Follow & Support The BRAD BLOG!

Now celebrating 15 YEARS of Green News Report!
And 20 YEARS of The BRAD BLOG!
Please help The BRAD BLOG, BradCast and Green News Report remain independent and 100% reader and listener supported in our 21st YEAR!!!
ONE TIME ONLY
any amount you like...
$
MONTHLY SUPPORT
any amount you like...
$
OR VIA SNAIL MAIL
Make check out to...
Brad Friedman/BRAD BLOG
7095 Hollywood Blvd., #594
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Latest Featured Reports | Friday, March 29, 2024
BRAD BLOG Spring Breaking
And not a moment too soon...
Sunday 'Roll Out the Barrel' Toons
FEATURING: Rich Con, Poor Con!...Sex-Havers!...March Madness!...More! Have a barrel of fun with our latest collection of the week's best toons!...
It's Up to You, New York: 'BradCast' 3/21/24
Trump staring down barrel of both civil and criminal accountability in NY; Also: Biden forgives another $6B in student loans; U.S. seeks 'sustained ceasefire' in Gaza; Scientists baffled by spike in record global heat...
'Green News Report' 3/21/24
  w/ Brad & Desi
Biden EPA issues biggest climate regulation in U.S. history; Rio hits 144°F heat index!; Exxon CEO blames YOU for climate change; PLUS: U.N. issues climate change 'red alert'!...
Previous GNRs: 3/19/24 - 3/14/24 - Archives...
'It All Comes Down to Brett and Amy': 'BradCast' 3/20/24
Guest: Slate's Mark Joseph Stern on another stunning week of federal judiciary debacles; Also: Primary results from AZ, FL, IL, KS, OH, CA; Biden EPA's 'biggest climate move yet'...
American 'Bloodbath':
'BradCast' 3/19/24
Trump is promising political violence whether he wins or loses; Also: Navarro goes to prison; Scofflaw MI MAGA attorney arrested; SCOTUS allows TX to override federal law, Constitution; Biden's SOTU success...
'Green News Report' 3/19/24
  w/ Brad & Desi
EPA finally bans all uses of asbestos; Biden unveils billions for rebuilding communities broken by highway construction; Extreme heat in Africa; PLUS: MA coastal town follies...
Previous GNRs: 3/14/24 - 3/12/24 - Archives...
Corporations 'Taking a Bazooka' to NLRB, Hoping to Declare it 'Unconstitutional': 'BradCast' 3/18/24
Guest: Labor journo Steven Greenhouse; Also: Putin's 'election'; Trump can't find $450M...
Sunday 'Wouldn't Wanna Be Ya' Toons
FEATURING: Moses Mike...Trump II Terror...TikTok Truth...and more in our latest collection of the week's most secular toons!...
Schumer Steps Up; Trump Associates Paid Biden 'Bribe' Liar $600k: 'BradCast' 3/14/24
Also: TikTok foolishness; NY hush-money trial delay?; Navarro must go to jail; Trump owes $400k for failed 'Steele Dossier' suit in UK...
'Green News Report' 3/14/24
FL bans heat protections for workers; Methane leaks continue; GOP Project 2025 would ban Paris Agreement; PLUS: CA snowpack is back, but too late for salmon...
After Accountability for Fraud, What's Next for the Corrupt NRA and Gun Safety Reforms?: 'BradCast' 3/13/24
Guest: Brady Center's Kelly Sampson; Also: Biden, Trump clinch; GA judge nixes 6 counts...
How to Media Better and Other Smart Ideas:
'BradCast' 3/12/24
Press quietly resets weeks of misreporting on Biden; Suggestions for NYT; Stephanopoulos v. Mace; Also: Buck quits; RNC 'bloodbath'; WI's MAGA Speaker Recall...
'Green News Report' 3/12/24
Biden touts climate jobs boom at SOTU; Feb. obliterated global temp and ocean heat records; PLUS: Great Barrier Reef hit with yet another 'mass bleaching event'...
BARCODED BALLOTS AND BALLOT MARKING DEVICES
BMDs pose a new threat to democracy in all 50 states...
VIDEO: 'Rise of the Tea Bags'
Brad interviews American patriots...
'Democracy's Gold Standard'
Hand-marked, hand-counted ballots...
Brad's Upcoming Appearances
(All times listed as PACIFIC TIME unless noted)
Media Appearance Archives...
'Special Coverage' Archives
GOP Voter Registration Fraud Scandal 2012...
VA GOP VOTER REG FRAUDSTER OFF HOOK
Felony charges dropped against VA Republican caught trashing voter registrations before last year's election. Did GOP AG, Prosecutor conflicts of interest play role?...

Criminal GOP Voter Registration Fraud Probe Expanding in VA
State investigators widening criminal probe of man arrested destroying registration forms, said now looking at violations of law by Nathan Sproul's RNC-hired firm...

DOJ PROBE SOUGHT AFTER VA ARREST
Arrest of RNC/Sproul man caught destroying registration forms brings official calls for wider criminal probe from compromised VA AG Cuccinelli and U.S. AG Holder...

Arrest in VA: GOP Voter Reg Scandal Widens
'RNC official' charged on 13 counts, for allegely trashing voter registration forms in a dumpster, worked for Romney consultant, 'fired' GOP operative Nathan Sproul...

