Right-wing media and the fringe: A growing history of violence (and denial)

This week, the country's attention was captured by the horrific shooting at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, allegedly by James W. von Brunn, an 88-year-old man with ties to white supremacist and anti-Semitic organizations. The fatal shooting came just two months after an April 7 Department of Homeland Security report detailing potential increases in right-wing extremism.

As Media Matters for America documented, the DHS report was immediately and vehemently rejected by numerous conservative commentators, such as Lou Dobbs, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Michelle Malkin, and David Asman, who portrayed it as an illegitimate and politically motivated assault on conservatives. (Media Matters Senior Fellow Karl Frisch puts the attacks in even broader perspective here.)

Following the Holocaust Memorial Museum attack, these commentators faced criticism for their earlier dismissiveness. Some have since unconvincingly (and in the case of Joe Scarborough, inaccurately) defended their past assessment, and a handful of reporters and analysts are still engaging in falsehoods and inconsistencies in criticizing the DHS report. But on Fox News, Shepard Smith took a different position -- for which he was attacked by conservatives -- saying that the report "was a warning to us all. And it appears now that they were right."

The day before the Holocaust Memorial Museum attack, Media Matters Senior Fellow Eric Boehlert wrote that Fox News and its hosts "will have more right-wing vigilantism to explain." He added that "militia-style vigilante rhetoric has become a cornerstone of the conservative media movement in America, and it's now proudly championed by Fox News on a nearly hourly basis." (He also appeared on CNN this week.)

While right-wing media are certainly not legally culpable for any recent attacks, they are responsible for promoting a culture of fear, paranoia, and violence that is anti-government in the extreme -- a culture in which extremists, including von Brunn and Richard Poplawski, who fatally shot three Pittsburgh police officers, were apparently immersed. Poplawski was convinced that the Obama administration was going to take away his guns. Even though no evidence of such a policy exists, right-wing commentators and news organizations made the claim repeatedly before the shooting and have continued to do so since.

Predictably, conservative media figures responded to the museum shooting by attempting to shift attention away from themselves and onto political liberals and even President Obama himself. On June 10, the day of the museum shooting, financial analyst and radio host Jim Lacamp said on Fox News that "we have an administration that's really done a lot of class warfare, a lot of class-baiting. And so, it sets the stage for social unrest." That same day, conservative Tammy Bruce wrote that the Obama administration's "increasing anti-Israel rhetoric and the pandering to the Jew-hating world Arab world ... encourages all the beasts among us." Newsmax.com published an op-ed, cited on Friday by Michael Savage, claiming that Obama "is most certainly creating a climate of hate against" Jews. Colorado radio host Bob Newman even raised questions about whether Obama's recent visit to a concentration camp, or his statement about Israeli settlements, were factors in the shooting.

But as always, the most virulent reality-denier was Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh claimed that von Brunn "is a leftist if anything." He said that Obama is "ramping up hatred for Israel" and that "anti-Jew rhetoric comes from the American left." He claimed that MSNBC broadcasts "hate 24/7." Despite the right wing's repeated use of violent, revolutionary rhetoric, Limbaugh said that it was actually Obama who "thrives and needs chaos" to succeed. And in response to Shepard Smith, he remarked that the "claim that the atmosphere is somehow more violently anti-Obama is simply preposterous."

Indeed, Smith's remarks were the exception for the right. Despite its love of fearmongering, Fox News spent the 24 hours after the von Brunn shooting downplaying it. And on his broadcast that night, Bill O'Reilly, who hypocritically and incorrectly criticized the media for a supposed lack of coverage after the shooting death of Army recruiter Pvt. William Long, and who stokes the anger of viewers whenever it suits him politically, barely mentioned the shooting and instead featured what he called a "very important story" on gay penguins. "Do they wear tight T-shirts?" he asked, laughing. During the two shows after the shooting, Hannity barely mentioned it.

Other major stories this week:

Newt in the news

This was a big week for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is clearly attempting to position himself as the new (aka, old) voice of the GOP. (And according to USA Today, he's in the running.)

Newt, who had previously backed off of referring to Judge Sonia Sotomayor as a "racist," began the week by modifying his argument and repeating the dubious claim that she "clearly supported racial quotas" in the Frank Ricci case.

He followed it up at a congressional Republican fundraiser by proudly declaring that he was "not a citizen of the world," saying that "the entire concept is intellectual nonsense and stunningly dangerous." CNN's Candy Crowley and CQ Politics' Jonathan Allen reported Gingrich's statement without noting that President Ronald Reagan made similar remarks while addressing the United Nations in 1982. (You would think that Gingrich, a former history teacher, would have known better.) After Media Matters documented the oversight, MSNBC's David Shuster and Keith Olbermann, as well as by NBC's Brian Williams, subjected Gingrich's remarks to scrutiny.

