Transcripts For LINKTV Democracy Now 20140430

Prisoner dying of a heart attack 40 minutes into the idea ordeal. Then, senator Patrick Leahy blocks military aid to egypt while denouncing the sentencing of 683 supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood to death in what he called a sham trial. Nobody, nobody can justify this. It does not show democracy. It shows a dictatorship run amok. We will go to cairo to speak with democracy now correspondent Sharif Abdel Kouddous and to a member of the Muslim Brotherhood living in exile in england. All that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now, democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. An oklahoma death row prisoner has died of a heart attack after a botched execution tuesday night. Clayton lockett was injected elite with lethal drugs. Doctors halted the killing 13 minutes and when discovering he was still conscious and trying to speak. Dr. Say he suffered a ruptured vein interrupting the flow of the drugs. He died of a heart attack when the drugs had spread through his body. The botched killing forced officials to cancel the execution of another prisoner, charles warner. Won alocket and warner stay of execution earlier this month after challenging the secrecy of their execution drugs. But the Oklahoma Supreme Court reversed the decision last week after Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin objected and state lawmakers threatened their removal from the bench. Warners execution has now been delayed for 14 days pending a review of execution procedures. We will speak to an editor of the tulsa world, after headlines to witnessed the botched execution. She will give us a minutebyminute account. The Supreme Court has upheld the Environmental Protection agencys effort to reduce emissions of dangerous chemicals from power plants nationwide. The epas crossstate air pollution rule sharply limits emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide at plants in 28 states. The epa has estimated the rules could save up to 34,000 lives per year and result in tens of billions of dollars in health benefits. But after a major push by utilities and corporate groups, an Appeals Court ruled in 2012 the regulations exceed the epas authority. On tuesday, the Supreme Court overruled the lower court in a six to two decision. In a statement, the Natural Resources Defense Council praised the ruling, saying quote the epa safeguards follow the simple principle that giant Utility Companies shouldnt be allowed to dump their dirty emissions onto residents of downwind states. The death toll from tornadoes in the midwest and south has risen to least 34. The storms have caused deaths in mississippi, tennessee, alabama, iowa, oklahoma, and the worst hit state, arkansas. President obama has declared arkansas a major disaster area. More than 200 people have been wounded and over 2,000 homes damaged or destroyed. Strong thunderstorms are now sweeping the region today, hampering the recovery effort and threatening more damage. The National Basketball association has issued a lifetime ban on Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling over the racist comments that ignited a national controversy. A leaked recording captured sterling berating his girlfriend for associating with africanamericans in public. After a twoday investigation, nba commissioner adam silver announced sterling is banned for life and will be pressured to sell the team. Effective immediately, i am lifeng mr. Sterling for from any association with the clippers organization, or the nba. Anysterling may not attend nba games or practices. He may not be present at any clippersfacility, and he may not dissipate in any business or player personnel decision involving the team. As for mr. Sterlings ownership interest in the clippers, i will urge the board of governors to exercise its authority to force a sale of the team, and will do everything in my power to ensure that that happens. Sterling has also been fined 2. 5 Million Dollars, the maximum under league rules. He is the first sports owner ever to receive a lifetime ban from his league. The nba will need approval from twothirds of owners to force a sale and several teams have already signed on to voting for sterlings expulsion. The commissioners move followed an outcry led by nba players past and present. In what would have marked a historic display of protest, the nba Players Union has confirmed players were prepared to boycott tuesday nights three playoff games if sterling did not receive the maximum punishment. Nba union vicepresident roger mason said players now want an exact timetable for when owners will vote on sterlings forced sale. I reached out to other players around the league and made it clear that the players were ready to boycott the games if this type of action was not something that adam silver felt was necessary. I am happy to come here and today and say that as players we are very happy with the decision, though we are not content yet. We want immediate action. We want a timetable from the owners as far as when this mode is going to happen National Vote is going to happen. While the clippers owner Donald Sterlings comments sparked national outrage, the case has drawn attention to how previous allegations of Racial Discrimination went largely unnoticed. In 2009, sterling paid more than 2. 