Biden Administration 2022: Comprehensive Review of Political Appointees' Financial Disclosures and Ethics Compliance

Comprehensive analysis of Biden administration’s 2022 financial disclosures reveals a complex landscape of potential conflicts of interest and efforts to mitigate them. The Office of Government Ethics certified financial reports showing high compliance, with 48 out of 56 White House assistants …

Russian State Media Outlet RT America Ceases Operations and Lays Off All Staff After Major Distributors Drop Channel

RT America, the U.S.-based arm of Russia’s state-controlled media network RT (Russia Today), announced on March 3, 2022 that it was immediately ceasing production and laying off more than 100 employees after major American cable distributors dropped the channel in response to Russia’s …

Task Force KleptoCapture Launched: US Expands Anti-Kleptocracy Operations

Attorney General Merrick Garland establishes Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement unit dedicated to enforcing sanctions and seizing assets of Russian kleptocrats following Ukraine invasion. The initiative represents a major expansion of US anti-corruption enforcement …

Task Force KleptoCapture Launched: US Expands Anti-Kleptocracy Operations

Attorney General Merrick Garland established Task Force KleptoCapture, an unprecedented interagency law enforcement unit dedicated to enforcing sanctions and seizing assets of Russian kleptocrats following the Ukraine invasion. The initiative represents a major expansion of US anti-corruption …

Clearview AI Deploys Mass Facial Recognition Technology in Ukraine War

Ukraine’s defense ministry began using Clearview AI’s facial recognition technology in early March 2022, just weeks after Russia’s invasion, after CEO Hoan Ton-That offered free access to the company’s database of over 10 billion photos. Ton-That first demonstrated the tool …

National $26 Billion Opioid Settlement with Distributors and J&J, Zero Executive Prosecutions

On February 25, 2022, Johnson & Johnson and three major drug distributors—McKesson, Cardinal Health, and AmerisourceBergen—finalized a $26 billion national settlement to resolve thousands of opioid lawsuits from states, counties, cities, and Native American tribes. Despite the record settlement …

Pentagon Authorizes Oracle Cloud for Top Secret and Special Access Program Missions

The U.S. Department of Defense granted Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) authority to operate (ATO) for Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) and Special Access Program (SAP) missions on February 15, 2022, authorizing Oracle to host and process some of the Pentagon’s most …

Rio Grande Council of Governments, Texas launches first i3-compliant cloud-native 911 system with Carbyne

Rio Grande Council of Governments (RGCOG) in Texas launched the United States’ first i3-compliant cloud-native 911 contact center using Carbyne’s APEX platform, deploying across five Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) serving Alpine, Brewster, Presidio, Culberson, and Hudspeth …

Flock Safety Reaches $3.5 Billion Valuation with 1,000+ Police Departments Using Surveillance Network

Flock Safety announces $150 million Series E funding round led by Tiger Global, achieving a post-money valuation of $3.5 billion and cementing its status as a surveillance unicorn. Additional investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Spark Capital, Meritech, and Initialized Capital, bringing total …

Neil Young Demands Removal from Spotify Over Joe Rogan's COVID Misinformation

Rock legend Neil Young issues ultimatum to Spotify saying “They can have Rogan or Young. Not both,” protesting platform’s hosting of COVID misinformation, triggering artist exodus

Raytheon-Manufactured Bomb Kills 80 at Yemen Detention Center in Worst Attack in Three Years

On January 21, 2022, a Saudi-led coalition airstrike hit a detention facility in Sa’adah, northwestern Yemen, killing at least 80 people and wounding over 200 in what the United Nations described as the “worst civilian-casualty incident in the last three years in Yemen.” Amnesty …

Conservative Influencer Lauren Chen and Husband Liam Donovan Incorporate Tenet Media in Tennessee

Conservative political commentator Lauren Chen (known online as “Roaming Millennial”) and her husband Liam Donovan officially incorporated Tenet Media as a Tennessee corporation on January 19, 2022. The company would later become the vehicle for a Russian influence operation funneling …

