However, Mayor London Breed has insisted that Walgreens’ decision to close down several of its stores is for cost-cutting purposes, according to a report by the Daily Mail.

Breed told reporters earlier in October that she thinks “there are other factors that come into play.” San Francisco District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston echoed similar sentiments in a tweet where he noted that the pharmacy chain has “long-planned to close hundreds of locations.”

Over the past two years, the national pharmacy chain has closed 17 of its 70 San Francisco-based locations. Contrary to what the politicians say, higher-ups from the pharmacy chain spoke the cold hard truth when they said that San Francisco’s skyrocketing crime rate is the primary factor behind Walgreens’ closures.

Trending: Civil Society Collapse: Boys Scouts of America is Pushing “Diversity and Inclusion” Policies

Walgreens leadership says it spends roughly 46 times as much on city stores compared to other parts of the country. Similarly, five times as many Walgreens shoplifting cases occurred in urban centers compared to the rest of the country.

Several Walgreens officials have alluded to “organized retail crime”, where thieves sell the stolen goods outside the stores, as one of the factors behind the recent closures.

San Francisco’s problems are a microcosm of broader problems that California is facing. For example, California voters approved Proposition 47 in 2014 — a proposition that knocked down the penalty for theft of items worth less than $950 in value from a felony to a misdemeanor.

Of the most common crimes committed in San Francisco, the Daily Mail reported that larceny and theft are at the top, growing by 8% from 2020. Through October 10 of 2021, there were 21,842 cases of larceny and theft reported. By contrast, 20,254 of these cases took place in the same time frame through 2020.

Clearly, there’s an alarming trend of crime taking place not just in San Francisco but other cities under Democratic control.

Democrat-controlled cities, which tend to be very diverse – a factor that definitely contributes to their instability – feature political leadership that is fully committed to leftist causes such as pro-criminal policies. Their soft-on-crime approach is contributing to this alarming rise in crime.

Rising crime is not a random occurrence but rather the result of flawed public policy. Conservative-leaning Americans should not lose sight of the importance of participating in local elections. That’s where rational policy making or total lunacy is enacted.

Cities ultimately live or die as a result of these elections

The post Walgreens is Closing Many of its Stores Due to Rising Shoplifting Incidents appeared first on Veritas News Network.

10 Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories

1: The Coronavirus Was Cooked Up in a Lab

Was the coronavirus accidentally unleashed from a wet market in Wuhan? Some don’t think so! One of the most popular coronavirus conspiracy theories is that the virus was cooked up in a lab. The jury is still out on whether or not COVID-19 was deliberately released from the lab, or if it was accidentally thrust upon the world, but many true believers in this theory agree; the official story is total hogwash.

2: The U.S. Army Created the Coronavirus

Slightly less popular than the Wuhan lab theory is this interesting nugget promoted by the Chinese government and propaganda. According to the theory, the virus didn’t come out of China, it came from the United States. The theory is loosely based upon U.S. presence at the Military World Games in Wuhan, China where the virus started. According to the theory, U.S. personnel brought the virus with them and infected the Chinese.

Although it certainly does not seem plausible at all, it does paint the United States as the bad guy which is an advantageous position for China.

3: Coronavirus Is a Deep State Plot

Did the coronavirus come from the U.S. Army, or was it a nefarious Deep State plot? This theory piggybacks on another few popular theories that speculate that the United States is actually governed by a shadowy body called the Deep State. This particular theory is promoted by the QAnon crowd and ties into a more nefarious plot related to the anti-vax movement and government control in general.

Since the Deep State is supposedly heavily intertwined with the media, coronavirus has been exaggerated and fear-mongered with the express purpose of throwing the public off the trail and keeping the Deep State under wraps.

4: Coronavirus Is an Evil Scheme to Sell Hand Sanitizer

We all know that companies will do just about anything to make a buck, but would Purell manufacture a global pandemic just to sell hand sanitizer? In one of the more grim coronavirus conspiracy theories, they would. Hand sanitizer is in hot demand right now as people are in a frenzy to wash their hands and keep germs at bay.

It’s so bad that folks are stocking up on tons of it just in case this crisis goes on for longer than we think it will. Purell has never been such a hot item. Is there any way the hand sanitizer companies could have dreamed up a plague as bad as COVID-19? It’s unlikely.