Newt closed the week by reacting to a Weekly Standard article discussing the ongoing U.S. practice of reading Miranda rights to detainees. On Fox News' Hannity, Gingrich said that it was "unimaginable. It's worse than anything Jimmy Carter ever did. It's worse than anything that President Bill Clinton ever did." In doing so, he ignored the part of the article reporting that the FBI also Mirandized people at "specific bases" during the Bush administration.

Newt's factually challenged analysis has come to be so legendary that even MSNBC's Mike Barnicle felt compelled to ask, "[W]hy would anyone pay attention to anything he says?" It's a good question. Perhaps it's because networks like Fox News do whatever they can to make Gingrich, who hasn't held any office or official position since 1998, relevant.

Health care reform is coming, and the news is already making me sick

All three national networks covered a Thursday town hall meeting that Obama held in Wisconsin, during which he laid out his health care proposals in detail. And yet, not one of them reported on the substance of his remarks, focusing instead on a note he wrote for a 10-year-old girl who was skipping school.

On Friday, NPR's Mara Liasson claimed that the American Medical Association opposes a public plan as a component of health care reform, even though the AMA had backtracked the same day, stating that it was "willing to consider other variations of a public plan that are currently under discussion in Congress." Flaws in a New York Times story the day before about the AMA's position were the subject of Media Matters Senior Fellow Jamison Foser's column this week.

And during a Wednesday interview with Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell freely editorialized, lecturing him on how current proposals seemingly would "drive the deficit into these stratospheric numbers" and complaining that senators were engaging in "gobbledygook" on the issue.

The need for accurate and impartial reporting on impending legislation is made all the more acute by the long history and prevalence of misinformation from media conservatives on the issue. On Thursday, Limbaugh began pulling out the stops, sounding not unlike O'Donnell in the process. "And it's all about control," he said. "It's not about cost. This man's not worried about the cost of anything. He doesn't care what anything costs: a trip to New York for a date -- $12 trillion in debt over 10 years? He doesn't care what things cost." He went on to hypothesize that "exercise freaks ... are the ones putting stress on the health care system" because they keep getting injured.

Buchanan continues to test how much MSNBC will tolerate

Media Matters has already documented Pat Buchanan's racially charged and often sexist campaign against Sotomayor. Despite his recent (and past) behavior, however, MSNBC has provided Buchanan with a prominent platform from which to spew his invective. This week, Foser asked a question MSNBC -- which in the past has had to fire Michael Savage and Don Imus for their remarks -- should answer: just what would Pat Buchanan have to say to be fired from the network?

Well, during this past week, Buchanan was curiously absent from much of MSNBC's commentary. Was it a sign that the network might be re-evaluating its relationship with one of its favorite "analysts"? If so, it should take note of the fact that Buchanan is set to host what the Southern Poverty Law Center called a "prominent white nationalist" at the upcoming conference of The American Cause, a Buchanan-led organization.

Conservative Misinformation U

Here now, for your enjoyment, is the graduating class, whose standouts are too numerous to name, of Conservative Misinformation University, 2009.

It would be funnier if it weren't true. For America's sake, they should have been held back.

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Innocent and remarkable nonhuman primates — macaques, baboons, and vervet monkeys. Subjected to experiments in research laboratories; kept as "pets"; callously used as entertainment attractions — no primate should endure such misery.

Primates deserve dignity and freedom. Keep Wildlife in the Wild!

Located on 186 secluded acres in southwest Texas, the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary is home to more than 500 nonhuman primates. After what many of them have been through, these animals deserve the best possible care, peace, and respect. Our unique sanctuary provides an enriched environment as close to the wild as possible with minimal human interference.

Born Free USA wants to save as many primates in need as we can. Help us help them!

• For just $52 a year ($1 a week!), you can Adopt Mig (shown right), Boon, Noelle, or Carly. You'll receive a Primate Adoption package complete with full color photo, bio, Primate Post newsletter, certificate, and commemorative gift.
• Host a Monkey Business event of any kind — the sky is the limit! For fantastic ideas, a Sanctuary DVD, and an extensive toolkit visit www.party2win.com/bornfreeusa.
• Become a fan of the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary on Facebook and invite all your Facebook friends to do the same.
• Catch up on all the day-to-day happenings at the Sanctuary by reading Sanctuary Director Tim Ajax's Primate Posting.
• Send ten friends a smile today by sharing our warm and humorous High Diving Monkeys YouTube video and tell them to forward it as well!

• Do share our sanctuary website — www.bornfreeusa.org./sanctuary — with everyone you know and help us raise awareness about the plight of these individuals and the ongoing care they receive at the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary.
• Do write letters to companies, television stations, or other media outlets when you see monkeys being exploited as props in advertisements, television shows, movies, and more.
• Don't ever consider keeping a monkey as a "pet." Learn more about the dangers of keeping wild exotic animals as "pets."
• Don't patronize businesses, entertainment venues, shopping malls, or other outlets in which monkeys are on display as attractions.

