Corruption is Everywhere > Certainly in the European Parliament; Nicola Sturgeon's husband arrested; J&J's $9bn settlement

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German, Belgian police raid European People's Party headquarters

By Patrick Hilsman

 

Belgian and German police have raided the headquarters of the European People's Party, a center-right party that comprises the largest in the international voting bloc. The raid is believed to be connected to an anti-corruption investigation in Germany. File Photo by European Union/ EP/UPI

April 4 (UPI) -- Belgian and German police on Tuesday raided the Brussels headquarters of the European People's Party, which constitutes the largest single party in the European Parliament.

"The European People's Party confirms that representatives from the Belgian and German police authorities visited the party headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday, April 4," the EPP confirmed in a press release.

The party said the raid "is connected to an ongoing inquiry in Thuringia, Germany," and that they are cooperating with law enforcement.

German media report that the raid is connected to an investigation into Mario Voigt, of Germany's Christian Democrats Party for his conduct during the 2019 European Parliamentary elections.

Voigt was tasked with handling aspects of the European People's Party's digital promotion. Under his tenure, digital promotion contracts were awarded to internet companies in the Thuringia state which he was suspected to have financial interests in.

A separate corruption scandal, thought to be linked to Qatar, has rocked the European Parliament, resulting in multiple recent arrests.

In December, six people were arrested in Belgium in connection to the scandal. Marc Tarabella, a Belgian MEP, and Italian MEP Andrea Conzzolino, were arrested separately in February.

Police arrest husband of former Scottish National Party leader

Nicola's annus horibilis, or is this the real reason she quit?

By Clyde Hughes

 

Former Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon's husband, Peter Murrell, was arrested Wednesday

in connection with an investigation into the party's finances. File Photo by Robert Perry/EPA

April 5 (UPI) -- Peter Murrell, the husband of former Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon, was reportedly arrested on Wednesday in connection with an investigation into the party's fundraising and finances.

While not using Murrell's name in the announcement, Police Scotland said in a statement that a "58-year-old man" was "arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party."

The police said he was being questioned by detectives while conducting "a number of locations."

Murrell and Sturgeon's home was sealed off with police tape and police were also seen searching the SNP offices.

"A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service," Police Scotland said. "The matter is active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media."

Murrell controlled the internal operation of the party for nearly 24 years until leaving his position in the latest leadership shakeup that saw Sturgeon retire in March, giving way to Humza Yousaf being elected as party leader and first minister of Scotland.

Police Scotland started its probe after questions were raised over the handling of nearly $750,000 in donations made to the SNP to hold a second referendum for independence.

"Clearly it would not be appropriate to comment on any live police investigation, but the SNP has been cooperating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so," a party spokesperson said.

"At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency -- that will be taken forward in the coming weeks."

The resignation of Sturgeon, a longtime Brexit foe who embraced Scottish independence, was seen by many in Britain as a surprise last month. She led the Scottish National Party for eight years.

Yousaf took over last week, becoming the first Muslim to lead the SNP and serve as Scotland's first minister.

"The news this morning, it's challenging and it's difficult," Yousaf told reporters Wednesday. "The SNP has fully cooperated with the investigation and it will continue to do so."

Johnson & Johnson proposes nearly $9B US settlement for talc product claims

Company faced years of suits claiming talcum powder led to cases of

ovarian cancer or mesothelioma

The Associated Press · 

Posted: Apr 05, 2023 3:54 AM PDT | Last Updated: 11 hours ago

Johnson & Johnson's baby powder is shown on a supermarket shelf in Alhambra, Calif., in a 2017 file photo. J&J admits no wrongdoing in its proposed settlement, but it announced last year it was pulling talc-based baby powder from the shelves. (Frederic J. Brown/Getty Images)

Johnson & Johnson is earmarking nearly $9 billion US to cover allegations that its baby power containing talc caused cancer, more than quadrupling the amount that the company had previously set aside to pay for its potential liability.

