Fifteen years after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, America's War on Terror has expanded drastically, and with it, the interpretation of the Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF), which gave the president the initial power to mobilize US Armed Forces against those responsible. Yet, America is no closer to ending that open-ended war than when it began, and its endless state is prompting serious questions about the legality of the recent initiatives waged against ISIS, and whether safeguards are in place to prevent a single person—President Obama or his successors—from committing America to perpetual warfare.

Federal prosecutors allege in court papers that Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota quashed investigations into embattled ex-county correction officer and Suffolk County Conservative Party Chair Edward Walsh, who was indicted last year on charges of defrauding taxpayers of more than $80,000 in no-show work.

Context was often lost between the pace of coverage and testimony jumping around between dates, blurring significant moments in the timeline of the conspiracy. Seen in full, it offers a revealing look at the raw power that money has in The Empire State's politics, and the abuse of this state's most trusted offices to capitalize on this power toward a lawmaker's personal objectives.

William Flanagan's attorneys plan to ask the state Court of Appeals to hear the case next.