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Freedom Industries Execs Indicted Over Elk River Spills

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By Sara Jerome @sarmje

Freedom Industries, the company behind the chemical spill that contaminated drinking water for 300,000 West Virginians this year, found itself in the spotlight again this monthand once again, it's not from a flattering angle.

In December, "the FBI added a criminal case against the former president of Freedom Industries, Inc.," CNN reported.

"Gary Southern, an executive of Charleston, West Virginia-based Freedom since 2009, was arrested and accused of lying during bankruptcy proceedings in hopes of protecting about $8 million in personal assets," Bloomberg reported.

According to an FBI complaint, the allegations against Southern range from fraud to lying under oath. He "was charged with bankruptcy fraud, wire fraud, and lying under oath during the companys bankruptcy proceedings following the massive spill," Think Progress reported.

FBI Special Agent James Lafferty "said in a sworn affidavit that Southern, in an attempt to protect his personal fortune of nearly $8 million and shield himself from lawsuits, developed a scheme to distance himself from the company and 'deflect blame' to other parties," the report said.

After the leak was found, Southern "engaged in a pattern of deceitful behavior, which included numerous false and/or fraudulent statements" about his role, Lafferty said, per Bloomberg.

Southern is not the only one in trouble for what happened to the Elk River.

Also in December, the U.S. Attorney Generals office filed "an indictment against four executives of the company that contaminated drinking water for 300,000 West Virginians this past January, alleging violations of the Clean Water Act," including Southern, Think Progress reported.

Along with Southern, ex-president Dennis Farrell, former secretary William Tis, and former vice president Charles Herzing are also named in the indictment.

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Freedom Industries Execs Indicted Over Elk River Spills

Freedom Rider brings civil rights story to Chandler

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Carol Ruth Silver and Claude Liggins stand by a plaque commemorating the efforts of the Freedom Riders who challenged racial segregation in public places throughout the South more than 50 years ago. Silver and Liggins, two of the Freedom Riders, will share their stories during a panel discussion at the Chandler Center for the Arts on Jan. 10.(Photo: Chandler)

The memories Claude Liggins carries with him from more than 53 years ago are vivid. What triggered them remains essential to who he is today. Their message also remains as relevant now as in 1961 in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Liggins was among hundreds Black and White who hopped aboard buses and trains in 1961 to challenge lingering segregation in public places throughout the South. They became known as Freedom Riders, many of them encountering violence and arrest, hoping to force changes to long-established racial separation in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and other Southern states.

Liggins, 74, who is Black, will be in Chandler Jan. 9-10 , along with San Francisco attorney Carol Ruth Silver, who is White and also among the Freedom Riders. They will appear at the panel discussion "The Road to Freedom" at the Chandler Center for the Arts on Jan. 10, reliving threats, violence and legal repercussions they encountered in the name of racial justice. The forum is co-sponsored by the arts center, Chandler, East Valley Jewish Community Center and Chandler Unified School District. The two will meet the previous day with hundreds of high school and middle school students.

MORE HISTORY : Chandler historical photos | 10 hidden history spots in Mesa, Gilbert and Tempe | 5 things to know about the 1964 Civil Rights Act

Liggins, in an interview with The Republic, recalled how he got involved in what would become among the most memorable and important events during the civil-rights movement of the 1950s and '60s.

"I had been looking for the opportunity to do something," he said, recalling that at the time, he was enrolled in Los Angeles City College, landing there after leaving his hometown of Lake Charles, La.

In the spring of 1961, he got his opportunity after he learned through news reports about a group that was embarking on a bus trip from Washington, D.C., though Southern states to peacefully challenge racial segregation that was continuing in public places, such as bus and train stations. The effort was organized by Congress for Racial Equality, and inspired Liggins to head to the area to join similar efforts the group was organizing. Before he left, Liggins remembers hearing that one of the buses from the Washington group had been firebombed in Alabama.

The Freedom Riders' bus was firebombed by an angry mob in Alabama.(Photo: Chandler)

"I remember saying, 'Damn, I should've been on that bus,' " he said. "I wanted to participate to make a change."

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Freedom Rider brings civil rights story to Chandler

Survival of freedom, democracy

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This year we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the postwar period of Japan. After Japan lost the war, the shape of its postwar regime was prepared and arranged mostly by the victor, the United States, which occupied Japan. The ideal of freedom and democracy served as the core principles during the Occupation.

The Japanese Constitution was also established along the lines of this ideal, which was a noble cause for the Americans. During the war, they answered the question of Why we fight? by playing the role of the worlds police against fascist and totalitarian evils.

