The majority of voters did not vote for Donald Trump for president; the majority of voters did not vote for Republican candidates for the Senate; and fewer than 51% of voters cast their ballots for Republican candidates for the House of Representatives. The Republican Party now controls the White House, both houses of Congress and the Supreme Court, no matter how that came to be. I believe it is worth bearing in mind that a majority of U.S. citizens did not support the Republican winners.   read more

Using measurements of risk factors and psychological makeups, social scientists and criminologists have developed tools for assessing the extent to which an inmate exhibits high-risk “criminal thinking,” and they have determined that these felons with substance abuse problems don’t pose any greater threat to the public than non-three-strike prisoners.   read more

In July 2009, just a few months before the surge, insurgent attacks totaled about 2,000, while in July 2012 they attacked about 3,000 times, an increase of about 33%. (Because the precise number of attacks remains classified, precise statistical analysis is impossible.) The same is true for every month in 2009 compared to every month in 2012 for which data exists: The insurgency launched more attacks in 2012 than it did in 2009.   read more

According to an unprecedented legal theory apparently adopted by the Obama administration, persons and entities who leak or publish classified information are “enemies” of the United States punishable by death or life imprisonment. If this theory had been applied to recent leaks, it would have meant death or life in prison for Lewis “Scooter” Libby, who leaked a CIA agent’s identity, and Post columnist Robert Novak, who published the operative’s name.   read more

The most recent case is that of Damon Thibodeaux of Louisiana. In 1996, the then 22-year-old was sentenced to death for the killing of his 14-year-old step-cousin, Crystal Champagne. After 15 years at the notorious Angola prison farm for the crime, Thibodeaux was officially cleared via DNA testing and released on September 28, 2012. The case illustrates the problems of inaccurate eyewitness testimony, police overreaching and false confessions that so commonly lead to wrongful convictions.   read more

Among states where fracking is widespread, Utah, which does not require disclosures at all, had the highest rate of companies withholding at least one ingredient (94%). Second was New Mexico, which does have some mandates on publishing fracking chemicals, at 84%, followed by California at 80%. Companies with the highest tendency to kept chemical details secret were BP America Production Co. and Howell Oil & Gas of Texas.   read more

Although the debate over marriage equality seems at times to center on the social and emotional costs inflicted on gay couples by the denial of legal recognition of their relationships, 83-year-old widow Edith Windsor can place a precise dollar amount on its cost to her: $363,053. That’s the amount in federal estate tax she had to pay when Thea Spyer, her wife and partner of nearly 50 years, passed away in 2009. Had they been a heterosexual couple, Windsor would have paid nothing.   read more

President Obama last week ordered a Chinese company to sell its interest in four wind energy projects located within the airspace of the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman, Oregon, where the military conducts training missions for unmanned drone aircraft. The Chinese were also ordered to remove all structures and other assets stored at the site.   read more

According to the report, “More than 90 percent of the delinquent taxes owed are employment taxes, which include monies withheld from employees’ wages that are required to be remitted to the IRS on the employees’ behalf. These taxes are necessary to support Federal programs like Social Security and Medicare.”   read more

A group of doctors, researchers and cancer patients filed a petition with the Supreme Court asking it to review the case of Myriad Genetics, which owns two patents associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. The company has used the patents to perform genetic tests and tell patients whether they are at risk of contracting the diseases. The plaintiffs claim the patents “exclude the rest of the scientific community” from utilizing the genes for testing and research.   read more

During a thunderstorm, their 8-year-old Labrador mix, Avery, escaped from the couple’s backyard and was picked up by animal control. Jeremy went to the Fort Worth Animal Care and Control shelter to pick up Avery, but did not have enough cash on hand to pay the fee. He was told that a “hold for owner” tag would be put on Avery and he could pick up the dog a few days later. But when the Medlens returned, the shelter had already killed Avery.   read more

The Central Asian nation of Tajikistan, a one-party state dominated by President Emomali Rahmon, has sent a new diplomat to the U.S. who has significant experience defending his country’s human rights record in global forums. On May 26, 2007, Shamsov was promoted to ambassador to Austria, a post he held until his July 2012 appointment as ambassador to the United States.   read more

The Trust Women Foundation has purchased the building where the late George Tiller provided abortion services, including so-called late-term abortions. They plan to open the Trust Women Family Planning and Memorial Center. Tiller was shot to death while serving as an usher at his church on May 31, 2009, by Scott Roeder, an antiabortion zealot from Kansas City.   read more

Morrison was accused of soliciting underwriting business from Cahill’s office beginning in 2008, while also working on the treasurer’s gubernatorial campaign from Goldman Sachs’ office. The fine represents the first time that the SEC has penalized someone for pay-to-play violations involving in-kind non-cash contributions to a political campaign.   read more

After 55 days of interrogation, including sleep deprivation and torture, Salah pled guilty and signed a plea deal. Israel released him in 1997 and he returned home to the U.S., where the government charged him with terrorism and conspiracy. A Chicago jury found him not guilty in 2007, but the government has refused to lift the designation or the restrictions.   read more

The world’s newest nation—South Sudan—has sent its first ambassador to the U.S., ironically the same man who recently served as the chief envoy to Washington from Sudan, the country from which South Sudan seceded last year after decades of civil war. Akec Khoc Aciew Khoc, who was Khartoum’s man in Washington from 2006 to 2011, is now Juba’s man in D.C.   read more

Than Swe served as director general for the Progress of Border Areas and National Races in the Ministry of Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs from May 2000 to March 2008. He served as deputy permanent representative to the United Nations from March 2008 to March 2009, when he was appointed Burmese ambassador to the U.N., a post he held until his appointment as ambassador to the U.S.   read more