Loud & Clear

Latest Episodes:

New War Party: Pompeo, Bolton, Netanyahu & Trump Aim for Attack on Iran Apr 30, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Medea Benjamin, the co-founder of Code Pink and author of the book “Kingdom of the Unjust: Behind the U.S.-Saudi Connection,” and journalist and independent political analyst Marwa Osman.
Israeli Prime Minister made a speech today arguing that Iran is in violation of the nuclear arms deal as Trump prepares for a possible end of compliance with the agreement. Israel carried out major military strikes against Iranians in Syria. The bombing was so big that it created an earthquake. Brian and John also talk about Pompeo’s trips to Saudi Arabia and Israel this weekend. The danger of war with Iran is growing.
The hosts discuss, “Finks: How the CIA Tricked the World’s Best Writers” with author Joel Whitney. It describes a situation that almost no Americans know about. In the early days of the Cold War, the CIA clandestinely recruited some of the greatest writers in the world--household names—to spy for them. They talk to the author about why this happened and why it’s been a secret for so long. Joel Whitney, the author of “Finks” and a co-founder of Guernica: A Magazine of Art & Politics, joins the show.
Mumia Abu Jamal has been in prison in Pennsylvania since 1981, after being accused and convicted of killing a policeman. He was on death row until 2011, when his sentence was converted to life without parole. Mumia and his supporters have always maintained his innocence, and he was in court today in Philadelphia. He is asking a court to vacate his previous appeals attempts on the basis of judicial bias so that he can appeal his case again. Brian and John speak with Dave Lindorff, an investigative reporter, a columnist for CounterPunch, and the author of “Killing Time: An Investigation into the Death Row Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal.”
The attorney for a right-wing organization that sues for conservative causes has filed a lawsuit against Arizona teachers, contending that their strike is illegal and seeking to force them back to work. But teachers remained on the picket line today, the third day of the strike, demanding increased funding and a commitment to stop making tax cuts on the backs of education. Dan Cohen, a journalist and filmmaker who was in Arizona to cover the strikes, joins the show.
Monday’s regular segment “Education for Liberation with Bill Ayers” looks at the state of education across the country. What’s happening in our schools, colleges, and universities, and what impact does it have on the world around us? Today focuses on a trip to the opening of the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, a museum and memorial in Montgomery, Alabama, that honors the memory of lynching victims and asks localities to publicly acknowledge that they occurred. The hosts speak with Bill Ayers, an activist, educator and the author of the book “Demand the Impossible: A Radical Manifesto.”
Admiral Harry Harris has been nominated to be Donald Trump’s next ambassador to South Korea—an outrageous idea for a man who presided over the torture at the Guantanamo military base. Brian and John look into his record with Dr. Emanuel Pastreich, director of The Asia Institute in Seoul, Korea.
Our friend and frequent guest Randy Credico was invited to the White House Correspondents Dinner over the weekend as a guest of Yahoo News. But the Washington swells didn’t like Randy’s message of freedom for Julian Assange, and they unceremoniously threw him out of the event. Brian and John speak with Randy Credico, an activist, a comedian, and the former director of the William Moses Kunstler Fund for Racial Justice.

