OT: US govt seizing phone records from Associated Press

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nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
Topic Author's Original Post - May 14, 2013 - 04:16am PT
http://www.npr.org/2013/05/14/183810320/justice-department-secretly-obtains-ap-phone-records

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/05/13/justice-department-secretly-obtains-ap-phone-records/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2013/05/13/justice-department-associated-press-telephone-records/2156521/

This is a slippery slope... government pushing back against the investigative powers of the press. Maybe some validity to find the source of a government leak, but at what bigger risk to the health of an independent and vigorous investigative press that is a critical function in regulating the excesses of government?

monolith

climber
SF bay area
May 14, 2013 - 09:42am PT
The phone companies caved in long ago. They should only release info with a court order.
couchmaster

climber
pdx
May 14, 2013 - 09:47am PT
This is a jailable offense IMO. Same with them recording all phone calls and emails. Total bullsh#t.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
May 14, 2013 - 10:31am PT
There's a big difference between exposing corruption and national security. Hang 'em high.
Wade Icey

Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
May 14, 2013 - 11:04am PT
what bigger risk to the health of an independent and vigorous investigative press that is a critical function in regulating the excesses of government?


what independent and vigorous investigative press?
Norton

Social climber
the Wastelands
May 14, 2013 - 11:18am PT
what independent and vigorous investigative press?

why Fox News of course
Eric Beck

Sport climber
Bishop, California
May 14, 2013 - 11:25am PT
Remember a few years ago when Bill Belichick received a hefty fine for stealing the defensive signals from the Jets? I thought this was ludicrous; that if the Jets wanted their signals to remain confidential they should disguise them a little bit better.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
May 14, 2013 - 11:31am PT
How did he know those signals weren't disinformation?
mechrist

Gym climber
South of Heaven
May 14, 2013 - 11:34am PT
but at what bigger risk to the health of an independent and vigorous investigative press that is a critical function in regulating the excesses of government?

hahahaaaa... independent and vigorous investigative press... hahahaaaaa!
bookworm

Social climber
Falls Church, VA
May 14, 2013 - 11:37am PT
if barry has lost andrea mitchell, well...

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2013/05/14/andrea-mitchell-irs-ap-scandals-among-most-outrageous-excesses-ive


nobody suffered more leaks than W; if his doj had illegally acquired the phone records of any press org, you libs would be screaming "impeach!"

Wade Icey

Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
May 14, 2013 - 11:47am PT
^^^^^^^^^^

Oh, that independent and vigorous investigative press...
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
May 14, 2013 - 11:48am PT
'vigorous investigative press"

What is that, anyway? Journalistic independence & integrity has become pretty hard to find these days.
kennyt

climber
Woodfords,California
May 14, 2013 - 11:49am PT
Ewe sheeple really are clueless as to what's
in store for us, aren't you?

Don't know what's in store fer u but I'm goin cragging
bookworm

Social climber
Falls Church, VA
May 14, 2013 - 12:02pm PT
from john yoo:

"The Justice Department's seizure of the AP's phone records shows that this administration cares far more about power than political and civil liberty. It has intruded on the freedom of the press in ways that the allegedly power-hungry Bush Administration would never have dreamed.

When the Bush administration was wracked with the leaks of classified information about its counter-terrorism policies, most notably its interrogation and electronic surveillance programs, Democrats in Congress happily took advantage of the information. Nary a peep was heard about protecting national security and preventing the media from publishing classified information.

But now President Obama has to live in the leak-happy world that he and his colleagues created to undermine the last administration. And they don't like it. Unlike the Bush administration, however, they are willing to go to lengths that threaten the freedom of the press to stop it -- this administration has conducted far more investigations and prosecutions for leaking than its predecessors. And, for the most part, this administration has gotten away with it from the press, which has given them a pass on civil liberties compared to how they treated Republicans.

