Free Republic

Several prominent Republican lawmakers strongly criticized a judge's sentence Friday that resulted in probation and no prison time for the only person charged in the Justice Department's investigation into the origins of alleged Trump-Russia collusion. Former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith received a sentence of 12 months probation and 400 hours community service from U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg during a video hearing. Clinesmith pleaded guilty to altering an CIA email used to support a government wiretap of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. Boasberg, who also is on the FISA court, denied special counsel John Durham's recommendation of up...

The No. 2 leader of Venezuela’s opposition-controlled congress was arrested by security forces Wednesday as President Nicolás Maduro’s government began going after foes tied to the failed attempt to stir up a military uprising last week. National Assembly Vice President Edgar Zambrano was leaving his Democratic Action Party’s headquarters when he was surprised by a commando unit from the feared SEBIN intelligence agency. The unit members surrounded his car, according to reports. A half-hour later, the officers towed the vehicle away with the lawmaker still inside, at the same time that Maduro was speaking live on state TV and inaugurating...

One of the most prominent and politically active left-wing think tanks in the United States, the Center for American Progress, has announced that it will no longer accept funding from the United Arab Emirates, the Guardian reported Friday. “With a rising undemocratic tide around the world, and serious questions about which side of that struggle our own president stands on, it seemed clear that all Americans should take extra steps and leave no doubt where they stand,” a spokesperson for the liberal organization told the Guardian. The spokesperson added, “This funding never impacted any CAP position or policy, but everybody...

RedWolf Pope is a well-known native activist. He hosted a TedxSeattle talk about his experience at Standing Rock and spent time with KING 5 journalists, discussing issues in his community. He has now been arrested and is facing a slew of charges, including rape, battery and false imprisonment. The case against him involves both his apartments in Santa Fe, New Mexico and on Boylston Avenue in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood.

Days after Donald Trump won the presidential election in November 2016, thousands flocked to the streets of New York City to demonstrate against the president elect in a protest organized by a Kremlin-connected Facebook page called BlackMattersUS, The Hill reports. Between 5,000 and 10,000 people attended the protest organized by the Facebook page, which, according to an archived screen grab, had more than 99,000 likes.“Join us in the streets! Stop Trump and his bigoted agenda!” the Facebook event page reads for the protest, which was called “Trump is NOT my President. March against Trump.” “Divided is the reason we just fell,” it reads. “We must...

Chicago (AFP) – The operator of a controversial US oil pipeline, which was the focus of months of protests by Native American tribes, on Tuesday sued several environmental groups, claiming they spread false information and incite violence. Energy Transfer Partners launched broad accusations against Greenpeace and other environmental groups, alleging racketeering, defamation and inciting violence that amounted to “eco-terrorism” among other charges, for actions taken against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Greenpeace rejected the claims, saying they amounted to “harassment by corporate bullies.” The $3.8-billion, 1,172-mile (1,886-kilometer) oil pipeline was the focus of months-long protests in 2016 by dozens of North...

The 25-year-old woman who stole “Top Secret” documents from the National Security Agency and leaked them to The Intercept appears to be a supporter of Bernie Sanders and other progressive icons, such as Bill Maher and Michael Moore. Reality Leigh Winner’s apparent social media footprint also shows that she is a supporter of other liberal causes, including the Women’s March and the Islamic Society of North America, the Muslim civil rights group. She also recently referred to President Trump as a “piece of shit” because of his position on the Dakota Access Pipeline From Facebook You have got to be...

The company which built the Dakota Access Pipeline says there have been “recent coordinated physical attacks” on the completed pipeline which is ready to begin delivering oil this week. At least two attacks taken place within the past month. Last week, someone took a blowtorch to an above-ground section of the pipeline in South Dakota. From the Duluth News Tribune: In South Dakota, authorities received a report on March 17 that someone burned a hole through an above-ground section of an oil pipeline at a valve site just south of Sioux Falls, according to Chief Deputy Chad Brown of the...

Federal contractor hauls off 835 dumpsters of trash and debris from protest sites The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wrapped up its $1.1 million cleanup of the Dakota Access pipeline protest camps on federal land in North Dakota, hauling away 835 dumpsters of remaining trash and debris. The site, once occupied by thousands of environmental demonstrators, is now vacant. [Snip] Corps Capt. Ryan Hignight said a total of 8,170 cubic yards of debris was removed from the three camps — Sacred Stone, Oceti Sakowin and Rosebud - all within the flood plain on federally managed land. "In total, there were...

CANNON BALL, N.D – After seven months of protests, beating drums, freezing nights and canned chili, police shut down campsites once occupied by tens of thousands of environmentalists and Native Americans fighting the North Dakota Access Pipeline project. At least one person was injured Wednesday after protesters set fire to a handful of wooden structures at the makeshift campsite. Cecily Fong, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Emergency Services, says the extent of the unidentified female's injuries weren't known. Fong said an ambulance was being sent to the encampment. Most of the 200 to 300 protesters who remained at...

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum announced Tuesday that the federal government is moving in to accelerate the cleanup at the Dakota Access protest camp before the snowmelt turns the area into an “environmental disaster.” Despite weeks of cleanup at the Oceti Sakowin camp led by the Standing Rock Sioux, the job is only about half-finished. Some areas of the camp, which was built on a floodplain, are already under several inches of water. “With near-record high temperatures expected later this week and significant meltwater flooding already occurring, the situation grows increasingly unsafe by the day,” said Mr. Burgum in a...

Authorities in North Dakota said Monday that cleanup crews at the site of the Dakota Access oil pipeline protest were scouring the mountains of trash to find anyone that might’ve died during the demonstrations.Morton County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jay Gruebele told KFYR-TV that authorities were searching for “anything illegal, anything that might be used to, I guess, harm our officers during a protest.” “As bad as it sounds, we're looking for people that may have died and could be wrapped up in a canvas or a tarp or tent," Gruebele added. Sanitation workers were seen cleaning up the mountains of...

Clean-up crews are racing to clear acres of debris at the largest Dakota Access protest camp before the spring thaw turns the snowy, trash-covered plains into an environmental disaster area. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Friday that the camp, located on federal land, would be closed Feb. 22 in order to “prevent injuries and significant environmental damage in the likely event of flooding in this area” at the mouth of the Cannonball River in North Dakota. “Without proper remediation, debris, trash, and untreated waste will wash into the Cannonball River and Lake Oahe,” the Corps said in its...

Dakota Access Pipeline protester Chase Iron Eyes was arrested this week and has been charged with inciting a riot, which is a felony. Iron Eyes allegedly led a group of several dozen protesters who set up a new camp on higher ground that would be out of the flood plain where the current camp sits. The only problem: The property the new camp was set up on is owned by the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline. From the Associated Press: Chase Iron Eyes could face up to five years in prison if convicted on the felony charge. He...

On Monday, Native Americans conducted a forgiveness ceremony with U.S. veterans at the Standing Rock casino, giving the veterans an opportunity to atone for military actions conducted against Natives throughout history. In celebration of Standing Rock protesters’ victory Sunday in halting construction on the Dakota Access Pipeline, Leonard Crow Dog formally forgave Wes Clark Jr., the son of retired U.S. Army general and former supreme commander at NATO, Wesley Clark Sr. This was a historically symbolic gesture forgiving centuries of oppression against Natives and honoring their partnership in defending the land from the Dakota Access Pipeline.