Post by MacBeth on Feb 13, 2009 12:37:02 GMT -5
FBI Sees Bailout Fraud Cases Coming
www.truthout.org/021309J
Josh Meyer, The Los Angeles Times: "Despite an expected wave of fraud in the trillion-dollar bailout that aims to stop the ongoing financial meltdown, federal law enforcement officials told Congress on Wednesday that they have nowhere near the level of resources to combat it. Top FBI and Justice Department officials said they believed mortgage fraud and other types of corporate criminal behavior has contributed to the economic tailspin. And they said they already have more than 2,300 open investigations into suspected illegal financial activity -- including 38 probes specifically linked to the crisis."
Poll: Most Want Inquiry Into Anti-Terror Tactics
www.truthout.org/021309K
Jill Lawrence, USA TODAY: "Even as Americans struggle with two wars and an economy in tatters, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds majorities in favor of investigating some of the thorniest unfinished business from the Bush administration: Whether its tactics in the 'war on terror' broke the law. Close to two-thirds of those surveyed said there should be investigations into allegations that the Bush team used torture to interrogate terrorism suspects and its program of wiretapping US citizens without getting warrants. Almost four in 10 favor criminal investigations and about a quarter want investigations without criminal charges. One-third said they want nothing to be done."
Media Under Scrutiny for "Talking Up" Financial Crisis
www.truthout.org/021309L
Kathleen Moore, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: "In September 2007, the BBC broke a huge story: troubled bank Northern Rock was to get an emergency loan from Britain's central bank. The next day, anxious depositors queued up to withdraw their cash in the first run on a bank in Britain in around 150 years. One year later, during perhaps the most intense week in the credit crisis, Britain's Lloyds bank was reported to be in talks to buy its rival, HBOS. Shares in HBOS soared. These were among a series of major scoops that catapulted BBC reporter Robert Peston to national attention, and made financial journalists part of last year's biggest news story."
Intelligence Director: Economic Crisis Top US Security Threat
www.truthout.org/021309M
Warren P. Strobel, McClatchy Newspapers: "The global economic crisis is the largest near-term security threat to the United States, President Obama's national intelligence director told Congress on Thursday, signaling that the new administration is broadening its definition of national security beyond traditional military and homeland security concerns. Retired Navy Adm. Dennis Blair said the worldwide economic downturn could spawn political instability across the globe, hamper US allies and drain support for the American-led international free-trading system."
Army Recruiting Stand-Down Ordered for Friday
www.truthout.org/021309N
Michelle Tan, The Army Times: "A stand-down of the Army's entire recruiting force, ordered by Army Secretary Pete Geren, will take place Friday. Geren ordered the stand-down after a wide-ranging investigation into four suicides in the Houston Recruiting Battalion. Poor command climate, failing personal relationships and long, stressful work days were factors in the suicides, the investigation found."
Ex-Enron CEO Skilling to Seek Supreme Court Sentence Review
www.truthout.org/021309O
Reuters: "Former Enron Corp Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling will ask for US Supreme Court review of his 2006 felony conviction stemming from the energy trading giant's collapse, his attorney said on Thursday. 'We will seek review by the Supreme Court,' Skilling's attorney, Daniel Petrocelli, said in an email. A federal appeals court ruled last month that Skilling must be resentenced because of a lower court error, but let stand his conviction."
www.truthout.org/021309J
Josh Meyer, The Los Angeles Times: "Despite an expected wave of fraud in the trillion-dollar bailout that aims to stop the ongoing financial meltdown, federal law enforcement officials told Congress on Wednesday that they have nowhere near the level of resources to combat it. Top FBI and Justice Department officials said they believed mortgage fraud and other types of corporate criminal behavior has contributed to the economic tailspin. And they said they already have more than 2,300 open investigations into suspected illegal financial activity -- including 38 probes specifically linked to the crisis."
Poll: Most Want Inquiry Into Anti-Terror Tactics
www.truthout.org/021309K
Jill Lawrence, USA TODAY: "Even as Americans struggle with two wars and an economy in tatters, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds majorities in favor of investigating some of the thorniest unfinished business from the Bush administration: Whether its tactics in the 'war on terror' broke the law. Close to two-thirds of those surveyed said there should be investigations into allegations that the Bush team used torture to interrogate terrorism suspects and its program of wiretapping US citizens without getting warrants. Almost four in 10 favor criminal investigations and about a quarter want investigations without criminal charges. One-third said they want nothing to be done."
Media Under Scrutiny for "Talking Up" Financial Crisis
www.truthout.org/021309L
Kathleen Moore, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: "In September 2007, the BBC broke a huge story: troubled bank Northern Rock was to get an emergency loan from Britain's central bank. The next day, anxious depositors queued up to withdraw their cash in the first run on a bank in Britain in around 150 years. One year later, during perhaps the most intense week in the credit crisis, Britain's Lloyds bank was reported to be in talks to buy its rival, HBOS. Shares in HBOS soared. These were among a series of major scoops that catapulted BBC reporter Robert Peston to national attention, and made financial journalists part of last year's biggest news story."
Intelligence Director: Economic Crisis Top US Security Threat
www.truthout.org/021309M
Warren P. Strobel, McClatchy Newspapers: "The global economic crisis is the largest near-term security threat to the United States, President Obama's national intelligence director told Congress on Thursday, signaling that the new administration is broadening its definition of national security beyond traditional military and homeland security concerns. Retired Navy Adm. Dennis Blair said the worldwide economic downturn could spawn political instability across the globe, hamper US allies and drain support for the American-led international free-trading system."
Army Recruiting Stand-Down Ordered for Friday
www.truthout.org/021309N
Michelle Tan, The Army Times: "A stand-down of the Army's entire recruiting force, ordered by Army Secretary Pete Geren, will take place Friday. Geren ordered the stand-down after a wide-ranging investigation into four suicides in the Houston Recruiting Battalion. Poor command climate, failing personal relationships and long, stressful work days were factors in the suicides, the investigation found."
Ex-Enron CEO Skilling to Seek Supreme Court Sentence Review
www.truthout.org/021309O
Reuters: "Former Enron Corp Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling will ask for US Supreme Court review of his 2006 felony conviction stemming from the energy trading giant's collapse, his attorney said on Thursday. 'We will seek review by the Supreme Court,' Skilling's attorney, Daniel Petrocelli, said in an email. A federal appeals court ruled last month that Skilling must be resentenced because of a lower court error, but let stand his conviction."