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National Stories
A member of the grand jury that declined to indict Ferguson, Mo., police Officer Darren Wilson has filed a federal lawsuit against the prosecutor handling the case, saying the public has been misled about the grand jury's deliberations. Represented by the Missouri chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, the anonymous grand juror – identified only as "grand juror Doe" – sued St. Louis County prosecutor Robert McCulloch on Monday for the right to speak publicly about the case. It is the first time the public has heard from a juror in the case. The grand juror hints that he or she may have voted to criminally indict Wilson. The six white men, three white women, one black man and two black women who served on the grand jury have been ordered under Missouri law to stay silent about the inquiry into Wilson's Aug. 9 shooting in Ferguson of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old African-American.
McClatchy
New York Times reporter James Risen refused on Monday to answer all but a few basic questions in court about his book detailing a failed CIA effort to undermine Iran's nuclear weapons program, in a case that has become a flashpoint for press freedom. Risen testified in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, as part of the U.S. government's case against former Central Intelligence Agency officer Jeffrey Sterling, who is charged with leaking classified information to Risen. Risen, appearing under oath on the witness stand for the first time, declined to identify what information confidential sources provided for his book, where or when he met with unnamed sources, or who had not served as a source. The terse, and at times combative, testimony prompted a lawyer for Sterling to question whether prosecutors could even proceed with their case.
Reuters
The 18th century German leader Otto von Bismarck once remarked that “laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made.” Figuring what a law means can be no less problematic. This adage is particularly applicable to the latest court cases involving lawsuits claiming retaliation in violation of the whistle-blower provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. The vagaries of the law have left much room for interpretation in what protections Congress intended to provide whistle-blowers. One of the central questions of the provision has been whether a whistle-blower has to first report information about questionable practices to the Securities and Exchange Commission in order to be protected from firing, demotion or harassment. The federal courts have been split on this question. That there is ambiguity in the law should not come as a surprise. The Dodd-Frank Act covered 2,300 pages and was the product of numerous last-minute changes to its wording.
New York Times
Efforts continue to boost transparency in the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association fund, which assesses Michigan motorists a $186-per-vehicle fee as part of the state's no-fault insurance system. Groups trying to force the insurance industry body to open its books have appealed to the Michigan Supreme Court after receiving a legal setback at the Michigan Court of Appeals.
Detroit Free Press
Former CBS News reporter Sharyl Attkisson has filed suit against the U.S. Department of Justice for illegal surveillance allegedly conducted while she was reporting on the government, multiple sources reported Monday. Attkisson told Fox News’ Howard Kurtz she and her attorneys have evidence tying the government to various surveillance attempts including monitoring the audio on her Skype account and refreshing “software to steal data and obtain passwords on her home and work computers.”
Poynter
Federal regulators want to make it easier for people to file complaints and fix problems with a telephone, cable, Internet or radio company. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unveiled a new website that “should help consumers better hold companies accountable,” according to Sen. Bill Nelson (Fla.), the top Democrat on the Commerce Committee.
The Hill
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