Newsletter 7.24.18

Hi all,

Here’s this week’s newsletter. Thanks for your support as always! 

- Nima, Adam, Florence

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NYPD Detective With a Shady Past Helped Lock Up a Pot Dealer For Federal Conspiracy - George Joseph, The Appeal (7/24/18)

A Bronx NYPD cop, known as “assman” for his alleged violent anal searches, helped lock up a weed dealer for 6 years. The jury didn’t get to hear about his 8 civil rights lawsuits, costing NYC $250K. 

It’s Been Over a Year Since MSNBC Has Mentioned US War in Yemen - Adam Johnson, FAIR (7/23/18)

Total number of stories by MSNBC from 7/3/2017 to 7/3/2018 about Stormy Daniels: 455. Total number of stories by MSNBC from 7/3/2017 to 7/3/2018 about US’s role in Yemen: 0.

Key Fact Obscured in Immigration Coverage: MS-13 Was Made in USA - Justin Anderson, FAIR (7/22/18)

The media routinely paints MS-13 like some type of foreign invasion, obscuring its uniquely American origins. 

The Police Will Keep Killing Us Until We Stop Criminalizing Blackness and Poverty - Katelyn Johnson, In These Times (7/20/18)

The murder of Harith “Snoop” Augustus by Chicago police is the latest reminder that we must hold our elected officials accountable for upholding a system that devalues Black life.

Why Is Nancy Pelosi So Afraid of Socialism? - Mehdi Hasan, The Intercept (7/6/18)

Nancy Pelosi––net worth over $25 million––is not a fan of socialism (clearly), but instead of simply saying so, she what a lot of capitalists have done for decades: try to pawn off her personal ideology as the natural, organic will of the people. 

The Assassinations of Indigenous Leaders in Guatemala Trigger Fear as Political Cycle Begins - Jeff Abbott, Truthout (7/20/18)

Decades after the end of the war, land remains one of the core causes of social conflicts in Guatemala––those seeking to redistribute it are now the primary target

Virginia anti-corruption movement faces down corporate backlash - Sue Sturgis, Facing South (7/19/18)

A “no-utility-money” pledge is spreading throughout the south. 

The Ugly Destination Of Trump’s Iran Policy - Paul Pillar, LobeLog (7/23/18)

Trump fends off criticism from the right by going hard for the pro-Iran bombing camp.  

Andrew Cuomo's Biggest Donors Rake in Millions From ICE- Katie Aronoff, The Intercept (7/12/18)

Cuomo’s list of donors says all one needs to know about the most powerful man in New York. 

Why Trump’s Hawks Back the MEK Terrorist Cult - Trita Parsi, New York Review of Books (7/20/18)

Unable to exploit sectarian differences, astroturfing pro-regime change elements in Iran is proving to be quite difficult than it is in other countries. The result: major DC players are betting big on a weird, discredited celibacy cult with ties to Mossad and Saddam Hussein. 

Calls to Abolish ICE Get Cold Shoulder on Newspaper Opinion Pages - Jordan Holycross, FAIR (7/20/18)

The movement to abolish ICE is gaining traction with dozens of high profile politicians joining the call. But one would hardly no scanning the opinion sections of American media’s major papers.

The U.S. and Canada Are Preparing for a New Standing Rock Over the Trans Mountain Tar Sands Pipeline - Alleen Brown & Will Parrish, The Intercept (7/17/18)

According to law enforcement communications and government reports obtained by The Intercept, U.S. and Canadian authorities have been girding for a mobilization comparable to the 2016 resistance in North Dakota.