Washington Post: The Administration Should Not Press Reporter James Risen to Reveal a Source
This masthead editorial points out that President Obama’s statements regarding journalistic freedom do not align with his administration’s actions toward James Risen. The reporter is facing possible imprisonment for refusing to identify a source to the Justice Department. The Washington Post editorial board warns that “if Mr. Risen is forced to reveal the identity of a source, it will damage the ability of journalists to promise confidentiality to sources and to probe government behavior.”
Al Jazeera America: US Cities Combating Climate Change on the Local Level
Climate Science Watch Director Rick Piltz recently participated in a panel discussion on the unveiling of Obama’s national climate preparedness plan, and how local politicians can take steps to address the issue.
Key Quote: (AJAM): In the absence of strong action from Washington, what can be done? Can state and local governments really carry it on their own?
(Piltz): You want to see innovative things on the local level, and then that becomes contagious and adopted elsewhere. But the problem is larger than can be dealt with strictly on the local level. It has to be also international.
I think what Obama is doing with this initiative, with very limited resources, is trying to use existing authorities and resources of the executive branch. The federal Emergency Management Agency is going to push the states on cimlate disaster planning, and the Agricultural Department is going to do smart gird projects. We’re going to have a contest for which local communities can have the best resilience plans and help fund those plans.
New York Times: Bank of America’s $16 Billion Mortgage Settlement Less Painful Than It Looks
Yesterday, the Department of Justice announced a $16.6 billion dollar settlement with Bank of America for its role (and that of its purchased companies, such as Countrywide Financial) in selling “shoddy mortgages” that led to the Great Recession. Whistleblowers from each of these institutions raised concerns for years. The article above details how BofA will probably end up paying much less than the settlement amount (in terms of real value).
Dating back to 2008, this timeline details financial wrongdoing at Bank of America, most notably issuing $640 billion in mortgage-backed securities before the financial crisis.
3TV (AZ): Whistleblower Claims Deadly Tanker Crash ‘Bound to Happen’
A former tanker-truck driver is blowing the whistle on an Arizona transportation company, alleging that a recent fatal crash was “bound to happen” after experiencing pressure to work beyond the maximum legal hours without a break.
Michael Riley is a Communications Intern for the Government Accountability Project, the nation’s leading whistleblower protection and advocacy organization.