This video was published on YouTube on August 16.
Source: NOLA.com
Saturday, August 18, 2018
Happening in Harlem: A Memorial for Aretha Franklin
On August 19, Rev. Al Sharpton, President, National Action Network (NAN), and Harlem community leaders will pay tribute to the legacy and life of music icon Aretha Franklin, who passed away on August 16 at the age of 76.
The memorial, which begins at 2 p.m., will be held at St. Nicholas Avenue Main Stage, 135th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue.
Rev. Sharpton released the following statement this week following the news of the passing of the Queen of Soul:
"Most people knew Aretha
for her chart-topping hits that cut to the core of the human experience
– no matter your background. But I knew Aretha for the civil rights and
humanitarian icon that many forget: the Aretha that uplifted
her community and the civil rights movement through unbelievable
generosity, valuable counsel, and unfailing integrity and activism –
backed up by an unmatched humility and commitment to serve. Throughout
our lives, I came to know Aretha very well – she became
a big sis to me, and I am a luckier man for it. The world will never
forget her music, and I will never forget her tremendous spirit and the
example she set for us all. Today I stand tall with her family and
friends as we pray for her soul to be at ease.”
Source: Mercury
Friday, August 17, 2018
'Flashback Friday': 1968 (The Year That Rocked America)
This video was published on YouTube on March 1, 2013.
Source: Senator John Heinz History Center
Sex Workers Are Rallying Behind a Democratic Socialist Running for New York Senate
By Aída Chávez
Julia Salazar, a candidate for the New York state Senate,
is doing what few Democratic politicians have done before: taking sex
workers’ rights seriously. The 27-year-old democratic socialist, who is
shaping her policy by consulting the sex work community, is one of the
first candidates to definitively support those workers, including by
proposing concrete steps toward decriminalization.
Sex work — which refers to the willing
exchange of money or goods for sexual labor, including escorts,
prostitutes, pornography actors, and phone sex operators — intersects
with labor, gender, immigration, race, LGBTQ, and criminal justice
issues. It is often conflated with sex trafficking, which involves
forcing someone into sex work through violence or other means, and as a
result, nearly all mainstream political movements have failed to address
the concerns of the sex work community. Salazar, who is challenging eight-term incumbent Democratic state Sen. Martin Dilan,
has centered her campaign around affordable housing and other policy
positions championed by the insurgent left. But her plan to defend sex
workers’ rights has energized a community that has been understandably
skeptical of electoral politics.
One hundred sex workers and their
allies have signed up to attend a canvassing event in the Brooklyn
district for Salazar’s campaign on Sunday, ahead of the September 13
primary. This follows an event earlier this month, when upward of 120
sex workers and activists hosted a pizza party for Salazar to discuss
labor rights and decriminalization.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Intercept_
Veterans Group Sues to Block VA Shadow Rulers
A new lawsuit challenges the legality of a secret Mar-a-Lago troika after ProPublica revealed its influence over the Department of Veterans Affairs.
A liberal veterans group is suing to block the influence of three
outside advisers who have been secretly influencing the Department of
Veterans Affairs from Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s private club
in Palm Beach, Florida.
ProPublica reported
last week that the advisers — Marvel Entertainment chairman Ike
Perlmutter, West Palm Beach doctor Bruce Moskowitz and Washington lawyer
Marc Sherman — have been shaping VA personnel and policy decisions
despite having no official role or relevant expertise.
The trio, sometimes referred to as the “Mar-a-Lago Crowd,” is failing
to disclose its activities as required by federal law, according to a
lawsuit filed today in federal court in Washington, D.C., by VoteVets, a
liberal activist group that says it represents 500,000 supporters.
Click here for the full article.
Source: ProPublica
Senate Passes Resolution Reaffirming Press Is Not Enemy of the People
The Senate has unanimously approved a resolution by voice vote
reaffirming that the press is not the enemy of the people. The
resolution was introduced by Senators Brian Schatz and Chuck Schumer in
response to President Trump's repeated attacks on the press as "the
enemy of the people."
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Harvard Law Professor Discusses Legal Challenges to the Electoral College
Professor Lawrence Lessig talked
about a lawsuit he joined to challenge the Electoral College system. He
spoke via video link from Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
476 Sick in Parasite Outbreak Linked to McDonald's Salads
by A. Pawlowski
The number of people infected with a parasite linked to McDonald’s salads has grown to 476, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.
