Fort Benning – New Name, Same Shame

As of Thursday May 11, 2023, “Fort Benning,” home of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) became “Fort Moore.” The name change was part of a broader initiative by the U.S. military to remove the names of Confederate officers from military bases at the recommendation of a congressional commission.

Fort Benning – New Name, Same Shame

Previously:

The US School That Trains Dictators & Death Squads (Video)

TSA is testing facial recognition at more airports, raising privacy concerns

BALTIMORE (AP) — A passenger walks up to an airport security checkpoint, slips an ID card into a slot and looks into a camera atop a small screen. The screen flashes “Photo Complete” and the person walks through — all without having to hand over their identification to the TSA officer sitting behind the screen.

TSA is testing facial recognition at more airports, raising privacy concerns

Related:

TSA Confirms Biometric Scanning Soon Won’t Be Optional Even For Domestic Travelers

[12-2022] TSA Quietly Deploying Facial Recognition Scanners At Major US Airports

Four Americans and two Russians conspired to sway elections, influence politics, Justice Department says

The Justice Department unsealed grand jury indictments on Tuesday against four U.S. citizens and two Russian nationals who are charged with attempting to execute wide-ranging influence operation to sow political discord, sway a local election in Florida and eventually meddle in the 2020 presidential election.

The indictment, which adds to an existing July 2022 case, alleges that Moscow-resident Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, founder of the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia, worked with at least two Russian intelligence officials between 2014 and 2022 “engaged in a years-long foreign malign influence campaign targeting the United States.”

Four Americans and two Russians conspired to sway elections, influence politics, Justice Department says (archived)

They’re being charged for violating Title 18 U.S.C. §951 (foreign relations, agents of foreign governments) and Title 18 U.S.C. §371 (conspiracy). These are the same violations that Maria Butina was charged with.

Dems, Unions Spar Over Gun Laws While Deciding Location For 2024 Democratic Convention

Dems, Unions Spar Over Gun Laws While Deciding Location For 2024 Democratic Convention

Lawmakers in Chicago, Illinois, and Atlanta, Georgia, are deep in debate over the 2024 national convention, with Illinois lawmakers concerned that Georgia gun laws will fail to protect attendees, and Georgia Democrats saying that gun laws have “no particular impact” on the decision, according to the NYT. Alongside Georgia and Illinois, union leaders are arguing that the convention should be held in Chicago, as the city aligns with President Joe Biden’s stance on unions, saying he is the “most pro-union president in history.”

Joe Biden is the most pro-union president in history, and having it in a pro-union town reinforces that record and sends a message,” political and legislative Director of the International Association of Iron Workers Ross Templeton told the NYT.

Pro-union?!

Sean Penn’s Disaster-Relief Charity Ended Up a Money Mess

Sean Penn’s Disaster-Relief Charity Ended Up a Money Mess

Related:

CORE Labor violations and complaints

CORE staff complained that they were forced to work 18-hour days, six days a week, without the opportunity to take breaks. Responding to the staff concerns, Penn excoriated the employees, writing in an email that “in every cell of my body is a vitriol for the way your actions reflect so harmfully upon your brothers and sisters in arms”. Penn suggested that employees leave their work instead of complaining about conditions.[16] In October 2021, the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint that Penn and CORE violated federal labor law. According to the charge, Penn “impliedly threatened” his employees with reprisals.[17] A 2021 California lawsuit sought civil damages, claiming that CORE failed o pay overtime and minimum wges, provide rest periods, reimburse for business expenses, provide detailed wage statements, and timely pay employees. [18]

In 2022, a former CORE worker who provided support during COVID relief efforts in Georgia sued CORE for unpaid wages. According to the complaint, CORE deliberately misclassified staff as contractors to avoid paying overtime. CORE’s contracts require binding arbitration, which prevents a collective action by multiple employees and keeps the proceedings private.

Sean Penn’s Haiti relief charity paid $126,000 on travel in a single year including the actor’s first-class flights because of his ‘celebrity status’, tax records reveal

Russian operative used U.S. activist groups to spread propaganda, feds say

A Russian operative backed by the Kremlin meddled in United States politics for seven years and recently tried to undermine American support for Ukraine by recruiting local activists to spread pro-Moscow propaganda, the Justice Department announced Friday.

Russian operative used U.S. activist groups to spread propaganda, feds say (archived)

The timing is suspicious, considering they knew about the alleged connections since before ‘Russiagate.Are they going after the Texit leader, next, or just going to ignore it (not saying that any of them should be gone after but it just adds to my suspicions)?! A message to the antiwar/anti-imperialist movement?!

Related:

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