Under a proposal announced Tuesday, a J&J subsidiary will re-file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and seek court approval for a plan that would result in one of the largest product-liability settlements in U.S. history.

The $8.9 billion that J&J would transfer to the subsidiary, LTL Management, would be payable over the next 25 years. The amount is up from the $2 billion that the New Brunswick, New Jersey, company set aside in October 2021.

The revised amount is being backed by more than 60,000 parties that have filed lawsuits alleging harm from J&J talcum powder, according to the company.

J&J isn't admitting any wrongdoing as part of the proposed settlement, a point that a company executive emphasized in a Tuesday statement that maintained the claims "are specious and lack scientific merit."

But fighting the lawsuits in court would take decades and be expensive, said Erik Haas, J&J's worldwide vice-president of litigation.

The lawsuits filed against J&J had alleged its talcum powder caused users to develop ovarian cancer, through use for feminine hygiene, or mesothelioma, a cancer that strikes the lungs and other organs.

A December 2018 Reuters investigation revealed that J&J knew for decades about tests showing its talc sometimes contained carcinogenic asbestos but kept that information from regulators and the public. J&J has said its baby powder and other talc products are safe, do not cause cancer and do not contain asbestos.

The claims contributed to drop in J&J's sales of baby powder. Last year, J&J announced plans to cease sales of the product worldwide. 

Corruption is Everywhere > Vietnam President Resigns; Lid Coming Off the EU Parliament Bribery Scandal

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Vietnam President Nguyen Xuan Phuc resigns

By Joe Fisher

   

Vietnam’s President Nguyen Xuan Phuc announced he will step down from his position following a number of changes among the country’s leadership in recent days.

File Photo by John Minchillo/UPI | License Photo

Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Vietnam's President Nguyen Xuan Phuc announced he will step down from his position following a number of changes among the country's leadership in recent days.

Phuc is the third high-level official to either resign or be dismissed from his position this month following the dismissal of two deputy prime ministers, Pham Binh Minh and Vu Duc Dam. The National Assembly will meet Wednesday to make the resignation official.

As president, Phuc played a key role in Vietnam's Communist Party and its policymaking committee, the Politburo. In a statement by his party he was thanked for his service, but it was also noted that he was responsible for violations by those serving under him.

Other government officials who served with Phuc are facing criminal charges related to corruption and misconduct.

"As he was well aware of his responsibilities to the Party and the people, Phuc filed a request to resign from his positions and retire," said the statement obtained by VN Express International.

In 2022, the Communist Party prosecuted or disciplined some 539 members in an effort by general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to rein in corruption.

Is this extraordinary level of corruption peculiar to Communists? Or is it common to all government parties? It is definitely not restricted to Vietnam.

Vietnam has greatly increased its efforts to rid the corruption among its government officials and business leaders, increasing the investigation of corruption cases by 50% in 2022, engaging in 453 investigations.

Phuc served as prime minister from 2016 to 2021 before being elected president in April 2021.

Former deputy prime minister Dam was ousted in connection with a scheme involving the distribution of COVID-19 testing kits. One of Dam's primary responsibilities was leading the country's pandemic response.

Did he have a deal with the party that he would resign if they stopped investigating him? What do you think?

Former European Parliament member to give details in bribery scandal

Obviously, being a member of the European Parliament does not require a moral compass as a prerequisite.

By Clyde Hughes   

Former European Parliament member Pier Antonio Panzeri agreed on Tuesday to cooperate with authorities

in connection with the bribery scandal. Photo by Stephanie Lecocq/EPA-EFE

Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Former European Parliament member Pier Antonio Panzeri said on Tuesday he will work with prosecutors investigating an alleged bribery scheme.

Panzeri agreed to offer "revealing, truthful and complete statements" about third parties involved in the scandal as well as his own involvement "if applicable" in exchange for a possible reduced prison sentence, Belgium's federal prosecutor said.

Prosecutors accuse Panzeri of accepting money from the governments of Qatar and Morocco in exchange for influencing decisions in the parliament.

