Government watchdog warns unemployment facial recognition system has 'racial and gender' bias

The federal watchdog cited a report showing black Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program applicants in two states received payments at about half the rate of white applicants.

By Madeleine Hubbard

Updated: April 5, 2023 - 12:45pm

The Labor Department's inspector general is warning thatfacial recognition technologyused by state unemployment agencies to verify identity has a "racial and gender bias" and could discriminate against claimants.

The federal watchdog said in a memo last week cited "urgent equity and security concerns" about the technology because unemployment "programs have become a target for fraud with significant numbers of imposter claims being filed with stolen or synthetic identities" following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Four states from March 2020 through September 2020 paid $9.9 billion in likely fraudulent claims. In response,24 of 53 stateworkforce agencies hired10identity-verification service contractors thatused facial recognition.

The inspector general said it is "concerned that the use of identity verification service contractors may not result in equitable and secure access."

In one federal report cited by the watchdog,blackPandemic Unemployment Assistance program applicants in two states received payments at abouthalf the rate of whiteapplicants.

The inspector general issued several recommendations to the acting Assistant Secretary of Employment and Training, including to direct state agencies to provide alternatives to facial recognition and to require facial recognition services to test for biases.

The assistant secretary agreed with the recommendations.

https://justthenews.com/accountability/watchdogs/government-watchdog-warns-unemployment-facial-recognition-system-has

>>18671578

It's an ABC poll…they are full of shit

Fox reaches settlement with Venezuelan businessman in election defamation, Lou Dobbs case

"This matter has been resolved amicably by both sides," Fox News said.

By Madeleine Hubbard

Updated: April 10, 2023 - 7:50am

Fox Corp. has reached a confidential agreement to settle a defamation case filed by Venezuelan businessman Majed Khalil, who claimed that Fox News and former host Lou Dobbs had harmed Khalil's reputation by claiming that he was involved in a scheme to rig the 2020 presidential election.

"This matter has been resolved amicably by both sides. We have no further comment," Fox News told Variety Magazine on Sunday.

A letter filed over the weekend to U.S. District Court Judge Louis Stanton stated that the parties in the case "reached a confidential agreement to resolve this matter" and that they "anticipate filing a joint stipulation of dismissal with prejudice early next week.

Khalil filed the case in 2021 and alleged that Dobbs harmed his reputation by suggesting in 2020 on the Fox Business Network and Twitter that Khalil and other Venezuelan officials conspired with election firmsSmartmatic Inc. and Dominion Voting Systemsto ensure that former President Donald Trump lost.

Dobbs' Fox Business program was canceled after he was named in a separate $2.7 billion lawsuit filed by Smartmatic.

Fox News is also facing another defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems for $1.6 billion.

The financial details of Fox's settlement with Khalil are unclear.

https://justthenews.com/government/courts-law/fox-reaches-settlement-venezuelan-businessman-election-defamation-case

FOX caved, they don’t want to prove the 2020 election was rigged! That tells you all you need to know.

Soros-backed St. Louis prosecutor hit with new negligence, potential misconduct complaints

Gardner's office blamed law enforcement for issues in one of the cases.

By Madeleine Hubbard

Updated: April 9, 2023 - 2:27pm

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner, a Democrat whose campaign received donations from megadonor George Soros, is facing new complaints ofpotential misconduct and negligenceas she already is battling the Missouri attorney general's efforts to compel her resignation.

While Missouri Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey began removal proceedings against Gardner in February over her mishandling of numerous cases, she is under renewed scrutiny for her actions over the past week.

A St. Louis judge sanctioned Gardner's office earlier in the week fordelaying evidencerelated to a double homicide case, according to local NBC affiliate KSDK. Alex Heflin, 23, had beenheld without bondsince January after he was charged with two second-degree murder counts and armed criminal action, but the charges were reduced to voluntary and involuntary manslaughter.

The judge in that case sided with Heflin's attorneys who filed a motion accusing Assistant CircuitAttorney Alex Poltaof not turning over necessary evidence as required.

Heflin's trial was pushed from April 17 to June 12, and the suspect was released on GPS monitoring.

Gardner's office said it "is dedicated to doing everything in its power to hold the defendant accountable."

The office on Wednesday pushed back another trial by months as well. For the second time, prosecutors dismissed and refiled charges against two men accused of killing a father and his 7-year-old daughter, according to CBS affiliate KMOV. The trial was set to begin next week but was dropped because prosecutors were reportedly not ready for the case.

