Empire Files

Abby Martin interviews former Technical Director of the National Security Agency, Bill Binney, who blew the whistle on warrantless spying years before Edward Snowden released the evidence. They discuss the US empire's mass surveillance program and dangers of the Intelligence Industrial Complex. Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: www.patreon.com/empirefiles FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles

On the eve of another US war for oil, Abby Martin debunks the most repeated myths about Venezuela and uncovers how US sanctions are crimes against humanity with UN Investigator and Human Rights Rapporteur Alfred De Zayas. Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: www.patreon.com/empirefiles GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles

With General “Mad Dog” Mattis out of the White House, he’s been praised by liberal media and politicians. Abby Martin shows who he really is, and what his resignation means for the war machine. Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: www.patreon.com/empirefiles GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles

In Part II of our series Trump Expanding the Empire, Abby Martin addresses the surprise order from Trump that he was "ending the war" in Syria. Having drastically escalated the war in Syria and Iraq, find out what's behind the supposed troop withdrawal and the hidden facts in the policies. Transcript & Links: https://bit.ly/2sphM4r Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: www.patreon.com/empirefiles GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles

In the first installment of this multi-part series, Trump Expanding the Empire, Abby Martin debunks the notion that Trump is an anti-interventionist president, outlining his first two years of aggressive foreign policy that has expanded US wars and occupations. From the biggest military budget in history, to removing its restrictions to “bomb the hell out of” Iraq and Syria, to ramping-up brutal economic sanctions, to becoming America's 'Arms Salesman-In-Chief.' Transcript & Links: https://bit.ly/2CiAI9G Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: www.patreon.com/empirefiles GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles

In this exclusive extended interview, Randy Credico tells his side of the story on his role in the Russia investigation, his upcoming interview with Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and true nature of his relationship with Trump campaign advisor Roger Stone. With never before revealed details about Roger Stone and the Mueller investigation, Credico details his long-standing ties to the political operative and answers the hard questions about his alleged coordination with Wikileaks. The interview highlights the larger context of the multi-front assault on Julian Assange, Wikileaks and the future of press freedom. Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: www.patreon.com/empirefiles GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles

Since October 2017, America experienced three of the deadliest mass shootings in modern history. This epidemic coincides with a frightening resurgence of white nationalism. Sometimes the two trends overlap. But why here? Both phenomena can be explained by a common historical thread—to unravel it Abby Martin sits down with indigenous scholar Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz to discuss her latest book “Loaded: A Disarming History of the Second Amendment”. Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: www.patreon.com/empirefiles GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles

The week of Venezuela's presidential election, John Oliver dedicated an ENTIRE episode of his HBO show "Last Week Tonight" to the country—full of distortions and highly misleading to progressive-minded people. Responding to Oliver's major points, Empire Files producer Mike Prysner walks us through the most glaring omissions and misrepresentations. This video response is an essential guide for progressives to understand the reality in Venezuela, the most common myths used to discredit the Chavez movement, and the role of the US government. [[ Prysner is an Iraq war veteran and journalist. He spent a month in Venezuela during the height of the protest movement in 2017, covering the riots and economic crisis. He has been a Venezuela solidarity activist since 2006. Watch the many documentaries and interviews he produced from Venezuela at TheEmpireFiles.tv ]] Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: www.patreon.com/empirefiles GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles

Recently, the struggle for Palestinian human rights gained international attention surrounding a new icon of resistance--16 year old Ahed Tamimi. While in the West Bank in late 2016, Abby Martin interviewed Ahed Tamimi about her hardships and aspirations living under occupation and it becomes clear why her subjugators are trying to silence her voice. Her brother Waad and father Bassem also talk about their experiences with Israeli soldiers harassing their village and targeting their family. In this exclusive episode, Abby outlines the Tamimi family's tragic tale and unending bravery in the fight for justice and equality in Palestine and how the story of their village of Nabi Saleh is emblematic of the Palestinian struggle as a whole. Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: www.patreon.com/empirefiles GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles

In 2017, murders of social leaders, union organizers and indigenous activists in Colombia hit a new high since the historic peace agreement. Abby Martin goes to Colombia to document the increasingly deadly situation for human rights activists. Hear from an Afro-Colombian union leader under threat of assassination, and how the US Empire created this epidemic today. Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: www.patreon.com/empirefiles GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles

On October 5, 2017, police opened fire on unarmed farmers in Tumaco, Colombia. Eight were killed, with dozens more shot. The massacre was part of a crackdown on coca farmers in the "War On Drugs" despite an agreement for crop substitution--and amidst new threats from Trump, ordering the government to use more force or face consequences. The Empire Files goes on-the-ground to investigate the massacre, interviewing witnesses and casualties. Abby Martin visits recently-destroyed farms, uses hidden cameras to confront soldiers about the operations, and explores the context of such a killing less than a year after the historic peace deal ending the country's 53-year civil war. Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: www.patreon.com/empirefiles GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles

In 2016, more than 50 bills were introduced in Congress targeting Trans people. Since Trump took office, dozens of pieces of landmark legislation have been cancelled, severely rolling back Trans rights. To explore this wide-ranging assault, Abby Martin speaks with two leading voices and activists in the Trans community: Chase Strangio, attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, and Jennicet Gutiérrez, founding member of La Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement. Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: www.patreon.com/empirefiles GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles

The Holy Land Foundation Five are Palestinian political prisoners sentenced up to upwards of 65 years in US prison for providing aid to refugees. Although no proof exists for the organization providing support for terrorism, it was targeted in the Bush administration's post-9/11 dragnet, setting an alarming precedent for activists in the US. Abby Martin sits down with an expert on the case, Miko Peled, to learn more about this little-known case. Miko Peled is an Israeli-born activist for Palestinian rights, and the son of a famous Israeli general. He is the author of "The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine" and "Injustice: The Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five." Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: www.patreon.com/empirefiles GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles

There are 26 registered lobbyists for every elected representative on the hill, with experts suggesting the true amount is closer to 100,000. Yet transparency laws that people believe help combat this system of pay-to-play politics have been weaponized against them to further cement corporate control. Congressional researcher James D’Angelo argues how the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, which opened up politicians voting records–has only helped special interests and corporations. Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/empirefiles GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // https://www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles

On top of overtly genocidal threats, the Trump Administration has announced new terms: that they "will never accept a nuclear North Korea." But, the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea already has nuclear weapons. Does that mean a war is imminent? While the bipartisan warmongering is receiving no push-back from the mainstream media, Abby Martin interviews Tim Shorrock--journalist and expert on US-Korea relations--to learn what is left out of the debate and the potential cost of a new war. Keep Empire Files independent and ad-free! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/empirefiles GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin LIKE // https://www.facebook.com/TheEmpireFiles