5: Greta Thunberg Unleashed Coronavirus to Save the Planet

Greta Thunberg has been blamed for a lot of different things, but this one really takes the cake. Some cynics speculate that the planet’s biggest advocate actually brought on the coronavirus as a bid to help Mother Earth recover from pollution. While we can’t deny that pollution has gone down since people have been locked up, it’s very unlikely that Greta Thunberg had anything to do with it.

6: Aliens Beamed Down the Coronavirus

Did the coronavirus come from above? This is one of the kookier coronavirus conspiracy theories for sure, and it states that COVID-19 was actually a gift from our fellow galaxy-dwellers. According to the theory, aliens lobbed down a fireball containing the virus, and it exploded near China, releasing the coronavirus into the air and causing the pandemic.

7: Bill Gates Is Behind the Coronavirus Plague

Could Bill Gates be the sinister force behind COVID-19? Some conspiracy theorists seem to think so! According to this theory, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation developed the coronavirus to punish the anti-vaxxers and build credibility for their work. Since Bill Gates is a frequent target of Deep State conspiracy theorists, this one ties into several other coronavirus conspiracy theories but can stand all on its own merit as a possible cause for the plague.

8: Streaming Services Caused the Coronavirus

There’s no denying the tremendous power that streaming services have over our lives, and more people have been tuning in to non-traditional entertainment since COVID-19 made us all stay in our houses. Some people speculate that there may just be a connection between the two.

Disney Plus launched just a few months before the coronavirus hit in force, and Netflix’s documentary series “Pandemic” was also released right when coronavirus was picking up steam. Is this a pure coincidence or something a lot more sinister?

9: 5G Is the Sinister Force Behind Coronavirus

What if COVID-19 and 5G were the same thing? Some people speculate that the rise of fast internet might have brought on the plague that we know as the coronavirus. As coronavirus conspiracy theories go, this one might seem a little far out, but it’s got plenty of celebrity buy-in.

10: The Virus Is a North Korean Bioweapon

North Korea is not above dirty tricks, and some people believe that COVID-19 might just be their dirtiest! According to Jerry Falwell Jr., the coronavirus is a sophisticated bioweapon brought to us courtesy of the North Korean regime. While it is true that there are no known cases of coronavirus in North Korea, that could be more due to the fact that they are stringently against most tourism and that their media is controlled by the state.

There’s also the simple fact that Kim Jong Un loves to brag about his accomplishments and has not taken credit for COVID-19, at least not yet!

There is a lot of misinformation out there on nearly every subject, and a pandemic is bound to inspire more than usual. Stay safe, stay informed, and take everything you read with a grain of salt.

The post Top 10 Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories appeared first on Veritas News Network.

Background of Tax Lien Agents

Ned Majors, president and only shareholder of Tax Lien Agents, Inc, opened TLA in 1998. The company’s practice was to buy tax lien certificates at auctions nationwide, acting as a purchasing agent for a Principal. TLA routinely offered lower interest rates than the statutory rates purchasers would normally accept, allowing them to bid competitively.

They targeted tax liens they were reasonably sure would not be redeemed and charged a non-refundable agency fee of 12% to 25% of the Principal’s lien purchase amount, with an inchoate interest of 50% for any unredeemed TLCs. Principals paid by cashiers check or Trust directive and entered into a contract with TLA.

How the Scam Worked

If the TLC was redeemed before the typically one- to three-year maturity date, the Principal would keep all redemption, interest, and penalty payments. If the TLC was not redeemed, as was most often the case, the Principle would confirm that Tax Lien Agents, Inc had a 50% ownership interest and then go about quieting the title and selling the property.

In most cases, Principals were absentee owners who would naturally choose to use the same agent to quiet and sell as they used to obtain the lien in the first place, leaving TLC free to work the entire process into their own favor, retaining nearly all benefits to holding the lien while passing on costs and downsides to the Principal. Principals could not sell their TLCs unless the third party agreed to the same contract and terms with TLA, and TLA retained first right of refusal.

The South Carolina SEC Steps In

In 2003, the attorney general of South Carolina issued a “Cease and Desist Selling Unregistered Securities and Engaging in Securities Fraud” order against TLA and held a public hearing in October of that year.

The SEC’s investigative report found that TLA’s contract with the Principals constituted an “investment contract.” Furthermore, TLA had not followed the registration requirements necessary to sell securities in SC. While the Commissioner of the South Carolina SEC stopped short of charging TLA with securities fraud, they did issue a Final Order to Cease and Desist after the hearing.

