sweeping review of the Bush administration’s post-9/11 torture program. The watchdog claims it was a “mistake,” according to Yahoo News, and that it is seeking a new copy. The episode, however, confirms suspicions of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the lead author of the torture report. She has said key federal agencies haven’t digested its grim findings,…

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Eight-Justice-SCOTUS Sends Obamacare Contraception Case Back Down

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The Supreme Court declined to make a ruling on a major challenge to Affordable Care Act (ACA) rules on birth control. Justices on Monday ordered the parties in Zubik v. Burwell to try to hash out their differences in the appeals court circuit. The short-handed SCOTUS had agreed to start proceedings in the case before the Feb. 13 death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia. The plaintiffs, non-profits backed by the Christian fundamentalist right, had argued it should be illegal to make them even apply for…

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Lawmakers Worry About “Hair Revolution,” Thought of Trump Executive Overreach

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A congressional panel dedicated to studying abuses of power by the Obama administration was inconveniently forced to look ahead at what November’s election might mean for the constitutional balance of powers. The GOP-created Task Force on Executive Overreach featured witness testimony on Thursday who alleged that President Obama’s Iran nuclear deal and the Paris Climate agreement were illegal treaties—claims that have been refuted by a number of legal scholars. The proceedings were derailed early on, however, by Donald Trump. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee was on Capitol…

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Obama Signs into Law New Corporate Whistleblower Protections Alongside Boost for Trade Secrets Lawsuits

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President Obama signed a bill into law on Wednesday that grants corporate whistleblowers new legal tools to fight back against bosses who retaliate. The legislation explicitly states that federal and state trade secret law must exempt disclosures made by employees to government officials “reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law.” The bill, called the Defend Trade Secrets Act, simultaneously makes it easier to sue in federal court for alleged unauthorized disclosures of confidential information. Previously, those alleging an illegal breach of trade secrets could…

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Finalized OSHA Rule to Reveal Companies With Most On-the-job Injuries

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) finalized a rule that will allow the public to know who the United States’ most hazardous employers are. The regulation, which would take effect in next year, would force firms that already report on-the-job injuries to electronically submit those filings. The agency would then publish information from those submissions on its website. “Currently, employers cannot compare their injury experience with other businesses in their industry; they can only compare their experience with their industry as a whole,” OSHA…

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Judge Agrees With FTC on Staples-Office Depot, Halts Another Merger

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A federal judge in Washington stopped a proposed merger between Staples and Office Depot, agreeing with Obama administration officials who argued it would have violated antitrust law. US District Judge Emmet Sullivan ruled Tuesday that the $6.3 billion deal would have illegally quashed competition in the market for office supplies. The two companies said they would not appeal the decision and are jettisoning plans to merge. The Federal Trade Commission, which late last year sued to stop the deal, hailed Sullivan’s decision. “Today’s court ruling…

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West Virginia Propels Sanders to Another Victory

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With a nearly insurmountable lead in the delegate race, and the nomination within her grasps, Hillary Clinton still can’t put away her Democratic rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). The democratic socialist defeated the former Secretary of State on Tuesday, 51-36 percent in West Virginia. He picked up a slim majority of the state’s 29 pledged delegates. Clinton, however, still maintains a 286 delegate edge in the race—a lead that Sanders was unbothered by when addressing supporters late Tuesday night. “Let me be as clear as…

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Spy Hawks Defend FISA From Backdoor Search Warrant Requirement

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The thrust of possible future surveillance reform was outlined during a Senate hearing focused on the expiration of a law permitting the NSA’s most controversial activities. Although Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Amendments Act is still valid until the end of 2017, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday got off to an early start weighing its renewal. It was the body’s first public hearing on reauthorizing the statute since 2013, when former NSA contractor Edward Snowden exposed how US spies use…

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Senators Press Obama Admin on “Free Pass” For African Counterterror Allies

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The ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee raised concerns Tuesday about the US enabling ongoing human rights abuses in Africa. Noting recent acts of repression committed by US allies, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) asked State Department officials about American influence on the continent. He enumerated events that have taken place since the start of last year, and asked if American partners were getting a “free pass.” “In Ethiopia, they just had a parliamentary election, not a single opposition leader was elected. We have…

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Policymakers at Fed Clash on Interest Rate Hikes

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A pair of top ranking Federal Reserve officials recently made divergent assessments on the ideal trajectory of interest rates. New York Fed President William Dudley told The New York Times that the central bank should soon raise interest rates for the second time in a year. Chicago Fed President Charles Evans, meanwhile, said that it could be better to encourage higher-than-normal inflation rather than hike interest rates. The Fed body that sets monetary policy, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), is scheduled to meet next…

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