The
lab-confirmed cases of Cyclospora infection were reported in 15 states,
with 21 people now hospitalized. The ill range in age from 14 to 91,
with two-thirds of them women.
The
FDA continues to investigate and is “currently reviewing distribution
and supplier information for romaine and carrots,” the agency said in
its latest update.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
Military Officials Worried Trump May Agree to Privatize Afghan War
by Carol E. Lee, Courtney Kube and Josh Lederman
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is increasingly venting frustration to his national security team about the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and showing renewed interest in a proposal by Blackwater founder Erik Prince to privatize the war, current and former senior administration officials said.
Prince's idea, which first surfaced last year during the president's Afghanistan strategy review,
envisions replacing troops with private military contractors who would
work for a special U.S. envoy for the war who would report directly to
the president.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
Turkey - US Spat: Trump Called for Release of American Pastor to Win Evangelical Vote
Source: FRANCE 24 English
Ebola Outbreak: At Least 44 Killed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Source: FRANCE 24 English
Thursday, August 16, 2018
A Song for the Soul: Aretha Franklin, Mary, Don't You Weep
"Mary, Don't You Weep" is from the 1972 album "Amazing Grace" by Aretha Franklin.
President Obama Cries During Aretha Franklin Performance
This video was published on YouTube on December 30, 2015.
The iconic Aretha Franklin performed before dignitaries at the Kennedy Centre Honours on December 6, but it was aired for the first time on December 29.
Source: TV360Nigeria
Aretha Franklin Performs Nessun Dorma
This video was published on YouTube on September 26, 2015.
Source: LIVE SATELLITE NEWS
In Memoriam: Aretha Franklin
A Queen Who Embodied Black Music’s Spirit and Vision
The ‘Queen of Soul,’ who passed away at the age of 76 after a battle with cancer, was so much more than even that lofty moniker implied.
By Stereo Williams
She was an icon. A legend. And so much more than that.
Aretha Franklin was one of our greatest treasures;
a prodigious talent and studious craftswoman who reached the pinnacle
of her profession and became a cultural avatar at a time when black
women were fighting to be seen and heard on their own terms. Aretha’s
ascent to superstardom coincided with Black America’s cultural assertion
against white supremacy in the 1960s, and carried over through the
disillusionment and disenfranchisement of the ’70s. In the ’80s, she
embodied her generation’s shift into newer modes of communication and
higher symbols of affluence, and emerged as a venerated elder for a new wave of soul queens in the ’90s. Aretha was always a voice and a mirror for where her people and her generation had been, were currently, and seemed to be going.
On Thursday morning, the news came: The Queen of Soul was dead at age 76 from advanced pancreatic cancer.
It’s
fairly easy to rattle off the names of the legendary soul singers who
have followed her path to superstardom. Gladys Knight’s commercial
breakthrough with the Pips was a few months after Aretha broke big with
“I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You),” and Patti LaBelle’s solo emergence was similarly post-Aretha in the 1970s, as well as the debuts of Natalie Cole and Chaka Khan with Rufus. Aretha’s shadow over the singer-songwriter movement most often associated with artists like Joni Mitchell
and Carly Simon gets less acknowledgement, but Aretha penned the
classic “Dr. Feelgood” in 1967 and top five hits “Think” and “Sweet
Sweet Baby” in 1968. She would write a string of hit originals in the
early ’70s, including “Call Me,” “Rock Steady,” “Day Dreaming,” and
“Spirit in the Dark.” And her skills as a pianist placed her squarely at
the cusp of that burgeoning singer-songwriter shift that would be more
evident throughout that decade.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Daily Beast
Statement from Governor Andrew Cuomo
"Aretha Franklin used the power of her unforgettable voice to lift up others and shine a light on injustice. Today, we mourn the Queen."
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
David Dinkins: 'Help is Urgently Needed to Reunite Families Separated by Zero Tolerance Policies'
Community Organizations Demand
Child Reunification at East Harlem Rally
Child Reunification at East Harlem Rally
The following statement was issued today by former New York City Mayor David Dinkins.
"On August 15, a number of community organizations, including The Movement of Migrant Women and Their Families (MOMUMI), Holyrood Santa Cruz Church, the Association to Benefit Children, and Action Potluck, among others, rallied in East Harlem to announce arrangements to transport families and prepare spaces in New York neighborhoods to host family members who may soon arrive to reunite with their children.
