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PBC News & Comment: In Latest GOP “Debate”, Demagoguery Rules in Slimefest

Trump sets low bar as candidates trade slimy half-truths, fear-mongering, and repeated attacks on Obama, who isn’t running this year…..–Cruz faces attacks on citizenship, loans from Goldman Sachs, responds with attacks on Trump and NY Times and a dose of hypocrisy

–Cruz opened with scripted attack on “weak Obama” for this week’s Persian Gulf incident where US gunboats crossed into Iranian waters

–Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) introduces bill do repeal CISA law that was jammed into year-end budget bill

–yesterday, we reported on Britain’s use of Stingray-type cell surveillance tools; today, The Verge has published a detailed history of Stingray and its exposure

–we also reported on efforts in Canada to block law enforcement demands for dragnet cellphone information; today, we learn of frame-ups of “domestic terrorists” in British Columbia

–Jason Leopold reports at Vice News that ex-CIA agent Sabrina DeSouza will be extradited to Italy over botched kidnapping of Abu Omar in Milan

–Sean Penn will be on 60 Minutes Sunday, says he regrets that the anti-Drug War message of his Rolling Stone article was lost in the capture of El Chapo

–Planned Parenthood sues pro-birth con artists who secretly videotaped employees, then selectively edited the tapes to smear Palnned Parenthood

–San Francisco judge allows Catholic hospital to bar elective sterilization

–Goldman Sachs agrees to pay $5 billion for its role in the “Big Short” of 2008, no individuals will be charged

–Clinton campaign goes dirty, accuses Sanders of “negative” ad about Wall Street reform that doesn’t even mention Hillary

–ebola outbreak is declared over by World Health Organization