North and South Korea Historic Meeting: The Politics Behind the Summit Apr 27, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Gregory Elich, a member of the Solidarity Committee for Democracy and Peace in Korea and the author of, “Strange Liberators: Militarism, Mayhem, and the Pursuit of Profit,” and author and professor Tim Beal whose most recent book is “Crisis in Korea.”
In one of the most important diplomatic breakthroughs in a generation, the leaders of North and South Korea met yesterday and pledged to denuclearize the peninsula and to formally end the Korean War. Even the most optimistic observers were surprised at the scope of the meeting, which took place on the South Korean side of the border at Panmunjom. President Trump later issued a statement saying that he was looking forward to meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks or months.
On today’s regular Friday segment covering the upcoming midterm elections, Brian and John take a look at a series of upcoming special elections, a Republican win in Arizona, and the possibility of Ohio Governor John Kasich running against Donald Trump in the Republican primaries. Jacqueline Luqman and Abdus Luqman, the co-editors-in-chief of Luqman Nation, join the show.
The House Intelligence Committee has completed and issued its report, concluding that there was no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. The Democrats issued a dissent. And The Daily Beast has suspended columnist and MSNBC host Joy Reid after dozens of homophobic statements were added to her old blog on the MSNBC website. Reid claims that the blog was hacked, her supporters suggested may be that “Russians” were responsible, and the FBI is now investigating. But Daily Beast cybersecurity reporters, and the website’s webmaster, say there is no evidence of any hack. Also, the corporate-owned media is making a great deal of the emails hacked from the Russian attorney who met in July 2016 with Donald Trump. Jr. Brian and John speak with Joe Lauria, editor-in-chief of Consortium News and author of the book “How I Lost, By Hillary Clinton.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is making a one-day trip to Washington today to meet with President Trump and to discuss the Iran nuclear deal and pending US tariffs on German steel and aluminum. Most media outlets say that the meetings will have none of the warmth seen during French President Macron’s visit to Washington earlier this week. Reiner Braun, co-president of the International Peace Bureau and Sputnik News political analyst and producer Walter Smolarek, join the show.
A recent spate of infections linked to romaine lettuce is now the largest multistate foodborne E. coli outbreak since 2006. At least 84 people have been affected in 19 states by contaminated lettuce originating in Yuma, Arizona. What needs to change about our agricultural system to make it safer? Patty Lovera, food and water policy director at Food & Water Watch, joins Brian and John.
An international conference aimed at raising aid for victims of the Syria conflict raised just over half of what the United Nations says is needed to support refugees. Just $4.4 billion was raised. The US has pledged $1 billion but has not delivered any of that. Sputnik News political analyst and producer Walter Smolarek joins the show.
The hosts continue the regular segment of the worst and most misleading headlines. Brian and John, speak with Steve Patt, an independent journalist whose critiques of the mainstream media have been a feature of his blog Left I on the News, which you can find at lefti.blogspot.com, and Loud & Clear producer Nicole Roussell.

Is Turkey preparing for new offensive in Iraq? Apr 26, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Kani Xulam, founder of the American-Kurdish Information Network, and Sputnik News analyst Walter Smolarek.
Since the end of March, the Turkish military has quietly been building outposts inside Iraqi territory to attack the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, in the nearby Qandil Mountains. The move is, of course, a violation of Iraqi sovereignty. And it points to Turkey’s obsession with fighting Kurds no matter where they are.
The weekly series “Criminal Injustice” continues, where the hosts discuss the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country, including the systematic abuse of prisoners across the system. Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Unauthorized Disclosure, and Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News and Criminal Legal News, join the show.
In March, Loud & Clear reported about the case of Alejandra Pablos, a prominent local reproductive health activist. Alejandra is a permanent resident of the United States. But when she went to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Arizona for a routine check-in, she was arrested and held incommunicado. She has been released, but is now facing deportation. Brian and John speak with Alejandra Pablos, an organizer with the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, a member of the immigrant rights organization Mijente, and a delegate to the People’s Congress of Resistance held last year in Washington, D.C.
French President Emmanuel Macron said last night that he did not believe he changed President Trump’s mind on the Iran nuclear deal and that he expects the US to pull out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action next month. He added that doing so would be bad for everyone--Iran, the European Union, and the United States. Catherine Shakdam, a political commentator and analyst focusing on the Middle East, and the author of “A Tale Of Grand Resistance: Yemen, The Wahhabi And The House Of Saud,” joins the show.
Teachers in Arizona walked out today in nearly 100 school districts across the state. The teachers are striking to reestablish education funding to the level where it was years ago (it has dropped 14% just since 2008 in Arizona, measured per student) and to stop passing tax cuts on the backs of public education. Nathalie Hrizi, a teacher and librarian and a teachers union organizer, joins Brian and John.
The CIA is actively tweeting its support for deputy director Gina Haspel’s elevation to lead the Agency. It routinely retweets articles supporting or endorsing Haspel, while ignoring those that don’t. This would seem to be an ethical violation. Isn’t any federal agency supposed to be neutral on who may or may not lead it? Ray McGovern, a CIA analyst under seven presidents who was also the personal morning briefer for President George H. W. Bush, joins the show.
President Trump told the hosts of Fox & Friends this morning that CIA Director Michael Pompeo was not supposed to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un when he traveled to North Korea over the Easter weekend. But Kim walked into the room and the two spoke for more than an hour. Pompeo later said that Kim was very smart, a revelation for US policymakers. Why does the US really know nothing about the North Korean leader?

