It’s Good To Be The King

Justice seeking to block Bernanke testimony

"The government is trying to block questioning of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in a lawsuit by the former head of American International Group Inc. The Justice Department told a federal appeals court Friday that high-ranking officials should not have to testify except in extraordinary circumstances. Former AIG CEO Hank Greenberg sued the government over the $182 billion bailout of the insurance giant that has since been repaid. It is rare for a Fed chairman to be questioned in a lawsuit, but Judge Thomas Wheeler ruled that Bernanke has firsthand knowledge of the bailout and should undergo questioning." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJustice seeking to block Bernanke testimony

How An African ‘Princess’ Banked $3 Billion In A Country Living On $2 A Day

"For the past year Forbes has been tracing Isabel dos Santos’ path to riches, reviewing a score of documents and speaking with dozens of people on the ground. As best as we can trace, every major Angolan investment held by Dos Santos stems either from taking a chunk of a company that wants to do business in the country or from a stroke of the president’s pen that cut her into the action. Her story is a rare window into the same, tragic kleptocratic narrative that grips resource-rich countries around the world. For President Dos Santos it’s a foolproof way to extract money from his country, while keeping a putative arm’s-length distance away." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHow An African ‘Princess’ Banked $3 Billion In A Country Living On $2 A Day

How An African ‘Princess’ Banked $3 Billion In A Country Living On $2 A Day

"For the past year Forbes has been tracing Isabel dos Santos’ path to riches, reviewing a score of documents and speaking with dozens of people on the ground. As best as we can trace, every major Angolan investment held by Dos Santos stems either from taking a chunk of a company that wants to do business in the country or from a stroke of the president’s pen that cut her into the action. Her story is a rare window into the same, tragic kleptocratic narrative that grips resource-rich countries around the world. For President Dos Santos it’s a foolproof way to extract money from his country, while keeping a putative arm’s-length distance away." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHow An African ‘Princess’ Banked $3 Billion In A Country Living On $2 A Day

The Arbitrary Diktats of Generalissimo Obama

"The type of quandary that catches my attention is when the Obama Administration delays big parts of Obamacare (hooray!), but does so by cavalierly deciding to disregard the law (boo!). Unfortunately, this isn’t a joke. I wrote about this topic last month and asserted that one of 'the defining characteristics of a civilized government is adherence to the rule of law.' Why is this important?" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Arbitrary Diktats of Generalissimo Obama

White House rejects petition calling for ‘Gun Free Zone’ around Obama, Biden

"President Obama needs armed security because he faces 'serious, persistent and credible threats on a daily basis,' the White House said in response to a petition meant to undercut his push for new gun controls. The petition garnered more than 40,000 signatures. The White House dismissed the call to disarm the president's security detail, noting that Congress mandated full-time protection of the president after the third assassination of a sitting president in 1901. 'Those who are the subject of ongoing threats must receive the necessary and appropriate protection,' the White House wrote in its response." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhite House rejects petition calling for ‘Gun Free Zone’ around Obama, Biden

L.A. County Sheriff Awards Carry Permits to Friends, Donors

"Public records show Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, who is known for being stingy with concealed-weapons permits in an anti-gun jurisdiction, may be giving out permits disproportionately to his friends and political supporters and donors. L.A. Weekly obtained public records for all of the 341 active concealed-weapons permits in addition to the 123 applications for permits that were denied over the last 18 months. The records show that of all the people who were denied a permit, only one had contributed to Baca. Baca's friends and campaign donors disproportionately make up the list of those who have active permits." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingL.A. County Sheriff Awards Carry Permits to Friends, Donors

Protected plates give growing number of officials the green-light to avoid fines

"In Colorado, special license plates issued to 100 state lawmakers and representatives not only shield them from radar tickets for speeding, but also prevent collection notices on past-due parking tickets. That’s because the legislative plates in Colorado aren’t entered into the Division of Motor Vehicles database. If someone with a special license plate blows through the speed limit and is caught on radar, there is no actual information in the state’s records to cross-reference the plate. A Denver-based CBS investigation revealed 16 legislative license plates that have accumulated more than $2,000 in fines and penalties that have not been paid." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingProtected plates give growing number of officials the green-light to avoid fines

Four Centuries of Surveillance: From Privy Councils to FISA Courts

"Letters to or from England were carried by private ship captains, who often hung a bag in the local coffeehouse to receive letters for shipment. The price was generally a penny for a single letter and two pence for a double letter or parcel. In 1591 the Crown had issued a proclamation granting itself the monopoly of all foreign mail, and in 1609 the Crown’s proclamation extended its own monopoly to all mail foreign or domestic. The purpose of this postal monopoly was quite simple: to enable governmental officials to read the letters of private citizens in order to discover and suppress 'treason' and 'sedition.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFour Centuries of Surveillance: From Privy Councils to FISA Courts

Saudi prince reserves portions of Disneyland Paris for $19.5 million

"A Saudi prince spent 15 million euros ($19.5 million) for three days of fun at Disneyland near Paris to celebrate his degree, the group that runs the theme park said Monday. Prince Fahd al-Saud booked entire areas of the park over May 22 to 24 for his 60-odd guests. The festivities included tailor-made events involving 'rare Disney characters,' Euro Disney told AFP. Special security was put in place for the prince, one of the park’s top customers, it added. The theme park attracted 16 million visitors last year but Euro Disney has not made any profits since it was set up 20 years ago." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSaudi prince reserves portions of Disneyland Paris for $19.5 million