I deplore the Obama administration's assault on freedom of the press. But I have no sympathy for the AP or the mainstream media, because this is how you get treated when you are in a politician's pocket. If the AP's editors and reporters and their colleagues at other newspapers had been more adversarial toward this President, as they were with President Bush, they would been treated with far more respect. The AP should wish for a return of the days of a Republican administration, which considered the press a worthy adversary, rather than a servant to be mistreated at will."
mechrist

Gym climber
South of Heaven
May 14, 2013 - 12:25pm PT
bookworm, [edit] John Yoo is a moran and that is one of the most pathetic examples of pandering to idiots on the right I have ever seen.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
May 14, 2013 - 12:29pm PT
The executive branch (Obama administration) does not order the judicial branch (DOJ) to do anything.

That's pretty hilarious. Are you Jay Carney's assistant?
Wade Icey

Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
May 14, 2013 - 12:31pm PT
Yoo Tool.
monolith

climber
SF bay area
May 14, 2013 - 12:35pm PT
The judicial branch didn't provide an order to get the AP phone records. The DOJ does not fall under the judicial branch.

The phone companies gave up the records at the request of the DOJ.
mechrist

Gym climber
South of Heaven
May 14, 2013 - 12:37pm PT
I stand corrected. Thanks mono.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
May 14, 2013 - 12:41pm PT
My reading stands corrected; I only saw DOJ.
Hawkeye

climber
State of Mine
May 14, 2013 - 12:41pm PT
NEVER FEAR!

OBAMA IS HERE!

mechrist

Gym climber
South of Heaven
May 14, 2013 - 12:44pm PT
Of course we didn't! We simply believed Obama was a far better choice than that old fuk and his idiotic sidekick.
Chaz

Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
May 14, 2013 - 12:45pm PT
Obama's so slick he's got smart guys like Wes bullshitted into believing he is against all the rotten things his own administration is doing.

It's not Obama. No. It's the Justice Department who f*#ked up ( AP phone tap ). Or it was Treasury ( IRS abuse of power ). Or the State Department ( Benghazi cover-up ). Or the Justice Department again ( "fast & furious" ).

Obama has nothing to do with any of it, and he'd fix it if only the Republicans would let him.
rectorsquid

climber
Lake Tahoe
May 14, 2013 - 01:15pm PT
It is a bit odd that bush gets the personal blame for EVERY dept and debacle under his terms yet obama [sic] gets a free pass with many?

It's not odd at all. Have you watched seen how Bush gets a free pass from conservatives like on The Five on Fox? Hear anything about Benghazi lately?

Hypocrisy is not limited to liberals or conservatives. Many will always give their guy a free pass. Many will be disgusted with both Bush and Obama.

Dave
mechrist

Gym climber
South of Heaven
May 14, 2013 - 01:45pm PT
It's the Justice Department who f*#ked up ( AP phone tap ).

Really, they tapped phones? Are you sure? You might want to double check with some credible sources. Runaway bullshit storm from Chaz again! Your puppet masters are proud.
Norton

Social climber
the Wastelands
May 14, 2013 - 01:50pm PT
I have been searching for the report of phones being tapped at the Associated Press

can't find any news article about that

someone help me ?
bookworm

Social climber
Falls Church, VA
May 14, 2013 - 01:51pm PT
what did bush have to do with benghazi, which happened just 8 months ago? how long before you actually hold barry accountable for anything?


"most transparent administration evah!"


http://reason.com/blog/2013/05/13/most-transparent-administration-in-histo


hopenchange
mechrist

Gym climber
South of Heaven
May 14, 2013 - 01:54pm PT
Ain't no tapping... just records of who called who.

Not sure how it is different than what came out in 2006 where it was revealed that the NSA had amassed a HUGE list of who was calling who... with NO apparent reason other than to "analyze calling patterns."

Maybe a repugnikunt can explain why there is so much apparent outrage in this case, but not in the case of the Snatch led NSA amassing the same information on ALL citizens?

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-10-nsa_x.htm?453
Norton

Social climber
the Wastelands
May 14, 2013 - 01:58pm PT
"most transparent administration evah!"

no way of knowing if that is factually true or not, booky

but certainly most everyone would agree much much more transparent than the administration you voted for, twice

try harder, booky, keep looking under rocks....
ncrockclimber

climber
The Desert Oven
May 14, 2013 - 02:06pm PT
This administration could nuke Nepal and publicly advocate sodomizing baby seals and the majority of the democrats on this site would continue to defend Obama... just like the repubs defended Bush while he VASTLY expanded the size of the government and the national debt, trashed our civil rights, started two wars, legitimized torture, etc, etc.
mechrist

Gym climber
South of Heaven
May 14, 2013 - 02:28pm PT
Seizing? Seizing... really? When they "secretly obtained" the records... you call that "seizing?"