ALL TOGETHER: ROVE, SPROUL, KOCHS, RNC
His Super-PAC, his voter registration (fraud) firm & their 'Americans for Prosperity' are all based out of same top RNC legal office in Virginia...

LATimes: RNC's 'Fired' Sproul Working for Repubs in 'as Many as 30 States'
So much for the RNC's 'zero tolerance' policy, as discredited Republican registration fraud operative still hiring for dozens of GOP 'Get Out The Vote' campaigns...

'Fired' Sproul Group 'Cloned', Still Working for Republicans in At Least 10 States
The other companies of Romney's GOP operative Nathan Sproul, at center of Voter Registration Fraud Scandal, still at it; Congressional Dems seek answers...

FINALLY: FOX ON GOP REG FRAUD SCANDAL
The belated and begrudging coverage by Fox' Eric Shawn includes two different video reports featuring an interview with The BRAD BLOG's Brad Friedman...

COLORADO FOLLOWS FLORIDA WITH GOP CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
Repub Sec. of State Gessler ignores expanding GOP Voter Registration Fraud Scandal, rants about evidence-free 'Dem Voter Fraud' at Tea Party event...

CRIMINAL PROBE LAUNCHED INTO GOP VOTER REGISTRATION FRAUD SCANDAL IN FL
FL Dept. of Law Enforcement confirms 'enough evidence to warrant full-blown investigation'; Election officials told fraudulent forms 'may become evidence in court'...

Brad Breaks PA Photo ID & GOP Registration Fraud Scandal News on Hartmann TV
Another visit on Thom Hartmann's Big Picture with new news on several developing Election Integrity stories...

CAUGHT ON TAPE: COORDINATED NATIONWIDE GOP VOTER REG SCAM
The GOP Voter Registration Fraud Scandal reveals insidious nationwide registration scheme to keep Obama supporters from even registering to vote...

CRIMINAL ELECTION FRAUD COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST GOP 'FRAUD' FIRM
Scandal spreads to 11 FL counties, other states; RNC, Romney try to contain damage, split from GOP operative...

RICK SCOTT GETS ROLLED IN GOP REGISTRATION FRAUD SCANDAL
Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL) sends blistering letter to Gov. Rick Scott (R) demanding bi-partisan reg fraud probe in FL; Slams 'shocking and hypocritical' silence, lack of action...

VIDEO: Brad Breaks GOP Reg Fraud Scandal on Hartmann TV
Breaking coverage as the RNC fires their Romney-tied voter registration firm, Strategic Allied Consulting...

RNC FIRES NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION FIRM FOR FRAUD
After FL & NC GOP fire Romney-tied group, RNC does same; Dead people found reg'd as new voters; RNC paid firm over $3m over 2 months in 5 battleground states...

EXCLUSIVE: Intvw w/ FL Official Who First Discovered GOP Reg Fraud
After fraudulent registration forms from Romney-tied GOP firm found in Palm Beach, Election Supe says state's 'fraud'-obsessed top election official failed to return call...

GOP REGISTRATION FRAUD FOUND IN FL
State GOP fires Romney-tied registration firm after fraudulent forms found in Palm Beach; Firm hired 'at request of RNC' in FL, NC, VA, NV & CO...
The Secret Koch Brothers Tapes...

George W. Plans Exit Strategy...
By David Edwards on 8/13/2005 12:55pm PT  

Guest blogged by David Edwards

cartoon by Mike Thompson




Admits Poor Are Systematically Disenfranchised, But Calls It "Voter Fraud"
and she blames it on those poor disenfranchised voters!
By Winter Patriot on 8/13/2005 12:21pm PT  

Guest blogged by Winter Patriot

According to Joselyn King of the Wheeling News Register, West Virginia Secretary of State Betty Ireland has said:

we have folks who sell their vote ... oppressed by 'Boss Hoggs' who hold power over jobs ... and in some instances a decent way of life for our residents ... we already violate the Voting Rights Act here ... People in our state lose their right to vote because of their impoverishment --- not because of their race or gender...

... and much more! Ireland talks about her office prosecuting people in connection with buying votes:

In Logan County, four individuals - including the sheriff, the former chief of police and the treasurer of a candidate for state representative - pleaded guilty to vote buying and related offenses in 2002 or 2004 elections.

In addition, five people have been indicted and are awaiting trial on charges of vote buying in Lincoln County in 2004 and earlier elections.

But somehow she manages to spin the story so that the real responsibility for "voter fraud" falls to the poor folks who are afraid they'll lose their jobs if they vote for a candidate who supports their interests. Or at least that's what I seem to read here

In a perverse way, we already violate the Voting Rights Act here. But it is self-motivated. If I allow you to intimidate me, and if I voluntarily sell my vote, I have given up my right to vote and have my voice heard.

I've been quoting out of context again. I really hate it when the warmongers do that. Especially when they hide their original sources. So please read the whole piece and decide for yourself whether I'm cherry-picking here, or whether what I'm hearing is what Ireland is actually saying.

