The Hound | April 14

Hi there,

It’s Tuesday. Movement continues in the U.S. House to expel four members of Congress, two Democrats and two Republicans, over various ethics and sex scandals. The Congressional Black Caucus is supporting spying powers that have been used to surveil Black Lives Matter activists. And the State Department is waging a pressure campaign on a top inter-American human rights watchdog to ignore Trump’s illegal strikes on boats in the Caribbean.

When an international human rights body raises concerns about potential extrajudicial killings—and the U.S. government responds by trying to shut it down—that is not routine diplomacy. It is a warning sign of a potential cover-up. When coverage fails to link these elements, it obscures the gravity of both the violence and the response to oversight.

🖊️ Add your name to call on major news organizations to cover this situation clearly and comprehensively—examining the legality of the strikes, the role of the IACHR, and the State Department’s efforts to limit its work.

The public deserves reporting that exposes not just potential war crimes, but attempts to avoid accountability for them. Democracy and human rights depend on transparency, not silence.

Read about this, and more, with today’s stories:

State Department Tells Human Rights Watchdog to Ignore Trump’s Extrajudicial Killings (The Intercept)

Eric Swalwell and Three Others Could Be Expelled from Congress in Plan Reportedly Being Considered By Both Sides: ‘Get the Garbage Out of Here’ (Mediaite)

Trump Begs DoorDash Driver to Praise Him During Bizarre Event (The New Republic)

Pope Leo: “I Have No Fear” of Trump (Mother Jones)

Congressional Black Caucus to Support Spying Powers Used on BLM Activists (The American Prospect)

Judges fired after blocking deportation of pro-Palestinian students (The Guardian)

Minnesota authorities investigate arrest by ICE of a Hmong American man as a possible kidnapping (AP News)

Until next time,

Harry from The Hound

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