FBI Hid Patriot Act Abuses

I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "Wired is reporting that the FBI hid Patriot Act abuses with retroactive and flawed subpoenas, and used them to illegally acquire phone and credit card records. There were at least 11 retroactive, 'blanket' subpoenas that were signed by top counter-terrorism officials, some of which sought information the FBI is not allowed to have. The FBI's Communication Analysis Unit also had secret contracts with AT&T, Verizon and MCI, and abused National Security Letters by issuing subpoenas based on fake emergencies."

Comments

Re:telco immunity vindicated?

[schwit1]

This revelation doesn't exonerate anyone.

There's a big difference between being asked for communications to or from an internet account or phone and being given unfettered access to all provider traffic.

Re:And?

[sm62704]

Naw, I'm not bitter

And people wonder why geezers like me are cynical. There was a book several decades ago called The Peter Principle. The premise was "In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence." It explains why things are so messed up.

The last Governor here in Illinois is in a Federal prison for bribery and other misconduct, another example of what you illustrate well in your comment.

Re:And?

[smooth wombat]

Could you link to some sources? This is an interesting statement.

Follow this link about halfway down to see a list of officers, including generals, as of late 2005, who were forced out because of their honest views. Since that time, others, including the most recent resignation of Admiral Fallon, can be added to the list.

Certainly there are those in the above list who retired rather than wait to be forced out but the concept was the same: these were people who had long, distinguished track records of getting the job done but when they gave their honest opinions, they were told to leave or were forced out.