Thanks again to special agent Kat L'Estrange for bringing this article to my attention. She made a comment via e-mail which was at least as cogent as the article itself, so I post it here in full.

I'm sorry, but if elected officials are buying votes, that would be considered "election fraud" in my book! Especially if voters are intimidated and oppressed by these officials for not cooperating. Secretary of State Ireland is a Republican. Are the "impoverished" voters to blame, or the elected officials? I think she's blaming the voters, by George! She clearly doesn't understand why the Voting Rights Act came into existence!

Your comments as always are invited.

Also invited: a little help for Brad. He works his [ahem] off ... and I can tell because I cover for him while he's away and it's like you don't have time to eat or sleep or anything... not complaining but I do understand how hard it must be for him to do what he does every week ... at the end of which he has to come up with another $500 for studio time so he can do his radio show. So if you enjoy the blog and/or the show, please consider doing one or more of the following:

Visit The BRAD STORE and/or Donate via Credit Card or PayPal and/or Donate via Snail Mail.

Every bit helps and as always we thank you for your support!




Has Met With Cindy and Some Reporters; Is Blogging at Booman Tribune
And Supersoling Is On His Way!
By Winter Patriot on 8/13/2005 7:45am PT  

Guest blogged by Winter Patriot

Yes, our Tracy, the soon-to-be "midwife" of Clint Curtis' soon-to-be puppy. The lady in the orange shirt in the photo.

She's been blogging at Booman Tribune. Here's her diary: Militarytracy. Her most recent entry was a beauty: My God It Is Good To Be Alive.

Now that she's away from home, she's been reporting via her friend Brinnainne's account. That happens here. And good things are happening, too. Consider this story: BooTrib Regular with Sheehan in Time Mag.

Also at Booman Tribune, Supersoling has written to say he's flying down tomorrow.

UPDATE:
The Lone Star Iconoclast has some online coverage of today's activities here.

ANOTHER UPDATE:
Crooks And Liars has a nice bit about her here. John Amato Rocks! Anyone can post comments at his site, no registration needed, and I think it would be cool if 6 or 7 people wandered over and told John what we think of Tracy! and his blog!! But that's just my opinion.

I'll update this again when and if I find more good links. And of course, we'll try to keep up-to-date on our BRAD BLOG friends while they're in Texas.

Thanks to Tracy for making the trip, and for bringing a friend, and for making noise, and in general for representing The BRAD BLOG so well in Crawford, Texas, home of some vicious fire ants from Hades, and palatial vacation spot for some vicious neocons who are surely on their way to where the ants came from.




By Winter Patriot on 8/12/2005 11:26pm PT  

Guest blogged by Winter Patriot

A great old BRAD SHOW is almost ready to hit the airwaves. Again. It was a great lineup and a fantastic show. And if the folks at the network pull up the right files, you can hear it again via the Web! Saturday from 7p-11p ET (4p-8p PT) and Sunday 12noon-4p ET (9a-1p PT)

Here's the guest list:

  • Rep. MAXINE WATERS (D-CA) on her 7/23 'Downing Street' Day Town Forum in L.A.
  • TONY TRUPIANO on John Conyers' 7/23 'Downing Street' Day Town Forum in Detroit
  • JIM MARCINKOWSKI Former CIA Case Officer fresh from Congressional Hearings the outing of Valerie Plame and damage to our National Security
  • PAUL RIECKHOFF Iraq War vet, Founder of OpTruth.org on Bush Administration troop support (or lack thereof)
  • DAVID DIXON of Handicapped Adults of Volusia County, FL fighting back at National Federation of the Blind's suit against paper ballots in Volusia!
  • RAW STORY's LARISA ALEXANDROVNA And much more!
  • It's free speech at its best, but it's not free! Brad pays for the studio rental --- out of his own pocket --- at $500 per week! He doesn't need to rent a studio this weekend but he still needs donations, so please donate here to help defray costs! Every little bit helps, friends.




    By Chris Floyd on 8/12/2005 10:15pm PT  

    Guest blogged by Chris Floyd

    INTRODUCTION {by Winter Patriot} Once again I have the pleasure of introducing one of my favorite writers for a spot of guest blogging. An American journalist living in London [England], whose column on world affairs, "Global Eye", is published weekly in The Moscow Times, proprietor of the excellent blog Empire Burlesque, and a good friend of both The BRAD BLOG and The Whispering Campaign, the redoubtable Chris Floyd joins us for a second time. Back in July, his excellent essay, "The Dream Of Unlimited Swag", inspired a truly excellent thread.

    The following essay is a slightly expanded version of the column published earlier today, August 12, in The Moscow Times. And here's the best part: Chris has offered to stop by from time to time, to answer your questions or respond to your comments. Please welcome a truth-teller of exceptional passion and skill, a journalist whom we are very proud to call our friend. Here's Chris Floyd:

    One of the grubby little secrets of the Great Potomac Grease Pit --- otherwise known as the government of the United States - is that the massive amount of bribes given and taken there often has little effect on the final outcome of policy decisions and legislation.

    Cynics --- and you know you who are --- tend to believe that Washington is overrun with sleazy bagmen prowling the halls of Congress and slithering down White House corridors, proffering baubles, trinkets, sweetmeats and other enticements to plucky public servants, drawing them away from the straight and narrow to do the bidding of rapacious elites. But like so many of the hateful canards issuing from the foul stithy of the liberal imagination these days, this fantasy contains scarcely a shred of truth.