7 Million Dollars to settle federal allegations of driving out people of color from apartment buildings he owns. A former clippers general manager also sued sterling for racial bias, but lost in court. Iraq is holding nationwide elections today, the first since u. S. Forces withdrew in late 2011. Prime minister nuri almaliki is seeking a new term in what is expected to be a tight race. The voting takes place amidst iraqs worst violence since the sectarian conflict of 2006 and 2007, when tens of thousands were killed. Prorussian separatists have seized more areas of Eastern Ukraine as the Central Government in kiev loses further control. On tuesday, hundreds of people stormed a government building in luhansk without resistance and later fired on the local police headquarters. By taking the city, the prorussian militants now control two provincial capitals in Eastern Ukraine. Earlier today, the separatists also seized government buildings in the town of horlivka. Ukraines interim government said today it is quote helpless to quell the unrest. The u. S. Has failed to meet tuesdays selfimposed deadline for a framework accord on a peace deal between israel and the palestinian authority. The Obama Administration had hoped to reach an agreement on the broad outlines of an eventual final settlement. But the talks have repeatedly broken down over israels refusal to halt settlement construction in the occupied west bank. A new report from the Israeli Group peace now says israel has laid plans for building nearly 14,000 settlement homes since resuming talks with the pa last july. Peace nows lior amichai said israel has sought to prevent the establishment of a palestinian state. The report that the peace now movement in israel issued today shows all of what the government of israel did in the past nine months or since the negotiation period between israel and the palestinians began, showing that promoted almost 14,000 different housing units, by publishing or promoting them. It shows that the current government of israel does not have any intention of reaching a twostate solution, but rather did all it can to prevent such a thing. On tuesday, israel carried out new demolitions in the west bank, destroying a mosque and three homes. The un says israeli demolitions have displaced over 400 palestinians so far this year. A federal judge has struck down wisconsins voter identification law, saying it targets the poor and people of color. The law requires all voters to present photo id at the polls, a provision that would exclude anyone without a birth certificate. In her ruling, district judge lynn adelman said the law mitigates quote the effects of past or present discrimination, burdening those less likely to have photo id. In a move that could spur challenges in other states, judge adelman cited section 2 of the Voting Rights act, which bans voting practices that disproportionately impact people of color. In a statement, the American Civil Liberties union called the ruling quote a warning to other states that are trying to make it harder for citizens to vote. The Wisconsin Law is the latest voter id law to be struck down, following similar measures in arkansas last week and in pennsylvania in january. The white house has unveiled a new set of guidelines to address the epidemic of sexual assaults on college campuses. A new Task Force Report urges colleges to conduct anonymous surveys and adopt proven strategies for combatting assault. Speaking at the white house, vicepresident joe biden said campuses nationwide are failing failing to protect female students. We all know that many of our schools just are not safe. We know the numbers. One in five every one of those young women who is dropped off that first day of school, before they finished school will be assaulted, assaulted in their college years. We have to do everything in our power to protect them. These are our children, our wives, our daughters, our systems sisters these people are you. Now yoully proud that all have a report with very clear recommendations. The Task Force Says the official rate of one in five female student victims is likely too low because many dont end report the crimes against them. The report follows a rash of highprofile cases where schools across the country, from brown to florida sta have been accused of mishandling sexual assault. The tennessee governor has signed a bill allowing mothers ifface potential jail time they use drugs while pregnant. In a statement, the aclu said the tennessee governor has made to carry a pregnancy to term if you struggle with addiction or substance abuse. People at anded six fedex facility two days before georgia enacted a law that massively expand of the weapons permits for weapons in public areas. Federal prosecutors are nearing criminal charges against some of individual large french banks. The New York Times reports the cases could produce the first guilty plea from a major bank in more than two decades. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now, democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Welcome to our listeners and viewers around the country and around the world. An oklahoma prisoner who was supposed to be executed tuesday night died instead of a massive heart attack after his lethal injection was botched. Clayton lockett was injected with an untested cocktail of lethal drugs. After struggling violently on the gurney, doctors halted the killing 13 minutes in when discovering lockett was still conscious and trying to speak. Doctors say he suffered a ruptured vein, interrupting the flow of the lethal drugs. About 30 minutes after that point, lockett died of a heart attack when the drugs had spread through his body. Oklahoma department of corrections director, Robert Patton, described what happened. As those that were inside witnessed, it was determined that he was sedated approximately seven minutes into the execution. At that time we began pushing the second and third drugs in the protocol. There was some concern at that time that the drugs were not having the effect. The doctor observed the line and determined that the line had blown. After conferring with the warden, and unknown how much him, it wasne into my decision at