-- "It could be structured by cows and we would rate it."
From instant-messaging exchange between two S&P analysts cited by government in its lawsuit against the ratings agency for allegedly fraudulent ratings of mortgage securities and which S&P just settled for nearly $1.5 billion. Click here for more.
--“ENSURING THE SAFETY OF AMERICAN MOTORISTS IS A PRIORITY, BUT THE PUBLIC'S TRUST HAS BEEN SHAKEN DUE TO THE RECORD NUMBER OF RECALLS THIS PAST YEAR...THERE IS MUCH MORE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.”
Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., one of the senators who reintroduced the Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act.
In Their Own Words - New York Times Editorial Board
Posted 01/28/15
--“UNTIL THE NCAA RECOGNIZES THAT SOME PLAYERS ARE ESSENTIALLY PROFESSIONALS, UNIVERSITIES WILL CONTINUE TO TREAT THEIR EDUCATION LIKE THE FIG LEAF IT IS.”
New York Times Editorial Board on the recently filed lawsuit by two former University of North Carolina athletes challenging the school with academic fraud for how it educates its top athletes. Click here for more.
-- “DESPITE PROMISES TO BE ‘THE MOST TRANSPARENT ADMINISTRATION EVER,’ THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH HAS LED AN UNPRECEDENTED CRACKDOWN ON WHISTLEBLOWERS AND THOSE WHO LEAK INFORMATION ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY MATTERS TO JOURNALISTS WITHOUT GOVERNMENT APPROVAL.”
RT report on the conviction of CIA whistleblower Jeffrey Sterling for violating the Espionage Act. Click here for more.
-- “Politicians are supposed to be on the people’s payroll, not on secret retainer to wealthy special interests they do favors for.”
-- US Attorney Preet Bharara on the government’s arrest of long-time New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on charges of bribery and corruption. Click here for more.
-- “I think I did everything the right way based on the training and the information I had at the time. And I would do it again. I took a sworn oath as a law enforcement officer to risk my life to save other lives, and I’ve been lucky to get all of the support that I get. Most whistleblowers don’t get any support and throw in the towel. I just lost my job – better men and women than me have given up their...
-- “They pay tons of attention to increasing animal production, and just a pebble-sized concern to animal welfare.”
James Keen, a scientist and veterinarian who worked at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center for 24 years, in connection with the New York Times investigation finding the Center’s work in increasing meat production has “come at a steep cost to the center’s animals, which have been subjected to...
In Their Own Words - Fourth Circuit decision in United States v. Triple Canopy, Inc.
Posted 01/15/15
-- “The Government’s decision to pay a contractor for providing base security in an active combat zone would be influenced by knowledge that the guards could not, for lack of a better term, shoot straight."
From the Fourth Circuit decision in United States v. Triple Canopy, Inc. reversing the district court’s dismissal of the government’s False Claims Act case against Triple Canopy for allegedly billing the...
-- “THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS GOES BEYOND JIM RISEN. IT AFFECTS JOURNALISTS EVERYWHERE. JOURNALISTS NEED TO BE ABLE TO UPHOLD THAT CONFIDENTIALITY IN ORDER TO DO THEIR JOBS.”
Attorney for NYT reporter James Risen on the Justice Department’s decision not to call Risen to testify at the trial of CIA whistleblower Jeffrey Sterling who is charged with providing Risen details about a botched US operation in Iran...
-- “THE CORPORATE ASSAULT ON THE PUBLIC’S WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS IS PART OF A BROADER ATTACK BY WALL STREET AND BIG CORPORATIONS TO UNDERMINE OR REPEAL WELL-ESTABLISHED SAFEGUARDS FOR OUR SAFETY AND HEALTH, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND FINANCIAL SECURITY.”
David Tykulsker, general counsel of the New Jersey Work Environment Council, on the New Jersey Supreme Court’s pending decision on whether to effectively gut...