Gawd you people are fuking insane.
Hawkeye

climber
State of Mine
May 14, 2013 - 02:58pm PT
This administration could nuke Nepal and publicly advocate sodomizing baby seals and the majority of the democrats on this site would continue to defend Obama
and call for tax payer furnished bussing to where the seals are.
mechrist

Gym climber
South of Heaven
May 14, 2013 - 03:04pm PT
hahaha... phone tapping and secretly seizing records... hahahahaaaaa

idiots
Snowmassguy

Trad climber
Calirado
May 14, 2013 - 03:06pm PT
Our gov't will scapegoat a few poor souls that were likely following instructions of someone with more power that will come out unscathed. Been happening for decades.
Hawkeye

climber
State of Mine
May 14, 2013 - 03:14pm PT

AG Eric Holder orders investigation into IRS

WASHINGTON — Attorney General Eric Holder says he's ordered a Justice Department investigation into the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups for extra tax scrutiny.

maybe it will take some of the heat off of DOJ
ontheedgeandscaredtodeath

Social climber
SLO, Ca
May 14, 2013 - 03:15pm PT
Really the problem is the premise that the threat of terrorism justifies pretty much anything. Now that everyone is desensitized to water boarding and assassinations and all that some snooping into records doesn't seem that bad.

We reap what we sow.
ncrockclimber

climber
The Desert Oven
May 14, 2013 - 03:16pm PT
^^^^^

+1,000
Speigl

climber
May 14, 2013 - 07:18pm PT
Does anyone remember this one, from about a year ago?

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/06/26/12419687-gop-senators-ask-wheres-outrage-on-intel-leaks?lite

Insert cliche about making sausage.
Norton

Social climber
the Wastelands
May 14, 2013 - 07:59pm PT
rSin,

I agree with you 100% about GITMO

they are human beings being held for over ten years now

without being tried, convicted or released

their existence there is miserable

they want to die so bad they are trying to starve themselves to death

and our people shove feeding tubes down their throats every day to keep them alive

President Obama signed an Executive Order close GITMO over four years ago

and the Republicans blocked the closing by refusing to allow a simple majority vote in the Senate

it is horrible that America is treating those people that way, regardless of whether they were wrongly arrested or forcibly recruited by El Queda
Norton

Social climber
the Wastelands
May 14, 2013 - 08:19pm PT
its really a shame we got stuck with this BOY who refuses be president

wow, nice one rSin

especially like how you worked in BOY
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
May 14, 2013 - 08:26pm PT
Conservatives dont give a damn about press freedom,

its just like the deficit or unemployment,
NEVER heard about those either, till obama came along


Bush Used the IRS, FBI, CIA and Secret Service to Go After Opponents -- Where Was the Fox and GOP Outrage?
http://www.alternet.org/bush-used-irs-fbi-cia-and-secret-service-go-after-opponents-where-was-fox-and-gop-outrage?page=0%2C1

So it's okay if Dems do it now? It's just a matter of party-affiliation?

Do you have equal dissent against these actions? Or is Obama exempt?
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
May 14, 2013 - 08:42pm PT
Nope and nope. Now answer the question about President Bush. Directly. If you've the courage../.

DMT


What question is that?

EDIT:
good people call the doctor and ambulance when theres a heart attack
all your calling for is burning the house down


What did you call for with Bush/Cheney?
10b4me

Ice climber
Soon 2B Arizona
May 14, 2013 - 09:14pm PT
"When's the last time you went climbing?

I'm going climbing tomorrow :-)
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
May 14, 2013 - 09:28pm PT
"When's the last time you went climbing?"

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!

DMT


I don't know how that's relevant, but 2 weeks ago. Fishing last weekend with the boy.

