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Dissent NewsWire
Civ Lib Groups and Generals Agree: Vote No on Haspel
Members of the Senate got two letters today. Over 100 Generals expressed concern over Haspel’s nomination, while civil liberties and progressive groups weighed in against both Haspel and Pompeo
Defending Rights & Dissent Warns Congress About New Authorization for Use of Military Force
Defending Rights & Dissent has deep concerns about the draft Authorization of the Use of Military Force (AUMF) introduced on April 16. The Constitution gives Congress, not the President, the power to declare war. Yet, the proposed AUMF would turn this on its head.
Opposition Builds to Haspel and Pompeo Nominations
Things are looking dim for torture apologist Mike Pompeo and his bid to become Secretary of State, and no brighter for Gina Haspel at CIA.
J20 Trials Pushed Back, As After Nearly a Year and a Half Prosecutors Claim They Need More Time
If the prosecution can’t in “good conscience, ask another fourteen citizens” to sit through a trial of protesters, there’s a solution. Drop the charges.
DRAD, Joined by Chelsea Manning and Defend J20 Resistance, Delivers Nearly 180,000 Petitions Demanding J20 Charges Be Dropped
A day after the petitions were delivered, we learned that the trial, set to start April 17, had been delayed again.
End Espionage Act Prosecutions of Whistleblowers
Whistleblowers and government transparency join Defending Rights & Dissent in calling for an end to Espionage Act abuse.
Two Grassroots Victories Against Police Militarization and Trainings with Human Rights Abusers
From the Bay Area, California to Durham, North Carolina grassroots activists are scoring victories against police militarization.
In Light of Recent Massacre of Palestinian Protesters, It’s Time for US Police to End Exchanges of Worst Practices With Human Rights Abusers
Although Defending Rights & Dissent is a domestic civil liberties, we recognize the threat allowing police departments to train with known human rights abusers. US police are frequently criticized for acting like an occupying army. Training with an actual occupying army will only further this mindset amongst law enforcement.
Extraordinary: FBI Tried to Trick Apple Into Breaking Its Own Encryption
Officials from the Department of Justice and the FBI, with the blessing of the White House, have been holding meetings with security experts to develop backdoors that would give law enforcement uninterrupted access to encrypted data.
Prosecution’s Anonymous FBI Expert in J20 Trial is Another Attempt to Demonize Protesters and Journalists
The Department of Justice’s continuing felony prosecutions stemming from an anti-capitalist, anti-fascist protest during Trump’s inauguration has taken yet another bizarre turn. Earlier this month Assistant US Attorney Jennifer Kerkhoff indicated her intent to call as an expert witness, an FBI agent who infiltrated social movements, such as Occupy Wall Street, to opine on “black bloc tactics.” The government has also requested that the witness testify publicly under an alias. They cite as cause for concern about the “safety and security” of the FBI agent the fact that journalists and other observers (including the author of this piece) reported on public testimony during the last trial.