8chan/8kun QResearch Posts (13)
#19513389 at 2023-09-08 20:51:33 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #23965: ADL BE GONE Edition
2006 USAID REPORT ON UKRAINE CORRUPTIONPDF ATTACHED== KEK, the most corrupt US Agency writing a report on Ukraine Corruption.
Ukraine's Corruption Syndrome
A country's political-economic dynamics strongly influence the degree and nature of corruption in that country. The way corruption manifests itself differs from country to country depending upon the ways that people seek and use wealth and power, the strengths or weaknesses of the state, and political and social institutions that sustain and restrain these processes. Differences in these factors give rise to several major syndromes of corruption.4
On the basis of Ukrainian expert evaluations that were supported by interviews with additional specialists in Ukraine, our analysis characterizes corruption in Ukraine as fitting into the Elite Cartels syndrome (described in the text box below). The implications of being in this syndrome play out later in this report in terms of the kinds of programmatic options likely to be effective in reducing corruption in Ukraine.
In Elite Cartel countries such as Ukraine, top political and business figures collude behind a fa?ade of political competition and colonize both the state apparatus and sections of the economy. From the early 1990s, powerful officials in government and politics acquired and privatized key economic resources of the state. As well, shadowy businesses, allegedly close to organized crime, became powerful economic forces in several regions of the country.5
Over the course of the past decade, these business groupings - or clans - as they became called, grew into major financial-industrial structures that used their very close links with and influence over government, political parties, the mass media and the state bureaucracy to enlarge and fortify their control over the economy and sources of wealth. They used ownership ties, special privileges, relations with government and direct influence over the courts and law enforcement and regulatory organizations to circumvent weaknesses in governmental institutions. Their tactics and their results can be viewed as a clear exercise of state and regulatory capture.
A recent report by the World Bank6 refers to this clan-based Elite Cartel syndrome in Ukraine as a "closed insider economy" that can be an obstacle to future sustainable economic growth and integration into the EU and world economy. It hinders fair competition, encourages under-the-table deals and collusion between state officials and business, promotes rent-seeking behaviors, discourages foreign investment, and decreases adaptability over time.
Elite Cartels Corruption Syndrome Defined
Elite Cartels are extended networks linking diverse elites who share a strong stake in the status quo and in resisting political and economic competitors. Such competition, in most cases, is intensifying at least gradually. Elites in the cartel may include politicians, party leaders, bureaucrats, media owners, military officers and business people-in both private and, often, parastatal sectors-in various combinations. Corruption will be moderate to extensive, but tightly controlled from above, with the spoils shared among (and binding together) members of the elite network. Leaders of nominally competing political parties may share corrupt benefits and power among themselves, again as a way of minimizing competition. Elite cartel systems are often marked by ineffective legislatures, extensive state power in the economy, politicization of development policy and banking, and a process of mutual "colonization" among business, political parties, and the bureaucracy.
Elite cartel corruption underwrites a kind of de facto political stability and policy predictability, partially compensating for moderately weak official institutions; as a result, international investors may find the situation tolerable or even attractive. Elite Cartels may be an attractive alternative to more disruptive kinds of corruption in the short to middle term, but it delays democratization and/or the growth of genuine political competition, while the shared interests of interlinked elites may make for inflexible policy and reduced adaptation over the longer term. Elite cartel corruption often features large and complex corrupt deals, frequently marked more by collusion than outright theft or violence, orchestrated from above, and closed to outsider elites.
– Michael Johnston, Syndromes of Corruption: Wealth, Power, and Democracy (New York:
Cambridge University Press, 2005
Https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/Pnadk247.pdf
#14289929 at 2021-08-07 10:53:06 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #18078: Check Your P's and Q's Edition
>>14289924
Directors depart
Crown argues much damage has already been done.
The public exposure of wrongdoing has already run a scythe through senior ranks at the company.
Eleven directors signed a letter attacking the "falsehoods" of Nine's "deceitful campaign" - a letter that itself was criticised at the Bergin inquiry - on 31 July 2019.
A little over two years later, only two of those directors - former gaming machine executive Antonia Korsanos and former senior public servant Jane Halton - have any continuing role at the company.
Gone are Packer's confidant and chair John Alexander, the billionaire's nominees Guy Jalland and Michael Johnston, former AFL boss Andrew Demetriou - who appeared to be reading from notes while giving evidence during the Bergin inquiry, former Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon, Kerry Packer's old doctor John Horvath, adman Harold Mitchell, and Perth businessman John Poynton.