    --- Click here for REST OF STORY!... ---




    INN World Report interviews Brad Friedman, creator of BRAD BLOG
    Friedman: 'The American Center for Voting Rights is a scam from top to bottom'
    By David Edwards on 8/12/2005 6:23pm PT  

    Guest blogged by David Edwards

    Brad Friedman, creator of BRAD BLOG, appeared this week on I.N.N. World Report in a segment titled "the ACVR another GOP scam?".

    Host, Lenny Charles, interviewed Brad about his series of articles reporting on the phony voting rights group, American Center for Voting Right (ACVR). Brad explained how ACVR was created by high-level GOP operatives and then appeared only days later to testify at a Republican hearing designed to cover up election fraud at the hands of Republicans in Ohio.

    In his closing remarks, Brad focused on protecting citizen's voting rights and repairing faults in our election systems...

    We need to demand transparency in our election system. If we are going to use computerized voting, we need to have a paper ballot created with every vote cast. Period. So that we can go back and recount these votes and make sure that our elections are accurate.

    We have to stop using secret software counting votes which are run by companies who are huge supporters of the Republican party who don't release their source code. We have no idea how our votes are being counted, if they are being being counted, or if the count is accurate in any way.

    We need to stand up for democracy in America. It's incredible that America needs a pro-democracy movement now but it does. We need to make noise because the corporate mainstream media is ignoring the issue and it's incredibly damaging to our democracy.

    Watch the video report from the INN World Report main page or launch it directly from here. (or download directly if needed)

    For more information on the "non-partisan" tax-exempt ACVR scam and the snakeoil salesmen who invented it, Bush/Cheney '04 National General Counsel Mark F. "Thor" Hearne and RNC Communications Director Jim Dyke, please see BRAD BLOG's full Special Coverage of the "American Center for Voting Rights" at https://BradBlog.com/ACVR.



    The right attempts to spin away a Bush intelligence failure
    By Joseph Cannon on 8/12/2005 4:52pm PT  

    The Republicans have attempted to put a favorable spin on the Curt Weldon charges. Weldon claims that a DIA "data mining" operation named ABLE DANGER had identified Mohammed Atta and other 9/11 terrorists at least a year before the September 11 attacks.

    Originally, we were told that an unnamed DIA lawyer directed the team not to notify the FBI and not to pursue Atta further. We were even told that the data miners literally placed tape over Atta's picture in their organizational charts of the terror cell within the United States.

    After the initial account made the news, rightist pundits used Weldon's story as a cudgel against the Clinton administration. The revised version of the story (as gleaned from Hannity, NewsMax, and similarly "trusty" sources) maintains that the White House was the ultimate power behind the DIA's decision to keep mum about the extraordinary find. According to the egregious NewsMax, the Clinton administration caused the problem by erecting a "wall" between the FBI and the rest of the intelligence community.

    So far, the public has seen no documentary evidence proving the existence of ABLE DANGER. In my view, the Weldon account nevertheless rests on a credible foundation --- not least because it inconveniences the official version of Atta's doings.

    According to the standard version, Atta did not enter the United States until June of 2000 --- a chronology which conflicted with strong eyewitness testimony, such as the story told here of Johnelle Bryant, the loan officer for the Department of Agriculture who swore that she had encountered Atta earlier.

    The spokesman for the independent 9/11 commission, Al Felzenberg, now claims that the commission did learn about ABLE DANGER and did know that the DIA team had identified Atta, but did not include this information in the final report because the data conflicted with the Authorized Standard Version of his pre-attack whereabouts. (Previously, commission members said: 1. They knew nothing about ABLE DANGER, and 2. They did know that such an operation existed but were never told of the Atta connection.) According to Felzenberg, the DIA team had told them that Atta entered the country in 1999.

    Despite the frustrating contradictions, it now seems fairly safe to stipulate that ABLE DANGER did exist and did uncover Atta's ring. Even so, the right-wing spin on this matter amounts to pure bullshit...

    --- Click here for REST OF STORY!... ---




    Pro-War Rally Scheduled This Evening!!
    Lone Star Iconoclast has online coverage
    By Winter Patriot on 8/12/2005 1:54pm PT  

    Guest blogged by Winter Patriot

    Here's an important message from our ever-faithful behind-the-scenes news-gatherer, radio-show-producer, and all-around great-big-help, Kat L'Estrange:

    According to Leon Smith, Editor of The Lone Star Iconoclast, a pro-war rally comprised of military members out of Dallas will take place approximately 6 PM Central time today in Crawford where Cindy Sheehan set up camp Saturday August 6 and is demanding a meeting with George W. Bush regarding the death of her son, Casey, who died in Iraq in April 2004. No further details are known at this time. The Iconoclast is receiving continuous updates from a reporter at the site, however.

    It is important to remember that military members are not allowed to protest while in uniform.