"The situation is fluid, but the goal is clear - the reunification of families, and provision of the support and associated safety needs during this difficult time.
"The situation is fluid, but the goal is clear - the reunification of families, and provision of the support and associated safety needs during this difficult time.
"Children separated from their families by the hundreds at the border were relocated to New York weeks ago and still remain. This heartbreaking trauma cannot be undone and the ever-extending timeline deepens the damage.
"Frequent flyer miles and donations are needed to help with expenses such as travel, meals, phones and other personal necessities. Donations that exceed what is needed for reunification will be allocated to supporting other families in need of sanctuary in New York City now or in the future."
If you would like to provide assistance, contact the following organizations.
Holyrood Church / Iglesia Santa Cruz
715 West 179th Street, New York, NY 10033
212-923-3770
715 West 179th Street, New York, NY 10033
212-923-3770
Movement of Migrant Women:
Michelle Casteneda
215.559.4072
casteneda.michelle@gmail.com
families-together-now gofundme page
Michelle Casteneda
215.559.4072
casteneda.michelle@gmail.com
Happening in Harlem: Free Screening of 'Hidden Figures'
On August 18 at 6 p.m., the ImageNation Outdoors Film and Music Festival, in conjunction with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, will present a free screening of Hidden Figures at St. Nicholas Park. The park is located at 135th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue.
Hidden Figures tells the untold
story of Katherine Jonson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia
Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae) – brilliant African-American
women working at NASA who served as the brains behind the launch into
orbit of astronaut John Glenn, a stunning achievement that turned around
the Space Race. The visionary trio crossed all gender and racial line
and inspired generations.
The film received three Academy Award nominations, including "Best Picture". Additional information is available here.
Sources: ImageNation and FoxMovies.com
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Michigan Pastor Arrested for 'Obstruction of Police' After Questioning Detective
This report was published on YouTube on August 10.
Michigan Reverend David Bullock was arrested on June 24 and charged with obstruction of police for asking Detective Keath Bartynski questions as he interviewed an alleged assault victim. Police body cam footage shows the moment Bullock is arrested for interfering in the police officer's interview with the victim and placed in a squad car. From the car he launches heated tirade calling the white cop a 'cracker' and saying: 'This is called racism... I asked him a question and now I'm in handcuffs'.
Source: Daily Mail
Bonus Report: Highland Park Detective on Leave After Pastor's Arrest
Sen. Kamala Harris: Keynote at Netroots Nation (2018)
This video was published on YouTube on August 3.
Source: NetrootsNationVideo
Black Americans Aren't Buying Omarosa's Turn Against Trump
For years, Omarosa Manigault Newman stood at Donald Trump's
side, making her deeply unpopular with African-Americans who see her as
a sellout for aligning herself with a president who has hurled one
insult after another at black people.
Her falling out with Trump and her decision to call him a racist as she
sells her new book — and in turn, his calling her a "dog" — have not
been enough for many African-Americans to invite her back to the family
picnic.
Too little, too late, many said.
Click here for the full article.
Source: ABC News
Trailblazers in Black History: Rebecca Cole
In 1867, Rebecca J. Cole became the second African American woman to
receive an M.D. degree in the United States (Rebecca Crumpler, M.D.,
graduated from the New England Female Medical College three years
earlier, in 1864).
Dr. Cole was able to overcome racial and gender
barriers to medical education by training in all-female institutions run
by women who had been part of the first generation of female physicians
graduating mid-century.
Dr. Cole graduated from the Woman's Medical
College of Pennsylvania in 1867, under the supervision of Ann Preston,
the first woman dean of the school, and went to work at Elizabeth
Blackwell's New York Infirmary for Women and Children to gain clinical
experience.
Click here for additional information.
Source: The Changing Face of Medicine
Corey Lewandowski: Bloomberg Would Be Formidable 2020 Opponent
Former Trump Presidential Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski says former
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg would make a "very, very
competitive race" should he choose to run for the presidency in 2020.
Lewandowski, who was speaking at a "Christian Science Monitor" breakfast
in Washington, D.C., said Bloomberg ticks a lot of boxes with
progressives, has instant name recognition with the electorate, and is
an "American success story."
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Maryland Football Player's Heatstroke Death Raises Scrutiny of Coaching
This report was published on YouTube on August 14.