Helen Coonan, the acting executive chair who Bergin trusted to clean up Crown's Augean stables, will leave the company by the end of the month after being criticised by counsel assisting Finkelstein.
Chief executive Ken Barton resigned in February after he was found to have misled shareholders at an annual general meeting in 2019 about the nature of information being shared between Crown and Packer's company Consolidated Press Holdings, described by Bergin as "quite improper" and "appalling".
Crown's former chief legal officer Joshua Preston resigned last year after giving evidence to the NSW inquiry.
Barry Felstead, who ran Crown's Australian casinos, left at the end of the year and his role was split, so that there are now individual CEOs for Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
The man who took on the role in Melbourne, Xavier Walsh, is also leaving the company this month following criticism of him at the Finkelstein royal commission for failing to properly deal with the state tax rort once he knew about it.
But none of this is enough, according to counsel assisting Finkelstein, Adrian Finanzio QC, who last month said the licence should be revoked despite the serious disruption doing so would cause.
"The evidence reveals serious misconduct, illegal conduct and highly inappropriate conduct, which has been encouraged or facilitated by a culture which has consistently put profit before all other considerations," he said.
#14276882 at 2021-08-05 19:01:30 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #18061: Even "BV" Gets An Audit Edition
Can Seattle cops at Jan. 6 riot remain anonymous? State high court to rule
SEATTLE (AP) - The Washington Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case involving six Seattle police officers who were in Washington D.C. during the Jan. 6 insurrection and sued several people who filed public records requests to disclose the officers' names.
Court Commissioner Michael Johnston said the question of whether the officers can remain anonymous is of considerable public interest.
The officers were in Washington D.C. for a Trump rally.
They claimed they were not part of the riots. But an investigation last month found that at least two of the officers broke the law while there. The Supreme Court will set a time for oral arguments in the case.
https://komonews.com/news/local/can-seattle-cops-at-jan-6-riot-remain-anonymous-state-high-court-to-rule
#12928216 at 2021-02-15 00:44:15 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #16501: Now They'll Use The Criminal Courts To Go After President Trump Edition
Crown CEO Ken Barton resigns following scathing report into casino giant
Ken Barton has stepped down as CEO and managing director of Crown Resorts following last week's scathing report into the gambling giant.
Key points:
Ken Barton was found to be "no match" to run a casino by the gaming regulator
An inquiry found he should have launched a full investigation into money laundering allegations
Mr Barton is the fourth board member to resign in the last week
In a statement, Crown said it was determined to take "significant steps" to improve governance, compliance and culture.
Helen Coonan will lead the company as executive chairman while the board searches for a new CEO.
An investigation commissioned by NSW's Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) last week concluded Crown was unsuitable to operate a licence for its new Sydney casino in its current form.
A report by Commissioner Patricia Bergin found there was likely no future in the company for Mr Barton.
Mr Barton said in a statement he was committed to assisting with a leadership transition.
"I am absolutely certain the business is now on the right path as it works to restore confidence in its operations," he said.
Mr Barton has spent more than a decade with Crown, initially as its chief financial officer before being appointed as CEO in January 2020 as the Bergin inquiry began.
During his time at Crown he was also the director of two VIP bank accounts at the centre of money laundering allegations.
Commissioner Bergin found Mr Barton was "no match for what is needed at the helm of a casino licensee".
"His problems will not be cured by the appointment of people expert in the field who report to him", she stated in her final report.
She found Mr Barton should have launched a full investigation into money laundering allegations by the time the inquiry began.
Mr Barton was also accused of misleading shareholders at an annual general meeting in 2019 when he said "general" information was being shared between Crown and James Packer's company Consolidated Press Holdings (CPH) when in reality that information was confidential.
"Mr Barton's conduct at the Annual General Meeting in October 2019 as the CFO of Crown was quite improper," the report stated.
How Crown was brought to its knees
Damning evidence was presented at a public inquiry into Crown's operations. Is this a new era of accountability for the gaming sector?
Read more
"However his attempts in the witness box on 23 September 2020 to justify his conduct at the Annual General Meeting, were even more inappropriate for the CEO and director of Crown and director of the licensee.
"It demonstrated a serious lack of judgment and insight into the expectation of the highest standards of property, candour and co-operation of a director of a company that holds a casino licence."