that time to stop the execution. I notify the attorney generals office, the governors office, of my intent to stop the execution, and requested a stay the second for execution scheduled for this afternoon. At approximately zero 7 6 hours, the inmate suffered what appears ande a massive heart attack passed away. That was Oklahoma Department of corrections director, Robert Patton. The botched killing of Clayton Lockett forced officials to cancel the execution of another prisoner, charles warner. Both lockett and warner were convicted of murder. They each won a stay of execution earlier this month after challenging the secrecy of their execution drugs. But the Oklahoma Supreme Court reversed the decision last week after Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin objected and state lawmakers threatened their removal from the bench. Warners execution has now been delayed for 14 days pending a review of execution procedures. Clayton locketts execution was second botched execution this year in the united states. In january, an ohio prisoner named Dennis Mcguire was executed using an untested twodrug method. He made snorting and gasping sounds before he died, prompting his family to file a civil rights lawsuit. And call for a Death Penalty moratorium. Sincey was the first time 1937 that two men were said to be executed on the same day in oklahoma since the Death Penalty was reinstated in 1976, although it has happened in other states. The last double execution was in texas in 2000. For more we go to tulsa via democracy now video stream where were joined by ziva branstetter, Enterprise Editor at the tulsa world. She was one of 12 media witnesses to attend the botched execution tuesday at the Oklahoma State penitentiary. I understand this is just hours after you have experienced what has to be extremely upsetting. You wrote upng, as this minutebyminute account of what you saw, could you start at the beginning . Even before the execution began, what you heard in the prison as you walk to the execution chamber. Typically inmates will bang on their cells before an execution for most inmates on it is an inmate that none of the other inmates like. We had a lot of clanking and banking before we were left into the execution chambers. Then describe what happened once you got into the execution chamber, and set the scene where you are, where the prisoner who is about to be executed is, how you can see him. Yes. The prisoner is in a separate room. The blinds are drawn. Sound in a room that has microphone connection to the execution room. There are two rows of metal folding chairs. We are in the back row. There are a dozen media witnesses. Thedefense attorneys in front row, and the rest of the seats are filled up by state Law Enforcement officials, department of correction officials, and those types of folks. A onewaythere is viewing glass with the victims family relatives said. Seated. The execution began at 6 23, later than the other three executions that i have witnessed, and we were wondering why it took a while to start. At some point during the execution they closed the blinds, even for the media witnesses . That is correct. No last words. About 10 minutes later, he pronounced him unconscious. There was no reaction for the next five minutes, and i would say about three minutes after that he began a very violent reaction, writing, lifting his shoulders and head off of the gurney. He was clenching his jaw, exhaling, mumbling phrases, and the audible phrase we could hear was him saying man. He appeared to be in pain. This lasted for about three minutes. The physician looked at the sheet, his right arm. From the Oklahoma State penitentiary, who was also in the execution chamber, said they would have to temporarily close the blinds, and then after that, they never reopened them. Mike said cannot understand. You are witnesses. Did they closed the lines i do not understand. You are witnesses. Why did they closed the blinds . We were told it was a main issue. We do not know what happened after that. Were going to try to find out. Apparently Robert Patton said explodeduote during the botched execution. Could you talk about the cocktail of drugs that was used during the execution that was apparently untested . They used a threedrug them of the dazzle , then a sedative, and a new drug for oklahoma. They use 50 milligrams of that drug in each arm. Florida uses the same, nation, azolam in higher quantity. Statement. O read a from theen, attorney for charles warner, the second oklahoma prisoner set to be executed tuesday night before it was delayed. Madeline cohen, an assistant federal public defender, said quote after weeks of oklahoma refusing to disclose basic information about the drugs for tonights lethal injection procedures, tonight, Clayton Lockett was tortured to death. She went on to say quote we must get complete answers about what went wrong. There must be an independent investigation conducted by a thirdparty entity, not the department of corrections. We also need an autopsy by an independent pathologist and full transparency about the results of its findings. Additionally, the state must disclose complete information about the drugs, including their purity, efficacy, source and the results of any testing. Until much more is known about tonights failed experiment of an execution, no execution can be permitted in oklahoma. That was a statement by the public defender, madeline cohen. Your thoughts on this, and how this all happened last night. This was not in a vacuum. There was a court battle around one these drugs were and whether these executions would move forward last night. My thoughts are as a member of the media that witnessed the event, i would like more answers. I am planning to be asking for them today. I am sure the attorneys