Funny how you gauge people. Very judgemental.
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
Topic Author's Reply - May 14, 2013 - 09:31pm PT
I think making this a partisan issue is a distraction. Who cares Obama Bush etc... the point here is something that is bigger than the ideology of democrats or republicans.

This is at the fundamental heart of the principles of democracy, the ideas behind creating an institution with safeguards to limit the power that the "haves" can accumulate at the expense of the "have-nots."

It's easy to act all glib and cool/jaded about expecting these things, saying how we're all doomed or we're so naive or we don't know what's coming still (the political version of "yer gonna die"). That's about as useful to our society as being completely ignorant. It's a willful surrender and its cowardly if you think what's happening is wrong. My point in making this first post was to spread awareness, to create a shift in perception and increase the general feeling of the populace in the direction of "we're not gonna take it."

I'm a coward too, in that I'm not doing everything I can possibly do fight this threat to our society. I pick and choose my battles, and sometimes I don't give it everything I've got. In the end, we deserve the government we help to make.
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
Topic Author's Reply - May 14, 2013 - 09:43pm PT
This is what I like to hear:
Lawmakers from both parties on Tuesday criticized the Justice Department's decision to obtain the AP records. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called the action "inexcusable."

Update:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/14/us-usa-justice-ap-idUSBRE94C0ZW20130514
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
Topic Author's Reply - May 14, 2013 - 09:56pm PT
"seized" might imply heavy boots marching in and taking by physical force.

A subpoena from a government agency carries that implied threat if you do not comply. It's like your boss "asking" you to do something, multiplied by a million. Not much of a distinction from my perspective.

It's just a way of smiling while you step on someone's neck, and claiming that you are being civil.
TGT

Social climber
So Cal
May 14, 2013 - 10:00pm PT
Dems had both the Senate and the House for Bush's last 2 years, and could EASILY have launched hearings on the Iraq casus belli - except, of course,
most of them voted for it.

fixed it for ya.
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
Topic Author's Reply - May 14, 2013 - 10:00pm PT
In the end, when there is more transparency around the circumstances of this incident, it may all turn out to be reasonable and justified. But it deserves public outrage and attention it is getting from the public and our elected representatives, to make sure that the checks and balances against government power are in place.
froodish

Social climber
Portland, Oregon
May 14, 2013 - 10:17pm PT
John Yoo, torture enabler John Yoo now cares about constitutional rights? That's a laugh.
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
Topic Author's Reply - May 14, 2013 - 10:38pm PT
jghedge - good point about access to lawyers to ensure that laws are followed to limit the extent of what is seized. But I suspect the devil is in the details, and not much a lawyer can do when "national security" and "classified evidence" is invoked as a reason to obtain something that would otherwise not be permitted.

Dingus - you gonna make that judge go mental!
MisterE

Social climber
May 14, 2013 - 10:40pm PT
Great: The Government of Misinformation stealing "information" from the Purveyors of Misinformation.

Real tragedy there.
WBraun

climber
May 14, 2013 - 10:47pm PT
The Government of Misinformation stealing "information" from the Purveyors of Misinformation.

LOL This is definitely the best line in the whole affair .......
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
Topic Author's Reply - May 14, 2013 - 10:49pm PT
I might have to get off my high horse long enough to admit that was a pretty funny line.
bluering

Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
May 14, 2013 - 10:58pm PT
You spelled judgmental wrong.

DMT


You are an unproud master of posing lame arguements and then backing away from them when you're called out. I see a pattern here.

Every time you think you're being bright or clever and I call you out, you desist into distraction. Every time I confront your assertions or questions, you f*#king change the subject.

Common tactic for people with no arguement that is based in fact or reality.

Kinda like Jay Carney. Nice club you're in!
ontheedgeandscaredtodeath

Social climber
SLO, Ca
May 15, 2013 - 12:05am PT
One possibility is that the government actually believed there has been a significant security breach and needs to find the leak. Any protection against compelling a journalist to reveal a source would not extend to the AP's telephone company. The shield, if any, has to stop somewhere and the DOJ is responsible for investigating what would be a serious and dangerous crime.