Last week three Crown directors, Andrew Demetriou, Michael Johnston and Guy Jalland, also resigned, allowing the company to mount an "ambitious reform program", according to Ms Coonan.
Mr Packer's CPH cut its ties with Crown's board after terminating its consultancy contract with non-executive board member John Poynton.
Ms Coonan last week apologised for the company's "shortcomings" and said the criticism by the regulator was warranted.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-15/crown-ceo-ken-barton-resigns-after-sydney-casino-report/13154690
#12897014 at 2021-02-12 02:32:28 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #16462: The 'Projecting Projectors Projecting Projections' Edition
Crown director Andrew Demetriou resigns following scathing report from NSW gaming authority
Crown Resorts director Andrew Demetriou has resigned from the board of the embattled gaming giant but has vowed to defend his reputation.
Key points:
Andrew Demetriou is the third Crown board member to resign this week
On Tuesday the NSW gaming authority ruled Crown was unable to operate a licence for the new Barangaroo casino
Mr Demetriou said the commissioner's comments about him were "unfair and unjust"
In a statement, Mr Demetriou said it was not an "easy decision" to step down and he had thought "carefully about taking this step".
"I have always been a team player and supported the greater good. I will therefore step down from the Crown Resorts board to give Crown the best possible chance of becoming suitable to the NSW Regulator," he said.
An extensive investigation commissioned by NSW's Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) this week concluded Crown was unsuitable to operate a licence for its new Sydney casino in its current form.
A report by Commissioner Patricia Bergin was scathing of the company's culture and identified a litany of failures, including money laundering.
The ILGA's chairman, Philip Crawford, said Mr Demetriou would need to resign if the company wanted to hold a licence for the Barangaroo casino in the future.
However in his statement, Mr Demetriou said the comments directed toward him in the report were "unfair and unjust".
"I will defend my reputation at every opportunity," he said.
Two other directors, Michael Johnston and Guy Jalland resigned from Crown on Wednesday, and chief executive Ken Barton also appears likely to step down in the coming days.
Crown released a statement this morning saying Mr Barton was considering his position.
Mr Demetriou said it had been an "honour" to serve on the Crown board and had confidence a licence for the new casino would eventually be granted.
"Crown is a great company, with outstanding people who serve the company well. Barangaroo will be a magnificent addition to the Sydney landscape and I look forward to when it is fully operational," he said.
Mr Demetriou's photo and biography was swiftly deleted from the Crown Resorts website following his resignation.
How Crown was brought to its knees
Damning evidence was presented at a public inquiry into Crown's operations. Is this a new era of accountability for the gaming sector?
Read more
Mr Demetriou was the current chairman of Crown Melbourne and was a member of Crowns Risk Management Committee from 2018.
The Bergin Report found he had no formal anti-money laundering training before joining Crown's board.
Following allegations of money laundering through two of Crown's VIP banking accounts in 2019, Mr Demetriou said he never took the chance to look at the accounts himself, saying he was not an accountant.
The Bergin Report also found Mr Demetriou had pledged allegiance to James Packer, Crown's largest shareholder, and regularly provided him with information whenever asked.
During the inquiry last year, Mr Demetriou was taken to task for referring to notes when answering questions about corporate culture.
ILGA chairman Mr Crawford told the ABC yesterday the resignations were a "good start".
"There need to be changes at the top and in senior management, a lot of board changes and that's started already," Mr Crawford said.
"We look forward to seeing a bit more of that and also senior management. That's a start."
The ILGA board will meet today to discuss the commissioner's report and Mr Crawford said the regulator would have "a fairly long list" of requirements for Crown to make itself suitable to run the Barangaroo casino.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-12/andrew-demetriou-resigns-from-crown-resorts/13147330
#12893549 at 2021-02-11 19:19:28 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #16457: Military District of Washington? Edition
Crown CEO Ken Barton bows to pressure and agrees to resign
Crown chief executive Ken Barton appears likely to step down in the coming days after bowing to increasing pressure from gaming authorities, following a damning report into the Australian casino giant.
Key points:
Mr Barton is understood to have indicated he intends to resign shortly following a report highly critical of his role
Two Crown board members resigned on Wednesday amid pressure from gambling regulators
Mr Barton met on Thursday with Crown chair Helen Coonan when he offered his resignation, the ABC understands
The Bergin Report this week found there was likely no future in the company for Mr Barton.