NY Attorney General James Files Motion Revealing Evidence of Trump Organization Fraud

New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a motion to compel Donald Trump and his two eldest children (Ivanka and Donald Jr.) to appear for depositions and provide documents, publicly revealing for the first time that her three-year investigation had “uncovered significant evidence that …

National Archives retrieves 15 boxes with 184 classified documents from Mar-a-Lago

The National Archives retrieved 15 boxes from Mar-a-Lago containing 184 classified documents totaling 700 pages, including 25 marked “top secret,” 92 “secret,” and 67 “confidential.” Documents included CIA, FBI, and NSA materials on national security topics, some …

Supreme Court Blocks Biden OSHA Vaccine Mandate as Executive Overreach

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to block President Biden’s OSHA mandate requiring businesses with 100+ employees to enforce COVID vaccination or weekly testing, affecting 84 million workers. The Court held that while OSHA can regulate ‘occupational dangers,’ it lacks authority to …

Navient Settles for $1.85 Billion Over Student Loan Servicing Fraud - Steered Borrowers Into Costly Forbearances

A bipartisan coalition of 39 state attorneys general announced a $1.85 billion settlement with Navient Corporation on January 13, 2022, resolving allegations that the student loan servicing giant engaged in systematic fraud by steering struggling borrowers into costly long-term forbearances instead …

Judge Dismisses All Flint Criminal Charges on Technicality—Zero Accountability After Poisoning Thousands

Judges dismiss all remaining criminal charges against officials responsible for the Flint water crisis based on a procedural technicality, ensuring that no one is ever held criminally accountable for poisoning thousands of children. In October 2022, Judge Elizabeth Kelly throws out felony charges …

Virginia Giuffre Lawsuit Against Prince Andrew Proceeds Despite Sealed Settlement Documents

Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan allows Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against Prince Andrew to proceed, despite arguments that a sealed 2009 settlement agreement with Jeffrey Epstein bars the case. The ruling highlights ongoing transparency issues as key documents remain sealed from public view, …

Peter Thiel Receives Second Putin Meeting Invitation

In January 2022, Peter Thiel receives a second documented invitation to meet privately with Vladimir Putin, this time through Russian diplomat Daniil Bisslinger. The invitation came amid rising tensions before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, demonstrating persistent Russian intelligence …

Anduril AI-Powered Drones Deployed to Ukraine Since 2022

The Ukrainian military began operating Anduril Industries’ Ghost-X autonomous drones in 2022, shortly after Russia’s February invasion, making Ukraine a testing ground for Silicon Valley’s AI-powered weapons systems. Anduril drones demonstrated ability to operate in contested …

Rogan Hosts Vaccine Skeptic Dr. Robert Malone Who Claims "Mass Formation Psychosis"

Dr. Robert Malone on Rogan’s podcast falsely claims vaccines increase COVID risk and compares pandemic response to Nazi Germany through a discredited psychological theory, reaching 11 million listeners. The episode sparked major controversy, with 270 medical professionals demanding Spotify …

Ghislaine Maxwell Convicted on Federal Sex Trafficking Charges

Ghislaine Maxwell is convicted on five of six federal charges including sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy, in connection with Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse network. The trial revealed extensive details about the systematic recruitment and abuse of minors, but many documents and witness …

SEC Charges Nikola Corporation $125 Million for SPAC-Related Fraud and False Claims

The SEC settled fraud charges against Nikola Corporation for $125 million, finding the electric vehicle company made materially false and misleading statements about its products, technical capabilities, and partnerships during its 2020 SPAC merger. Founder Trevor Milton falsely claimed the Nikola …

Melania Trump Launches NFT Platform with "Melania's Vision" Collection

Former First Lady Melania Trump launched her NFT platform and first collection “Melania’s Vision” in December 2021, featuring a watercolor artwork of her eyes priced at 1 Solana (approximately 50), representing the beginning of Trump family exploitation of cryptocurrency markets …

