News Headline

Abramoff Gets 4 Years in Prison

OurFuture.org Staff — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:34:22 -0400

Jack Abramoff, the once powerful lobbyist at the heart of a far-reaching political corruption scandal, was sentenced to four years in prison by a judge who said the case had shattered the public's confidence in government. Abramoff, who fought back tears as he declared himself a broken man, appeared crestfallen as the judge handed down a sentence lengthier than prosecutors had sought. Over the past three years, Abramoff has come to symbolize corruption and the secret deals cut between lobbyists and politicians in back rooms or on golf courses or private jets. The scandal shook Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House to Capitol Hill and contributed to the Republicans' loss of Congress in 2006.

Right 'Stretched The Truth' At The Republican Convention

OurFuture.org Staff — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:54:43 -0400

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her Republican supporters issued dismissive attacks on presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama and flattered praise on her credentials to be vice president. Here are some of the cases in which the reproaches and the praise were not based on the truth.

Charges Sought in Mine Deaths

OurFuture.org Staff — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:11:00 -0400

Federal mining officials asked prosecutors to decide whether criminal charges are warranted in the deaths of nine people in last year's collapse of the Crandall Canyon mine in Utah. The Mine Safety and Health Administration has been investigating two cave-ins in August 2007 at Crandall Canyon that killed six miners and three rescuers. MSHA already has fined Genwal Resources Inc., a subsidiary of Ohio-based Murray Energy Corp., $1.34 million for alleged violations that directly contributed to the deaths of six miners. Agapito Associates Inc., a Grand Junction, Colo., mining engineering consultant, was fined $220,000 for an allegedly faulty analysis of the mine's design. They were the largest fines ever imposed on a U.S. coal mining operation.

Clone Offspring May Be in Food Supply

OurFuture.org Staff — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:17:18 -0400

Food and milk from the offspring of cloned animals may have entered the U.S. food supply, the U.S. government said, but it would be impossible to know because there is no difference between cloned and conventional products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in January meat and milk from cloned cattle, swine and goats and their offspring were as safe as products from traditional animals. Before then, farmers and ranchers had followed a voluntary moratorium on the sale of clones and their offspring. Critics contend not enough is known about the technology to ensure it is safe, and they also say the FDA needs to address concerns over animal cruelty and ethical issues.

Court Bars Mad Cow Tests

OurFuture.org Staff — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 23:32:11 -0400

The Agriculture Department is within bounds to bar meatpackers from testing slaughter cattle for mad cow disease, a U.S. Court of Appeals panel said in a 2-1 ruling. Creekstone Farms Premium Beef LLC filed suit in March 2006, to gain access to mad-cow test kits. It said it wanted to test every animal at its plant to assure foreign buyers that the meat was safe to eat. In a 25-page ruling, Appellate Judges Karen Henderson and Judith Rogers said USDA has authority under the 1913 Virus-Serum-Toxin Act to prevent sale of mad-cow test kits to meatpackers. USDA interprets the law to control products for "prevention, diagnosis, management or care of diseases of animals."

Poor Haven't Returned to New Orleans

OurFuture.org Staff — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 23:27:30 -0400

Those who have moved back to New Orleans in the three years since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city are likely to have higher incomes and more education than people who haven't come back, demographic data shows. New Orleans remains predominantly black, as it was before Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, U.S. Census Bureau figures show. But people who have some college education, are above the poverty line, own homes and have no children are more likely to have returned to the city than others, says William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution in Washington.

New Allegation Against Gonzales

OurFuture.org Staff — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 23:24:46 -0400

Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales mishandled highly classified notes about a secret counterterror program, but not on purpose, according to a memo by his legal team. The memo acknowledges that Gonzales improperly stored notes about the program and might have taken them home at one point. Removing secret documents from specially secured rooms violates government policy. Gonzales' lawyers wrote in their memo that there is no evidence the security breach resulted in secret information being viewed or otherwise exposed to anyone who was not authorized.

Justice Department Backs Corporate Privileges

OurFuture.org Staff — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:16:17 -0400

In a sharp turnaround from the aggressive corporate-charging guidelines of the Enron era, the Justice Department announced new policies for federal prosecutors who are investigating companies. Among other practices, the new guidelines bar prosecutors — in deciding whether to file charges against corporations — from asking companies to waive their attorney-client privileges or to turn over legally protected materials. During the Enron era in the early 2000s, the Justice Department won praise from President Bush, shareholders— groups and others for cracking down on corporate crime. Hundreds of executives and dozens of companies were charged with securities fraud and other crimes. To avoid prosecution, companies often were compelled to turn over private attorney-client communications and other confidential documents, according to defense attorneys.

Leniency Sought for Abramoff

OurFuture.org Staff — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:10:16 -0400

The U.S. Justice Department recommended a dramatic reduction in jail time for the imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Prosecutors asked federal judges in Washington and Florida to shave years of prison time off the sentence of a man once considered the most powerful lobbyist in the U.S. capital. They cited his work in an FBI investigation that sent numerous powerful people to prison and contributed to the Republican Party's loss of the majority in Congress. In 2006, Abramoff began serving almost six years in prison for a fraudulent Florida casino deal. He also faces about 11 years in prison when he is sentenced for corrupting Capitol Hill lawmakers with expensive meals, golf trips, luxury sports tickets and other gifts.

Spending on Contractors Increases

OurFuture.org Staff — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:12:54 -0400

The United States is spending more money than ever on private security contractors in Iraq as thousands of troops return home amid steady declines in insurgent attacks, federal records show. This year, spending on contractors, who protect diplomats, civilian facilities and supply convoys, is projected to exceed $1.2 billion. Most of that bill — about $1 billion — is State Department spending, which is up 13 percent over 2007. The remaining $200 million covers Pentagon contracts. Congress is raising concerns about the costs of relying on contractors for that work and the challenges of ensuring that they are supervised properly.