ABC News understands Mr Barton signalled he would resign during a meeting with Crown chair Helen Coonan earlier on Thursday.
It follows the resignation of two Crown board members, Michael Johnston and Guy Jalland, on Wednesday.
Crown board member and former AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou is also facing increasing pressure to resign.
Mr Barton's decision to step down comes after increasing pressure from gambling regulators following a report critical of Crown, released this week.
An extensive investigation by the NSW gaming regulator found Crown was unsuitable to operate a licence for its new Sydney casino in its current form.
Its report outlined a litany of Crown failures, including money laundering, and said the company would have to undertake extensive cultural change in order to hold a licence to operate the new Barangaroo casino in future.
In an interview with ABC Radio National on Thursday morning, NSW's Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) chair Philip Crawford said the pair must resign or be sacked if Crown wanted to hold the licence to operate Sydney's second casino.
He welcomed the resignations of Mr Johnston and Mr Jalland.
As the crisis deepened, on Thursday afternoon the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) said Mr Barton and director Andrew Demetriou would be asked to explain why they should remain associates of Crown Melbourne in Southbank.
VCGLR chief executive Catherine Myers said the commission had a number of investigations ongoing into Crown, but the first step was to demand an explanation for the findings of the Bergin report.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-11/crown-ceo-ken-barton-bows-to-pressure-and-resigns/13146218
#12875162 at 2021-02-10 01:35:07 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #16434: Anon Ebake With Solid Dough Edition
Two Crown Resorts directors resign after damning report halts opening of new Sydney casino
Crown Resorts directors Guy Jalland and Michael Johnston have resigned less than 24 hours after a scathing report all but detonated the company's hopes of opening Sydney's second casino.
Key points:
ILGA chair Philip Crawford said the resignations were a "promising start"
Crown were told to undergo significant cultural changes
Shares in Crown dropped almost 9 per cent when the market opened this morning
The report, which came after a lengthy inquiry commissioned by NSW's Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA), deemed Crown unsuitable in its current form to hold the licence to operate a new casino at Barangaroo, which has already been built.
Commissioner Patricia Bergin's report said the company would need to undergo significant cultural changes if it were to hold the licence in the future, and ILGA chair Philip Crawford this morning quipped Crown would have to "blow itself up to save itself".
"I'd be very surprised if there weren't substantial changes to the Crown board," he said.
Just minutes after he made that statement in a press conference in Sydney, the company announced Mr Jalland and Mr Johnston had resigned in an ASX statement.
A composite image of two men looking at the camera
Michael Johnston and Guy Jalland resigned as directors of Crown Resorts on February 10, 2021.
When a reporter broke the news to Mr Crawford, he described it as "a promising start".
"That means somebody is listening to us and that's really positive," he said.
'"That's a big message to me and the media."
Mr Johnston and Mr Jalland are also directors of James Packer's separate company Consolidated Press Holdings (CPH), which technically holds Mr Packer's shares in Crown.
Since taking over as a major shareholder of Crown in 2008, CPH was afforded two nominated directors on Crown's board.
The inquiry was also told of a special arrangement between the two companies where confidential financial figures from Crown were regularly shared through CPH, notably without the knowledge of shareholders.
The report found it was through this 'protocol' that Mr Packer maintained his thought he was in control of Crown.
"The irresistible conclusion from the evidence is that Mr Packer took the view and behaved in a manner consistent with the view that he was still in control of Crown," it said.
It stated Mr Jalland was an "honest witness" but deemed his future on the board of Crown was likely over, given the arrangement between the two companies had recently ended.
Mr Johnston, a former senior partner with Ernst & Young, actively worked with Mr Packer to develop the VIP gaming business model and apart from the CEO was the only Crown director on the VIP working group.
In the inquiry he accepted there was a risk of infiltration of organised crime into casinos.
The report recommended he "conclude his tour of duty as soon as possible" because his position with both companies meant lines of reporting were blurred, risks were not properly identified and conflicts of potential conflicts were not recognised.
Crown shares were put in a trading halt on the ASX yesterday as the report was released, and dropped almost 9 per cent when the market opened this morning.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the report was thorough, direct and clear and that she would await for recommendations and advice from the independent regulator.
"It's all there in black and white and I'm sure both Crown and any other organisation will read that report carefully and accept what action has to occur before anybody is able to have a licence in NSW," she said.