SC Supreme Court Decision

Ned Majors and the TLA took the order to court, attempting to argue that the “investment opportunity” they offered was not a security and calling into question the authority of the SEC to issue a cease and desist order. The lower courts found against Majors and the TLA, and the issue went up to the Supreme Court, who also found the SEC was within its rights to make the order. Furthermore, the court found that both the SEC commissioner and the lower courts had properly ruled the sale of TLCs an illegal investment contract.

The Upshot

Scams like those run by Tax Lien Agents continue to prove how important it is to consider carefully before investing, and especially when someone else is acting as the agent.

The post Tax Lien Agents Inc. Tax Scam of the 2000s appeared first on Veritas News Network.

A Novel Coronavirus Opportunity

According to the SEC, the basic idea is nothing new. Scammers are always some of the first to leverage news developments into ways to separate investors from their cash. But the COVID-19 virus, which as of mid-March has sickened over 206,000 people worldwide and resulted in the death of more than 8,200, is a particularly welcome opportunity for scammers.

That’s because the panic and hype surrounding the virus is unmatched in recent memory, especially since it was declared a pandemic. When anxiety and concern run this high, people are more easily misled.

How the Investment Scams Work

These scams are being spread via the Internet, and social media in particular. The scam is presented as an opportunity to invest in a publicly-traded company working on a way to prevent, detect, or cure the COVID-19 virus. The scams go on to elaborate on the possibility that these companies will see a huge uptick in stock value.

In some cases, the scams may be presented as research reports with estimates of how high stock prices can go. According to the SEC, these scams are targeting every type of investment, but the most commonly seen scam involves penny stocks, or microcap stocks.

These are popular targets for the scam precisely because penny stocks involve small companies with market capitalizations under $300 million. Because of their small size, it’s normal for penny stocks to involve companies with limited public information. This makes them the perfect target for scammers since it’s easier to give false information without fear of being discovered.

The Pump and Dump Scheme

The most common form of the scam is known as the “pump and dump.” Scammers buy into a small company that really exists and then release false information claiming the company is developing a cure or method of virus detection. Other investors quickly rush to buy stock, driving the price higher and higher.

At the top of the peak, before the company can correct the erroneous information, the scammers sell and leave everyone else holding the bag with shares that are about to tumble. When the scammers dump, the prices drop drastically, and later investors lose heavily.

What to Watch for

Investors should be careful of any sudden trading activity surrounding a penny stock, especially if it is coronavirus-related. Investors should also keep a healthy suspicion of any market opportunity presented as a sure thing with guaranteed returns.

Investors should also be cautious about random, unsolicited offers of microcap stock with a company said to be doing anything related to the current pandemic. In most cases, the FTC says, investors should expect to hear about medical breakthroughs via other channels than a sales pitch. As with everything surrounding COVID-19, it pays to be cautious.

Additional resources: https://www.sec.gov/oiea/investor-alerts-and-bulletins/ia_coronavirus 

The post SEC and FTC Warn: Look Out for These Coronavirus-Related Investment Scams appeared first on Veritas News Network.

How the Real Estate Investment Scam Worked

According to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Morgan, a commercial real estate developer, used two of his entities to run a fraudulent real estate investment scheme. Over the course of 13 years, Morgan built a real estate empire that included more than 36,000 apartments and operated in 14 states.

In what is likely the largest such scheme since the Great Recession, Morgan is thought to have used his Morgan Mezzanine Fund Manager and Morgan Acquisitions entities to deceive investors and some of the country’s largest financial institutions, including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Morgan is believed to have scammed these institutions into awarding him larger mortgages than normal by telling elaborate lies to pass off properties as worth far more than they were.

Morgan is also believed to have used new investor funds to pay off old investors to cover up the fraud and keep the real estate investment scheme going. The Department of Justice alleges that Morgan kept two sets of books: one with accurate information and the other for servicing loans. Morgan and four others have also been indicted for making insurance claims on repairs to apartments that cost more than they actually did.

About Robert Morgan

Until 2019, Robert Morgan was a pillar of the Rochester community. He was widely admired for having reinvented himself after being paralyzed from the waist down from a gunshot wound sustained during the robbery of his family’s store in 1991. His paralysis forced him to find a new line of work, and he spent the next few decades transforming into a real estate investor. Morgan has partnered with many institutions over the years, including the TM Montante Development group.