Panzeri, who served in the European Parliament from 2004-2019, is charged along with three others for money laundering, corruption and participating in a criminal organization after police found nearly $1.62 million in bags of cash at several locations around Brussels, including Panzeri's home.

The Belgian prosecutor said in its ongoing investigation that Panzeri will tell detectives details showing if foreign countries, including Qatar, illegally influenced the parliament's work, how the bribery scheme operated and who was involved.

He is also expected to turn over financial documents connected with his arrangements with those countries and who directly benefited.

Panzeri also agreed to admit to bribery, pay a fine and forfeit the assets he obtained, said to total more than $1 million.

An Italian court ruled on Monday that the Panzeri's daughter Silvia Panzeri could be extradited to Belgium because she allegedly knew of her father's activities. She has denied the allegations.

The scandal also ensnared Eva Kaili, a Greek legislator, who at the time served as the European Parliament's vice president.

Kaili was removed from her European Parliament post in December after being arrested in connection with the scheme.

Shocking Video of Palestinian Addressing EU Parliament

Truth will prevail, eventually

video 4:17

Soros Waging ‘Frontal Assault’ on Hungary – Ruling Party Deputy Chairman

Hungary is facing a frontal assault from US financier George Soros, the vice-chairman of the ruling Fidesz party has said, after the billionaire released a statement accusing the Hungarian government of “lying” about his agenda.

Fidesz vice-chairman Gergely Gulyas pushed back against Soros’ claims that his government was spreading disinformation, and denied that it was stoking anti-Muslim sentiments and embracing anti-Semitic stereotypes. Instead, Gulyas accused Soros of attacking his country through his NGOs and EU bureaucrats, and using them to push a pro-migrant agenda.

“What Soros writes about immigration, in general, is a pro-immigration stance that is open about its disdain for the nation state,” Reuters quoted Gulyas as telling news conference on Monday. “Decisions made in Brussels echo that in the field of immigration policy.”

“Days before a recent immigration decision in the European Parliament, Soros was meeting with the rapporteur on the subject as well as five different EU commissioners. I am not a conspiracy theorist, but this holds some clues.”

On Monday, George Soros released a statement in response to seven allegations the Hungarian government made against him in their National Consultation survey on the “Soros plan.” The statement attempted to offer a rebuttal to those claims, for example that Soros wants to resettle 1 million refugees throughout Europe each year. The statement countered that in 2016, Soros acknowledged that circumstances had changed and that instead, the EU should make a “commitment to admit even a mere 300,000 refugees annually.”

The statement also dismissed claims that Soros wants to undermine European culture, launch attacks on countries which oppose immigration and called for migrants to receive reduced sentences for their crimes, as lies.

The conservative Hungarian government, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has made no secret of its disdain for George Soros and his political activities, accusing him of undermining European borders and values by helping facilitate the flow of refugees and asylum seekers from the Middle East and Africa. In May, Soros accused Hungary of being a “mafia state,” words that Orban considered a “declaration of war.”

Is George Soros Pulling the Strings of European Parliament?

Soros and his ‘226 EU friends’ thrust into spotlight by Farage

– so who are they?

Picking up the anti-Soros torch from Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, UK politician Nigel Farage is seeking to investigate fellow EU MEPs who support the controversial vision of the wealthy financier. But are Orban and Farage’s fears valid?

UK politician Nigel Farage, the prominent face of Brexit, is now concerned about Europe’s destiny. Addressing the EU Parliament this week, Farage provided some thoughtful ideas as to the source of the claims that Russia had somehow manipulated the Brexit vote, as well as the Trump election.

“Just last week, the electoral commission, in the UK, launched an investigation to find out whether the ‘Leave’ campaign took offshore money or Russian money,” Farage said.

"This came about as a result of questions asked in the House of Commons by one Ben Bradshaw, somebody linked to an organization called Open Society.”

But Farage, who seems to take great delight in agitating his fellow MPs, was just warming up. He went on to provide yet another example of an EU parliamentarian working on behalf of George Soros, this time against Hungarian PM Viktor Orban, who has accused the financier of seeking to create “a Europe of mixed population.”