"Anybody who wants to operate a casino in NSW has to stick to the rules, has to stick to the law.
"The Government doesn't apologise for upholding those high standards."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-10/two-crown-resorts-directors-resign-after-casino-report/13139534
#12169916 at 2020-12-25 15:57:43 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #15538: If Not Us, Who? And If Not Now, When? Edition
Melting Pot
166 2nd Ave N Ste A Nashville, TN 37201 United States
The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.
Company Number
H16372
Status
Active
Incorporation Date
14 August 1984 (over 36 years ago)
Company Type
Domestic for Profit
Jurisdiction
Florida (US)
Agent Name
CHESLEY CULP
Agent Address
7886 WOODLAND CENTER BLVD., TAMPA, FL 33614
Directors / Officers
CHESLEY CULP, agent
Michael Johnston
Michael Johnston, president
ROBERT P Johnston
ROBERT P Johnston, chairman
SCOTT PIERCE
SCOTT PIERCE, chairman
Domain Name: MELTINGPOT.COM
Registry Domain ID: 4525600_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.networksolutions.com
Registrar URL: http://networksolutions.com
Updated Date: 2017-09-16T18:09:31Z
Creation Date: 1999-03-21T05:00:00Z
Registrar Registration Expiration Date: 2022-03-21T04:00:00Z
Registrar: Network Solutions, LLC
Registrar IANA ID: 2
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientTransferProhibited
Registrant Name: The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.
Registrant Organization: The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.
Registrant Street: 7886 WOODLAND CENTER BLVD
Registrant City: Tampa
Registrant State/Province: FL
Registrant Postal Code: 33614-2409
Registrant Country: US
Registrant Phone: 8138810055
Registrant Email: ADMINISTRATOR@meltingpot.com
Registry Admin ID:
Admin Name: The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.
Admin Organization: The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.
Admin Street: 7886 WOODLAND CENTER BLVD
Admin City: Tampa
Admin State/Province: FL
Admin Postal Code: 33614-2409
Admin Country: US
Admin Phone: 8138810055
Admin Phone Ext:
Admin Email: ADMINISTRATOR@meltingpot.com
Registry Tech ID:
Tech Name: The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.
Tech Organization: The Melting Pot Restaurants, Inc.
Tech Street: 7886 WOODLAND CENTER BLVD
Tech City: Tampa
Tech State/Province: FL
Tech Postal Code: 33614-2409
Tech Country: US
Tech Phone: 8138810055
Tech Email: ADMINISTRATOR@meltingpot.com
Name Server: NS0.DNSMADEEASY.COM
Name Server: NS1.DNSMADEEASY.COM
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: abuse@web.com
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: +1.8003337680
#7288195 at 2019-08-01 04:11:16 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #9325: Are we prepared for voter ID riots? Edition
Authorities investigate after Tesla employee found dead inside company's Nevada Gigafactory
Tesla has confirmed an employee was found dead last week inside the company's Gigafactory, though what exactly happened to the 61-year-old worker still remains a mystery.
Authorities responded to Tesla's Nevada factory on July 22 just before 6 a.m., the Storey County Police Department told Business Insider. When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered the body of Michael Johnston on the facility's third floor.
The matter is still under investigation, but officials so far believe the death appears to be medical in nature. The exact cause of Johnston's death is still to be determined pending an autopsy.
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-tesla-employee-dead-nevada-gigafactory-investigating-20190731-t3bohpdqufcs5pvpsk2n6ob2na-story.html
Cafe Coffee Day owner VG Siddhartha dead, body found
The body of Cafe Coffee Day founder V G Siddhartha, who had gone missing from a river bridge near Mangaluru on Monday night, has been found by local fishermen in the Nethravathi river.
Siddhartha, a renowned businessman and son-in-law of former Chief Minister of Karnataka SM Krishna was last seen walking on the bridge by his driver Basavaraj Patil.
The CCD owner reportedly wrote a letter to the Café Coffee Day family stating the reasons that drove him to take the extreme step. In the letter, whose authenticity is under suspicion, the CCD promoter said that it was getting diffciult for him to continue under the prevailing conditions and that the pressure had become too much on him.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/cafe-cofee-day-owner-vg-siddharthas-body-found-from-netravati-river/articleshow/70458460.cms?from=mdr
Stepfather Of Isiah Scott Killed In Double Homicide Outside Of His Maywood Home
Last week, Dean Stansberry, 38, stood outside of the Family Dollar on the 1000 block of South Madison St. in Maywood to protest the unsolved murder of his stepson, Isiah Scott - the 19-year-old who was fatally shot just feet away from the store in March.
