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FBI Employees Face Criminal Probe Over Patriot Act
DevanJedi writes "According to an article at Wired.com , several FBI agents are under investigation for illegally acquiring information an American citizens. Overzealous agents used 'misleading emergency letters' obtain phone records of thousands of Americans. This marks the first time government officers have been prosecuted for misuse of the Patriot Act. From the article: 'Unit employees, who are not authorized to request records in investigations, sent form letters to telephone companies to acquire detailed billing information on specific phone numbers by falsely promising that subpoenas were already in the works. According to a third source, FBI officials also said at the meeting that some bureau employees have already been granted immunity from prosecution in the investigation. The third source, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, did not recall, however, that FBI officials described the investigation as "criminal."'"
By abusing the PATRIOT Act, they are risking having it taken away from those agents who would use it legally to prevent some sort of terrorist attack from happening again.
That is inexcusable... or unpardonable.
You've been on a roll recently. I give it two thumbs up!
(Nice nick, BTW.)
If it's for-profit but free, you're not the customer -- you're the product (e.g., the Slashdot Beta's "audience").
After the 2006 elections it's obvious that the Democrats are just trying to get elected to get elected. They care less for this country than the average voter. The "try anything" to get elected seemed to work, until the public realized that the Democrats weren't even going to pretend to fulfill the promises they made. Why else is Congress' approval rating lower or the same as Bush's (not something I put trust in, but everyone else believes in it)?
Let's stop pulling our puds and realize a couple things. Bush won in 2004, that means people believed in him vs. Kerry. That means more people agreed that the Iraq war had to be fought rather than pulling out our troops. Kerry was a bad candidate and flip flopped but the main issue was the war on terror, and Kerry sounded like he might have pulled us out of the war. Even if there's a 50 percent chance he'd follow through there's a chance. People instead voted for Bush.
I'm sick of polls telling me people want to pull out of Iraq, that republicans in congress want to pull out, that Bush's support is eroding. Instead look at the facts. Democrats got into office in 2006 running on a variety of campaigns, and some of those campaigns were "pro-war". The term Republicrat came up, it stood for Democrats who acted like Republicans. If the democrats are right and people want out of the war why the hell would anyone pretend to be pro-war to be elected? Why is it that in a barely majority democratic senate the democrats are unable to even pass bills against bush's ideas even if Bush is going to veto them. Why is Bush still looking good if his support is all but out from under him.
The answer is the reports are wrong.
I'm not saying this country is good but instead of this "lesser of two evils" insult we give Bush, realize that no matter what way you cut it, Bush got into office for not one but two terms. Bush was elected over Kerry by a clear margin, and to try to discredit that is falsehood. Kerry sounded good, but when the Americans spoke the best way they know how (at the actual polls) Bush won.
But go ahead and believe that Obama and Hillary are going to win because the polls are telling you, and they might go to the main election, and besure to act surprised again when the polls are proven wrong. If anything the Democratic party relies to much on polling, and not enough on understanding and giving the people what they want.
They are also not below the law. The "liberal whining" is the part where you are assuming guilt without facts or convictions. Just like the other 10 stories just like it in the news today.
"God fights on the side with the best artillery." - Napoleon, Marshal of France - speaking truth to power
Yeah, like when Stalin put 7 million of his citizens into death camps. That's just like the US.
Grow up you fucking drama queen.
by Mike Buddha -- Someday the mountain might get him, but the law never will.