    In my brief conversation with Leon, he stated there were reporters there from all the major networks, and they've been running the story on the 6 o'clock and 10 o'clock news. Yesterday, activists and journalists were 'penned' away from the fundraising event in a "first amendment zone" and not allowed to leave until after George W. Bush left the area. As well, Cindy stood along the road as the presidential motorcade passed by holding a black cross, and report is she was able to catch a glimpse of Laura Bush inside one of the vehicles.

    For more details on Cindy Watch, please see this online coverage from The Lone Star Iconoclast.

    More to follow...

    Thanks, Kat. We'll be watching.

    UPDATE:
    Things are happening ... but we are still not sure what. We've changed the headline, which formerly said "Troops Coming To Crawford", and we're trying to find out now what happened. Did someone deliberately mislead us? [probably not] Were we informed about plans which subsequently changed? [could be] Were our sources misled? [maybe] And if so was it done intentionally? [who knows?] ... We'll get answers to zero or more of these questions along with some other good Texas dirt, and I will post the best of it, starting soon.

    You can click on this photo to read a report on the events of the day, from The Lone Star Iconoclast.

    SECOND UPDATE:
    Here's the newest from Kat, who has been on the phone with Leon Smith of The Lone Star Iconoclast.

    Here's an update from Leon Smith just minutes ago.

    At approximately 6:30 PM Central time a group of pro-Bush supporters pulled up in a chartered bus from the Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex with about 50 people on board adjacent to Camp Cindy. Smith reports there may have been one active duty military member on board with other riders including Vietnam veterans, women and children. The rally was organized by radio talk show host Mike Gallagher, author of "Surrounded by Idiots --- Fighting Liberal Lunacy in America," (foreword by Sean Hannity) and lasted for about 30 minutes. The event was low key with individuals placing flags near the white crosses for those killed in Iraq that line the road for approximately one-quarter mile. According to Leon, the reporter at the scene says the group gave thanks to God in prayer for the opportunity to speak freely in America. The group reboarded the bus and headed off to another rally at a nearby base. Folks at Camp Cindy were respectful of the pro-Bush contingency during the brief visit.

    It was unclear as to whether there would be any additional rallies in support of George W. Bush or war near Camp Casey or in Crawford.

    Organizer Mike Gallagher of KRLD Dallas/Ft Worth promoted the event as a "Pro-America Bus Trip to Crawford."

    For more details on Cindy Watch, please visit this page at The Lone Star Iconoclast.

    THIRD UPDATE:
    The Waco Tribune Herald, which is probably the closest large newspaper, has a story online now: Bush supporters arrive in Crawford as anti-war protestors continue vigil. Here's a quick sample:

    CRAWFORD "More than 100 supporters of President Bush traveled to Crawford Friday to stage a counter protest as anti-war activists continued their vigil near the Western White House.

    The two sides were kept apart by a row of peace officers and McLennan County Sheriff's Office squad cars. Even with the occasional heated exchange, both demonstrations remained peaceful and there were no arrests.

    The Bush supporters were led by syndicated radio talk show host Mike Gallagher in what he called a "pro-America bus trip."

    "This is not about Cindy Sheehan," Gallagher said to reporters after leading a chorus of "God Bless America" and "The Star-Spangled Banner." "We're here to support all our troops and all the men and women who died, including her son. She has the right to believe the way she believes, but we do, too, and that's why we're here."

    Yeah, right. Sure, Mike. You may be saying what you're saying because of what you believe, but you're standing where you're standing because of Cindy Sheehan.

    Ha ha! Another right-wing liar caught in the act. And you read it first right here, at The BRAD BLOG.




    By David Edwards on 8/12/2005 9:34am PT  

    Guest blogged by David Edwards

    Last night on MSNBC's Countdown, Keith Olbermann interviewed Cindy Sheehan. He asked her about all of the attacks from the right-wingers like Bill O'Reilly, Drudge and numerous other chicken-hawk conservative blogs.

    Cindy explained why each of the attacks are baseless. She also reiterated why she continues to hold a vigil outside Bush's 1600 acre palatial estate ranch in Crawford, Texas.

    We encourage you to take a few minutes to watch the video over at CrooksandLiars. For those that have problems with the Windows Media format posted at CrooksandLiars, we have provided a lower quality version of the video in QuickTime format here.

    After watching Cindy's responses to the right-wing attacks, leave a comment and let us know what you think!




    Hear Ye! Hear Ye! See How Bush Avoided Responsibility For His Lies About Iraq
    It's Another Home Run For Our Friend At The Raw Story!
    By Winter Patriot on 8/11/2005 2:20pm PT  


    Guest blogged by
    Winter Patriot

    The very lovely and extremely talented Larisa Alexandrovna has a blockbuster at The Raw Story and you should read it right away, sez me!

    Here's the link: Senate Intelligence chairman quietly 'fixed' intelligence, and diverted blame from White House over Iraq and here's the introduction:

    Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bush issued an order to the Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Department, and his cabinet members that severely curtailed intelligence oversight by restricting classified information to just eight members of Congress.

    "The only Members of Congress whom you or your expressly designated officers may brief regarding classified or sensitive law enforcement information," he writes, "are the Speaker of the House, the House Minority Leader, the Senate Majority and Minority Leaders, and the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Intelligence Committees in the House and Senate."