The ideal also accorded with postwar Americas general strategy as the hegemonic power leading all liberal countries, or the West.

We Japanese have struggled to find our own way of living under this regime. But it was only with the constraint of imposed freedom and democracy the command to be free, independent and self-governing even if it sounded contradictory as a concept.

In this sense, we were congeners of postwar Europeans under the Marshall Plan, of Latin Americans and Asians under the Point Four Program, and even of the Afghan or Iraqi people in more recent years.

In many of these countries, the ideal was internalized in due course and its original imposition lost its meaning. But we Japanese seem to have somehow failed to digest this history of imposition until now, even though the governments white paper on the economy stated as early as 1956 that the Japanese no longer lived in the postwar period.

This statement was issued only in connection with the economic growth of Japan, without referring to any political consideration or discussion among people of the ideal of freedom and democracy of American origin.

Although the economic growth of Japan, as well as of Germany and Europe in general, was what America intended, Japan, Germany and Europe in general have outgrown much more than Americas original expectations.

In the political arena, the ideal is not fully upheld. For example, the conclusion and renewal of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the U.S. and Japan the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty was done over relatively strong opposition among the people.

The treaty was signed between two mutually independent nation-states on equal footing as far as the institutional viewpoint is concerned. But in substance, thats not the case. The treaty was signed under circumstances in which the U.S. was overwhelmingly strong politically, economically and militarily vis-a-vis Japan.

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Survival of freedom, democracy

Freedom Focus on Local Talent

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January 5, 2015 - Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) Trenton Freedom LANGHORNE, Pennsylvania- The Trenton Freedom arena football team heads into the new year with 23 of the 35 players signed to the training camp roster being from 60 miles or less from Trenton. Head Coach Kevin O'Hanlon stated, "If you told me a year ago when I took this job that I could fill my roster with guys from the NJ and Philadelphia area I would have disagreed, but the fact is that there is an extremely high level of talent here and we are lucky to be so fortunate." Most notably the Freedom have signed:

FB/DL Melik Brown (6-5 280; Camden, NJ) starred at Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, NJ before going on to play collegiately for the University of North Carolina from 2003-2006. Brown began his pro career in 2008 with the BC Lions of the CFL, then played 4 season with the Philadelphia Soul (AFL), before joing the Freedom last season. He was voted the PIFL's "Iron Man of the Year," which is awarded to the top performing two-way player.

LB Jerome Hayes (6-2 250; Bayonne, NJ) won a 2002 state championship for Bayonne High School alongside St. Louis Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt, and former Nebraska quarterback Jamal Lord. He earned Army All-American status and was one of the highest recruited linebackers in the country before deciding to play at Penn State from 2006-2010 under legendary Coach Joe Paterno. Hayes played arena football with the Philadelphia Soul from 2011-2012 before joining the Freedom last season. He is a Pilot 1 elementary teacher in his hometown teaching reading and math.

WR Nijha White (6-3 220; Wayne, PA) played at Conestoga High School in Berwyn, PA before signing with the University of Delaware. A four-year starter under former coach K.C. Keeler, White was an All-CAA receiver from 2010 to 2012. His streak of 42 consecutive games with at least one reception is a school record and his 188 career catches are good for third all-time in Blue Hens' annals. After college, White worked out for various NFL teams before signing with the Arizona Rattlers and Orlando Predators of the AFL. 2015 marks Whites first year with the Freedom. White's father Whitney, was the Head of Security for former President, Bill Clinton.

WR Shawney Kearsey (6-3 220; Woodbury, NJ) starred at Woodbury High School and captured New Jersey state championship honors in the 100, 200, 400, and 4x400 from 2007-2009. The track champ signed with Penn State out of high school and went on to play under current Texans Head Coach Bill O'Brien from 2010-2011. Kearsey earned letters as a wide receiver and kick returner from 2010-2011 before transferring to Marshall. He ended his career playing in 3 bowl games (Capital One, Outback, and Insight Bowls), and was found at an open tryout held by the Freedom last November.

DL Michael Atunrase (6-4 265; Yardley, PA) played high school football at Conwell-Egan up until his sophomore season where he transferred to Lawrenceville Prep Academy in New Jersey. At Lawrenceville Prep, he earned All-State and All-Maple honors in 2006. Atunrase then signed with University of Delaware where he starred on the opposite side of the ball from teammate Joe Flacco. He was a pre-season All-American, and two time All-Conference CAA selection during his career earning Defensive Most Valuable Player his senior season. Atunrase participated in two FCA championship games in 2007 and 2011 while at Delaware. 2015 marks his first year playing in the PIFL.