Progress of the Indictment

The indictment of Morgan began with charges against his former chief operating officer, a related mortgage broker, and a nephew, Todd Morgan. All three entered guilty pleas, and charges against Morgan came a week after the number two man at Morgan Management pleaded guilty to fraud and accused Robert Morgan of taking part.

After an FBI raid on Morgan’s offices in Rochester in 2018, indictments were brought against Robert Morgan and four others, two of whom pleaded guilty and have been cooperating with the FBI in the investigation.

$63 Million in Repayments

The $63 million the federal court has ordered Morgan to pay back was the amount still owed to investors when the scheme was revealed. A receiver has been appointed to oversee the liquidation of assets and generate funds to maximize recovery for investors.

While the outcome of the indictments has yet to be determined, the Robert Morgan story serves as a warning to all investors to exercise caution and due diligence before making a real estate investment.

Read official press release from DOJ, US Attorney’s Office NY: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdny/pr/robert-morgan-three-others-indicted-multi-million-dollar-mortgage-fraud-scheme

Related real estate investment news: https://veritasnews.com/buyer-beware-buying-tax-liens-know-youre-getting/

The post Landlord Ordered to Repay $63 million to Investors Due to Suspicion of Massive Fraud appeared first on Veritas News Network.

An Old Problem

Using the mainstream media to brainwash the public is hardly new. It’s an old tactic used by governments around the world since the dawn of time to control the populace. From ancient Rome to Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia, the media has more often been a tool of the ruling class than a servant of the people.

In the United States, things are supposed to be different. The Constitution guarantees freedom of the press, and this freedom was designed to ensure the press could function completely independently of government interference. Unfortunately, in many ways, that’s become a pipe dream.

Operation Mockingbird

The American media has been compromised since at least the time of the CIA’s infamous Operation Mockingbird. This operation began in the 1950s, and the true extent of it is only now coming to light. Organized by Cord Meyer and Allen Dulles, it recruited leading journalists into a network designed to ensure the CIA’s views were the ones being presented to the American public.

Declassified documents show the CIA was also funding student organizations and sponsoring magazines as fronts to the operation, as well as influencing political campaigns at home and abroad.

The Testimony of an Ex-CBS Journalist

Sharyl Attkisson, an ex-reporter for CBS, left that position to become an independent journalist and to shed light on the way the media controls what we think and see in an attempt to control the way we vote…and the way we behave.

Known as “astroturfing,” these strategies involve the mainstream media carefully crafting a narrative rather than reporting objective facts, shaping everything we see online or hear in the news. Astroturfing doesn’t just involve politics: it’s also being used to control how we act at every level.

The Drug Example

She gives a compelling example, based on her own experience in the industry, of a new (fictitious) high cholesterol drug. You see it mentioned on the news, so you do research online. Google, Twitter, Wikipedia, WebMD: they all confirm that it is safe and effective. The few voices raising questions are silenced or presented as kooks.

What you don’t realize is that the entire narrative, from the TV presentation to the Wikipedia site, to the Google results, to coverage on WebMD, and even the seminar on the drug your own doctor attended are all orchestrated by powerful lobbyists.

What’s the Answer?

There’s no simple answer to the systemic problem of mainstream media manipulation and brainwashing, but there are steps you can take to avoid it. As Attkisson herself recommends, don’t believe what you’re told until you do your own research. Look beyond the “trusted” sites and seek advice from those you trust. Make up your own mind and think for yourself.

Related posts: https://veritasnews.com/ny-governor-wants-to-make-it-a-felony-to-assault-journalists/

The post How Is Mainstream Media Brainwashes The Masses? Ex CBS Investigative Journalist Explains appeared first on Veritas News Network.

The Basics

The Financial Services arm of BMW offers financing and leases for BMW vehicles. Headquarters are in New Jersey, but residents of all 50 states can take advantage of this loan provider. Auto loans start around 0.9% APR rate, depending on credit score, and the longest loan term that BMW Financial Services offers is 72 months. They do allow you to pay off loans early. However, you will incur a prepayment fee if you do so.

Late payments do have a penalty fee, and there is also a loan origination fee to be paid. The minimum credit score you need to be eligible with BMW is 650, and loans are available to anyone over the age of 18 who has proof of citizenship or residence permit.

But, How Do BMW Financial Services Stack Up?