Source: PBS NewsHour
‘Secret Archives’ Detailed Priests’ Child Sex Abuse and Cover-ups, Pennsylvania Attorney General Says
This report was published on YouTube on August 14.
Source: PBS NewsHour
An Experimental Ebola Treatment Has Been Deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo
This report was published on YouTube on August 14.
As the Grief Settles In, the Deputy Prime Minister Has Criticised the EU Spending Limits.
This report was published on YouTube on August 14.
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Two Major Questions That Sarah Sanders and Members of the Trump Administration Must Answer
Former White House staff member Omarosa Manigault Newman has publicly stated that a tape exists of Donald Trump using the N-word.
If "From The G-Man" was part of the White House Press Corps, the following questions would be posed to Press Secretary Sarah Sanders and every member of the Trump administration.
If the tape of Trump's "Apprentice" tirade is made public, and he's repeatedly and unequivocally heard yelling the word nigger, will you resign from your position?
If you decided to continue serving in the administration, how would you justify your decision to the American people, especially members of the Black community?
Hopefully, someone among the fine group of reporters and/or journalists assigned to the White House will pose the questions on this site's behalf.
The Power of the Pen: Bills Signed Into Law
On Tuesday, August 14, 2018, the President signed into law:
H.R.
2345, the "National Suicide Hotline Improvements Act of 2018," which
requires the Federal Communications Commission, in coordination with the
Departments of Health
and Human Services and Veterans Affairs, to study the feasibility of
designating a three digit dialing code for a national suicide prevention
and mental health crisis hotline system;
H.R.
5554, the "Animal Drug and Animal Generic Drug User Fee Amendments of
2018," which reauthorizes for five years, Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) user fee programs
for animal drugs and animal generic drugs, and to amend FDA animal drug
programs with regards to electronic submission of applications, drug
labeling, conditional approval of drugs, agency guidance on
investigational design, food additives, and pet food;
H.R.
6414, which extends the authority for promulgation of regulations
necessary to carry out the tribal transportation self-governance
program; and
S.
770, the "NIST Small Business Cybersecurity Act," which requires the
Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology to
develop and disseminate
resources for small businesses to help reduce their cybersecurity
risks.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
Police Unions’ Opposition to Prison Reform Is About More Than Jobs — It’s About Racism
In its first few seconds, a new television advertisement
targeting New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo appears to be an appeal for
increased funding for public education. “Governor Cuomo is shortchanging
our kids,” the short video begins. “In New York state, our classrooms
are overcrowded and outdated.” This, however, is not a message from the
state’s teachers unions, nor is it a campaign effort from gubernatorial
challenger Cynthia Nixon. In fact, the ad is not about education at all.
Fifteen seconds in, the ad’s true intent is revealed: “Instead of
taking care of our children, the governor’s radical agenda takes care of
criminals.” The video is part of a six-figure TV, radio, digital, and
outdoor advertisement campaign launched last month by the New York State
Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, or NYSCOPBA,
with the aim, according to a union statement, “to put public safety
before primary party politics this campaign season.”
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Intercept_
Nebraska Execution: Carey Dean Moore Becomes First Inmate on Death Row Killed Using Fentanyl
Nebraska has become the first US state to use the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl
in a lethal injection after a federal three-judge panel denied a drug
company’s request to stop the execution over concerns the state had
acquired the drug illegally.
The execution of Carey Dean Moore marks the first execution
in the state since 1997, and the use of the prescription drug in the
process comes as pharmaceutical companies across the country look to
take legal action against states attempting to use their products in
executions.
Moore had been serving prison time since 1980, when he was convicted of two first degree murders and given the death penalty. He did not file a legal challenge to the method used for the execution.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Independent
A Fatal Accident Leads to Broader Questions About New York City Trash Hauler’s Operations
A
ProPublica inquiry sparked by the death of a motorist in Brooklyn shows
the trash company involved is headquartered on land owned by someone
banned from the industry years ago.
by Kiera Feldman
Shortly after a wheel came loose from a Century Waste garbage truck in Brooklyn,
killing a motorist in an oncoming car, the New York City agency that
oversees the private sanitation industry announced it would help the
police investigate the crash.
There would seem to be much to investigate, for Century Waste trucks
have routinely failed safety inspections in recent years. Federal
records show that 65 percent of the company’s 32 trucks subjected to
government inspection were pulled off the road for safety violations
over the past two years.