“We even had last week Mr. [Guy] Verhofstadt lobbying on behalf of Mr. Soros at the Conference of Presidents in a battle that is going on with Viktor Orban, the prime minister of Hungary,” Farage said, pointing directly at Verhofstadt as he spoke.

“I wonder,” Farage continued, “when we are talking about ‘political collusion,’ I wonder if we are looking in the wrong place.”

Farage described Soros’s influence in Strasbourg and Brussels as “truly extraordinary.” And that influence looks set to increase dramatically now that Soros has donated the bulk of his wealth - $18 billion - into his Open Society pet project, which campaigns for open borders and supranational structures such as the European Union.

$18 bn can buy a whole lot of MEPs.

Farage concluded his short, fiery monologue with a weighty statement: “I fear we could be looking at the biggest level of international, political collusion in history.”

On the surface, there seems to be some legitimacy to Farage’s claim. According to public sources, Open Society European Policy Institute (OSEPI), the EU policy arm of Open Society Foundations, met with members of the European Commission on 44 separate occasions in 2016. And now that the organization has just been energized with $18 billion, it would seem apparent that that influence is set to increase.

Moreover, the Soros organizations published a pamphlet providing details on a list of 226 reliable “friends” who serve in the European Parliament. Farage said he would call on the parliament to set up a special committee to investigate the issue.

Who are Soros’ 226 EU ‘friends’?

In a 177-page pamphlet published by Open Society, entitled “Reliable Allies in the European Parliament (2014-2019),” 226 EU MEPs are listed and labeled according to their political orientation and views.

According to the pamphlet, “The presence of an MEP in this mapping indicates that they are likely to support Open Society’s work. Considering there are 751 members of the European Parliament, “reliable allies” of George Soros hold at least one-third of seats."

So what sort of qualifications does an MEP need to be included among Open Society’s “reliable allies?” A quick preview of the candidate’s description field provides some good indication as to what Soros expects from his allies, including a political philosophy that includes support of the LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or intersex) movement, open borders and an anti-Russia stance.

Among the 226 chosen, there is one Yana Toom, an MEP from Estonia, who comes in for a bit of criticism despite her inclusion. “Refused supporting the European Parliament’s first resolution on the Ukraine-Russia conflict in July 2014, and may be pro-Russia to an unknown extent (and, in that case, not necessarily an Open Society).”

For anyone who questions whether Open Society works directly against Russian interests, that single line should dispel all doubts. Moreover, it provides some background as to why Russia in 2015 banned Open Society from operating on its territory due to the threat it posed to the country’s “constitutional order.”

Another MEP on the list, Monica Macovei of Romania, serves as something like the golden mean for star-studded Soros status.

“Resolutely progressive; unquestionable ally of Open Society values; does not hesitate to go against her group’s instructions; however, can sometimes be described as a loose cannon with her own, uncompromising set of priorities.”

When reading such an assessment, one might get the mistaken impression that the European Parliament is designed to serve the will of George Soros and his highly controversial agenda, as opposed to the will of the European peoples.

What does Soros want?

To say that George Soros, who was born and raised in Budapest, Hungary, has an influence on the global scene, would be the understatement of the century. His excessive wealth allows him to finance a veritable army of organizations, many serving at cross purposes.

Indeed, Soros, 87, has been connected to movements and civil disturbances as diverse as distanced as Black Lives Matter movement in the US, to the Maidan uprising in Ukraine.

And nowhere has Soros’s influence been more felt than in the ongoing European debate over migrants. 

It looks like the European refugee crisis, which has been blamed on the Syrian civil war, would not occur in its current intensity without the direct assistance of the Open Society Foundation.

Thanks to the advocacy work of the Migration Policy Institute and the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), both Soros-sponsored organizations, the mass resettlement of Muslims from the Middle East and North Africa into Europe became the norm.

