Topic: Haiti Earthquake

The U.S. military identifies ISIS-K as a new threat to the Kabul airport, which the hosts view as a strategic reintroduction of a familiar adversary. They also note how the Afghanistan crisis has completely overshadowed other major news, such as the assassination and earthquake in Haiti.

Following a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti, the Biden administration appointed Samantha Power of USAID to lead the relief efforts. The hosts express skepticism regarding international aid foundations, referencing past controversies involving the Clinton Foundation's activities in the region.

A 2010 clip of Dr. Anthony Fauci shows him dismissing the likelihood of a cholera outbreak in Haiti following the earthquake, claiming the disease was not present there. Shortly after his statement, a massive cholera epidemic broke out in the country, eventually linked to UN peacekeepers. This incident is cited by critics as evidence of Fauci's history of inaccurate public health predictions.

The program opens with historical trivia regarding Sing Sing Prison beginning the practice of fingerprinting prisoners on this day in 1903. A second trivia point notes that in 1812, the first U.S. foreign aid bill was authorized to provide relief for earthquake victims in Haiti and Venezuela.

The 2010 Haiti earthquake led to a massive international intervention managed largely by Bill and Hillary Clinton. Following the disaster, the U.S. military and various for-profit contractors took over reconstruction efforts, which critics claim resulted in very few actual homes being built. The current unrest in Haiti is linked to the plundering of the PetroCaribe fund, a Venezuelan oil subsidy program intended for Haitian development.

The American Red Cross faces criticism for its slow response to Hurricane Harvey victims and its high administrative costs. Victims report that promised $400 emergency grants were inaccessible due to system crashes. The hosts discuss how tragedies are often used as "immediate fundraising opportunities" by nonprofits and mention a "Disaster Prediction" app that tracks solar flares.

Haitian police arrested nine individuals at a beach club near Port-au-Prince in connection with a sex trafficking ring involving minors. In a separate story, the Mayor of Ankara, Turkey, suggested that "outside forces" might be using sophisticated technology to trigger man-made earthquakes to destabilize the Turkish economy. The hosts link these reports to broader discussions about elite criminal networks and advanced weaponry.

The Clinton Foundation is criticized for its consistent failure to release timely financial statements, with the 2015 filings currently overdue. Questions are raised regarding how the organization maintains high charity ratings despite financial sloppiness and allegations of buying favorable reviews through large payments.

Following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund managed billions in international aid that critics claim never reached the Haitian people. Charles Ortell highlights a $37.2 million transfer to a Maryland PO box and discrepancies in non-cash item reporting. Additionally, a gold mining contract in Haiti was reportedly granted to a company where Hillary Clinton's brother served as a trustee.

Protesters gathered in front of the Clinton Foundation in New York to mark the six-year anniversary of the Haiti earthquake. Activists like Dahoud André criticized Bill Clinton's role as head of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, questioning the whereabouts of $6 billion in aid. Critics claim Haiti is in worse condition now than it was immediately following the 2010 disaster.

The Haitian Uber driver discusses local rumors regarding "earthquake machines" and the 2010 disaster. He offers a positive assessment of actor Sean Penn's philanthropic work in Haiti, noting that Penn is physically present on the ground building houses. This stands in contrast to the driver's skepticism regarding the Clinton and Bush foundations' handling of aid money.

Reports indicate that Wyclef Jean's Haiti charity has closed after millions in donations allegedly went to his family members. Furthermore, a USAID housing program in Haiti has only delivered a quarter of its planned homes at nearly double the estimated cost. The hosts question the disappearance of billions of dollars intended for post-earthquake reconstruction.

President Obama's meeting with Haitian President Michel Martelly is scrutinized. The hosts highlight the discrepancy between Obama's claims of "progress" and the reality of 150,000 people still living in tents four years after the earthquake. They question the disappearance of billions of dollars in international aid collected by the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund.

As Greece faces a potential cash exhaustion in September, former President Bill Clinton visited the country to promote the "Hellenic Initiative" for foreign investment. This is compared to Clinton's role in Haiti, where a significant portion of earthquake reconstruction funds reportedly went toward debt relief for banks rather than local infrastructure.

A 2011 United Nations report on Haiti is criticized for excusing the lack of progress following the 2010 earthquake. Meanwhile, the Red Cross is under fire for using $10.5 million in donated funds to build a hotel and conference center rather than providing direct aid. Additionally, a $20 billion gold discovery in Haiti's mountains is discussed, with suggestions that mining interests may have influenced the country's recent history.

An analysis of Haiti earthquake relief funds reveals that the largest recipient of U.S. aid was the U.S. government itself, with hundreds of millions reimbursed to the Department of Defense and other agencies. Only 1% of humanitarian funding went directly to the Haitian government, while the majority was cycled back to donor-country entities and private contractors.

Gary Connille, a former aide to Bill Clinton, has been ratified as the new Prime Minister of Haiti. The hosts question the whereabouts of billions of dollars in earthquake relief funds collected by the Clinton Foundation. They suggest that the money is being used to develop luxury tourism on Haiti's north shore rather than for general reconstruction.

The Haitian government reportedly paid 30 families $250 each to vacate their temporary shelters in the National Stadium in Port-au-Prince to make room for upcoming events. The hosts speculate that the stadium is being cleared for a Lady Gaga concert or similar high-profile entertainment, despite the families having lived there since the 2010 earthquake. This displacement is framed as a prioritization of the "new upper crust" over the city's displaced poor.

Bill Clinton discusses the political situation in Haiti, using the word "imbroglio" to describe the election disputes involving President René Préval. The hosts question Clinton's claim that the World Bank released $70 billion to $90 billion for reconstruction projects, noting the figure seems impossibly high for the region. They criticize the focus on holding elections while citizens remain in "tented areas" suffering from cholera.

Data from the French satellite Demeter reportedly showed a 360% increase in ultra-low frequency radio waves in the ionosphere above Haiti in the month preceding the 2010 earthquake. The hosts briefly touch upon theories regarding "earthquake machines" and man-made seismic events. They suggest listeners investigate the research links provided in the show notes for further technical details.