WBraun

climber
May 15, 2013 - 12:15am PT
significant security breach


The modern govt's. are always fearful of security breaches that will expose their lies and corruptions to the sheep ........
mechrist

Gym climber
South of Heaven
May 15, 2013 - 02:00am PT
Every time you think you're being bright or clever and I call you out, you desist into distraction.

That is loaded with humor, although the author doesn't realize it, which makes it even more funny.
bookworm

Social climber
Falls Church, VA
May 15, 2013 - 08:53am PT
legally, it looks as though doj is protected by the patriot act--haven't examined the fine print, but i don't think this is criminal

the consequences, however, are still huge...barry has lost the trust of the media; without his lapdogs, he's going to have a rough second term

this won't help his relationship with the press:

"During an interview with NPR’s Carrie Johnson on Tuesday, Holder was asked how often his department has obtained such records of journalists’ work.

“I’m not sure how many of those cases … I have actually signed off on,” Holder said. “I take them very seriously. I know that I have refused to sign a few [and] pushed a few back for modifications.”


the ag is "not sure" how many times he's approved the seizure of journalists' phone records?

that can only mean there are SEVERAL more cases still waiting to be discovered...or that he's just stupid
couchmaster

climber
pdx
May 15, 2013 - 11:13am PT
John P asked:
"I have been searching for the report of phones being tapped at the Associated Press .... can't find any news article about that....someone help me ?

Here ya are Schmidt. Of interest is the leading democrat and republicans (Harry Reid and Orrin Hatch) are both outraged.
"Reid, the Senate's top Democrat, told reporters at the Capitol, "I don't know who did it, why it was done, but it's inexcusable, and there is no way to justify this."
That should tell you something of the gravity of the issue so that you can ignore idiots like mechrist running around calling people morons for being concerned. We all should be deeply concerned about this. It's an issue of substance that is deeper than the usual Repub/dem discourse divide

http://news.yahoo.com/associated-press-says-u-government-seized-journalists-phone-001433899.html


"By David Ingram and Tabassum Zakaria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said on Tuesday he did not make the controversial decision to secretly seize telephone records of the Associated Press but defended his department's actions in the investigation of what he called a "very, very serious leak."

The decision to seek phone records of one of the world's largest news-gathering organizations was made by Deputy Attorney General Jim Cole, Holder said.

Holder, speaking at a press conference, said he recused himself from the matter to avoid a potential conflict of interest because he was interviewed by the FBI as part of the same leak investigation that targeted the AP records.

That seizure, denounced by critics as a gross intrusion into freedom of the press, has created an uproar in Washington and led to questions over how the Obama administration is balancing the need for national security with privacy rights.

Combined with a separate furor over the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative political groups for extra scrutiny, it also is stoking fears of excessive government intrusion under President Barack Obama.

The White House has said it had no advance knowledge of the IRS or Justice Department actions.

Lawmakers from both parties on Tuesday criticized the Justice Department's decision to obtain the AP records. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called the action "inexcusable."

But in a letter to AP president Gary Pruitt, Cole on Tuesday defended the department's unusual action against a member of the media, saying it was a necessary step in the year-old criminal probe of leaks of classified information.

A law enforcement official said the probe is related to information in a May 7, 2012, AP story about an operation, conducted by the CIA and allied intelligence agencies, that stopped a Yemen-based al Qaeda plot to detonate a bomb on an airplane headed for the United States.

Cole declined Pruitt's request to return the records.

"We strive in every case to strike the proper balance between the public's interest in the free flow of information and the public's interest in the protection of national security and effective enforcement of our laws," he wrote. "We believe we have done so in this matter."

Pruitt, in a statement responding to Cole's letter, said "it does not adequately address our concerns," which include that the subpoena's scope was "overbroad under the law" and that the AP was not notified in advance.

The AP story at issue, he said, contradicted White House assertions that there was no credible threat to the American people in May 2012 around the first anniversary of the killing of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.

Cole disclosed that investigators conducted more than 550 interviews and reviewed tens of thousands of documents in the probe before seizing the toll records of AP phone calls.

Holder said he did not have specific knowledge about the formulation of the subpoena for the AP records, but does not believe the Justice Department did anything wrong.