involved will be filing various appeals. We were told by the department of corrections last night that they have not even determined that this qualified as an execution because he died of a heart attack 23 minutes later. There are some unanswered questions. We as numbers of the media would like to have answers. The curtains were then closed on you, when you are no longer able to see what was then happenedt next . We waited for about 10 minutes. The department of corrections director, Robert Patton, came in, told us what had happened, that the execution had been halted. He said that the second execution had been stayed, and he left the room. Eventually, five or so minutes later, we were told to leave the execution chamber, so we did. We got back into the prison vans , left, and went back to the media center where we discussed what we had seen with other reporters, as required by our pool arrangement. Spokech, democracy now with susan greene, editor of the colorado independent, about how one of her reporters obtained email documents showing the assistant Oklahoma Attorney general joking with a texas colleague that he might be able to help texas get the drugs in exchange for 50yardline tickets for a Top College Football game between the university of oklahoma and the university of texas. She also described documents that exposed how oklahoma injected leftover lethal drugs into the bodies of dead prisoners. They had these syringes, and basically, the men would die with the first drug, and anesthetic, die of an overdose, which is not how it is intended. Because they had the individual other syringes in this threedrug cocktail, to stop their breeding and stop their heart, instead of throwing them out, they injected them into the dead bodies for disposal purposes. It did not just happen in one case, but it happened in nine cases, and were pretty sure the families of those men do not know that happened. Even though they were watching the procedures. Dead, andwere already instead of just throwing the syringes and the drugs out, they are injecting them into their body. That was that with susan greene. Ziva branstetter, your response. I think it is interesting. I cannot speak to their reporting since we did not do their report. This whole issue of the Death Penalty in oklahoma, and getting the drugs, and the second execution put on hold for the next 14 days talk about the judges who first ruled the executions should be stated, the governor overruling them, and now the calls for the judges to, what is it, be impeached . Wanamaker has filed articles for one lawmaker has filed articles for impeachment. Others do not think it is going to go very far. The governor said she believed the Supreme Court overstepped its authority in issuing the execution. Theyd normally you decide on criminal cases. Decided they had the right to do so. And the governors response, not that she pushed forward for the execution, and it has become a debacle . She has called for a full investigation. We will have to see what that reveals. You mention three other executions in the past. Of this the length execution, 43 minutes, if it is indeed an execution, which remains to be seen because he did die of a heart attack, compared to the other executions you have seen, which are by average six minutes. It is by far the longest execution eyewitness. By far. I know you have to go, but your final thoughts in these hours after this execution . My final thoughts are i want to get to the newsroom and i have a lot of questions as a journalist that i want to answer so that we can tell the readers what happened. Whether youre for or against the Death Penalty, you will want to know what happened last night. Branstetter, ziva Enterprise Editor at the tulsa world, one of 12 media would this is to attend the botched execution at the obama state penitentiary of clayton Oklahoma State penitentiary of Clayton Lockett. The second was put off. It was the First Time Since 1976 the two people were slated to be on the same night. We will stay on the issue of the Death Penalty when we come back, but we are going from oklahoma to egypt where hundreds of members of the Muslim Brotherhood have been sentenced to death. Stay with us. [music break] Ashraf Farahat [music break] the late great phil oakes, the iron lady. We turn to egypt. On tuesday, u. S. Senator Patrick Leahy announced plans to block the Obama Administration from sending 650 Million Dollars in military aid to egypt after an Egyptian Court sentenced to death 683 supporters of the alleged supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, including the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, mohamed badie. Leahy, who chairs the Senate Subcommittee that oversees foreign aid, described the judicial proceedings as a sham trial. Flaunting of human rights by the Egyptian Government. It is an appalling abuse of the justice system, which is fundamental to any democracy. This. , nobody can justify it does not show democracy. It shows a dictatorship run amok. It is a total violation of human rights. So, i am not prepared to sign off on the delivery of additional aid for the egyptian military. I am not prepared to do that until we see convincing evidence the government is committed to the rule of law. That was senator Patrick Leahy. His comments came a week after the Obama Administration announced it would ease the suspension of military aid to egypt that followed the overthrow of president Mohamed Morsi last year. On tuesday u. S. Secretary of state john kerry held talks with egyptian foreign minister nabil fahmy at the state department. He spoke to reporters after the meeting. We want the interim government to be successful. For a hopeful and look political process of inclusivity, a constitution implemented, which brings people , politically, to the table, and broadens the Democratic Base of egypt. Egypts constitution is a positive step forward. They have taken steps, and they are moving now to an election, but even as these positive steps have been taken, we all know there have been disturbing decisions within the judicial process. The court system. They have raised serious challenges for all of us. In another controversial move, an Egyptian Court has banned the april 6 movement, a prodemocracy group that played a key role in the Popular Uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak in 2011. For more, were joined now by two guests. In cairo, egypt were joined by Sharif Abdel Kouddous, democracy nows correspondent and, via were joined by mohamed sudan , the Foreign Relations secretary of the freedom and Justice Party, the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood. He is speaking to us from exile in england. , what hasel kouddous taken place . A shocking ruling. In the last five months, the same judge has sentenced 1100 people to death, the biggest rulings in history. Lack even thehat minimum requirements of due process. The latest case is over 680 people in upper egypt in other parts of the country sentenced for the killing of a Single Police officer in the attack on a Police Station on august 14 following the violent dispersal morsi citizens that left 50 dead. 50 were arrested. The rest were under abstention under egyptian law. If they turn them selves then, they should be granted a retrial. They are expected to be overturned. What this does say about the judiciary, or least this judge is that more than any other time in recent history the egyptian judiciary seems to be a willing partner in state repression. It is not acting whatsoever as a check on the executive. If we look at history, special to trywere set up dissidence. Even under Hosni Mubarak, when they were trying members of the Muslim Brotherhood and other voices, they would have to resort to military courts to get lengthy sets sentences because the civil judiciary was letting people go or giving them short, or not long terms. In 2005, 2 thousand six, and uprising by judges who were protesting electoral fraud and that helped to lay the groundwork for the uprising. There has been a semblance of independence in the past, but what we have seen in not just the two mass death sentence rulings, but many rulings against protesters, against dissidents, sentencing people to jail, it means this judiciary has become a willing partner in the state repression. This particular judge has a reputation for very harsh sentences. He recently sentenced one dozen people to 88 years in prison for writing and he also acquitted rioting and he also acquitted a dozen Police Officers for the killing of 17 protesters during the uprising. If you look at the sheer number of people in the latest case, 680 people in this small town, it is almost as if every person knows someone or has an extended Family Member that has been sentenced to death. Local papers have reported a mother saying that her son was sentenced to death even though he died three years ago. A local Human Rights Group documented how two people sentenced to death for this august 14 riot were actually in libya at the time. So, this really does not satisfy even the basic requirements of due process, and, of course, this is the same judge who last month sentenced to 529 people to death. On that same day, the other day, he commuted all but 37 of those death sentences. That is still a very high number for egypt and law. If we want to make a comparison, following the assassination of 1981,yptian president in 5 people were sentenced to death. Lets bring in mohamed sudan, Foreign Relations secretary of the vitamin Justice Party the , political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood. Could you explain the response of the Muslim Brotherhood to this verdict . To assure allnt of what was just said, but added one thing from my perspective about what went on in court. It is not all one judge. Judges. Ree judges are three under pressure from egyptian intelligence to issue verdicts, unbelievable verdict. No one can believe it. The judges, they are supreme judges, they are not young judges. Number one, they released those in the revolution, and now issue acoming to verdict of 700 people sentenced to death, and almost 500 people given 25 years just to kill one officer. It is something unbelievable without any investigation, never giving the space or the time to the defendants to defend themselves or the lawyers to talk. Political verdict, in ther an order from authority. It is very away from justice. By this verdict, it is already killed justice in egypt after killing democracy. They have been free for more than 50 years. Now egypt is under police straight count state. This is just the beginning. If the International Community crime. Ilent, this is a system. T a court the issue is unbelievable with the verdict and there are others because they give verdicts like 83year sentences for protesters to protest, or 11 years for young girls that are 14 years old just to protest at 7 00 in the morning. This after july 3, it could come through the judiciary to do to stop they want to do or scare the protesters in the street to stop demonstrations, stop protesting. This kind ofhat by stopct, we will not protect us from protecting you. You will not ever vocus to go to violence revoke us to go to violence. E have a strategy struggling against injustice. This crazy verdict tomohamed soudan, i wanted ask about mohamed badie, the spiritual leader been sentenced to death, and what is happening with president morsi right now. Not yet. There is still the process of the trial. He has been engaged many times. It is common, actually. You are saying president