Associated Press
The White House Scandal No One Noticed
Why did Wall Street get off easier than the AP and IRS?
For those of us who have long wondered why the Justice Department never investigated Wall Street, the Associated Press subpoena scandal illustrates a key point: The Justice Department sets priorities based on what it hears from the White House. When the White House wanted to identify and prosecute leakers of classified information, Justice sprang into action and used extremely aggressive tactics. "I make no apologies" President Obama said today, for being concerned about leaks. READ MORE >>
Is the 'Chilling Effect' Real?
National-security reporters on the impact of federal scrutiny
Since news broke Monday that the Justice Department had secretly accessed the phone records of Associated Press reporters and editors over a two-month period—likely as a result of its anonymously sourced story on a foiled al Qaeda plot to blow up a U.S.-bound plane—no watchwords have gotten more READ MORE >>
Last week the Associated Press removed the term illegal immigrant from its stylebook. This followed claims, aired with especial insistence since last year, that the term is a disguised slur, designating certain persons as “illegal” in neglect of all else that comprises their personhood. READ MORE >>
A Brief History Of “Trickle-Down Government”
In an appearance last week on NY1, a 24-hour news network in New York City, police commissioner Ray Kelly claimed to be proud of the city’s record as a bastion of civil liberties. “We probably have more free speech in this city than any other place in America,” he said. What Kelly neglected to mention is that, increasingly, New Yorkers’ enjoyment of civil liberties has little to do with the department he heads. READ MORE >>
The True Lies of Totalitarian North Korea
Is Freedom Of The Press Coming To North Korea?
In a ceremony today in Pyongyang, the Associated Press opened a full news bureau to cover North Korea. The AP already has had a video bureau in North Korea since 2006; the new outfit will add writers and photojournalists to its operations in the notoriously-sealed off dictatorship. Does the AP’s new operation signal an expansion of press freedom in North Korea? READ MORE >>
The Collector
More Obamacare News: 2.5M Young Adults Got Insurance
The economy remains weak and health insurance keeps getting more expensive, but the number of young adults without health insurance fell by 2.5 million this year. How could that be? Simple. President Obama and the Democrats passed health care reform. And, by all accounts, it's starting to do some good. A lot of good. READ MORE >>
