CRS report via FAS – Legal Authority to Repurpose Funds for Border Barrier Construction. Updated October 2, 2019: “President Trump has prioritized the construction of border barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border. Over the course of negotiations for FY2019 appropriations, the Administration asked Congress to appropriate $5.7 billion to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Congress
Executive Branch Service and the “Revolving Door” in Cabinet Departments
CRS report Via FAS – Executive Branch Service and the “Revolving Door” in Cabinet Departments: Background and Issues for Congress. October 7, 2019. “Individuals may be subject to certain restrictions when leaving the government for private employment or joining the government from the private sector. These restrictions were enacted in response to what is often… Continue Reading
The Rich Really Do Pay Lower Taxes Than You
The New York Times – “Almost a decade ago, Warren Buffett made a claim that would become famous. He said that he paid a lower tax rate than his secretary, thanks to the many loopholes and deductions that benefit the wealthy. His claim sparked a debate about the fairness of the tax system. In the… Continue Reading
World’s First Deepfake Audit Counts Videos and Tools on the Open Web
IEEE Spectrum – A new report finds that deepfake software is still prohibitively hard to use, but that may not be true for much longer – “If you wanted to make a deepfake video right now, where would you start? Today, an Amsterdam-based startup has published an audit of all the online resources that exist… Continue Reading
Three Chairs Provide Update on Investigative Work, Volker Testimony & Text Messages
Rep. Adam Schiff – Representing California’s 28th Congressional District. Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee via @RepAdamSchiff – “After receiving a trove of important documents from the first of the state department witnesses, my fellow chairs and I highlight some of those deserving of the most attention and what is at stake. Read them here.”… Continue Reading
Trump’s impeachment process will keep U.S fact-checkers busy
Poynter: “For the fourth time in history, a United States president faces an impeachment. But this marks the first time an investigation like this will take place amid a tsunami of false news on social media. Fact-checkers have built creative strategies to surf this wave. On Sept. 24, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced… Continue Reading
Proposals for Reform Volume II: National Task Force on Rule of Law & Democracy
The second National Task Force report on the Rule of Law & Democracy outlines how to curb political interference in government science and fix a broken appointments process. “In recent years, the norms and expectations that once ensured that our government was guided primarily by the public interest rather than by individual or partisan interest… Continue Reading
Impeachment Investigations: Law and Process
CRS report via LC – Impeachment Investigations: Law and Process October 2, 2019: “Speaker Pelosi announced last week that the House “is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry.” Although the Speaker’s statement did not address precisely how the House will proceed, it is noteworthy not only because the House has so rarely investigated a… Continue Reading
Both the Inspector General and the Whistleblower Followed the Law
POGO – “In the swirl of the news cycle about revelations coming from an intelligence whistleblower and misguided but predictable attacks on them, we want to set some facts straight. The whistleblower’s complaint documented his urgent concern that President Trump pressured the president of Ukraine to investigate his political opponent Joe Biden and his son… Continue Reading
Hearing – The Federal Judiciary in the 21st Century
House Cmte. on the Judiciary – The Federal Judiciary in the 21st Century: Ensuring the Public’s Right of Access to the Courts – September 26, 2019 – Documents Witness List A statement from Judge Steve Leben, Kansas Court of Appeals A letter from Judge Bridget Mary McCormack, Chief Justice, Michigan Supreme Court A letter from… Continue Reading
Brace Yourself for the Internet Impeachment
The New York Times: “The last time America watched an impeachment inquiry, it was largely an analog affair. When the House voted to begin impeachment proceedings against Bill Clinton in 1998, only one in four American homes had internet access. AOL and Yahoo were the biggest websites in the world, and “tweet” was a sound… Continue Reading
How Congress turns citizens’ voices into data points
Via LLRX – How Congress turns citizens’ voices into data points – Samantha McDonald, University of California, Irvine focuses our attention on an increasingly critical issue – big technology companies like Amazon, Facebook and Google aren’t the only ones facing huge political concerns about using citizen data: So is Congress. Reports by congressional researchers over… Continue Reading