But ProPublica has discovered something else the city agency, known
as the Business Integrity Commission, could look into as well: Records
show that Century Waste’s headquarters sit on land owned by a man the
city had run out of New York’s private sanitation industry years ago
during a crackdown on mob influence and corruption. The Business
Integrity Commission, which oversees New York City’s trash collection
industry, bars companies from doing business of any kind with such
individuals. In fact, the agency was created with the express purpose of
keeping such people out of the garbage industry.
A review of New Jersey corporate and property records show that the man
who owns the land through an LLC — an industrial property in Elizabeth,
New Jersey — is Frank Savino, who along with other members of his family
ran several trash hauling companies in New York City two decades ago.
In the late 1990s, as part of a racketeering case brought by the
Manhattan district attorney’s office, prosecutors charged Savino with
conspiracy to form a monopoly. Savino eventually pleaded guilty to a
misdemeanor — criminal facilitation. In order to sell the family
companies, he agreed to a lifetime ban from the private trash industry.
Click here for the full article.
10 Questions with Aretha Franklin
This video was published on YouTube on March 11, 2010.
From The G-Man sends love and support to "The Queen of Soul" and her family.
Philippines: Tens of Thousands Displaced in Deadly Floods
This report was published on YouTube on August 13.
Turkey's Central Bank Launches Economic-Stability Plan
This report was published on YouTube on August 13.
Monday, August 13, 2018
Arizona Resident Alleges 'State-Endorsed Real Estate Fraud' in Video Reports
"Governor Doug Ducey, Primary Election
Candidates Are Ignoring the Water Issue"
Candidates Are Ignoring the Water Issue"
An 'FTG' Exclusive
By Gary Glennell Toms
On November 14, 2015, The G-Man Interviews posted an investigative report on Arizona resident Nancy Waldrop's effort to obtain explanations and detailed information from state and local officials regarding water laws.
A year earlier, The Arizona Daily Sun published a front-page story on Waldrop, a portion of which stated..."In a state where experts expect future generations of residents will have to find hundreds of billions of gallons more water to continue living here, there are shockingly few regulations governing the resource’s use in rural areas."
Nearly three years have passed since Waldrop, the daughter of a former U.S. Navy SEAL, appeared on the show to discuss the issue. However, according to Waldrop, the situation has only gotten worse.
The self-proclaimed "military brat" recently submitted two video reports to The G-Man Interviews and sister-site From The G-Man, in which she alleges the offices of Senator John McCain and Governor Doug Ducey, along with many of the candidates running in the August 28 Primary election, have ignored or simply refused to address the water crisis.
If you reside in Arizona or another state and have a similar issue, feel free to submit a video report to The G-Man Interviews at FromTheGMan@gmail.com. Be sure to include documents or other evidence in your report.
That said, here are the video updates submitted by Nancy Waldrop.
A year earlier, The Arizona Daily Sun published a front-page story on Waldrop, a portion of which stated..."In a state where experts expect future generations of residents will have to find hundreds of billions of gallons more water to continue living here, there are shockingly few regulations governing the resource’s use in rural areas."
Nearly three years have passed since Waldrop, the daughter of a former U.S. Navy SEAL, appeared on the show to discuss the issue. However, according to Waldrop, the situation has only gotten worse.
The self-proclaimed "military brat" recently submitted two video reports to The G-Man Interviews and sister-site From The G-Man, in which she alleges the offices of Senator John McCain and Governor Doug Ducey, along with many of the candidates running in the August 28 Primary election, have ignored or simply refused to address the water crisis.
If you reside in Arizona or another state and have a similar issue, feel free to submit a video report to The G-Man Interviews at FromTheGMan@gmail.com. Be sure to include documents or other evidence in your report.
That said, here are the video updates submitted by Nancy Waldrop.
Lawsuit Dismissed Against DFS from UnitedHealthCare Over Risk Adjustment Payments
By Dan M. Clark
A federal judge deemed actions by the
state Department of Financial Services over risk adjustment payments as
constitutional, and dismissed a lawsuit from UnitedHealthCare against
the state agency.
U.S. District Judge John Koeltl of the
Southern District of New York granted a motion to dismiss DFS, which
was defending its method of distributing risk adjustment payments
alongside a federal program.
DFS was sued by UnitedHealthCare of
New York and Oxford Health Insurance in October for promulgating a
regulation that allowed it to modify the federal risk adjustment program
that was implemented in New York by the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services.