The Trenton Freedom is a professional arena football team that plays in the Professional Indoor Football League. The PIFL (www.proifl.com) is a eight team league with franchises in six states located throughout the east coast. The league holds a 12-game regular season schedule that runs March through June with playoffs culminating in early July. Season ticket packages start as low as $15 per game (or $90 for the full season). The fast passed, hard hitting, family football games are played at the Sun National Bank Center which is centrally located for fans of Bucks, Mercer, Burlington, Middlesex counties and the City of Trenton, NJ to attend on Saturday evenings.

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Freedom Focus on Local Talent

What To Do On Retirement – Will yours be one of financial freedom? – Video

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What To Do On Retirement - Will yours be one of financial freedom?
http://www.workwithjimandlisa.com - What to do on retirement One of the things I #39;ve learned about what to do on retirement is to experience things I #39;ve never done before when I was working....

By: Jim-Lisa Sama

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What To Do On Retirement - Will yours be one of financial freedom? - Video

Freedom Of Speech Has Huge Win In 2014. Sony Releases The Interview In Spite Of Hacking – Video

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Freedom Of Speech Has Huge Win In 2014. Sony Releases The Interview In Spite Of Hacking
"At the end of November, eerily adept cybercriminals hacked into Sony #39;s computer systems, paralyzed their operations, and tapped into a trove of hypersensitive internal information. After the...

By: The Young Turks

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Freedom Of Speech Has Huge Win In 2014. Sony Releases The Interview In Spite Of Hacking - Video

Government By 'Guidance' Quashes Economic Freedom And Rule Of Law

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Freedom is declining in America. The Heritage Foundation-Wall Street Journal Index of Economic Freedom ranks the United States at #12, as does the Fraser Institutes Economic Freedom of the World Index. The U.S. ranking has slipped in recent years according to both studies and now scores significantly below Hong Kong, Singapore, Chile, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, and New Zealand.

According to the Heritage Foundations description of its Index of Economic Freedom, In economically free societies, governments allow labor, capital and goods to move freely, and refrain from coercion or constraint of liberty beyond the extent necessary to protect and maintain liberty itself. The Heritage Foundation notes that greater economic freedom is associated with healthier societies, cleaner environments, greater per capita wealth, human development, democracy, and poverty elimination. The Fraser Institutes definition of economic freedom is similar, and it also notes the similar connections between economic freedom and favorable economic outcomes.

Not only is economic freedom the wellspring of prosperity, it is essential to all other individual freedoms. If the government can control your work, spending and property, then it can leverage that power to control all of your actions. A legal right to freedom of speech and assembly, therefore, is worth little without significant economic rights.

How did Americans become significantly dispossessed of their economic freedom? There is much talk in the news these days about Presidential overreach through Executive Orders and Memoranda in areas such as immigration and health care, but unfortunately, Presidential actions are only a small part of the problem and White House overreach is reversible when a new Administration takes office. At the heart of the matter is the growth of unaccountable law making and law enforcement within administrative agencies, which marks a significant erosion of the rule of law.

The number of agencies that enact, enforce, and adjudicate disputes over their own regulations has grown exponentially over the past century. Agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Labor Relations Board, the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Interstate Commerce Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Securities Exchange Commission to name only a small number are given vast authority by Congress to draft regulations that implement the legislative intent of what are often broad and vague statutes. The agencies set and enforce rules that apply to businesses and individuals, and also preside over disputes by citizens or firms who object to them.

In principle, Congress could alter regulations it regards as undesirable, but that seldom occurs. In 1996, the Congressional Review Act attempted to encourage Congressional review of agency actions. As of May 2008, however, only 47 joint resolutions of disapproval had been introduced in both houses of Congress, relating to just 28 rules. During the same time period, Federal agencies had promulgated 47,540 rules.[1] And while it is also true that U.S. courts retain authority to hear cases related to agency actions, they are not the primary adjudicators of regulatory disputes, and appeals to the courts are challenging to accomplish.

The new trend in regulation has been the use of guidance as a means of avoiding even informal rulemakingthe laxest kind of executive lawmaking that requires only public notice, a comment period, and detailed explanations of an agencys decision.[2] Agencies are now free to guide the nation without even these simple procedures, giving only vague guidance about the considerations they will take into account in bringing enforcement actions.

Neither does the new reliance on guidance imply any burden of explanation. A recent decision by the National Labor Relations Board broadened the definition of employers, creating huge new potential liabilities for franchising companies like McDonalds. Upon request for clarification of the logic underlying its decision, the NLRB declined even to share internal memoranda, stating that it was reserving those for prospective litigation.[3]

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Government By 'Guidance' Quashes Economic Freedom And Rule Of Law


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