Gardner's office blamed law enforcement for issues in the case. (The new “Trump Did It” excuse)

"Receiving evidence from law enforcement agencies in a timely manner is critical to the prosecution of all our cases. In this case, the [Circuit Attorney's Office] was not provided evidence in a timely manner due to acknowledged staffing challenges at the police department," the agency said.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said Gardner's claims are "not accurate, in our estimation" and that the two Missouri agencies "must work together to seek justice and hold criminals accountable."

https://justthenews.com/government/courts-law/soros-backed-st-louis-prosecutor-hit-new-negligence-potential-misconduct

Biden administration wants to poach coal workers for a green energy revolution

As Americans continue to suffer sky high energy costs, the White House is looking to transform coal communities into hubs for green energy.

Updated: April 8, 2023 - 11:09pm

As Americans continue to suffer under the weight of high energy costs, the Biden administration is pressing on toward its goal of phasing out fossil fuels in America, releasing new plans to fast-track their green energy vision throughbillions in federal tax incentives and subsidiesto "incentivize more clean energy investment in energy communities, particularly coal communities."

On Tuesday, the White House outlined its plans to entice coal workers with billions of dollars in bonuses and tax breaks if they cooperate with the Biden climate change agenda by enlisting in renewable energy projects such as building solar farms on current and former coal properties.

"The U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service today is releasing detailed guidance that will allow developers of clean energy projects and facilities totake advantage of billions in bonuses on top of the investment and production tax credits," the release said. These bonuses and tax credits will be provided via the so-called Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed by Congress last year and which the Congressional Budget Office predicted would have "negligible effect on inflation."

Also included in the plan was $450 million in Energy Department spending under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to "repurpose" large areas of mining landfor "clean energy projects" in order to "generate up to 90 GW of clean energy — enough to power nearly 30 million American homes," they claimed.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm made it clear that the Biden administration wants to effectively poach fossil fuel workers — both current and former — for the push towards a green energy future.

"The workers who powered the last century of industry and innovation can power the next one," she said to reporters.

The climate change-motivated announcement was billed by the Biden team as part of a mission to "Revitalize Energy Communities" and "Support Coal Workers" by awarding them massive bonuses and tax credits for weaning off of fossil fuels and furthering the Biden administration's climate agenda.

Despite the administration billing the announcement as a win for coal workers, however, many fear this is just thenext step in Biden's plan to "[shut coal] plantsdown all across America," something he vowed to do back in November, drawing the ire of West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who referred to Biden's comments as being "outrageous and divorced from reality," adding that the president ought to "learn a lesson."

Manchin's advice notwithstanding, Biden has redoubled his attacks on the fossil fuel industry. In the Tuesday release, for example, the White House said that thenearly 18,000 coal mining sitesin America "expose local populations to harmful pollutants and contaminate the air, land, and water quality in the surrounding areas."

This White House announcement condemning fossil fuels came just days after Saudi Arabia and other OPEC+ countries announced massive cuts to oil production, a move that drove crude prices up 8% on Monday, a move that is certain to bring turmoil to the Biden administration as analysts predict rising gas prices are on the horizon once more.

At one point under the current administration, a gallon of gas in America was $2.47 higher than it was during the Trump administration. Though the price at the pump has cooled since then, a gallon still remains $1.35 more today than on Biden's first day in office.

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/energy/thurs-biden-attempts-lure-coal-country-go-green-massive-financial-incentives

Public, private, nonprofit applicants competing for Biden's $7 billion clean hydrogen investment

Applications from finalists for the billions of federal dollars available to support "hydrogen hubs" were due Friday.

Updated: April 9, 2023 - 11:34pm

A broad range of applicants from the private, public and nonprofit sectors are finalizing proposals to the U.S. Department of Energy to help develop "hubs" to produce clean hydrogen that "has the potential to decarbonize multiple economic sectors," according to the department, "including heavy-duty transportation and steel manufacturing."

Funds for the program were approved in last year's bipartisan infrastructure law, which included amultibillion dollar initiative headed up by DOEto develop "networks of hydrogen producers, consumers, and local connective infrastructure to accelerate the use of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier."

The DOE described the production as being "crucial" to the president's goal of a "100% clean electrical grid by 2035" and zero carbon emissions by the year 2050.

