Monday, April 3: Say Hi to the Surveillance State
Pegasus is more than just the winged horse of Hercules
In late 2021, the Biden administration blacklisted a spyware firm, specifically the cybersecurity/cyberterrorism NSO Group, a product of our least favorite apartheid regime. But while the government was publicly critical of NSO, they also surreptitiously signed a secret contract with the company.
Under this arrangement, the Israeli NSO Group gave the US government access to one of its most powerful hacking weapons, Pegasus, an incredibly accurate geolocation tool that can covertly track mobile phones around the world without the phone user’s knowledge or consent. Kinda convenient that the US would label such technology illegal while also signing secret deals to leverage these exact tools.
NSO’s hacking tools have been abused by governments around the world to spy on political dissidents, human rights activists and journalists. The white house officially placed NSO on a Commerce Department blacklist, calling the company a national security threat and telling American companies they should stop doing business with it. But this is a prime example of the government telling us, “Do as I say, not as I do”.
The secret contract, which remains active, states that the “United States government” is the ultimate user of the Pegasus tool, although it’s unclear which specific government agency authorized the deal and might be using the spyware. It’s unclear because the deal was signed by a company that has acted as a front for the US government in the past, with the signatory businessman literally using a fake name. The sketchy deal specifically allows the government to test, evaluate, and deploy the spyware against targets of its choice in Mexico.
If you’re thinking to yourself, “well, I don’t live in Mexico, and I’m not doing anything illegal, so I should be fine”, I’ve got a spectacular oceanfront property in Indiana I’d love to sell you.
Side Items
Apartheid National Guard: Benny Boy Netanyahu and his sheisty collection of scoundrels in the apartheid Israeli government gave preliminary approval for the formation of a new national guard this weekend. The new armed force is effectively a personal militia for our least favorite far-right ultranationalist, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has been convicted several times for incitement and support for a Jewish terror group. Ben-Gvir claims the national guard is meant to “fill in gaps in areas where police are spread thin”, specifically including Israeli Arab communities. It’s really just a matter of time before this group abuses its power to further oppress Palestinian and Arab populations in apartheid Israel
Pigs Gonna Pig: A Chicago police officer named David Deleon is facing charges he sexually abused a minor inside a vehicle in Norridge last week. Norridge police said a minor contacted them to report they were a victim of sexual abuse on March 25th shortly before 1 pm in a car. Investigators say Deleon knew the child he ‘allegedly’ abused, and he was arrested on Wednesday last week. Deleon faces charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and aggravated battery on a public way. Chicago police said Deleon has been relieved of his police powers, but he’ll always be a pig at heart
Surprise Oil Cuts: In a move that will undoubtedly result in higher prices at the gas pump this summer, Saudi Arabia and other major oil producing countries announced yesterday that they’ll be cutting oil production by up to 1.15 million barrels per day starting in May and running through the end of the year. The production cuts alone could push gas prices in the US up by ~26 cents per gallon, and the Energy Department calculates the seasonal increase at an average of 32 cents per gallon. So much for that great American roadtrip