On July 30, Stansberry himself was murdered outside of his home, on the 1200 block of South 13th Ave. in Maywood. Yarnell M. White, 30, of Maywood, was also killed, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
Since the death of his stepson on March 12 in Maywood, Stansberry and his wife, Kisha, Scott's mother, had been on a crusade to find Scott's killers - who they suspected were former friends of the 19-year-old.
On July 23, Dean and Kisha gathered with roughly 60 other people at the site of Scott's murder for a press conference held to condemn the code of silence that the couple said was a contributing factor in Scott's murder not being solved and to announce the existence of a $5,000 reward for anyone with information leading to an arrest.
https://thevillagefreepress.org/2019/07/31/stepfather-of-isiah-scott-killed-in-double-homicide-outside-of-his-maywood-home/
Florence man killed in motel shooting
FLORENCE COUNTY, S.C. 25-year-old Eligah Antwain Jackson, of Florence.
"A young man was shot on the second floor, and just as he was coming down the steps, he ended up at the bottom of the steps– one round was fired," said Kirby.
https://wpde.com/news/local/deputies-on-scene-of-shooting-at-florence-motel-tuesday-night
JPSO: Man shot on the Huey P. Long Bridge
NEW ORLEANS, La. (WVUE) - A 23-year-old man was shot while driving on the Huey P. Long Bridge Sunday night (July 28), the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's office confirmed the following day.
JPSO spokesman Jason Rivarde said the victim was brought to the hospital in a private vehicle shortly after 11:30 p.m. and told investigators he had been shot while he was traveling eastbound on the bridge.
A family member of the victim told FOX 8 the 23-year-old had been driving when he was shot and the passenger of the car took over to drive them to the hospital. According to the family member, the victim was shot four times and was in stable condition Monday.
Rivarde said a motive was not yet known and the family member said the events leading up to the shooting were unclear. However, Rivarde did say investigators do not believe the shooting was random.
https://www.fox8live.com/2019/07/30/jpso-man-shot-huey-p-long-bridge/
#7277902 at 2019-07-31 17:03:56 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #9311: Italy all aglitter with pedos and pols! Edition
Tesla employee, 61, dies in Nevada Gigafactory amid concerns about working conditions in the electric car manufacturer's plants
Tesla employee Michael Johnston, 61, passed away on the third floor of Gigafactory 1 located in Sparks, Nevada on July 22 at 5.47am PT
The cause of death is pending an autopsy report, but Storey County police said it may have been 'medical in nature'
He worked at the Tesla Gigafactory as a production worker since January 2018
His death sparked concern over working conditions at Tesla factories
Gigafactory 1 is a lithium-ion battery and electric vehicle sub-assembly factory
The Nevada factory employs more than 3,000 people
A Tesla employee died at a Gigafactory earlier this month, sparking concerns over working conditions at Elon Musk's factories.
Michael Johnston, 61, collapsed and died on the third floor of Tesla Gigafactory 1 in Sparks, Nevada on July 22, the company has confirmed.
Tesla says their medical team and emergency personnel rushed to resuscitate Johnston and he was later confirmed as deceased. Law enforcement was called to the scene at 5.47am PT.
While the employee's cause of death is pending an official autopsy, the Storey County Police Department said that his death may have been 'medical in nature'.
His death led to renewed concern over working conditions in the electric car manufacturer's plants.
Tesla said they launched their own investigation of the area where Johnston died and didn't find any hazards present, the International Business Times reports.
We have been deeply saddened by this incident, and our thoughts continue to be with our employee's family. While we are still awaiting the autopsy report, we have initiated an investigation with law enforcement agencies and have no reason to believe that the incident was caused by anything related to this employee's work,' Tesla said in a statement to DailyMail.com.
'In the meantime, we are doing everything we can to support our employees and the family through an extremely difficult time,' the company added.