PUT AMERICANS 'AT RISK'

"This was ... a very, very serious leak," he said. "I have been a prosecutor since 1976 and I have to say that this is among, if not the most serious, it is within the top two or three most serious leaks that I have ever seen," Holder said, speaking at an unrelated press conference on Medicare fraud.

"It put the American people at risk, and that is not hyperbole," he said. "And trying to determine who was responsible for that, I think, required very aggressive action."

In June 2012, Holder ordered two U.S. attorneys to pursue separate leak investigations, the subject of which he did not identify.

The probes followed calls by Congress to crack down on national security leaks after the Associated Press report on the Yemen plot and a New York Times report on details of the Stuxnet computer virus that sabotaged Iran's nuclear centrifuges.

The AP said it was informed last Friday that the Justice Department had gathered records for more than 20 phone lines assigned to the news agency and its reporters, covering April and May of last year.

Pruitt, in a letter to Holder on Monday, called the seizure a "massive and unprecedented intrusion" into news-gathering operations.

Five reporters and an editor involved in the AP story about the Yemen plot were among those whose phone records were obtained by the government, the AP said.

Reuters reported that on May 7, 2012, Obama's top White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan, who is now CIA director, held a small, private teleconference to brief former counterterrorism advisers who are TV commentators and told them the plot was never a threat to U.S. public safety because Washington had "inside control" over it.

One of the former officials on the call later said on network TV that the U.S. government had indicated implicitly that "they had somebody on the inside who wasn't going to let it happen."

U.S. and European authorities later acknowledged the alleged plot had been discovered because an informant had been planted inside the conspiracy by MI5, Britain's principal counterterrorism agency.

The original AP story made no mention of an undercover informant or "control" over the operation by the United States or its allies.

Brennan acknowledged during his Senate confirmation hearing that he had been interviewed by prosecutors in connection with two leak inquiries, including the Yemen probe. He told Congress that he had not leaked any classified information.

Several prominent Republicans last year called for a crackdown on leaks, with some suggesting the White House was orchestrating them to burnish Obama's security credentials and chances for re-election in November.

FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Senator Orrin Hatch, a Republican on the Judiciary Committee, when asked whether Republicans had the type of action taken against the AP in mind, said: "No, I don't think anybody wants to take away the freedom of the press. ... You can't be free if you've got government monitoring your calls, and your interviews. How is that a free press?"

Reid, the Senate's top Democrat, told reporters at the Capitol, "I don't know who did it, why it was done, but it's inexcusable, and there is no way to justify this."

The Obama administration has been aggressive in combating national security leaks, conducting at least a half-dozen prosecutions - more than under all other previous presidents combined, according to tallies by multiple news organizations.

Mark Corallo, a Justice Department spokesman between 2002 and 2005, said that during his tenure, the rule was that any request from any part of the Justice Department for the issuing of subpoenas against a news organization had to be submitted to his office for approval.

Corallo said that of "dozens" of requests from prosecutors for subpoenas directed against news organizations, he approved one during his tenure.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said that President Barack Obama "believes that the press as a rule needs to have an unfettered ability to pursue investigative journalism."

"He is also committed, as president and as a citizen, to the proposition that we cannot allow classified information, that can do harm to our national security interests or do harm to individuals, to be leaked," Carney said.

"Certainly there have been lots of presidents upset about leaks and there have been a number of chief executives who have gone to rather extraordinary lengths," said Darrell West, director of Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution think tank.

"But I think people believed that Obama was more committed to civil liberties so it's actually more shocking that he did it rather that someone like (George W.) Bush and (Richard) Nixon because people had higher expectations of him," he said.

(Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell, Jennifer Saba, Mark Hosenball and Mark Felsenthal; Writing by Karey Van Hall; Editing by Warren Strobel, Cynthia Osterman and Jim Loney)"

regards to all.
monolith

climber
SF bay area
May 15, 2013 - 11:16am PT
Er, um, that article is about AP phone records, not AP phone taps, Couchmaster. Keep searching.
Norton

Social climber
the Wastelands
May 15, 2013 - 12:27pm PT
"I have been searching for the report of phones being tapped at the Associated Press .... can't find any news article about that....someone help me ?