• My Lip Stuff offers a terrific Banana Kisses cruelty-free lip balm and 50% of each sale benefits the monkeys at the Sanctuary!
• Go Nuts! Go Bananas! What a terrific gift idea for the graduate in your family — or for any occasion. Buy a case of bananas or a bag of peanuts in honor of someone, but the nuts and bananas are for the monkeys at the Sanctuary! We'll send a whimsical card to your chosen recipient alerting them to your special gift in his/her name.
• Have you tried a Spunky Monkey Peanut Butter Cookie? Vegan and gluten-free, these peanut butter treats not only taste great, but partial proceeds from the sale of the cookies support the Sanctuary.

June 04, 2009

• Renewed push to ban endosulfan in the United States
• Kenya considers carbofuran ban
• Omnivore's Dilemma back on WSU reading list
• Ontario's Toxic Reduction Act only a first step
• Banned pesticides from China used widely in Viet Nam
• Organic farming applications up almost 80% in Ireland

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been reviewing the pesticide endosulfan since 2007, and on April 29 re-opened a 60-day docket for public comment. Endosulfan is a neurotoxic organochlorine pesticide -- the same chemical class as DDT and other insecticides that were banned in the U.S. decades ago. Organochlorines persist for years in the environment, traveling great distances and accumulating in the food chain as they move about the planet, impacting communities and ecosystems far from where they are used. That's why endosulfan has been nominated for global elimination under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and why it has been banned already in 60 countries -- from the European Union to Sri Lanka to Senegal. Pesticide Action Network and other groups are calling on the U.S. to finally do the same. EPA's own analysis concluded that endosulfan poses unacceptable risks to the health and safety of farmers and fieldworkers who use it, and that it poisons the environment down stream from where it's sprayed. This antiquated pesticide harms the hormone system, and low levels of exposure in the womb have been linked to male reproductive harm, autism, and other birth defects. Acute poisoning can cause headaches, vomiting, convulsions, and in extreme cases, unconsciousness and death. PAN helped spur EPA's latest review of endosulfan by submitting technical comments backed by 25,000 signatures, and is now working with our allies to double those numbers on a new petition to deliver to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson on June 24th. Click here to sign the petition.

shareMORE PAN's endosulfan campaign | Digg This

The Kenyan parliament is being asked to ban carbofuran, a pesticide "that's been blamed for the deaths of hundreds of animals, including many lions," reports Voice of America News. "Kenyan MP John Matutho is introducing legislation to prohibit the use of Furadan [best-known brand of carbofuran] - a cheap but lethal chemical originally manufactured by the US-based FMC Corporation. The [Kenya-based international] conservation group WildlifeDirect supports the ban, which would replace a buy-back program for Furadan." A March 29 60 Minutes program told the story of how Furadan is used illegally by herders to kill lions in Kenya. WildlifeDirect executive director Dr. Paula Kahumbu stated: "This is a pesticide that has recently been banned in the United States. It's also banned in Europe because it's been found to be unsafe to be used even if we follow the label instructions.… It's one of the most dangerous pesticides actually available at the moment." "The chemical attacks the nervous system and only small amounts can kill an animal. It can also be fatal to humans if ingested. 'It takes only a quarter of a teaspoon to kill people,' says Kahumbu. She says lower concentrations can cause neurological problems, such as paralysis and breathing problems." Yet in Africa it is very cheap and can be bought over the counter. Though FMC's buy-back program is getting Furadan off shelves, FMC 's patents have expired, and other companies are now producing carbofuran products. The problem is the same as that with endosulfan, paraquat and many other older pesticides: carbofuran is readily available from Chinese, Indian and Pakistani producers. So only strictly-enforced bans will be effective.

shareMORE PANUPS, May 14, on U.S. ban of carbofuran | Digg This

Over the last two weeks, Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma -- the best-selling exploration of hard choices today's conscientious eater must make in the face of our industrialized food system -- sparked a debate over academic freedom and, it is alleged, political influence at Washington State University. Blogs from Grist, TakePart.com, and Pollan's own statements in the New York Times, explored plot twists in the drama. The book was WSU's selection for the fall 2009 freshman Common Reading Program when the university's president, citing the institution's financial crisis, pulled it. However, according to Spokane's newspaper, the Spokesman-Review, "a member of the Board of Regents raised concerns about the work's focus on problems associated with agribusiness." Amidst protests from faculty and students, an honored alum, Bill Maler, who is a food safety personal injury lawyer and himself a former WSU regent, stepped in with a gift: he'll pay for the 4,000 books (though the university had already purchased them), and for a lecture visit by Pollan. A call-in campaign instigated by Food Democracy Now! and other food justice groups seem to have helped as well, and WSU has decided to reinstate the fall program and the selected book. Pollan told the NY Times "he was doubtful that money was the issue. 'The last I'd agreed to was a video conference, if they wanted to save money'.... In any case, he is pleased that the program is back on. Holding a common reading program 'at a land-grant university is especially important...because we are in the midst of this national conversation about the future of food and agriculture, and land grant universities have a critical role to play.'" Several sources note the irony that more students will likely read Omnivore's Dilemma due to the fracas it started. Michael Pollan is featured in the upcoming film, "Food Inc.," being released in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles June 12th, and across the country this summer. 