Trump’s Travel Ban is set to Become a Reality, but DACA Wins in Court Apr 25, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Heather Benno, an immigrant rights activist and attorney, and Angie Kim, the Community Engagement & Advocacy Coordinator for the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium.
In a major blow to the Trump Administration’s immigration policy, another federal judge has ruled that attempts to end the popular Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, are illegal. However, the judge gave the Administration 90 days to appeal the decision. Meanwhile, the travel ban finally reaches the Supreme Court today. All three versions of the travel ban have been ruled unconstitutional at every level of the federal courts. Now it’s the Supreme Court’s turn to weigh in.
Wednesday is the regular segment looking at nuclear issues, including weapons, energy, waste, and the future of nuclear technology in the United States. Today, they discuss the pushback on a proposed new nuclear waste facility in New Mexico (submit comments against the facility at beyondnuclear.org), the Iran nuclear deal potentially being ripped apart, the North Korea-US talks, and the US breaking of international law about nuclear non-proliferation. Kevin Kamps, the Radioactive Waste Watchdog at the organization Beyond Nuclear, joins the show.
Busloads of Central American migrants arrived in Tijuana Mexico yesterday, where they intend to turn themselves in to US border authorities and to ask for asylum. Most of the migrants are from Honduras and are fleeing crime, violence, and political repression in that country. The Trump Administration, however, is warning that anybody without a valid claim will be swiftly deported. And anybody who tries to cross the border will be arrested and prosecuted. Brian and John speak with Jorge Barón, the executive director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.
A Filipino human rights activist scheduled for a speaking tour in the US was detained upon arrival at San Francisco Airport. A Customs and Border Protection officer said there was a problem with Jerome Aba’s visa, but Aba maintains that customs officers planted a weapon on him and tortured him when he was first detained. Adrian Bonifacio, National Chairperson of Anakbayan-USA, and Mong Palatino, a journalist and former member of the Philippines’ House of Representatives who was set to be on the same speaking tour as Jerome Aba, joins the show.
The Taliban announced the start of their annual spring offensive today, dismissing an offer of peace talks by President Ashraf Ghani, but pledging to focus on attacking only US forces in Afghanistan. Ghani had called for peace talks without any preconditions, but the Taliban refused, calling the offer “a conspiracy.” Brian Terrell, a long time peace activist and a co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence, joins Brian and John.
Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is on trial in that country on myriad corruption charges. He and his family have been major political players in Pakistan for much of the past 30 years and have been accused of corruption before. But allegations of Sharif having assets beyond his means, leaked as part of the Panama Papers, may be enough to finally put him in prison. Marvin Weinbaum, the Scholar-in-Residence for the Middle East Institute’s Center for Pakistan Studies, joins the show.
Facebook yesterday made public for the very first time a 27-page memo explaining the criteria for banning content on its site. The company also said that it would be more clear about its privacy policies in light of a new European Union law mandating transparency. Meanwhile, Twitter has released its privacy policy to the public. Brian and John speak with Professor Bryan Ford, who leads the Decentralized/Distributed Systems lab at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne.

Trump Meets Macron as Washington Plans to Rip Up Iran Nuclear Arms Deal Apr 24, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Gareth Porter, a historian, investigative journalist, and the author of “Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare,” and Mohammad Marandi, an expert on American studies and postcolonial literature who teaches at the University of Tehran.
French President Emmanuel Macron today held meetings with President Trump at the White House. Discussions focused on Iran and Syria. Trump is taking a hard line on the former, and Macron on the latter. The two also will discuss trade and counterterrorism today.
Tuesday’s weekly series continues looking at the top economic issues of the day, today focusing on Wells Fargo’s criminal business practices, AT&T and Verizon’s potentially criminal business practices, pay-for-quick-service emergency rooms, and new Facebook and Google privacy regulations that may hinder smaller companies. Financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey joins the show.
The US media have taken a tough position against rapprochement with North Korea and the possibility for peace on the peninsula. Is this just a knee-jerk anti-Trump reaction or is there something else behind it? Brian and John speak with Steve Gowans, a journalist and author of “Washington’s Long War on Syria.”
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt today will propose a rule that would establish new standards for what science could be used in writing agency regulations. This is a rule change long sought by conservatives, who argue that only publicly-available information should be considered in EPA deliberations. Fred Magdoff, professor emeritus of plant and soil science at the University of Vermont and the co-author of “What Every Environmentalist Needs to Know About Capitalism” and “Creating an Ecological Society: Toward a Revolutionary Transformation,” joins the show.
A group of 109 retired generals and admirals have signed an open letter to the members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, asking them to reject the nomination of Gina Haspel as director of the CIA. The former military leaders say they are “deeply troubled by the prospect of someone who appears to have been intimately involved in torture being elevated to one of the most important positions of leadership in the intelligence community. Brian interviews John, who worked for the CIA for 15 years and has been featured across media networks against Gina Haspel’s nomination due to her management of the CIA’s torture program.
A 25-year-old Toronto man drove a rented van through a crowd of people in that city yesterday, killing 10 and injuring at least 14. Canadian authorities have not said what Eric Manassian’s motive was, and police are not using the word terrorism. But that hasn’t stopped social media platforms from exploding over the issue, saying that Manassian is a Muslim and calling for more controls on refugees and immigrants into both Canada and the United States. Chris Black, an international criminal lawyer who is on the List of Counsel before the ICC, joins the show.
In a dramatic act of civil disobedience seven peace activists were arrested while protesting at the Kings Bay Naval Base in Georgia, where submarines capable of firing a world-ending barrage of nuclear missiles are stationed. Brian and John speak with Paul Magno, the finance director at Nonviolence International, a decentralized network of resource centers that promote nonviolent action and a culture of peace.