    The order is aimed at protecting "military security" and "sensitive law enforcement."

    But what was said to be an effort to protect the United States became a tool by which the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee Pat Roberts (R-KS) ensured there was no serious investigation into how the administration fixed the intelligence that took the United States to war in Iraq or the fabricated documents used as evidence to do so.

    Coupled with limited access to intelligence documents, RAW STORY has found that Roberts and a handful of other strategically-placed Washington players stymied all questions into pre-war intelligence on Iraq and post-invasion cover-ups, including the outing of a CIA covert agent, by using targeted leaks and artfully deflecting blame from the White House.

    Please read the whole thing. Don't forget to click on this link: Timeline: How Roberts helped fix pre-war intelligence.

    And please leave a comment for Larisa if you feel so inclined.

    Then come back here and tell us all: What do you think now?

    Thanks to Jen for the tip!




    Sheehan: 'This is George Bush's Accountability Moment.'
    By David Edwards on 8/11/2005 1:47pm PT  

    Guest blogged by David Edwards

    In an article published at the Huffington Post this afternoon, Cindy Sheehan reiterated her position and clearly stated the purpose for her vigil in Crawford.

    This is George Bush's accountability moment. That's why I'm here. The mainstream media aren't holding him accountable. Neither is Congress. So I'm not leaving Crawford until he's held accountable.

    People have asked what it is I want to say to President Bush. Well, my message is a simple one. He's said that my son --- and the other children we've lost --- died for a noble cause. I want to find out what that noble cause is. And I want to ask him: “If it's such a noble cause, have you asked your daughters to enlist? Have you encouraged them to go take the place of soldiers who are on their third tour of duty?” I also want him to stop using my son's name to justify the war. The idea that we have to “complete the mission” in Iraq to honor Casey's sacrifice is, to me, a sacrilege to my son's name. Besides, does the president any longer even know what “the mission” really is over there?

    President Bush held a press conference this afternoon. As he denied "rumors" about possible troop withdrawals, a reporter asked if he was referring to Cindy Sheehan. Bush refused to respond to Mrs. Sheehan's concerns directly and did not indicate if he intended to meet with her during his 5 week vacation.

    Sheehan has been camping outside of the Bush palatial estate ranch hoping for an explanation for why he sent her son, Casey, to die in Iraq. She has been very clear in statements that she no longer wants Bush to use her son's death as an excuse for continuing the war.

    In responding to a direct question about Sheehan, Bush, once again, said that to "honor the fallen" he would continue sending troops to Iraq to "lay the foundation for peace"...

    Bush: The mission is a vital mission and it's one that will be.. um... that we obviously couldn't complete if.. uh.. if we didn't fulfill our goals which is to help the Iraqis.

    Bush: Yeah Steve.

    Reporter: You're referring to Mrs. Sheehan here, I think?

    Bush: I'm referring to any grieving mother or father no matter what their political views may be. Part of my duty as president is to meet with those that have lost a loved one and so, listen, I sympathize with Mrs. Sheehan. She feels strongly about her position and she has every right in the world to say what she believes. This is America. She has a right to her postiion. I've thought long and hard about her position. I've heard her position from others which is "Get out of Iraq now" and... um... uh.. it would be a mistake for the security of this country and to lay the foundations for peace in the long run if we were to do so.

    (...)

    Bush: You get different opinions when you meet with moms and dads and sons and daughters... uh... and uh... and and wives and husband of those who have fallen. One opinion that I've come away with universally is that, you know, we should do everything we can to honor the fallen and one way to honor the fallen is to lay the foundation for peace.

    We have a short video clip of the Bush press conference (in Windows Media format).

    Even as we are only four days away from the deadline for the Iraqi constitution, Bush refuses to even consider a plan for withdrawing troops. He considers comments about possible troop withdrawal from the pentagon "speculation and rumors".




    Not in USA, but still...
    real journalism is still alive in Britain
    By Winter Patriot on 8/11/2005 6:07am PT  

    Guest blogged by Winter Patriot

    The Bulldog Manifesto has posted the full text of an article from the August 6th edition of Britain's The Daily Mail. It appeared in the print edition but not on their website, and it raises some very interesting questions about the events of 9/11. According to the Bulldog, this is the first time a mainstream paper has questioned the "official story" of 9/11 in such a way. I'm not in a position to confirm or deny that. Nor shall I be any time soon. And it may not be the best article ever written about 9/11, but it is very interesting nonetheless, and I could easily be charged with blogger negligence if I failed to bring it to your attention. Especially since the Bulldog has done such a good job annotating it. And you'll have to pardon a few spelling mistakes, but it's still worth a read.

    It begins like this:

    The plot by America's military bosses was devilish in both design and intent – to fabricate an outrage against innocent civilians, fool the world and provide a pretext for war. In the pentagon, a top secret team drew up a plan to simultaneously send up two airliners painted and numbered exactly the same, one from a civil airport in America, the other from a secret military airbase nearby.

    The one from the airport would have military personnel on board who had checked in as ordinary passengers under false names. The one from the airbase would be an empty drone, a remote-controlled unmanned aircraft.

    Somewhere along their joint flight paths, the passenger-carrying plane would drop below radar height, and disappear, landing back at the airbase and unloading its occupants in secret.