shareMORE Excerpt from Pollan's In Defense of Food | Digg This

On June 3, the Ontario Legislature heard the third reading of a Toxics Reduction Act, clearing the way to become the first Canadian province to adopt such a measure, reports the government's website. The coalition "Blue Green Canada," a joint project of Environmental Defense and United Steelworkers, applauded passage of the Act, while raising concerns that stronger legislation is needed. "'We look forward to the government creating regulations quickly to strengthen the Act's health and environmental protections, and contribute to the creation of green jobs,'" said Dr. Rick Smith, Environmental Defense's executive director. "A key commitment under the Act is to reduce Ontarians' exposures to toxic substances by requiring businesses that employ 10 or more people and involve 10,000 kg or more of specific substances to report and track harmful chemicals and develop pollution prevention plans." Similar to a Massachusetts law, implementation of these practices is, however, voluntary. "We were expecting far more up-front to deal seriously with the huge quantities of toxic substances companies use, create and release in their manufacturing processes,'" said Wendy Fucile, president of Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario. "'At this point, the bill remains all promise when that's needed is urgent action.'" "'This Act is a huge step forward,'" maintained Smith, adding "'We're hopeful the regulations will address critical issues that will really make Ontario a leader in toxics reduction.'"

shareMORE Canada's landscape pesticide bans | Digg This

Illegal pesticides are a major health threat in Viet Nam, Bui Sy Doanh, deputy head of the Agriculture Ministry's Bureau for Plant Protection, told the Thanh Nien News. As is true across the developing world, banned pesticides are easily obtained where resources for enforcement are inadequate. In Viet Nam most of the illegal chemicals originate in China, both fully-formulated labeled products and active ingredients that are remixed and resold, often with little or no information about dangers or proper use. What labels do appear are in Chinese, rendering them useless to Vietnamese farmers (a common problem in other countries with warnings in English or other foreign languages). Doanh said that "'The banned chemicals can damage the plants, farmers and consumers as well as destroy helpful bacteria in the soil, apart from causing other environmental harm." A recent survey found 30-70 percent of the pesticides sold at more than 20,000 small shops were imported from China, including many fakes that were popular among farmers because they are so cheap. "In 2008, nearly seven tons and 2,600 liters of banned [pesticides] were seized by authorities in the southern region."

shareMORE Illegal pesticides in US | Digg This

Ireland's Department of Agriculture reports a 79 percent increase in farmers' applications to convert farms to organic production, the Irish Independent reports. In 2008, 130 applications were received, leaping to 230 in 2009. The jump follows on a 67 percent increase (from 90 to 150) in farms that had their conversion plans approved by the Irish Organic Farmers' and Growers' Association (IOFGA) after the mandatory two-year transition period. The Ag Department, IOFGA and Organic Trust conduct annual "organic farm walks" to introduce farmers to successful production alternatives, and the walks have had high participation in the last two years. "'Farmers can see that there is a market for organic produce and they can get a premium price for it,' said Angela Clarke, certification manager with IOFGA. 'Some farmers are already using very little fertilizer or pesticides, so it is not a big step to go organic for them,' she explained."

shareMORE U.S. organic sales up

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Throughout America, black bears are slaughtered for their gallbladders and paws. On the plains of Africa, elephants are slaughtered for their ivory and their meat. In Asia, tigers are bred in commercial "farms" to be slaughtered for their bones, teeth, and skins. Across the globe, threatened and endangered species are slaughtered to satisfy seemingly insatiable human greed — the illegal wildlife trade is thought to be second only to the drug trade in profitability.

Wild animals should not be killed for profit. Keep Wildlife in the Wild!

• Bear gallbladders do not belong in cosmetics! Which is why our Senior VP Adam Roberts is chair of the Species Survival Network (SSN) Bear Working Group that strives to ensure that international trade in bears, their parts, or products made from them does not contribute to the further decline of wild populations.
• Elephant ivory should not be made into chopsticks! Which is why our CEO Will Travers is Co-Chair of the SSN Elephant Working Group that investigates, reports, campaigns, and lobbies on issues relating to trade in African and Asian elephants and their body parts.
• No bottle of wine should ever contain tiger bone! Which is why Born Free USA is a member of the International Tiger Coalition, representing more than 100 organizations across the globe, united to stop trade in tiger parts and products.