Although BMW financial services have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, they have incurred an unusually high number of complaints. In the last three years, there have been a total of 209 complaints, and only 56 of them have been closed in the last year.

Billings and Collections

The vast majority of these complaints are about billings and collection issues. These complaints range from unauthorized withdrawals from customer bank accounts to liens being put on vehicles by mistake and refunds that never appear.

Examples

In one complaint, where two overpayments had not been refunded despite multiple contacts by the customer, BMW Financial Services responded to the complaint with the worrying statement that it is “it is our policy not to refund payments that are more than 45 days old…any refund issued…is done as a courtesy to our customers.”

This is worrying precisely because the vast majority of complaints against the institution involve a difficulty reaching anyone helpful in their billing and financial department, even after multiple attempts to make contact. This makes it unlikely a customer could get a response within a limited timeframe. A number of the complaints lodged with the BBB report BMW Financial Services taking payments—or adding on unexplained or extra fees after vehicles are paid off or leases ended.

Product or Service

The other large category of complaints lodged against BMW with the BBB regard problems with service or with the product. These are not complaints about the vehicles, but complaints about service received in the process of loan application, leasing, or resolution. The same complaints turn up on Yelp, where BMW Financial Services’ rating remains at 1.5 stars, and customer complaints of poor service and deceptive financial practices abound.

The Upshot

BMW makes some of the finest cars in the world, but as frequent complaints with the Better Business Bureau and on sites like Yelp and Supermoney make clear, BMW Financial Services do not offer the same level of quality as their vehicles. At least among those who contact the BBB or leave a review on Yelp, there is a lot of regret about using this service.

The post BMW Financial Services appeared first on Veritas News Network.

The Pioneer: Dr. Morris Waxler

Dr. Morris Waxler was the chief research scientist investigating LASIK for the FDA. His initial research showed that the treatment was effective for those suffering from severe nearsightedness. Initially, it seemed to be the perfect alternative to eyeglasses or contact lenses—especially as these treatments were not always sufficient to correct the issue.

Over time, however, it has become clear that this procedure is dangerous, and the leading voice in approving the procedure, Dr. Morris Waxler, now opposes it.

LASIK surgery was approved by the FDA more than 20 years ago, and since then, thousands of patients have undergone the procedure. A significant number have experienced serious complications.

LASIK Complications

Since this procedure was first approved by the FDA, evidence has been mounting that it is far more dangerous than initially believed. Dr. Waxler’s recent research has found that while the industry reported complications in only 1% of LASIK patients, the true percentage of patients who will experience severe complications is closer to 20%. These life-altering complications include:

• Persistent pain
• Dizziness
• Detached retinas
• Vision issues that cannot be corrected by glasses or contact lenses

Even worse, these persistent problems with vision have caused patients to experience depression—leading to suicide for some—even if they previously had no mental health history that would suggest susceptibility to these issues.

As LASIK became even more common, incidents of complications have accelerated.

Approaching the FDA

As any responsible doctor would do, Dr. Waxler approached the FDA in 2011, asking for them to withdraw approval for LASIK devices. Because LASIK is now viewed as relatively commonplace, restrictions have been loosened so that more people are able to perform the procedure, leading to more incidents of complications.

The FDA has paid no attention to Dr. Waxler or to the thousands of patients who have experienced serious complications after LASIK surgery. It is Dr. Waxler’s belief, expressed in his open letter to the FDA and the public, that the FDA hopes the situation will simply disappear.

Reason to Avoid LASIK

If you are considering this surgery, don’t be fooled into thinking that the side effects are so mild that it’s worth the risk. This surgery has been approved for 20 years, yet the number of laser eye surgery-related suicides continue to mount.

These suicides are the actions of those who could not live with the irreversible side effects, like visual impairment, blindness, and constant pain. Thousands more live with these issues every day. If you are considering this procedure, do your research and evaluate the claims. You only have one pair of eyes, so think twice before going under this questionable procedure.

The post FDA Adviser Who Backed Lasik Surgery Now Opposes It appeared first on Veritas News Network.

Surprisingly, a report released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that an average of six people per day die from alcohol poisoning and they aren’t college students. 

That report states that those succumbing to alcohol poisoning are not college students, nor the young, but those aged 35 to 64. Nearly 76 percent of all deaths from binge drinking fall into that age group. Most of them are men.