Federal Judge Overturns Sackler Immunity Deal, Rules Bankruptcy Law Violated

On December 16, 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen McMahon overturned the controversial bankruptcy settlement that would have granted the Sackler family immunity from opioid-related lawsuits in exchange for $4.5 billion. Judge McMahon ruled that bankruptcy courts do not have the authority to …

Six Amazon Workers Killed in Edwardsville Warehouse Tornado Collapse

Six Amazon Workers Killed in Edwardsville Warehouse Tornado Collapse

On December 10, 2021, an EF-3 tornado struck Amazon’s DLI4 delivery facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, causing catastrophic structural damage that killed six workers: Deandre S. Morrow (28), Kevin D. Dickey (62), Clayton …

Truth Social Receives $8 Million from Russian-Connected Entities While "On Brink of Collapse"

Trump Media receives emergency loans totaling $8 million from Putin-connected Paxum Bank ($2M) and ES Family Trust ($6M) when company near failure, triggering federal investigation

Federal Jury Finds CVS, Walgreens, Walmart Liable for Fueling Ohio Opioid Crisis

On November 23, 2021, a federal jury in Cleveland found CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart liable for contributing to the opioid crisis in Lake and Trumbull counties in Ohio. After a six-week trial and five and a half days of deliberation, jurors concluded that the pharmacy chains contributed to a public …

Apple Sues NSO Group Over FORCEDENTRY Exploit and Pegasus Spyware Targeting

Apple files a federal lawsuit against NSO Group and its parent company Q Cyber Technologies in the US District Court for Northern California, seeking to hold the Israeli spyware firm accountable for surveillance and targeting of Apple users. The complaint provides new technical details about NSO …

Office of Special Counsel Report Documents Hatch Act Violations by 13 Senior Trump Officials, Finding "Willful Disregard" for Federal Law

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel released a comprehensive investigative report documenting that 13 senior Trump administration officials violated the Hatch Act prior to the 2020 election, with the violations characterized as demonstrating “willful disregard for the law” and occurring …

US Commerce Department Adds Candiru and NSO Group to Entity List

The US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security adds Israeli spyware companies NSO Group and Candiru to the Entity List for developing surveillance software used to spy on journalists, activists, and government officials. This action restricts US companies from selling technology …

In-Q-Tel Leaders Launch Chain Bridge SPAC, Criticized as 'Revolving Door on Steroids'

In November 2021, the senior leadership of In-Q-Tel—CEO Christopher Darby, President Stephen Bowsher, and technology investor Michael Rolnick—filed for an initial public offering for Chain Bridge I, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) seeking to raise $200 million. The blank check company …

Fed Implements Strict Trading Restrictions After Major Ethics Scandal

The Federal Reserve announced comprehensive trading restrictions for senior officials following a major financial ethics scandal. In response to controversial trades by regional Fed bank presidents Robert Kaplan and Eric Rosengren during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Fed imposed strict new rules …

Trump Media Founded with Chinese-Connected Financial Backer Patrick Orlando

Trump announces Truth Social through Trump Media & Technology Group, with financial backing from Patrick Orlando who also serves as CEO of Wuhan-based Yunhong International

Steve Bannon Indicted for Contempt of Congress in January 6 Investigation

Steve Bannon was indicted on two counts of criminal contempt of Congress after refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack. He was charged for failing to appear for a deposition and refusing to produce requested documents, which the …

Digital World Acquisition Corp Announces Trump Media SPAC Merger

Digital World Acquisition Corp (DWAC), a special purpose acquisition company, announced its agreement to merge with Trump Media & Technology Group Corp (TMTG), bringing Trump’s Truth Social platform public. The announcement triggered massive trading volume and price volatility, with DWAC …

Frances Haugen Senate Testimony Exposes Facebook Algorithmic Harm to Children and Democracy

Former Facebook product manager Frances Haugen testifies before the U.S. Senate that Facebook’s products harm children, stoke division, and weaken democracy, backed by tens of thousands of internal company documents showing Facebook executives knew about Instagram’s severe mental health …