    Meanwhile, the drone would have taken up the other plane's designated course. High over the island of Cuba, it would be exploded in mid-air after broadcasting an international distress call that it was under attack from enemy fighters.

    The world would be told that a plane load of blameless American holidaymakers had been deliberately shot down by Fidel Castro's Communists – and that the US had no choice but to declare war and topple his regime.

    This ‘agent provocateur' plan – code named OPERATION NORTHWOODS and revealed in official archives – dates from 1962 when the Cold War was at its height.

    Four decades later, there are a growing number of people who look back at this proto-conspiracy and then to the events of 9/11 and see uncanny and frightening modern parallels.

    Click here to read the rest. Then come back and tell me what you think.

    And if you're so inclined, leave a comment for the Bulldog while you're there. He's a good hound.

    Woof! Woof! Woof!




    By Winter Patriot on 8/11/2005 5:53am PT  

    Guest blogged by Winter Patriot

    It's happening! Slowly, belatedly, gradually and sometimes seemingly reluctantly, but nonetheless it really is happening.

    There's a stirring in the land, the likes of which we haven't seen in a very long time. Maybe ever. And The Whispering Campaign is such a small part of it that I'm tempted to apologize for flogging it so relentlessly here. Really. I'd much rather buy you a drink and tell you a few jokes.

    But instead I'm here to talk about the eight very powerful articles we've posted since last night. Three are excerpts from an interview with an Iraq Vet. Talk about Truth To Power!! Wow!

    Two more are from Mark Morford's latest column. You have to read it. You just have to. And that's an order ;-)

    Then there's one about the court case concerning Maher Arar and extraordinary rendition, and another about the Siberian permafrost melting and its inevitable effects on global climate change. Very newsworthy, most unlikely to appear at McPaper or FauxTV, and therefore well worth posting, we thought.

    But there's one item in particular that we really want you to read, print, copy, and distribute. Our edited version is called Do Not F*ck With Cindy Sheehan!.

    Yes, the original title was a bit more explicit. But we run a family site. And either way, we think it's fantastic. We found it at The Bulldog Manifesto. And at the moment, it's the featured item at The Whispering Campaign.

    So: Please, please, please! Visit our site, print some pages, make some copies, spread these powerful articles around --- and bring some needed bursts of truth to the streets, in your part of town.

    Being The Media has never been easier, nor has it been more fun. And it's a damned good thing, too. Because it has never been more necessary.

    The Whispering Campaign
    psstpsstpsst.blogspot.com
    Visit. Print. Copy. Distribute. Repeat.
    Knowledge Is Power! Pass It On!!




    By Joseph Cannon on 8/10/2005 8:09pm PT  

    Guest-blogged by Joseph Cannon

    UPDATE: As you read the piece below, keep in mind the report by Laura Rozen here. Weldon was peddling claims about the Iranian "threat," using information derived from a poor source. I do not think that this fact necessarily discredits what Weldon has to say about ABLE DANGER, since that story has a different source --- one which the New York Times interviewed directly, and apparently found credible.

    Two separate sources have revealed startling new information about Mohammed Atta. Taken separately, these
    revelations are disturbing. Taken together, they could prove explosive.

    As I write, the mainstream media is paying much attention to the first of these revelations, but seems chary of the second. Let's start with the big news:

    Representative Curt Weldon (R-PA), Vice Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee has revealed that a specialized unit of the DIA, code-named ABLE DANGER (which was being run by the Special Operations Command in Tampa, Florida) had identified Mohammed Atta and other terrorist associates weeks before the presidential election of 2000. Atta was photographed and named as a member of al Qaida.

    Although the unit had recommended action against Atta and the cell, a DOD lawyer allegedly nixed the idea, arguing that green card holders deserved the same privacy rights as American citizens. This argument strikes me as highly questionable.

    Representative Weldon learned about his operation earlier this year. (I've called his office to find out exactly when, but have yet to hear back from his communications director.) Weldon's source was a former intelligence officer who has requested anonymity in news accounts. He has met with journalists for Government Security News and the New York Times. (See also here and here.)

    According to the NYT, the office requested anonymity because "he did not want to jeopardize political support and the possible financing for future data-mining operations by speaking publicly."

    His reasoning indicates that Washington has become a very bizarre place indeed. The successful identification of Atta proved the value of "data mining;" the problem was the refusal by DIA higher-ups to act upon the information. Why would discussion of a success story jeopardize future funding for similar operations?

    Which brings us back to the more fundamental question: Why did higher-ups at the DOD refuse to share the information with the FBI?

    "We were directed to take those 3M yellow stickers and place them over the faces of Atta and the other terrorists and pretend they didn't exist," the intelligence officer told GSN.

    DoD lawyers may also have been reluctant to suggest a bold action by FBI agents after the bureau's disastrous 1993 strike against the Branch Davidian religious cult in Waco, TX, said Weldon and the intelligence officer.

    This explanation seems particularly dubious when we recall the publicity given to pre-9/11 al Qaida attacks.

