Latest news with #MarkZaid
National Post
30-05-2025
- General
- National Post
U.S. lawyer stripped of his security clearance by Trump cautions Canada
An American lawyer stripped of his security clearance by U.S. President Donald Trump says Canadians need to be vigilant about attacks on political freedom south of the border. Article content Article content Mark Zaid, a speaker at the Web Summit Vancouver tech conference, said he never expected to get 'attacked' by a sitting president over the work he's done in his three decades practising law, representing clients from the worlds of intelligence and national security. Article content Article content He said Canadians need to be wary of the rise of artificial intelligence that could be used to either target political dissent or shield it, warning that it's hard to prevent attacks on democratic norms, rather than react to them. Article content Article content 'This is more about whether or not political dissent is going to be tolerated, and so I think AI and the tech community is the next sort of shield,' he said Thursday. Article content Zaid is co-founder of the non-profit Whistleblower Aid and he said Canada is not immune to the forces that have shaped American political culture under Trump. Article content 'We share so much with our television, the news broadcasts, everything. We're watching each other all the time and so I think what's going on in the United States could easily happen in Canada, which I hope never will,' he said. 'But that's why you watch what's going on elsewhere to make sure it doesn't happen here.' Article content Article content Zaid is suing Trump and others after the president stripped him of his security clearance at the same time as former president Joe Biden and other political figures. Article content Article content The lawyer had represented a whistleblower during the first Trump administration, and has practised law in the national security space since former president Bill Clinton was in power. He touts himself as non-partisan, and says he is registered as an independent. Article content Zaid — who said he didn't bring his cellphone across the border in case it got confiscated on his return — said artificial intelligence may be in its 'infancy' but it is at the 'forefront of everything that's going on.' Article content He said technology's impacts on politics knows no borders, with social media bot accounts from outside the country demonstrating how 'you don't any longer have to be local to be able to have an effect. In fact, you can be across the world.'
CTV News
29-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
U.S. lawyer targeted by Trump cautions Canada on AI and attacks on dissent
People walk past an AI sign at the All In artificial intelligence conference on Sept. 28, 2023 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz VANCOUVER — An American lawyer stripped of his security clearance by U.S. President Donald Trump says Canadians need to be 'vigilant' about attacks on political freedom south of the border. Mark Zaid, a speaker at the Web Summit Vancouver tech conference, also says Canadians need to be wary of the rise of artificial intelligence that could be used to either target political dissent or 'shield' it. Zaid is co-founder of the non-profit Whistleblower Aid and says Canada is not immune to the forces that have shaped American political culture under Trump, as the two countries 'share so much in common.' Zaid is suing Trump and others after the president stripped him of his security clearance at the same time as former president Joe Biden and other political figures. The lawyer had represented a whistleblower in the first Trump administration. Zaid -- who says he didn't bring his cellphone across the border in case it got confiscated on his return -- says artificial intelligence is at the 'forefront' of political developments in the U.S. and elsewhere. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025 The Canadian Press
Toronto Star
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
U.S. lawyer targeted by Trump cautions Canada on AI and attacks on dissent
VANCOUVER - An American lawyer stripped of his security clearance by U.S. President Donald Trump says Canadians need to be 'vigilant' about attacks on political freedom south of the border. Mark Zaid, a speaker at the Web Summit Vancouver tech conference, also says Canadians need to be wary of the rise of artificial intelligence that could be used to either target political dissent or 'shield' it.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘This is what fascism looks like': Elie Mystal on Trump deporting foreign nationals
Elie Mystal and Mark Zaid join The Weekend to discuss the legal implications of the Trump administration targeting and literally snatching international students off the street.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump Is About to Make People Pay in Order to Sue Him
Amid a flurry of lawsuits against his administration, Trump is trying to make it a whole lot harder to sue him. According to a memo sent to agency heads on Thursday, the White House is encouraging the use of a rarely used rule that would force anyone who sues the federal government to pay an upfront fee. 'It is the policy of the United States to demand that parties seeking injunctions against the Federal Government must cover the costs and damages incurred if the Government is ultimately found to have been wrongfully enjoined or restrained,' the memo obtained by CNN reads. More than 100 lawsuits have been filed against the president since he took office in January. The cases range from challenging his immigration policies and funding cuts, to disputes against the Department of Government Efficiency's attack on federal agencies. Many of the cases have been successful early on, and they are all ongoing. In the memo, the White House framed the cases as a waste of 'substantial resources to fighting frivolous suits instead of defending public safety.' 'Taxpayers are forced not only to cover the costs of their antics when funding and hiring decisions are enjoined, but must needlessly wait for Government policies they voted for,' the memo reads. The rule the White House is attempting to invoke is rarely used in the courts, and the financial barrier could prevent individuals, organizations, unions, and agencies from taking action against the president. It's unclear exactly who would decide how much the plaintiff would have to pay, but the Justice Department would probably ask judges to set the amount, legal expert Mark Zaid told CNN. That means the fee could be as little as $1, and as high as … who knows? It's yet another sly move from Trump to dodge accountability for his relentless attack on the Constitution.