Born Free USA wants to stop the slaughter of wildlife for their body parts and products made from them. Help us stamp out the illegal wildlife trade.

• Write a letter to Congress. The US Senate is considering a bill to establish a fund of up to $5,000,000 to support conservation projects in the field saving rare cats and dogs such as African lions, cheetahs, leopards, Ethiopian wolves, painted dogs, and others. The bill has already been passed by the House of Representatives so we have to overcome one last hurdle before getting the bill to the President's desk! Please write to both of your US Senators urging them to support the Great Cats and Rare Canids Act of 2009!
• Ask five friends to join the Born Free USA Action Alert Team so they can find out ways to make a difference for wildlife every week.
• Get in touch with your wild side! Take our "What is Your Animal Protection Totem" quiz on Facebook. Be sure to share your wild animal alter-ego with all your friends and have them take the quiz too!

• Do become an ecotourist! Born Free USA believes strongly that animals are worth more alive than dead. The more people go watch whales and elephants and lions, the more money that can be made for local communities year in, year out. As a result, there will be less pressure to kill wildlife for short-term profit.
• Do report anyone in your community who you know is selling wildlife parts or products illegally. Contact Born Free USA and we'll help you identify the right authorities to submit your complaint.
• Don't buy any wildlife products. When you travel this summer, you may be tempted by stalls in hotels and airports and street markets selling turtle shell, ivory, coral, or tropical hardwood products. Play it safe — just say no!
• Don't eat "exotic" animal foods in restaurants. Tiger has been spotted on the menu in China (it's illegal) and lion steaks were recently advertised to order on a US website. Choose wisely. Eat well. Protect wildlife!

June 5, 2009

1. Dog Fighting Operation Busted in Alabama
Investigators and ASPCA forensic veterinarian, Dr. Melinda Merck, discovered 45 dogs on two separate properties in Randolph County, AL. Two men have been formally charged.
Read more about the raid and watch video from the scene... 

2. Popular Flea Products Can Hurt Your Cat
New data shows that cats are much more susceptible to severe illness from the misuse of spot-on flea products.

3. Not Guilty Plea for Founder of Raided Sanctuary
Additional charges are pending for Jennifer Petkus, who appeared in a Wisconsin court last week.

4. ASPCA Happy Tails: Picture Perfect
An online photo led to true love for the Michaeli family, who couldn’t resist Jack the Pit Bull’s canine charms.

Featured Story:
Dr. Sidney Wolfe on "Bill Moyers Journal"

June 9, 2009

Take Action

Climate change measure is a disappointment: The climate change legislation currently being debated in Congress will help coal and oil industries instead of protecting consumers and the environment. Lawmakers have conducted closed-door negotiations with polluters, resulting in a bill that accommodates the financial interests of big energy corporations while squandering an opportunity to curb global warming and doing little to help working families.

>>Take action today and demand better climate legislation.

>>Learn more 

Featured Videos

Dr. Sidney Wolfe on PBS' "Bill Moyers Journal:" Public Citizen's Acting President Dr. Wolfe spoke recently with Bill Moyers about health care reform, explaining how the single-payer solution is the only way to achieve true universal health care. Watch now and learn more about our campaign for single-payer health care.

Chrysler crash victim speaks: Jeremy Warriner of Indianapolis, Ind., talks about the fiery crash in his Chrysler Jeep Wrangler that resulted in the amputation of both his legs. The Chrysler bankruptcy means that Warriner and others with defective Chrysler vehicles will not be able to hold the automaker responsible for injuries caused by design flaws. Watch the video and learn more about our involvement in the proceedings, including our recent appeal of the bankruptcy court's decision.

Public Citizen Health Clinic

Constipation drug poses risks to pregnant women: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should immediately increase its warnings about the use of lubiprostone - sold as Amitiza - because of serious side effects, including the risk of abortion or premature labor if given to pregnant women. Learn more. 

Weight-loss products illegally spiked with prescription drugs: At least 72 weight-loss products have been found by the FDA to contain prescription drugs, including four drugs not approved by the FDA for sale in the U.S. These added drugs can be dangerous. Learn more. 

Spotlight on Forced Arbitration

Home court advantage: Using forced arbitration to evade accountability: Millions of new home purchasers each year are forced into binding mandatory arbitration by deceptive "warranties," which homeowners often don't become aware of until after moving into their new houses. Although builders often portray the warranties as gifts, the warranties actually exempt the builder from liability for all sorts of problems. Learn more, and read about our efforts to end forced arbitration at FairArbitrationNow.org.

