In the spirit of Sunshine Week 2008..

..I’m offering up some stories that I believe warrant “their day in court” and lots of “sunshine” on their cases in the hopes that those who wield power to make changes, make good, correct wrongs; those journalists and investigative reporters among us who choose to show courage in the face of stone-wall ridicule, and speak truth to power.  I offer you the chance to become familiar with the stories presented here and challenge you to walk the talk. Shall we proceed, then..

From Dr. J’s HouseCalls: Burned Citizen Journalism. From the blog:

“(B) In the matter of Dr. Mary Johnson v. Randolph Hospital, the facts have been ignored in deference to the continued well-being of people who control (or have “cooperative relationships” with others who control) large advertising budgets. Despite the new “momentum” for “ethics” and public/fiscal accountability in government and government-sponsored programs/institutions (i.e. “non-profits”), the N&R will not even have an “off-the-record” conversation to look at the evidence (in the form of public records and sworn court documents) . . . evidence that screams perjury, contempt and fraud. This story cannot be viewed through the prism of race, so the N&R doesn’t think the crimes committed are “relevant”. As for being “local”, the N&R says it covers Randolph County, but it hasn’t really been back to Asheboro since Jerry Bledsoe handed them their hat over the SCV debacle. We’re relegated to the High Point section now. And neither the patient nor the doctor caught up in this mess is JR’s daughter. So the N&R does not care that “non-profit” hospital officials, entrusted with the public good, betrayed the mission of a federal program, stabbed a physician & public servant in the back, called her a liar for telling the truth, and then lied under Oath to cover their tails & save some money when they tucked them. The N&R does not care that a local DA, abusing his discretion, can kill (before it starts) an independent SBI investigation of the “non-profit” hospital’s unfair business & legal tactics against a medical whistleblower & potential private-sector competitor. Once again, the whole truth does not matter. The REAL story doesn’t get told at all. Result: A good Pediatrician, with strong ties to Greensboro - recruited back to her hometown with federal money . . . a doctor forced one night to make a choice no physician should have to make . . . has been driven of her home out by community “leaders” who abused their power, repeatedly lied, and stuffed their own pockets on the public dime.” [Note: N&R is the Greensboro News & Record]

From REP. Jim Traficant - Can & Will blog:

“Exculpatory Evidence: Sworn Affidavit of Another Witness Pressured to Lie in the Case Against Congressman James Traficant of Ohio.

“Miscarriage of Justice Against Former Congressman James Traficant, Part 1. William Wallace, May, 2006.

“A. Overview As a result of the Department of Justice’s (”DOJ”) flagrant and obvious program of lies, perjury and manufactured false “evidence” against former Congressman Jim Traficant (”Traficant”), many people have asked how they can help to correct this miscarriage of justice.

“The opportunity is now. The method includes the Internet and the national talk radio shows that expose government corruption, e.g., The Drudge Report, Michael Savage, Sean Hannity, G. Gordon Liddy, Oliver North and Greta Von Susteren at Fox News.

“Traficant stood for the people. He was a major threat to the shadow government which runs the DOJ and the Internal Revenue Service (”IRS”) and had to be discredited and taken out before his citizen friendly bills, which included an overhaul of the DOJ, could be passed.

“This report will be limited to prosecutorial misconduct to “bribe witnesses for testimony,” which under “treaty-standards” set by the Supreme Court in Missouri v. Holland, (1920) 252 US 416, rose to “acts of corruption” that violated the 1996 Inter-American Convention Against Corruption (”Corruption Convention”), 35 I.L.M. 724. This self-executing treaty bound all Federal officers, including prosecutors, to their terms. Executive Order (”E.O.”) 13107 commanded their compliance, as this treaty made the offering or accepting of “a thing of value for testimony” a crime under the anti-bribery and graft statutes. (See 18 U.S.C. ” 201(c)(2) to 224)

“The prosecutor, Assistant United States Attorney (”AUSA”) Craig Morford was proscribed from pressuring, intimidating and bribing witnesses for false testimony which also violated the obstruction of justice and witness-tampering statutes that served the Corruption Convention. (See 18 U.S.C. ” 1503, 1512)

“To support and prove Traficant’s allegations, he has audio tapes and affidavits available on almost all witnesses against him, all affirming they were coerced and intimidated to lie against him under extreme duress from the DOJ. Traficant demonstrated uncanny insight into preserving his evidence by placing it in the Congressional Record during the months of May, June, July and August 2002. It is waiting for investigators to dig out and prove this miscarriage of justice. “