Pandora Papers Expose Hidden Wealth of Global Elite and Politicians

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) released the Pandora Papers, the largest offshore data leak in history, containing 11.9 million files from 14 financial services companies across multiple jurisdictions. The investigation exposed the secret offshore affairs of 35 …

Pandora Papers Expose Global Elite's Offshore Financial Networks

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) released the Pandora Papers, the largest leak of offshore financial documents in history, exposing the secret wealth and tax avoidance schemes of world leaders, politicians, and billionaires. The 11.9 million documents from 14 …

Pandora Papers Expose Global Elite's Offshore Financial Networks

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) released the Pandora Papers, the largest leak of offshore financial documents in history, exposing the secret wealth and tax avoidance schemes of world leaders, politicians, and billionaires. The 11.9 million documents from 14 …

Former FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn Joins Moderna Backer Flagship Pioneering

Former FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, who led the agency during the Emergency Use Authorization of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines, took an executive-level position as Chief Medical Officer with Flagship Pioneering, the venture capital firm that launched Moderna. This transition occurred six …

Dallas and Boston Fed Presidents Resign Over Trading Scandal

Robert Kaplan (Dallas Fed) and Eric Rosengren (Boston Fed) announce simultaneous resignations following massive public backlash over their 2020 trading activities. The scandal revealed deep ethical vulnerabilities in the Federal Reserve, where senior officials traded stocks during critical market …

Boston Fed President Rosengren Resigns Over REIT Trading Scandal

In September 2021, Boston Federal Reserve President Eric Rosengren resigned amid a trading scandal revealing he actively traded Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and mortgage-backed securities during 2020, while the Federal Reserve was simultaneously purchasing such assets. A 2024 watchdog …

Dallas Fed President Kaplan Resigns Over Trading Controversy

Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert Kaplan resigned on September 27, 2021, after disclosure of extensive stock trading during the 2020 pandemic. Kaplan had made multiple trades worth over $1 million in companies like Amazon, Apple, and Delta Air Lines while serving as a voting member of …

Joe Rogan Announces He Treated COVID with Unproven Ivermectin, Sparking Medical Misinformation Controversy

Podcaster Joe Rogan revealed he contracted COVID-19 and treated himself with ivermectin, a veterinary anti-parasitic drug not approved for COVID treatment, amplifying dangerous medical misinformation to his massive audience of 11 million listeners. The incident led to significant public health …

Bankruptcy Court Approves Sackler Immunity Deal Despite DOJ Opposition

On September 1, 2021, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Drain approved a bankruptcy settlement granting the Sackler family “global peace” from civil liability for the opioid epidemic, despite vigorous opposition from the Department of Justice and nine state attorneys general. The ruling …

Supreme Court Strikes Down CDC Eviction Moratorium as Unauthorized Executive Action

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to block the Biden administration’s CDC eviction moratorium covering areas with high COVID transmission, finding the agency exceeded its statutory authority. The Court held that ‘[i]f a federally imposed eviction moratorium is to continue, Congress must …

ShotSpotter Accuracy Crisis - Chicago Inspector General Report and Williams Case

The reliability and accuracy of ShotSpotter’s gunshot detection technology face a major crisis in August 2021 as the Chicago Office of Inspector General releases a damning report on the system’s effectiveness, while the Michael Williams case exposes evidence that ShotSpotter analysts …

NLRB Hearing Officer Rules Amazon Illegally Interfered in Bessemer Election, Recommends New Vote

NLRB Hearing Officer Rules Amazon Illegally Interfered in Bessemer Election, Recommends New Vote

On August 2, 2021, a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) hearing officer issued a recommendation finding that Amazon had illegally interfered in the April 2021 union election at its Bessemer, Alabama …

Daniel Hale Sentenced to 45 Months for Exposing Drone War Crimes

Former Air Force intelligence analyst and NSA contractor Daniel Everette Hale was sentenced to 45 months in federal prison for leaking classified documents that exposed the devastating civilian toll of the U.S. drone warfare program. His disclosures revealed that nearly 90 percent of people killed …