Hello! And welcome to the inaugural post for #SwampTakes!

While perusing Facebook a couple of nights ago, I noticed this story from Forbes on the United Nations’ Emissions Gap Report 2020. The report provides an annual analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and recommendations to reduce emissions to diminish the impact of climate change.

I live in Klamath Falls, Oregon which is a wonderful community. Klamath Falls is in southern Oregon just 20 miles North of the California border. Klamath County has large private and public forests, many large cattle ranches, and beautiful marshes and lakes, which attract thousands of migratory birds throughout the year.

Following a decade of nearly unprecedented expansion in energy production, news agencies in mid-2019 cheered the approach of long awaited “energy independence.” Yet, by the end of the year, pundits were arguing that the “myth of U.S. energy independence” had evaporated. What happened? In short, both were correct. Although America is approaching total energy independence, we are still far from achieving this goal.

District Attorneys and state Attorneys General have expansive powers to investigate conditions and crimes in their jurisdictions. They have the power to subpoena documents and have people testify before secret grand juries, which the AGs and DAs control. Only the AGs and DAs and their associates present evidence to the grand juries. There is no cross examination by criminal defense attorneys, which is guaranteed in an actual criminal trial.