Public Citizen Blogs

Federal Maritime Commission's fuzzy logic to be challenged in court

Public Citizen is representing the Natural Resources Defense Council in a lawsuit filed under the Freedom of Information Act against the Federal Maritime Commission. The suit stems from the Commission's unusual decision to investigate and seek termination of programs at two California ports that aimed to reduce truck emissions. Learn more at Citizen Vox. 

It's so easy to set up a tax haven in Panama; even an intern could do it!

We asked an intern in our Global Trade Watch division to see how easy it is to set up a corporation in Panama to dodge taxes. Check out our hilarious video to see how our intern does. Learn more at Eyes on Trade.

Testifying on behalf of more accountability, transparency

The advocacy director of our Congress Watch division testified in May in support of authentic whistleblower protections for all federal employees. Such protections could save billions of taxpayer dollars and ensure more transparency and accountability in government. Learn more at the Watchdog Blog.

The influence of energy industry contributions

How much do energy companies contribute to candidates and how much do their votes reflect the contributions they receive? Find out at Texas Vox.

From the Press Room

Hospitals fail to discipline doctors: A new Public Citizen report reveals that in addition to inadequate discipline of physicians, hospitals routinely exploit loopholes to avoid government reporting requirements. Nearly half of all hospitals in the U.S. have not submitted a single doctor's name to the National Practitioner Data Bank in the more than 17 years it has existed. Learn more.

We urge strong regulations over energy, carbon emissions: Energy Program Director Tyson Slocum begins his service to the U.S. Commodity Future Trading Commission's Energy and Environmental Markets Advisory Committee. In this capacity, he will be advising federal regulators on how best to regulate energy commodity markets and emerging carbon emission markets as part of proposed cap and trade climate legislation. Learn more. 

Environmental Roundup: June 5, 2009

James, we are moving to a monthly schedule--you can expect to receive the Environmental Roundup on the first Friday of every month!

Video Blogging from Bonn
International climate change negotiations are underway in Bonn, Germany. These negotiations, formally known as an "intercessional," are running from June 1 to 12 and are intended to lay the groundwork for countries to form a binding agreement to tackle the climate crisis. The agreement is expected to be finalized during further negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark, later this year.

Two Friends of the Earth U.S. staff (Kate Horner and Karen Orenstein) are in Bonn to participate in the negotiations, and they're producing this video blog to keep folks back home up to speed.  Watch the videos...

House Democrat Goes Wrong Way on Biofuels
Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) is threatening to hold climate and energy legislation hostage if it doesn't end existing limits on global warming pollution from biofuels. In particular, Peterson is demanding that the way this pollution is measured be altered: he wants to ignore some of the pollution that's produced from the creation of cropland for biofuel feedstock production. (For example, pressure for land on which to grow corn for ethanol can lead to deforestation.) When this "land use change" is accounted for, most biofuels in use today actually result in more global warming pollution than traditional gasoline.

If you have a minute, please call Rep. Peterson's office at (202) 225-2165 and ask him to stop trying to prevent accurate accounting for global warming pollution from biofuels.

Learn more about the Renewable Fuels Standard or Biofuel Subsidies.

Ship Shape: Celebrate World Oceans Day!
This Monday, June 8 is World Oceans Day! After many years and much effort on the part of oceans advocates, the United Nations declared June 8th, 2009 as the first official World Oceans Day.

World Oceans Day provides us with an opportunity to recognize why the oceans matter to us. Unless we spend a lot of time in or near the ocean, it can be easy to think of the ocean as a vast blue "other" that has nothing to do with our daily existence. Read more...

Report to Expose Dangerous Nano-Silver in Consumer Products
Friends of the Earth will release a report next week showing how potentially harmful nano-silver particles are being put into a wide variety of consumer products in the U.S. The report will address human health and environmental risks from these particles. Upon its release, the report will be posted at www.foe.org.

Activist of the Year
The Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, a coalition of public interest groups working on nuclear issues, recognized Friends of the Earth's southeastern nuclear campaign coordinator, Tom Clements, as its "Grassroots Activist of the Year" on April 28. Learn more about Tom's award and his work in the Carolinas.

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Speak Out For Dogs And Cats In Korea

The International Day of Action for Dogs and Cats in Korea is July 14. In Defense of Animals (IDA) will again be co-sponsoring this worldwide event to stop the terrible suffering these animals endure. IDA continues to work with the South Korean animal protection organization Coexistence for Animal Rights on Earth (CARE) to end the brutal slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption. Forced to live in tiny, filthy cages and killed in unimaginably cruel ways, they deserve a voice. Will you raise your voice for them?

Killing Sea Lions In Oregon

From Matt Love's May 23 Oregonian column: "On March 12, an employee of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife took charge in administering a lethal dose of sodium pentobarbital to a California sea lion because the sea lion allegedly ate too much hatchery-raised salmon at Bonneville Dam.