Trump's Trade War with China: Debate Rages Within the Administration Apr 23, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Jude Woodward, the author of the new book “The US vs China: Asia's new Cold War?” and Dr. Jack Rasmus, a professor of economics at Saint Mary's College of California and author of “Trump’s Déjà vu China Trade War” in the World Review of Political Economy.
The US Department of Commerce last week banned the Chinese major telecom equipment maker ZTE Corporation for seven years. This huge company might be brought down entirely by this US sanction. This comes a year after it was originally sanctioned for selling equipment to North Korea, in violation of United Nations sanctions. But there is another issue at play here: the issue of sanctions as an economic weapon.
French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in Washington today for meetings with President Trump and other US leaders to discuss Iran, trade, climate change, Russia, North Korea, and terrorism. The visit comes on the heels of a joint US/French/British attack on Syria and it points to an increasingly close relationship between the two leaders. Gilbert Mercier, the editor in chief of News Junkie Post and the author of “The Orwellian Empire”, and Sputnik news analyst Walter Smolarek, join the show.
The Saudi Air force yesterday bombed a wedding in Yemen, killing at least 20 people and wounding 45. Most of the dead were women and children, including the bride. A family of five was killed on Saturday, and 20 more people were killed on Friday. The Saudis have adopted a US tactic of bombing weddings and funerals to inflict the most damage possible. Meanwhile in Yemen, a top leader of the Houthi rebels who control the country’s north has been confirmed killed in a separate air raid. Brian and John speak with Medea Benjamin, a legendary activist and co-founder of Code Pink.
At least 10 people were killed during demonstrations in Nicaragua this weekend over the issue of pension reforms, amidst criticisms of the country’s economy raised by the International Monetary Fund. Is a progressive government like Nicaragua’s bending to IMF pressure? Nils McCune, a member of La Via Campesina, the international peasants’ movement, speaking on his own behalf, rather than for the entire organization, joins the show.
Monday’s regular segment “Education for Liberation with Bill Ayers” looks at the state of education across the country. What’s happening in our schools, colleges, and universities, and what impact does it have on the world around us? Today focuses the 50th Anniversary of the Columbia University protest with Bill Ayers, an activist, educator and the author of the book “Demand the Impossible: A Radical Manifesto.”
CIA Director Michael Pompeo’s nomination to be Secretary of State will come to a vote this afternoon in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He will likely not receive a favorable vote. But he still has a path to victory on the floor of the Senate. Ann Wright, a retired United States Army colonel and former U.S. State Department official in Afghanistan, who resigned in protest of the invasion of Iraq and became an anti-war activist, joins the show.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign was cut short 50 years ago with his assassination, but a new effort aims to carry on this legacy. To assist that campaign, the Institute for Policy Studies has produced a 123-page report on the state of poverty in America to provide facts and data for the movement. Brian and John speak with report’s co-editor, Saurav Sarkar, with the Institute for Policy Studies.