According to Johnston's social media he started working at the Tesla Gigafactory as a production worker in January 2018.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for Johnston by his daughter who shared: 'I just want to start out by saying Michael Johnston was a very dedicated hardworking father.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7305733/Tesla-employee-61-dead-Nevada-Gigafactory.html
#7275227 at 2019-07-31 13:40:46 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #9308: 24 Hr Notice Edition
A Tesla employee died at the Gigafactory earlier this month-and the investigation is ongoing
Michael Johnston, 61, was found dead on the third floor of the Gigafactory on Monday, July 22nd, the Storey County Police Department told Business Insider. Law enforcement was called at 5:47 am PT.
The Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said in an email to Business Insider this matter is currently under investigation, and that it was "properly notified of the event by the employer."
https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-employee-found-dead-at-giagfactory-2019-7
kinda smells…why would this make news?
The investigation into his death is ongoing, but law enforcement officials told Business Insider it appears to be medical in nature.
#7272257 at 2019-07-31 05:58:07 (UTC+1)
Q Research General #9304: POTUS Ridin Rough, Never Dirty!Edition
Just Random And Dead, That's All, Totally Normal:
A 61 year-old employee of Tesla Inc. died inside the Tesla Gigafactory 1 in Storey County, Nevada on July 22. The exact cause of the employee's death is still to be determined pending an autopsy.
The Storey County Police Department (SCPD) said it's still looking into the death of Michael Johnston who was found dead on the third floor of the Gigafactory. It did hint Johnston's death might have been "medical in nature," however.
https://www.ibtimes.com/tesla-employee-found-dead-gigafactory-was-it-due-bad-work-conditions-2809821
#743229 at 2018-03-21 12:31:23 (UTC+1)
Research - Ass Crack of Dawn Bake #920
>>743228
Noha Gaber, Acting Director, Office of Internal Communications, Environmental Protection Agency
John Gill, Chief Human Capital Officer and Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Human Resources, Department of Health and Human Services
Rosemary Hart, Senior Attorney, Department of Justice
Hector Hernandez, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Special Operations Branch, Secret Service
John James Jr., Executive Director, Missile Defense Agency, Department of Defense
Michael Johnston, Director, Business Integration Office, Department of the Interior
Arleas Upton Kea, Director, Division of Administration, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Alice Maroni, Acting Director, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
David Monroe, Director, Office of Fiscal Projections, Department of the Treasury
Ambassador Wanda Nesbitt, Career Minister, Department of State
Susan Pascocello, Deputy General Counsel, Agency for International Development
Patsy Reeves, Executive Director, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Department of Defense
Gabriel Sanchez, Innovation and Operational Efficiency Program Manager, Census Bureau
Andre Sayles, Principal Deputy Director, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity, Department of Energy
Dr. Reginald Wells, Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Human Resources, Chief Human Capital Officer and Chief Diversity Officer, U.S. Social Security Administration
8chan/8kun QResearch AUSTRALIA Posts (2)
#13077180 at 2021-03-01 07:16:06 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #13 - THE WAR IS REAL Edition
>>12867040
Resignations in the news
Crown Resorts director John Poynton resigns following regulator pressure
Crown's departing director John Poynton has declared he remains a "fit and proper person" to remain on the board of the James Packer-based casino company, but says he resigned "in the best interests of the gaming company and its shareholders".
After tendering his resignation to chairman Helen Coonan, Mr Poynton released a statement to The Australian on Monday afternoon, noting he wished Crown "the best at this challenging time for the company.
"The Bergin Inquiry made no findings against my integrity or performance on the Crown board or my status as a fit and proper person,'' the statement said.
"But given the advice from The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority about perceptions about my independence arising out of my past relationship with James Packer and CPH, I believe resigning is the right thing to do.. This is despite Ms Bergin specifically noting that my commitment and contribution would be 'integral' to Crown's future success."
In her report released earlier this month Ms Bergin noted "the commitment and contribution" of Mr Poynton would be "integral" to "Crown's future success as a close associate of the Licensee" of its new Sydney casino.
It is understood Crown's biggest institutional shareholder, Perpetual, had believed Mr Poynton could add value on the board as its sole Perth-based director, but shared the regulators' concerns about his independence.
Mr Ponyton's resignation as a director of Crown Resorts and as chairman of Crown Perth closed the book on the old guard of the James Packer-backed company following a government inquiry's finding the company is unsuitable to operate a casino in NSW.
In a statement to the ASX on Monday Crown Resorts said Mr Poynton had resigned with immediate effect and, unusually for the company, explained that the NSW gambling regulator's opinion that he should step down was behind the move.