In September, the department's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations announced a $7 billion funding opportunity to develop hydrogen hubs around the country. In response to the notice, according to the Clean Air Task Force, OCED received 79 concept papers "spanning every region of the United States" from applicants "led byindividual companies, universities, nonprofits, and city/state government consortiums."

"In these Concept Papers, applicants requested nearly $60 billion in federal funding —roughlyeight to nine timesthe size of DOE's $6-7 billion solicitation," according to OCED. "Proposed projects by the applicants included in aggregate, more than $150 billion of their own capital alongside the DOE's federal investment."

The office winnowed the 79 submissions down to 33 who were asked to submit final applications by Friday, April 7.

The push for a breakthrough in clean hydrogen research is fueled by claims that utilizing the chemical element could alleviate so-called climate change, since hydrogen consumed in a fuel cell emits only water vapor and air.

Efforts thus far to convert hydrogen into fuel have been tireless but largely unfruitful. Back in 2003, President George W. Bush rolled out a $1.2 billion hydrogen fuel initiative in an effort to decrease America's reliance on foreign oil for vehicles.

Despite continued efforts to develop hydrogen fuel under the Obama administration, he too was ultimately unsuccessful, as he eventually slashed $100 million from the hydrogen fuel cell program in 2010.

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/energy/fft-us-companies-compete-bidens-8-billion-clean-hydrogen-investment

Hydrogen Hubs Program Timeline from DOE

>>18671766

DOE resources

https://www.resources.org/common-resources/hydrogen-hubs-get-to-know-the-encouraged-applicants/>>18671766

>>18671393

Look at these notes, in December 2021 and onward 2022 they were sending out info on Trump's archive info to 15ish reporters already, so the media knew everything way in advance. The FBI and NARA were coordinating in 2021. This bullshit

But internal messages, emails and letters — some released in recent days under the Freedom of Information Act — tell a different story that raises questions about theArchives' official timeline in the Trump dispute.

For instance, new internal messages between Archives staff show that a full week after Wall's letter to Congress, a senior NARA official was still seeking data about the FBI probe.

"Need the case number for the FBI review," NARA liaison to the Biden White House John Laster wrote in a text message dated Aug. 23 of last year.

"I think it's LW 2022-070," a colleague texted back. "This is the FBI review of the 15 boxes correct?"

"Correct," Laster responded.

Document attached

America First Legal Demands that the HHS OIG Investigate the CDC’s Deletion of Employee Emails

March 29, 2023

CDC Admits to Deleting Employees’ Emails 30 Days After They Leave Agency

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, America First Legal (AFL) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, requesting an investigation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) unlawful policy of deleting employee emails.

President Biden himself has illegally stored federal records at his personal homes and at the University of Delaware. But President Biden is very clearly not the only official who has problems with proper records management. In fact, multiple Biden Administration agencies have mishandled federal records and stonewalled the American public.

In this case, AFL requested records regarding theCDC’s support for teacher-led indoctrination of children with radical gender ideology. In a routine email regarding the disclosure of these records, AFL was told that the CDC routinely deletes the emails of nearly all of its employees thirty days after they leave the agency.

However, the National Archives and Records Administration’s General Records Schedule requires the CDC to preserve such emails forseven years, not thirty days.

To hide uncomfortable truths, the Biden Administration has repeatedly ignored federal law. It has done so again here – deleting the emails of former CDC employees thirty days after they leave the agency obviously violates the Federal Records Act. America First Legal will continue fighting to expose the facts, to protect the American people’s right to know, and to hold the Biden Administration accountable.

Statement from Reed D. Rubinstein, America First Legal Senior Counsel and Director of Oversight and Investigations:

“By deleting employee emails in violation of the Federal Records Act, the CDC has, yet again, massively breached the American people’s trust.Three years ago, theNational Archivesdirected the Department of Health and Human Services tostop deletingemployee emails. Whether due to bureaucratic sloth or to frustrate oversight and cover up embarrassing information, this directive was ignored. The Inspector General and Congress need to investigate why,” said Reed Rubinstein.

Read the letter here. (attached)

https://aflegal.org/america-first-legal-demands-that-the-hhs-oig-investigate-the-cdcs-deletion-of-employee-emails/

Of ALL the agencies, this would be the in par with NIH and subsidiaries, are they hiding COVID lies and manipulation?BTW doesn't their server have a back up of every email? Large agencies have multiple servers and back up.