Theater of the Absurd: DNC Sues Russia, Wikileaks, and Trump Campaign Apr 20, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Dan Kovalik, a human rights and labor lawyer who is the author of “The Plot to Scapegoat Russia” and Jim Kavanagh, the editor of ThePolemicist.net.
It’s Friday and it’s been a big week of news. Just today, the DNC announced they’re suing Trump, WikiLeaks, and the entire country of Russia, memos were released from James Comey that depict interactions with Trump, and the inspector general’s report on McCabe has been sent to the U.S. Attorney for potential criminal charges.
In Friday’s regular update on elections, the competition to be the next Speaker of the House and Senator from California has been intense, but on one thing Congress seems to mostly agree—war against Syria. Jacqueline Luqman and Abdus Luqman, the co-editors-in-chief of Luqman Nation, join the show.
All around the world, whistleblowers who expose the misdeeds of the rich and powerful are persecuted, but many countries have also adopted legislation to offer them some form of protection. Brian and Walter speak with Loud & Clear co-host John Kiriakou,who has been in Greece this week to address the Greek parliament and meet senior government officials as that country prepares to pass its first true whistleblower protection law.
The Department of Health and Human Services is reportedly planning to issue regulations that will further restrict undocumented people's ability to access health care. The hosts have part two of an in-depth look at this latest attack on immigrants and the barriers to healthcare access that already existed. Leo Cuello, an attorney and the director of health policy for the National Health Law Program, joins the show.
We’ve all heard about GMOs, or genetically modified foods. But new research has created what’s being called GMO.2, or gene-edited food. What is this new creation and is it any safer than GMO.1? Patty Lovera, Food and Water Policy Director at Food & Water Watch, joins Brian and John.
The US and the UK took the highly unusual step of issued a joint technical alert this week, which says that Russia has hacked millions of personal and home technological devices. Is this true? What’s the big picture? Web developer and technologist Chris Garaffa joins the show.
The hosts continue the regular segment of the worst and most misleading headlines. Brian and Nicole Roussell, sitting in for John, speak with Steve Patt, an independent journalist whose critiques of the mainstream media have been a feature of his blog Left I on the News, which you can find at lefti.blogspot.com.

Cuba Picks A New Head of State As Trump Rolls Back Obama’s Cuba Policy Apr 19, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and Walter Smolarek are joined by Arnold August, a lecturer, journalist, and author of the book “Cuba and the US in the Age of Trump,” and Gloria La Riva, the director of the Cuba and Venezuela Solidarity Committee.
Miguel Diaz Canal has been elected by the National Assembly to be the new President of Cuba. As the country embarks on a historic leadership transition as Raul Castro steps down, what does the future hold for Cuba and its socialist system?
The weekly series “Criminal Injustice” continues, where the hosts discuss the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country, including the murder by NYPD of Saheed Vassell, a man known by cops and the community to be mentally ill. Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Unauthorized Disclosure, and Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News and Criminal Legal News, join the show.
Cancer is not only traumatic and deadly, but it can be incredibly expensive to treat. One organization, Value in Cancer Care Consortium, has been working on cutting those costs to make cancer treatment more readily available, and for one treatment, the researchers were able to confirm that just one-third of a drug for blood cancer was just as effective as the previously recommended dose. This would, of course, cut the treatment cost by a third—until Janssen and Pharmacyclics tripled their prices in response. Brian and Walter speak with Dr. Allen Lichter, an oncologist and chair of the board of directors of the Value in Cancer Care Consortium.
The Department of Health and Human Services is reportedly planning to issue regulations that will further restrict undocumented people's ability to access health care. The hosts take an in-depth look today and tomorrow at this latest attack on immigrants and the barriers to healthcare access that already existed. Leo Cuello, an attorney and the director of health policy for the National Health Law Program, joins the show.
Yesterday evening, Charles County, Maryland residents rallied at the town council building to protest fracking and a potential new fracked gas compressor station. Fracking is a problem nationwide that is hazardous to the environment and to people living nearby. Maryland anti-fracking organizer with Amp Creeks Council, who was a key organizer in the rally yesterday, joins Brian and Walter.
Puerto Rico suffered a huge blackout yesterday leaving the entire island without power, which has still not yet been fully restored. Months after Puerto Rico was hit with a devastating hurricane, critical infrastructure is still yet to be repaired. Camilo Punsoda, spokesperson for Juventud Trabajadora, the youth wing of the Working People’s Party of Puerto Rico, joins the show.
The Syrian army has given ISIS a 48-hour deadline to vacate areas south of the capital Damascus, primarily the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk, which has suffered under ISIS’ brutal rule since the spring of 2015. Meanwhile, controversy continues to swirl over the alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma. Brian and Walter speak with Massoud Shadjareh, the founder of the Islamic Human Rights Commission.