"John has been a member of the board of Crown since November 2018 and a director of Crown Perth since 2004. During that time, he has been enormously committed as a director, chairman of Crown Perth and through his service on board committees," executive chairman Helen Coonan said in the statement.
"The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) has advised Crown that it considers it appropriate that John step down as a director of all companies within the Crown group, due to a perceived lack of independence arising out of his past relationship with Mr James Packer and CPH, notwithstanding the recent termination of John's consultancy arrangement with CPH.
"As a result, John has agreed to resign in the best interests of Crown and our shareholders, despite no adverse findings by the commissioner in the ILGA Inquiry in relation to his suitability, integrity or performance. "On behalf of the board, I thank John for his contribution to Crown over many years."
The release contained no statement from Mr Poynton, who has previously said he would defend his independence from Mr Packer and hired a team of lawyers to advise him on his options.
The Australian understands Mr Poynton received a letter late last week from Arnold Bloch Leibler partner Leon Zwier, who is advising Ms Coonan.
The letter is believed to have requested him to resign, given the concerns surrounding his independence.
Mr Poynton considered his position over the weekend with his Melbourne-based Jones Day partner Tim L'Estrange, the former General Counsel and company secretary at ANZ Bank.
Crown's major institutional shareholders are said to have had growing concerns about Mr Poynton's position on the board given the public expressions from ILGA chairman Philip Crawford about his independence.
Mr Poynton had wanted to ensure there were no outstanding questions surrounding his suitability, integrity or performance.
Mr Poynton's departure comes after fellow directors Harold Mitchell, Andrew Demetriou, Guy Jalland and Michael Johnston resigned their positions in the wake of the ILGA inquiry into the company's suitability to operate its Barangaroo casino.
CEO Ken Barton, as well as company secretary Mary Manos and CLO Joshua Preston, have also resigned.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/crown-resorts-director-john-poynton-resigns-following-regulator-pressure/news-story/8383be8285049e1d330e269950635b43
#12930302 at 2021-02-15 04:36:48 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #13 - THE WAR IS REAL Edition
>>12889360
Resignations in the news
Crown CEO Ken Barton resigns following scathing report into casino giant
Ken Barton has stepped down as CEO and managing director of Crown Resorts following last week's scathing report into the gambling giant.
In a statement, Crown said it was determined to take "significant steps" to improve governance, compliance and culture.
Helen Coonan will lead the company as executive chairman while the board searches for a new CEO.
An investigation commissioned by NSW's Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) last week concluded Crown was unsuitable to operate a licence for its new Sydney casino in its current form.
A report by Commissioner Patricia Bergin found there was likely no future in the company for Mr Barton.
Mr Barton said in a statement he was committed to assisting with a leadership transition.
"I am absolutely certain the business is now on the right path as it works to restore confidence in its operations," he said.
Mr Barton has spent more than a decade with Crown, initially as its chief financial officer before being appointed as CEO in January 2020 as the Bergin inquiry began.
During his time at Crown he was also the director of two VIP bank accounts at the centre of money laundering allegations.
Commissioner Bergin found Mr Barton was "no match for what is needed at the helm of a casino licensee".
"His problems will not be cured by the appointment of people expert in the field who report to him", she stated in her final report.
She found Mr Barton should have launched a full investigation into money laundering allegations by the time the inquiry began.
Mr Barton was also accused of misleading shareholders at an annual general meeting in 2019 when he said "general" information was being shared between Crown and James Packer's company Consolidated Press Holdings (CPH) when in reality that information was confidential.
"Mr Barton's conduct at the Annual General Meeting in October 2019 as the CFO of Crown was quite improper," the report stated.
"However his attempts in the witness box on 23 September 2020 to justify his conduct at the Annual General Meeting, were even more inappropriate for the CEO and director of Crown and director of the licensee.
"It demonstrated a serious lack of judgment and insight into the expectation of the highest standards of property, candour and co-operation of a director of a company that holds a casino licence."
Last week three Crown directors, Andrew Demetriou, Michael Johnston and Guy Jalland, also resigned, allowing the company to mount an "ambitious reform program", according to Ms Coonan.
Mr Packer's CPH cut its ties with Crown's board after terminating its consultancy contract with non-executive board member John Poynton.
Ms Coonan last week apologised for the company's "shortcomings" and said the criticism by the regulator was warranted.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-15/crown-ceo-ken-barton-resigns-after-sydney-casino-report/13154690