In fact, it appeared that the so-called “Merkel Plan” – the deal struck by the EU and Turkey – was the brainchild of the European Stability Initiative, “in addition to the largesse of George Soros’ foundations,” F. William Engdahl wrote in the Near Eastern Outlook.

Considering that the massive influx of Muslim migrants threatens to change the face of “Christian Europe” forever, and without any vote on the matter by the people of Europe, perhaps it is time to see exactly what kind of direct influence George Soros and his Open Society Foundation are having on European parliamentarians. After all, these are not the play toys of any one individual, but the representatives of an entire state.

What's Up with Poland's Government Crack-Down on Protests and Media

Polish police use force as thousands block parliament protesting media restrictions law

People shout slogans during an anti-government demonstration by opposition supporters and Committee for the Defence of Democracy movement (KOD) outside the Polish parliament on December 16, 2016. © Wojtek Radwanski / AFP

Police have demanded that thousands of protesters blocking the Polish parliament building in Warsaw disperse, warning that otherwise force may be used. The opposition initially blockaded the parliament building in protest at new media restrictions on covering its work.

The protests were triggered by new proposals put forward by the ruling Law and Justice party to limit media access to parliamentary debates. According to the new rules, only five TV stations will be permitted to cover the sessions. The proposal also envisaged limiting the number of reporters allowed in the premises.

The move has drawn strong criticism from independent media and opposition MPs, who attempted to block the key vote on budget by occupying the parliamentary podium in protest against what they see as a clampdown on the media.

The statement issued by Poland’s independent news outlets argued that the restrictions “do not hit journalists, but the rights of citizens to be fully informed about what people elected by them to the parliament do,” as cited by Reuters.

However, Law and Justice party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski was unmoved by the accusations, saying that the party “will not be terrorized,” as cited by TVN24, while labeling demonstrators against the rules “hooligans.”

Police forcefully pulled away protesters and reportedly used tear gas to clear the way for Kaczynski and several other senior members of parliament, who left the scene in a vehicle. Kaczynski’s car was seen leaving the building secured by a convoy together with the car of Prime Minister Beata Szydlo.

The use of tear gas was reported by opposition MP Jerzy Meysztowicz, who spoke with TVN24.

Earlier, the protesters demanded that Kaczynski personally come to listen to the crowd’s grievances.

The Civic Platform along with other opposition parties, liberal Nowsczesna (Modern) and the Polish People’s Party (PSL) issued a joint statement, accusing parliament speaker Marek Kuchcinski of violating the Constitution with his decision to hold the vote in another place.

“The [vote] was illegal, period. This is a constitutional crisis,” Grzegorz Schetyna, head of the main opposition center-right party, Civic Platform, said on Twitter.

“Everybody sees that Law and Justice has crossed a certain line and nothing will be the same anymore,” Tomasz Siemoniak, Civic Platform’s deputy leader, told journalists speaking outside the parliament’s building.

The Law and Justice party insists that moving the vote to another chamber was in line with the law and that it should be considered legally binding.

“What the opposition did was a scandal. And we were working,” Jaroslaw Zielinski, a Law and Justice party MP, told Reuters.

The hashtag #WolneMediawSejmie (Free Media in Sejm), which has become the slogan of the protesters, is trending on Polish-speaking Twitter feeds, with thousands supporting the action.

Earlier, it was reported that the EU Parliament might strip Poland of voting rights due to its government’s encroachment on another civil right, the freedom of assembly.

The legislation, which was proposed by the ruling Law and Justice party and already passed by the Polish Senate, envisages that some rallies that the authorities deem “nationally important” can be prioritized over other rallies. The law also stipulates that any group will be entitled to “book” a place to stage “periodical” rallies for up to three years, subject to the consent of local authorities. Any other rallies, organized by other groups at that time and place would be considered illegal.

The legislation was blasted by the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and scores of non-governmental organizations. The Polish Supreme Court opposed the bill, while some 200 Polish human rights groups and NGOs called on President Andrzej Duda to impose a veto on the legislation, which is pending his approval.