CIA Director Meets Kim Jong Un, North & South Korea Vow To Make Peace Apr 18, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and Walter Smolarek are joined by Dr. Christine Hong, Associate Professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at UC Santa Cruz and a member of the Korea Policy Institute, and Simone Chun, a fellow at the Korea Policy Institute and a member of the Korean Peace Network.
A minister in the government of South Korean has confirmed that a peace treaty with the North is on the agenda for the summit between Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un set for April 27. What would this historic step mean for the future of the Korean peninsula?
Wednesday is the regular segment looking at nuclear issues, including weapons, energy, waste, and the future of nuclear technology in the United States. Today, they address weather like mid-April snowstorms and cold snaps damaging nuclear reactors, a new campaign to press the US to commit not to use nuclear weapons, and increasing pressure against a nuclear bailout in the PJM area. Kevin Kamps, the Radioactive Waste Watchdog at the organization Beyond Nuclear, joins the show.
The war in Syria continues to deepen in the wake of last week’s U.S.-led missile attack. Saudi Arabia has offered to send ground troops to the country, and controversy continues over the investigation into the alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma. Brian and John speak with Ambassador Peter Ford, the former British Ambassador to Syria.
Former FBI agent Terry Albury pleaded guilty yesterday to providing secret documents to the press. In a statement, he said he knew it was against the law, but he felt strongly that the public needed to know about the racism inherent in FBI practices. Coleen Rowley, a former FBI special agent who in 2002 was named Time Magazine person of the year along with two other whistleblowers, joins the show.
In a surprise move, Turkish President Erdogan has called an early general election, scheduled for June 24. With the government fostering a wave of nationalistic fervor across the country, opposition forces fear that these elections may further consolidate Erdogan’s stranglehold on power. Ceyda Karan, a columnist at Cumhuriyet Daily, joins Walter.
Attorney-client privilege has been focused on in the news recently in light of the FBI investigating Trump’s lawyer. But it’s an incredibly important democratic right and a core of our democracy. Brad Schlesinger, an appellate attorney licensed to practice in the Supreme Court, joins the show.
In the newest reflection of his America First policy, Trump is pushing the emir of Kuwait to purchase a $10 billion fighter jet. He is pushing this deal on behalf of a private company, Boeing, the jet manufacturer, because the company has become impatient that the sale is stalled. Brian and John speak with Greg Mello, the Executive Director of the Los Alamos Study Group.

What Explains Trump’s Decision to Postpone New Russia Sanctions? Apr 17, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and Walter Smolarek are joined by Daniel Lazare, a journalist and author of “The Frozen Republic,” “The Velvet Coup,” and “America's Undeclared War,” and Jim Kavanagh, the editor of ThePolemicist.net.
Despite Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley’s announcement there would be additional sanctions on Russia, Trump pulled back yesterday. Whether a misstep by Haley or indecision by Trump, the office is clearly unorganized.
Tuesday’s weekly series continues, looking at the top economic issues of the day, focusing on banks being the biggest beneficiary of Trump’s tax bill, with Bank of America noting this week that its effective tax rate is now nine points lower. Financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey joins the show.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is visiting Trump at Mar-a-Lago today. Both leaders are dealing with scandals, and Abe’s approval ratings are in the 30s and even 20s according to one poll. How will this visit affect the Trans Pacific Partnership, high-level diplomacy in Korea, and other key global issues? Brian and Walter speak with Vijay Prashad, the Director of the Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and Chief Editor of LeftWord Books.
Debate is raging in the British parliament over the highly unpopular decision by Theresa May’s government to join the U.S.-led missile attack on Syria last Friday. Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn is pushing for a war powers act to limit the ability of a Prime Minister from launching military action in the future without consulting parliament. Robert Griffiths, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Britain, joins the show.
A series of deadly attacks across Afghanistan the government says was carried out by the Taliban took place over the weekend, leading to dozens of deaths as the spring fighting season gets underway. Will the U.S. occupation of the country ever end? Brian Terrell, a long time peace activist and a co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence, joins Brian and Walter.
A federal court ruled recently against a 2017 Maryland law that let the Attorney General sue pharmaceutical companies for price gouging. Is this another case of corporate profits coming before people’s needs? Nicole Roussell, producer for Loud & Clear, joins the show.
David S Buckel was a prominent LGBTQ rights lawyer who litigated landmark cases for marriage equality and the rights of LGBTQ youth. Later on, he fiercely advocated for protections for the environment. He died on Saturday after setting himself on fire in a tragic act of protest against climate change. Brian and Walter speak with Fred Magdoff, professor emeritus of plant and soil science at the University of Vermont and the co-author of “What Every Environmentalist Needs to Know About Capitalism” and “Creating an Ecological Society: Toward a Revolutionary Transformation.”

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