The sea lion had no name, although he did have a designation: C265. He was the first to die but not the last. As of this writing, the state of Oregon has killed seven sea lions and has permission from the federal government to kill up to 60 or so more." Read the rest of this great column here.

Will Glow-in-the-dark Marmoset Monkeys Improve Your Life?

Genetic experiments in nonhuman animals - glow-in-the-dark marmoset monkeys, mice bred with a human speech gene - are all over the news and represent a huge step backwards, both scientifically and ethically. The implications of this research are frightening: designer babies, human-animal hybrids, tremendous animal suffering.

Happy 30th AFJ!



Give $30 today to celebrate
Alliance for Justice's Birthday

Happy 30th Birthday, Alliance for Justice!

Hundreds of supporters gathered to celebrate 30 years in which Alliance for Justice has been leading the fight for a more equitable society on behalf of a broad constituency of environmental, consumer, civil and women’s rights, children’s, senior citizens’ and other groups.

The Vision for Justice luncheon featured keynote speakers Dahlia Lithwick, Senior Editor and Legal Correspondent for Slate; and Gara LaMarche, President and CEO of The Atlantic Philanthropies.

Elmy Bermejo, Director of the Latino Issues Forum, was Master of Ceremonies, and of course, Nan Aron, President and Founder of Alliance for Justice gave remarks. 
» Read more on our Justice Watch blog. 

Battle for the Courts 

Alliance for Justice co-sponsored a panel at today’s America’s Future Now conference on the importance of the courts. Nan Aron, President of AFJ, introduced the session by reminding the audience that while the nomination of Sotomayor is an historic, ground breaking event, that is just the beginning.

Hundreds of federal judges will be appointed during the Obama administration. We have to take this opportunity to start the conversation that has long been denied about the role of courts and judges in America. President Obama has expressed his intent to raise the level of that conversation above the empty rhetoric of “judicial activism" and "legislating from the bench.”
» Read more on our Justice Watch blog. 

Somber News

On Sunday, well-known reproductive rights advocate Dr. George Tiller was shot to death in his church while attending services. Dr. Tiller was one of the few practitioners in the U.S. supporting late-term abortion in instances related to rape, incest and the mother’s health and served as Medical Director of the Women's Health Care Services clinic in Wichita, Kansas.

We are deeply saddened by the killing of Dr. Tiller, who put his life on the line as an advocate and provider of vital services to women and families. He had lived through a previous assassination attempt, as well as multiple assaults and bombings on his clinic, but through those threats of violence he courageously continued his work.
» Read more on our Justice Watch blog.  

This Week's Headlines

The Howls of a Fading Species
"One can only hope that the hysterical howling of right-wingers against the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court is something approaching a death rattle for this profoundly destructive force in American life.

"It’s hard to fathom the heights of hypocrisy currently being scaled by the foaming-in-the-mouth crazies who are leading the charge against the nomination. Newt Gingrich, who never needed a factual basis for his ravings, rants on Twitter that Judge Sotomayor is a 'Latina woman racist,' apparently unaware of his incoherence in the 'Latina-woman' redundancy in this defamatory characterization."
»  Read more in the New York Times.

The 'Radical' Who Isn't
"If Sonia Sotomayor is a radical activist eager to push the law leftward or to rule according to personal whims rather than constitutional commands, she's done an impressive job of hiding it all these years. The amazing thing about the case against Sotomayor is how thin it is. The now-famous 32 words about a wise Latina judge. Her vote -- part of a unanimous three-judge panel -- against white firefighters denied promotions. The YouTube comment about judges making policy. And not much else."
»  Read more in the Washington Post.

AP poll finds support for Sotomayor confirmation
"Americans have a more favorable first impression of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor than they did for any of President George W. Bush's choices for the high court, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll.  The public also backs her confirmation in higher numbers.

"The poll, released Tuesday, said that roughly a third of the country has a favorable view of Sotomayor, while 18 percent view her unfavorably. Half of those polled say she should be confirmed; 22 percent oppose her confirmation."
»  Read more in the Associated Press.

A Senator Who's Seen the Other Side
“For Jeff Sessions, this moment has been 23 years in the making.  If things had gone as planned in 1986, the conservative Alabama prosecutor would have been confirmed to a lifetime appointment to a federal judgeship. But allegations of racism cast Sessions as a throwback to the Jim Crow South, and the Senate Judiciary Committee voted down his nomination. Stunned and embarrassed, Sessions returned home to Mobile as a man undone.