A risk adjustment program requires
insurers with healthier, or low-risk, enrollees to pay into a common
fund. Money from that fund is then distributed to insurers who incur
higher claim costs due to less healthy enrollees. The system is designed
to ensure that insurers do not only seek out the healthiest, and
therefore least expensive, enrollees.
Click here for the full article.
Source: New York Law Journal
Statement from Governor Andrew Cuomo
"UnitedHealthcare of New York's lawsuit against the state attempted to put the profits of a large insurance company over the stability of New York's health insurance market. In dismissing the suit, the federal court has not only affirmed that the Affordable Care Act expressly provides states with the authority to implement their own risk adjustment rules, but upheld New York's right and responsibility to promote and protect its health insurance market and broad access to affordable care for all New Yorkers.
"In New York, we believe health care is a right, not a luxury. While President Trump tries to tear health care away from millions of Americans, New York is committed to ensuring that every New Yorker has access to quality, affordable health care. We are proud that a record 95 percent of New Yorkers have health insurance coverage, and we won't let President Trump or wealthy insurance companies take us backwards."
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Florida Man Charged with Manslaughter in 'Stand Your Ground' Case
"Consistent
with the decision-making process established under Florida law in this
case, the State Attorney conducted his review and decided to charge
Drejka with manslaughter," Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said in a news release.
Drejka
was arrested Monday morning and booked into Pinellas County Jail. His
bail is set at $100,000, the sheriff's office said.
Click here for the full article.
Source: CNN
Elon Musk and Tesla Accused of Fraud by Short-Sellers After 'Going Private' Tweet
By Toyin Owoseje
Tesla and its chief Elon Musk
have been sued by investors who claim the entrepreneur engineered a
scheme to squeeze short-sellers with a series of tweets about taking the
company private.
Two lawsuits were filed at San Francisco's federal court by
Kalman Isaacs and William Chamberlainon on 10 August, three days after
the 47-year-old tech magnate declared that he was considering taking the electric car firm private in a record $72bn (£55bn) deal.
One of his tweets read: “Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured.”
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Independent
'Future Hope' Column: A Week to Remember in the Climate Fight
By Ted Glick
On August 3rd, rubber-stamping FERC, the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, ordered a suspension of any new construction of
the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Then, one week later, on August 10th, they did the same thing for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
News stories about these suspensions report that they are expected to
last for months. Both came in each case after federal Court of Appeals
decisions revoking permits by other federal agencies just days before
FERC’s actions.
How big are these two proposed fracked-gas-carrying pipelines? They
are very big; between them they would run for 900 miles. MVP would run
through West Virginia and Virginia, and ACP would run from West Virginia
to North Carolina.
But these aren’t the only things which happened in this week to remember. On August 10th, Robert Powelson stepped down as one of five FERC commissioners after
less than a year in the job.
Republican Powelson was nominated by Trump
in 2017, along with Republicans Kevin McIntyre, as chair, and Neil
Chatterjee. Trump also nominated Democrat Richard Glick. He had to
nominate a Democrat because of FERC rules allowing for no more than
three commissioners from one party.
Powelson’s resignation means that, until Trump nominates someone else
and the Senate confirms that nominee, there will be two Democrats and
two Republicans making up FERC’s decision-making body.
Up until about nine months ago, that wouldn’t have made any
difference when it comes to FERC’s decision-making on gas industry
expansion. For decades, it has been a bi-partisan rubber-stamper for all
but two of over 400 permit applications to build new gas pipelines,
compressor stations and other infrastructure.
Richard Glick has changed that. Glick has a background in the
renewable energy industry, going back many years, and his votes have
reflected his experience. He has dissented often on pipeline decisions,
and his willingness to do so seems to have affected the other Democrat,
Cheryl Lafleur, who has been a commissioner for eight years. Not as
frequently but sometimes, she has also dissented.
So it’s a very big deal that for most likely several months, very
possibly many months, especially but not only if Democrats win control
of the Senate, FERC has a leadership reflecting almost exactly the
50-50’ish political divisions in the Senate.
Click here for the full article.
Ted Glick has been a climate and climate justice activist since 2003
and a progressive activist and organizer since 1968. Past writings and
other information can be found at https://tedglick.com, and he can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jtglick.
Source: tedglick.com
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