morsi is on trial now. Many trials. Mohamed badie been sentenced to death. Yes, this was what was issued yesterday. And what is your response to that . What is mohamed badies significance to the Muslim Brotherhood . He is the general guidance of the Muslim Brotherhood. He said that yesterday if you kill us, we will not stop. Our people will not stop protesting, and this is what we always mentioned if we have been killed, struggling to get justice, democracy, dignity to our people. We never stop. Another Opposition Group targeted by the Egyptian Government is the april 6 movement, a prodemocracy group that played a key role in the ousted uprising that jose mobile Hosni Mubarak. This is a decision only on paper that will not stop the the sixth of april. To the contrary, tomorrow we will be in the streets to say this band group is only banned in your imagination and your dreams. It will not stop the numbers of the group from demonstrating, stoppingat we believe, from stepping up to every no matter how powerful he may be. That was mohammed yusuf, april 6 movement member. Could you talk about what is happening with the april 6 Youth Movement. Prison, andare in explain, you talked about how the judiciary in egypt was previously more independent. What you think accounts for the fact that they are complicit as with the military government in all of these trials . Well, the april 6 Youth Movement is a very Important Group here in egypt. 2008, founded on april 6, where it takes its name from, to support what became a thwarted it hasin a town, and become an important road test group and organizing group. They played a key role in the 2011 uprising following hosni removal. They continued with the military council. Quickly demonized after the uprising. The military council continue to portray them as foreign agents and saboteurs, and this court ruling accuses them of espionage and defamation of the state. The Muslim Brotherhood also vilify and demonize the april 6 Youth Movement, especially when they began to protest what they saw as violations by the morsi government. We have to remember the april 6 Youth Movement actually supported Mohamed Morsi in the runoff in the 2012 president ial election. They supported him as a protest vote against who they saw as representing the old regime. He began to break away from the morsi government in the fall of 2012 following the killing of one of their members by Police Forces in november of 2012. Faithful declaration that gave him farreaching powers. They began to protest against the Muslim Brotherhood, and join the antimorsi protests on june 30, however after morsi was ousted by the military on july 3, they likely began to criticize the military regime that came in its place. They have really taken principled positions over the past three years standing up against authoritarian government, and different authoritarian regimes. They have been vilified by much of the state media, much of the private media, and their founders are now serving threeyear prison sentences for violating major tony and protest law and draconian protest law that was passed last fall. They are calling for a protest today to demonstrate against this latest court ruling. This is the same court that ruled against the Muslim Brotherhood in sub, manning the group, which resulted banning the group, which resulted in clinics and schools being shuttered and having their assets frozen. The april 6 movement has far less in terms of that. We will have to see Going Forward whether this will have an effect on the group itself, whether more people will be arrested or not. It is certainly a troubling movement. One that they will not trickling down. Responsed soudan, your to the banning of the april 6 movement, which is often been critical. We will take one by one all. F their partners the april 6 movement we were a partner for them. But i believe you do not understand what is going on on the ground at that time. Egyptian intelligence and the army with the conspiracy against legitimacy, against democracy, to have the power back to the militia regime. Opportunities in the election of 2012, and they got the power in the hands of president morsi. Then, they are trying to make this conspiracy for one year, and then, unfortunately, we are some of the movement. We do not understand the reality then we have them as antimorsi, and to all price, and they do not understand that all of the crisis was because of literacy because the egyptian intelligence dated against morsi. Did it against morsi. I understand they did not know that. Now they woke up and they military regime, they are going to eat all of their partners. Theyre going to send them to jail or maybe kill them because this is the system. They do not want any opposition. If you are my side, you are my friend. If you are against me, i will kill you or send you to jail. That is the way. One of the voices of egypts 2011 execution and its aftermath just died in an accident. On tuesday, the essence every took a falloff of a bassem falloff after a fall off of a balcony. You have gotten the chance to interview one of the al jazeera reporters that was jailed. On monday, al jazeera served egypt with a 150 million compensation claim for what it said was damage to its Media Business inflicted by cairos militarybacked rulers. Can you talk about both . It was a tragic loss here in egypt, wonderful humanist person, someone who had clear, levelheaded analysis, astute analysis of what was happening in egypt in the most polarizing and difficult times. He remained optimistic, yet levelheaded. He was really just a wonderful human being, and this is a tragic loss, and very difficult to bear in these tough times in egypt right now that we have bad news like this and lose one of best to such a strategy. With regards