"Soon he turned to politics, was elected to the Senate and joined the very committee that denied him a seat on the federal bench. He ascended from behind the scenes to the panel's top Republican spot, and it now falls to him to weigh the GOP's competing interests and political calculations while guiding the fractured party through the upcoming confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Yesterday, the judge went to the Capitol for private meetings with Sessions and other key senators.” 
»  Read more in the Washington Post.

Empathy vs. Darth Vader — for Judgeships
"On Judge David Hamilton, the Judiciary panel voted along party lines, 12-7, to approve him for a position on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Hamilton has been a federal trial judge in Indiana since 1994, and he once served as counsel to Evan Bayh, while he was governor before becoming a senator. But at an earlier stage of Judge Hamilton’s nomination, Republicans, including Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma, had threatened to filibuster his nomination. Whether they’ll do so now remains a question."
»  Read more in the New York Times.

Bill Proposes Immigration Rights for Gay Couples
"Senator Patrick J. Leahy, the Democrat from Vermont who is the powerful chairman of the Judiciary Committee, is adding another controversial ingredient to the volatile mix of an immigration debate that President Obama has said he hopes to spur in Congress before the end of the year.

"Mr. Leahy has offered a bill that would allow American citizens and legal immigrants to seek residency in the United States for their same-sex partners, just as spouses now petition for foreign-born husbands and wives."
»  Read more in the New York Times.

A War Against Organizing
"For the vast majority of workers who want to join unions today, the right to organize and bargain collectively -- free from coercion, intimidation and retaliation -- is at best a promise indefinitely deferred. In election campaigns overseen by the National Labor Relations Board, it is now standard practice for companies to subject workers to threats, interrogation, harassment, surveillance and retaliation for union activity.

"The failure of the system to defend workers' rights in a timely manner multiplies the obstacles workers face when seeking union representation, creating delays that favor employers. Employers appeal a high percentage of the cases to the NLRB, and in the most egregious instances, the employer can count on a final decision being held up by three to five years."
»  Read more in the Washington Post.

 AFJ In the News

Supremely Civil Ads ... So Far
"These early ads lack the vitriol of some that have run against previous nominees to the high court. In 2005, for instance, we wrote about one that falsely implied nominee John Roberts had supported abortion clinic bombers. Then again, it's likely that at least two months will pass before Sotomayor's nomination comes up for a vote in the full Senate – plenty of time for these and other groups to cut more ads. We'll keep readers posted on any new spots, but meanwhile, here's our take on the current crop.

The Judicial Confirmation Network has been in operation for several years, while the Coalition for Constitutional Values is populated by several well-known organizations normally active on the liberal side of judicial nominations, including the Alliance for Justice."

»  Read the full article in Newsweek.

Watch the Coalition for Constitutional Values spot, Justice.

Debate: Should Sotomayor Be Confirmed?

"Schieffer asked Nan Aron, President of the pro-Sotomayor Alliance For Justice, about this comment from Sotomayor: 'I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.' The statement prompted charges of racism from Rush Limbaugh and others.

"'For the most part, you want a Supreme Court that is filled with judges from different backgrounds that represent different viewpoints and bring their own experiences to the process of decision making, and the fact that she is a Latina I think enables her to bring that different viewpoint,' said Aron. 'And I think it's a little bit silly of people to say that when you're nominated for a judgeship and become a judge that you don't bring those experiences. Of course you do.'"

»  Watch the full discussion on CBS. 

Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama's nominee to the Supreme Court, met with Senators on Capital Hill this week.  Judge Sotomayor, a United States Court of Appeals Judge for the Second Circuit, was nominated to our nation's highest court last week.  Judge Sotomayor will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee during hearings that will explore her professional record.  She has twice appeared before the committee, during her district court and court of appeals nominations.  She was voted out favorably on both occasions.  Commentators expect her hearings to occur before Congress recesses in August.
 
This week, two nominees to the federal courts of appeal were voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.  United States District Court Judge David Hamilton, nominee to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, was voted out of committee on a party-line vote 12-7.  United States District Court Judge Andre Davis, nominee to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, was also voted out but by a larger 17-2 margin.  During the same session, President Obama's pick to head the Civil Rights Division in the Department of Justice, Thomas Perez, was also voted out of committee by a 17-2 vote.
 
There were no additional nominees to the federal courts this week, although various Senators have begun announcing their top choices.  Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed have urged President Obama to support Rhode Island Supreme Court Judge Rogeriee Thompson for the First Circuit Court of Appeals as well as attorney Jack McConnell to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island.  And, just this week Senators Mark Warner and Jim Webb announced their top choice for the Virginia vacancy on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, Virginia Supreme Court Justice Barbara Keenan.

4 Judicial nominees pending
0 Pending on Senate floor 
4 Pending in committee
0 Confirmations overall
15 Court of Appeals Vacancies
55 District Court Vacancies
70 Total Federal Court Vacancies
(1 SC Vacancy pending)