“On average, six people died every day from alcohol poisoning in the US from 2010 to 2012. Alcohol poisoning is caused by drinking large quantities of alcohol in a short period of time. Very high levels of alcohol in the body can shutdown critical areas of the brain that control breathing, heart rate, and body temperature, resulting in death. Alcohol poisoning deaths affect people of all ages but are most common among middle-aged adults and men,” according to the CDC.
Alcohol poisoning deaths according to the report:

• Most people who die are 35-64 years old.
• Most people who die are men.
• Most alcohol poisoning deaths are among non- Hispanic whites. Although a smaller share of the US population, American Indians/Alaska Natives have the most alcohol poisoning deaths per million people of any of the races.
• Alaska has the most alcohol poisoning deaths per million people, while Alabama has the least.
• Alcohol dependence (alcoholism) was identified as a factor in 30% of alcohol poisoning deaths

Binge drinking can lead to death from alcohol poisoning:

• Binge drinking (4 or more drinks for women or 5 or more drinks for men in a short period of time) typically leads to a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) that exceeds 0.08 g/dL, the legal limit for driving in all states.
• US adults who binge drink consume an average of about 8 drinks per binge, which can result in even higher levels of alcohol in the body.
• The more you drink the greater your risk of death.

The states with the highest number of deaths from alcohol poisoning include Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Oregon and Oklahoma.

The states with the fewest number of deaths related to alcohol poisoning include Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Illinois, Wisconsin and Idaho.

According to the CDC report, the standard drink in the US contains five percent alcohol for beer, seven percent for malt liquor, 12 percent for wine and 40 percent for distilled spirits such as vodka, whiskey, gin and rum.

The life-threatening signs of alcohol poisoning include vomiting, slow breathing, irregular breathing, seizures and hypothermia, and the inability to wake up from sleep.

Binge drinking is defined as drinking enough to bring the blood alcohol level to 0.08 percent, which puts drivers past the limit in all 50 states.

Read our post: Binge drinking causes an average of six deaths a day.

The post Binge drinking: No age immune appeared first on Veritas News Network.

South Dakota’s House of Representatives passed the journalists’ Shield Law last week. The bill now heads to the state Senate.

Shield laws protect journalists and newscasters from being legally forced to reveal confidential sources of information or be compelled to testify in court about sources. Known as ‘reporter’s privilege,’ the law if passed will only protect professional journalists. Bloggers and citizen journalists will not be covered.

Although South Dakota has no Shield Law, courts recognize a privilege for sources is qualified or contains exceptions.

The Need For a Shield Law

Currently 40 states have enacted specifically tailored shield laws. The rest of the states, with the exception of Wyoming, protect a reporter’s privilege through other league means such as case law or the state constitution.

The Columbia Journalism Review explains the need for a shield law because “Generally, any person who is asked or ordered to testify at a legal proceeding, or to produce documents relevant to one, is required to comply. If the person doesn’t, she’s subject to a contempt finding, which means a judge could put the person in jail, or fine her, or both. The penalty’s chief purpose is not to punish—it’s to extract compliance.”

It continues, “There are exceptions called privileges. The most famous is the attorney-client privilege that exempts an attorney from testifying against a client about confidential communications. Many states recognize similar privileges for medical doctors, therapists, religious advisors, and spouses. They all stem from the belief that there’s a public interest that justifies the exclusion of testimony by certain people against others.

“For example, the attorney-client privilege recognizes that clients need good advice, and they can get it only if the client is honest with the attorney. The client might not be honest if she thought her attorney could be called to testify against her. So rules developed that exempt attorneys from testifying against clients in most circumstances.”

More from the CJR: “Journalists have argued that they should have a privilege for roughly analogous reasons. They rely on sources to provide the news they publish, and those sources might not share sensitive or critical information in the absence of anonymity—out of fear that they’ll be punished for sharing it. So privileges developed protecting journalists, because there’s a public interest in encouraging the disclosure of newsworthy information.”

The Bill 

House Bill 1074 establishes journalists and newscasters as being, ‘any person who, for pay, is engaged in gathering, preparing, collecting, writing, editing, filming, taping, or photographing news’ for a wide variety of outlets, including student journalists.

What is not included in HB1074 is a provision for bloggers and other social media-based operations not affiliated with credentialed news sources, publications, or call letter broadcast stations.

[documentcloud url=”http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5747150-HB1074HJU.html” responsive=true]

Read our post and see where it all started: Raising the Shield: Free Flow of Information Act

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