Courtesy of Flickr user savebradleyWashington Post: Officer Recommends Court-Martial for Bradley Manning in WikiLeaks Case
Summary: The investigating officer (basically a judge) of Bradley Manning’s pre-trial hearing recommended yesterday that Manning should face full court-martial. Manning is accused of giving classified information to WikiLeaks and could face life in prison if convicted on all 22 counts.
A separate military body will make the final decision about whether the case should move forward.
Related Articles: The New York Times, The Guardian (UK), Associated Press (video)
Florida Independent: 'Ag Gag' Passes Through Committee
Summary: A bill recently reintroduced in Florida that would criminalize taking video or photographs on farm operations without the owner's approval passed through the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee this week.
GAP's Food Integrity Campaign challenged similar legislation that stalled or failed to pass in several states during last year's legislative session.
Key Quote: The provision has been denounced by animal rights groups, who say it is a way to prevent information obtained by “whistleblowing employees and undercover investigations” from coming to light. The information, in the past, has included exposés documenting “animal abuse, unsafe working conditions, and environmental problems,” according to one group.
Bloomberg: Walgreen Accused in Suit of Plotting with Par to Overcharge for Generics
Summary: The drugstore chain Walgreen's is facing a lawsuit accusing the company of colluding with Par Pharmaceuticals to boost profits by overcharging for generic forms of drugs. In 2008, Walgreen paid $35 million to settle whistleblower claims that it was overcharging state Medicaid programs for generic forms of the same drugs. The current case is relying on that suit as well as another previous case against the company in 2006.
Wall Street Journal: Unsealed FBI Documents Reveal Sempra Probe’s Inner Workings
Summary: A recently unsealed FBI probe shows a federal investigation of Sempra, a California-based energy company, sparked by a whistleblower’s allegations that the company violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. However, a law firm hired by Sempra − not federal investigators – conducted the investigation and the government decided not to prosecute based on the findings.
Industry Truth-Telling Moves FDA to Monitor Orange Juice Imports
Summary: The FDA is holding orange juice imports for testing after Coca-Cola reported to the agency that it detected levels of fungicide in orange juice it received from Brazil. Government officials said the levels were well below those considered to be a health risk. GAP's Food Integrity Campaign compares the FDA's response to the agency's relative inaction following consumer group reports of arsenic in apple juice.
Hannah Johnson is Communications Associate for the Government Accountability Project, the nation's leading whistleblower protection and advocacy organization.