    Partisans may suspect that presidential politics might have played a role. The 2000 campaign was underway; conceivably, Bush supporters within the DOD may have felt uneasy at the prospect of handing the outgoing Clinton administration a last-minute "win" against Osama bin Laden. Of course, this theory does not explain why the Bush administration took no action against Atta between inauguration and 9/11.

    Another key question: Why was this information kept secret from the independent commission looking into the 9/11 tragedy? Although committee members were made aware that ABLE DANGER existed, they were not told about the identification of Atta. Why the secrecy?

    Answers to these posers might lurk within the folds of the second story about Atta to come out in recent days...

    --- Click here for REST OF STORY!... ---




    By Joseph Cannon on 8/10/2005 7:42pm PT  

    (NOTE: This entry guest blogged by Joseph Cannon)

    Two separate sources have revealed startling new information about Mohammed Atta. Taken separately, these revelations are disturbing. Taken together, they could prove explosive.
    Two separate sources have revealed startling new information about Mohammed Atta. Taken separately, these revelations are disturbing. Taken together, they could prove explosive.

    As I write, the mainstream media is paying much attention to the first of these revelations, but seems chary of the second. Let's start with the big news:

    Representative Curt Weldon (R-PA), Vice Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee has revealed that a specialized unit of the DIA, code-named ABLE DANGER (which was being run by the Special Operations Command in Tampa, Florida) had identified Mohammed Atta and other terrorist associates weeks before the presidential election of 2000. Atta was photographed and named as a member of al Qaida.

    Although the unit had recommended action against Atta and the cell, a DOD lawyer allegedly nixed the idea, arguing that green card holders deserved the same privacy rights as American citizens. Almost needless to say, this argument is highly questionable.

    Representative Weldon learned about his operation earlier this year. (I've called his office to find out exactly when, but have yet to hear back from his communications director.) Weldon's source was a former intelligence officer who has requested anonymity in news accounts. He has met with journalists for Government Security News and the New York Times. (See also here and here.)

    According to the NYT, the office requested anonymity because "he did not want to jeopardize political support and the possible financing for future data-mining operations by speaking publicly."

    If true, his reasoning indicates that Washington has become a very bizarre place indeed. The successful identification of Atta proved the value of "data mining;" the problem was the refusal by DIA higher-ups to act upon the information. Why would discussion of a success story jeopardize future funding for similar operations?

    Which brings us back to the fundamental question: Why did higher-ups at the DOD refuse to share the information with the FBI?

    "We were directed to take those 3M yellow stickers and place them over the faces of Atta and the other terrorists and pretend they didn't exist," the intelligence officer told GSN.

    DoD lawyers may also have been reluctant to suggest a bold action by FBI agents after the bureau's disastrous 1993 strike against the Branch Davidian religious cult in Waco, TX, said Weldon and the intelligence officer.

    This explanation seems particularly dubious when we recall the publicity given to pre-9/11 al Qaida attacks.

    Partisans may suspect that presidential politics might have played a role. The 2000 campaign was underway; conceivably, Bush supporters within the DOD may have felt uneasy at the prospect of handing the outgoing Clinton administration a last-minute "win" against Osama bin Laden. Of course, this theory does not explain why the Bush administration took no action against Atta between inauguration and 9/11.

    Another key question: Why was this information kept secret from the independent commission looking into the 9/11 tragedy? Although committee members were made aware that ABLE DANGER existed, they were not told about the identification of Atta.

    Answers to these posers might lurk within the folds of the second story about Atta to come out in recent days....

    --- Click here for REST OF STORY!... ---




    Total Pages (9):
    « 2 3 4 5 6 [7] 8 9 »

    Support The BRAD BLOG
    Please visit our advertisers










    Support The BRAD BLOG
    Please visit our advertisers
    Brad Friedman's
    The BRAD BLOG



    Recent Entries

    Archives


    Important Docs
    Categories

    A Few Great Blogs
    Political Cartoonists



    Please Help Support The BRAD BLOG...
    ONE TIME ONLY
    any amount you like...
    $
    MONTHLY SUPPORT
    any amount you like...
    $
    Or by Snail Mail
    Make check out to...
    Brad Friedman
    7095 Hollywood Blvd., #594
    Los Angeles, CA 90028

    The BRAD BLOG receives no foundational or corporate support. Your contributions make it possible to continue our work.
    About Brad Friedman...
    Brad is an independent investigative
    journalist, blogger, broadcaster,
    VelvetRevolution.us co-founder,
    expert on issues of election integrity,
    and a Commonweal Institute Fellow.

    Brad has contributed chapters to these books...


    ...And is featured in these documentary films...

    Additional Stuff...
    Brad Friedman/The BRAD BLOG Named...
    Buzz Flash's 'Wings of Justice' Honoree
    Project Censored 2010 Award Recipient
    The 2008 Weblog Awards



    Wikio - Top of the Blogs - Politics

    Other Brad Related Places...

    Admin
    Brad's Test Area
    (Ignore below! It's a test!)

    All Content & Design Copyright © Brad Friedman unless otherwise specified. All rights reserved.
    Advertiser Privacy Policy | The BradCast logo courtesy of Rock Island Media.
    Web Hosting, Email Hosting, & Spam Filtering for The BRAD BLOG courtesy of Junk Email Filter.
    BradBlog.com