Here ya are Schmidt


thanks, couchmaster

but please realize that you have NOT provided ANY proof that PHONES WERE TAPPED

get it yet?
FRUMY

Trad climber
SHERMAN OAKS,CA
May 15, 2013 - 12:35pm PT
Another stupid tread.

Courts order phone records all the time, big deal.
WBraun

climber
May 15, 2013 - 12:35pm PT
You guys should be talking heads on a TV show.

You people are the same as all the MSM talking heads.

You know nothing except what you're fed and regurgitate it here.

Just stupid cows in the pasture waiting to be slaughtered .....
couchmaster

climber
pdx
May 15, 2013 - 12:44pm PT
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2013/05/14/eric-holder-on-phone-tapping-i-dont-have-knowledge-of-the-facts-n1596430

Speaking to reporters Tuesday afternoon, Attorney General Eric Holder revealed that he recused himself months, maybe years ago, from the Associated Press [AP] phone line investigation. It was revealed yesterday that the Department of Justice had tapped 20 work and personal phone lines of AP reporters and editors due to a suspected national security leak.

"I recused myself from this matter...it was early on," Holder said, unable to give an exact date.

By law, Holder is responsible for signing off on subpoenas that would allow such an intrusive invasion of privacy and on free speech. However, because he recused himself from the case, his Deputy Attorney General James Cole signed off on the case and the subpoenas. As a reminder, Cole was also embroiled in the Fast and Furious scandal with Holder.

"I don't know what the circumstances were here....I frankly don't have the knowledge of those facts," Holder said when asked about the AP phone tapping, adding that he believes DOJ officials followed all proper subpoena procedures. "This administration has put a real value on the rule of law."

The law requires Justice Department probes into reporter communications be very limited and precise. In the AP case, 20 phone lines, both personal and private, were monitored.

Feel better now Montieth and Hedge? And you're welcome John P.
monolith

climber
SF bay area
May 15, 2013 - 12:48pm PT
That's townhall adding the word 'tapping'. They get confused about records and tapping as well.

Why don't you find an AP source that says they were tapped instead of records taken. Surely they would complain specifically about tapping right?
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
May 15, 2013 - 12:49pm PT
Have you heard about Holder's latest program? Yup, it had to be - Fast and Spurious.
couchmaster

climber
pdx
May 15, 2013 - 12:51pm PT
Appears you are correct.
Norton

Social climber
the Wastelands
May 15, 2013 - 12:54pm PT
Appears you are correct.

you're welcome
Norton

Social climber
the Wastelands
May 15, 2013 - 01:07pm PT
"important to note that nothing was actually tapped, the gov't didn't actually listen in, just obtained the phone records"

oh so what

facts are stupid things

I will believe what I want to believe

so quit shoving your liberal truthy facts at me
FRUMY

Trad climber
SHERMAN OAKS,CA
May 15, 2013 - 01:10pm PT
Facts ------ what do facts have to do with anything.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
May 15, 2013 - 01:13pm PT
^^^ Certainly nothing in this discussion.
monolith

climber
SF bay area
May 15, 2013 - 01:24pm PT
Technically, the AP did not give up the records, the telephone company did under a subpoena without AP knowledge. The AP was not informed till recently. This apparently is legal under a national security clause, but scandalous none the less.
Norton

Social climber
the Wastelands
May 15, 2013 - 01:27pm PT
the ONLY reason to go after the press's records is suspicion on leaking classified material

apparently the Justice Department was alerted by an intelligence arm of our government that certain reporters were being given classified material and were publicly posting it

that is bad joo joo

and IF that is indeed what is going on then yes there is good reason to request records

and if it is not then there will be hell to pay
nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
Topic Author's Reply - May 15, 2013 - 04:35pm PT
Technology to help the press protect the anonymity of its sources, is catching up. Interesting article, and not nearly enough exploration of the curious timing or circumstances of a suicide:
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/05/strongbox-and-aaron-swartz.html

This leaves a bad itch for conspiracy theorists to scratch.
dirtbag

climber
Aug 16, 2013 - 02:02pm PT
^^^^You have to admire Faux News' ability to generate anger among its viewers over bogus scandals. They really are quite good at it.
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