FRANCES FOX PIVEN Author of the book The War at Home: The Domestic Costs of Bush’s Militarism, Piven is distinguished professor of political science and sociology at the Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York. Her past books include The Breaking of the American Social Compact. More Information ERIK LEAVER…

SPENCER OVERTON Overton serves on the Carter-Baker Commission on Federal Election Reform, which just released its final report. He said today: “I dissent from the voter ID provisions of the report. Unfortunately, the Commission rejected my 597-word dissent and allowed me only 250 words. (This limitation on dissent was first announced at our final meeting.)…

HUGH KAUFMAN Available for a limited number of interviews, Kaufman is senior policy analyst at the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. He has worked at the agency for 35 years and was the chief EPA investigator for the post-9/11 emergency response. Speaking in his personal capacity he said today: “After…

Nationwide legislative elections will be held in Afghanistan this Sunday. SAHAR SABA Saba is a member of the foreign affairs committee of the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan. She has just returned from Afghanistan to Pakistan. She said today: “Many people are hopeful about the elections but also are deeply worried about the…

FRANCIS BOYLE Professor of international law at the University of Illinois, Boyle said today: “As Roberts made clear in Tuesday’s hearings during his interchange with Senator Leahy, he is a partisan of the Imperial Presidency. For example, Roberts refused to repudiate and condemn the infamous Korematsu decision which authorized the president to intern U.S. citizens…

YIFAT SUSSKIND SUNILA ABEYSEKERA BETTY MURUNGI TARCILA RIVERA ZEA Susskind is the associate director of MADRE, an international women’s human rights organization. She said today: “This week’s United Nations World Summit — originally intended to assess governments’ progress on pledges to reduce poverty and promote development by 2015 — is in danger of being derailed…

The United Nations World Summit will take place from Sept. 14 to 16. It is expected to be the largest-ever gathering of world leaders, with more than 170 heads of state to be in attendance. JAMES PAUL Paul is the executive director of the Global Policy Forum, a think tank that monitors policymaking at the…

JEREMY SCAHILL Currently in Louisiana, Scahill is author of the recent article “Overkill: Feared Blackwater Mercenaries Deploy in New Orleans.” The piece notes: “Heavily armed paramilitary mercenaries from the Blackwater private security firm, infamous for their work in Iraq, are openly patrolling the streets of New Orleans. … They say they are on contract with…

DAVID POTORTI COLLEEN KELLY Potorti and Kelly are co-directors of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, an organization founded by family members of those killed in the 9-11 attacks. Their membership numbers 4,000, with a core group of 185 family members who lost loved ones on 9-11. The group’s name is inspired by a quote…

JOY GORDON Gordon has written extensively on the Oil-for-Food program, including articles in Harper’s Magazine and Le Monde Diplomatique. She said today: “The Volcker Committee’s final report focuses a great deal on improprieties that had little impact on the Oil-for-Food program. Where it adds up the actual money involved, it finds that the amount of…