to the al jazeera journalist, i have been covering the trial closely. I had an opportunity to interview one of them when he got a scan on his shoulder. The next session is scheduled for may 3, saturday. It looks like we just lost Sharif Abdel Kouddous in cairo, egypt. I want to say thank you for being with us. Our satellite has gone down. Both mohamed soudan, Foreign Relations secretary of the freedom and Justice Party, political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, thank you for joining us from britain, and thank you very much to Sharif Abdel Kouddous, democracy now correspondent in cairo. And we come back, well talk about the Wisconsin Voter id law that has been struck down by a federal judge. Stay with us. [music break] this is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with nermeen shaikh. Brothers have launched new efforts to roll back state policies that encourage the use of solar or wind power. The efforts recently paid option oklahoma when governor mary fallin has signed a measure allowing utilities to charge customers who generate energy from solar panels or wind turbine. An internal document shows the scope of the antienvironmental efforts. 130 one bills,ng which, among other issues seek to roll back energy standards, combat coal regulations, and help the keystone oil pipeline. To allow bills seek homeowners back into the grid, offsetting them. The victory in oklahoma comes as a federal judge struck down a voter id law in wisconsin, saying it unfairly targeted the poor. Ec has been the suit of power behind voter id laws thanks exposed as the power behind the voter id laws. That is thanks to our next guest. Of theow publisher progressive magazine. Lisa, welcome to democracy now . Congratulations on all of your new hats. Can you talk about first the voter id law in this attack on solar and alternative Energy Sources . Thank you so much. Yesterday was a great day for Voting Rights in this country. A federal court in milwaukee struck down wisconsins bruce kicked it voter provisions that were passed. Struck down voter provisions that were passed that made it harder to vote in terms of id requirements. In this case, an independent federal court judge ruled that the provisions were plainly unconstitutional. They would have a tremendously bad effect on hundreds of thousands of wisconsin citizens, and he went on to say that in this particular case there is literally no evidence that voter impersonation is a problem in wisconsin, there is no evidence in recent history that there was voter fraud plagued to war this impact on american voters, so he struck down that law. That is a bright spot or a plus in what has been a sea of minuses on Voting Rights over the last few years, not just through the alec measures, which they have tried to disavow, but the efforts in 2010 to propagate whichvoter restrictions was cut, dead in an unfortunate way by the Supreme Courts ruling which was complicated, and in an unfortunate way, by lastupreme court ruling year. There was a wisconsin judge that struck it down just yesterday. That defeat, you know way, for the agenda of many of the alec legislators comes in the wake of , whereictory in oklahoma they are favored by politicians, legislators, and by the governor, who was the featured laster at alecs conference in the state of oklahoma, and she signed into law a provision that would allow utilities to tax people who use solar panels on their roofs, and this is a big part of the agenda as the guardian revealed where alec was boasting these provisions were part of their agenda because they wanted to punish freeloaders, people that use solar panels and put energy back into the grid. This is a step forward for their agenda and a step backward for solar energy to have this provision passed in oklahoma. It really is a terrible bill that passed. We are not surprised in oklahoma. If youve ever been to the state capital, they have actually come in essence, allowed corporations to buy the capital, literally, or at least pay for part of the capital. Engraved in the rotunda is halliburton and other Corporation Names that help to fund the rebuilding of the capital. Talksa graves, can you about the impact of what the Wisconsin Voter id ruling will have on other states . Im hoping that other judges will take the analysis of judge lynn adelman. It is a powerful decision. It goes through stepbystep and really talks about the lack of evidence, the absolute lack of evidence of fraud that would be prevented by these laws. He talked about how the current penalties are so stiff. It is a 10,000 fine and a threeyear is an sentence if somebody impersonates another voter. That is another enough of a penalty. And the lack of foundation, as well as the impact on people. There was testimony showing how this law would affect american citizens who want to vote. There are other states, nearly one dozen states where these voter id restrictions have passed. States, ifthat other the provisions are challenged in court, other judges will look to this excellent, thorough the federal court judge in milwaukee. Briefly, if you can talk about the merging of the center of the dash for media center for media and democracy and progressive. Were happy to announce we have merged, we have joined forces. Well work to do to integrate our operations, but it is an exciting time. We are both independent, investigative media organizations in madison, wisconsin. Progressive has a tremendous history going back to 1909, the place of some of the best writing in our country. Lisa, we will have to leave it there, president of progressive and. That does it for our show. Democracy now is looking for feedback from people who appreciate the closed captioning. Email your comments to outreach democracynow. Org or mail them to democracy now