NSA Hacked Email Account of Mexican President

rtoz writes "The National Security Agency (NSA ) of United States hacked into the Mexican president's public email account and gained deep insight into policymaking and the political system. The news is likely to hurt ties between the US and Mexico. This operation, dubbed 'Flatliquid,' is described in a document leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden. Meanwhile U.S. President Barack Obama's administration is urging the Supreme Court not to take up the first case it has received on controversial National Security Agency cybersnooping."

Comments

Well that's new

[TubeSteak]

US government attorneys argue that the Supreme Court does not have the jurisdiction to take the case, filed in July by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).

First time I've seen the government argue that the Court doesn't have jurisdiction.
All the other cases that have been quashed were either from claiming the plaintiff had no standing to sue, or that it involved State Secrets.

It's especially ballsy to try and argue that the Supreme Court doesn't have jurisdiction.

A US Supreme Court decision to take the case would be "a drastic and extraordinary remedy that is reserved for really extraordinary causes," argued Donald Verrilli, an administration lawyer, in a statement released late Tuesday.

"drastic and extraordinary remedy"
No shit. It certainly seems like we need one of those.

Re:Well that's new

[cold fjord]

First time I've seen the government argue that the Court doesn't have jurisdiction.
All the other cases that have been quashed were either from claiming the plaintiff had no standing to sue, or that it involved State Secrets.

The problem is that EPIC is trying to jump the line. There aren't many circumstances in which a direct filing to the US Supreme Court is appropriate without going through the process in the lower courts. What EPIC did really isn't appropriate.

Administration looks to dodge Supreme Court challenge to NSA program

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) filed a petition directly to the Supreme Court in July, claiming that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court overstepped its authority when it granted the NSA permission to collect the phone records in bulk.

The program — the most controversial revelation from the leaks by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden — collects phone numbers, call times and call durations, but not the contents of conversations, according to the NSA.

Other civil liberties groups have sued to end the NSA program, but those cases were filed in federal district court . EPIC is the only group to go directly to the Supreme Court.

Re:Well that's new

[Anonymous Coward]

The NSA not only has the capability to violate client attorney privilege at every point in the course, and to threaten judges, lawyers and everyone up and down the line, they have demonstrated the will to ignore the courts already by ignoring the FISA courts rulings.

Not only should the supreme court rule on this before any lower court can, it should invalidate the entire domestic spying apparatus.

And that's likely just what will happen given the circumstances. Judges do not like their power being questioned.

Re:Well that's new

[Arker]

"It's especially ballsy to try and argue that the Supreme Court doesn't have jurisdiction."

It's worse than you think.

They are simultaneously arguing in lower courts that the lower courts have no jurisdiction because it's a matter for the SC, AND in the SC that the SC does not have jurisdiction, because it's a question for the lower courts.

Re:Well that's new

[cold fjord]

Since we seem to have a group of moderators running around today that are ignorant of the functioning of the US court system, I'll restate.

Lower courts have the authority to rule acts of the Federal government unconstitutional and stop them. This case has little chance of being accepted by the US Supreme Court. It isn't proper procedure for it to start there, and it isn't the type of case that the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction over. This is a matter for the lower courts to start with. Any citizen or corporation that received a gag order from a court could challenge it in the same court, or appeal it.

A Brief Overview of the Supreme Court

“In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.”

Hopefully this is clear, and modding me down doesn't change the law even if you don't like it.

Re:First leaked email from Mexican president

[Anonymous Coward]

We dont have "Taco" Bell in Mexico, we have real tacos.

Re:So what is this about?

[mspohr]

Snowden turned all of his documents over to journalists whom he trusts to perform responsible disclosure.
He says he doesn't even have the documents any more.
Snowden hasn't disclosed anything publicly... Greenwald et. al are doing the disclosing.
Greenwald has disclosed lots of different things including spying on Brazil, the European Union, Mexico, etc. No doubt, he may get around to China and Russia some day (if the documents are in the pile).

Not quite

[Arker]

Actually they are supposed to be spying on *enemy governments*.

Problem is we dont have any more of those left, but bureaucracy doesnt know how to shut down when it is not needed. Instead they keep trying to make new enemies. And unfortunately succeeding...

First Brazil, now Mexico, who's next ?

[Taco Cowboy]

Who will be next ?

America is fast losing friends if this trend is continuing.

Not that long ago, Russians, Chinese, Cubans, Iranians, North Koreans were painted as EVIL because America said so ~ and the world (mainly Europeans, plus many third world countries) generally subscribe to that view because the United States of America supposed to be trustworthy

Is America anymore trustworthy than the Russians, Chinese, Cubans, Iranians, or North Koreans ?

Re:First Brazil, now Mexico, who's next ?

[RabidReindeer]

Who will be next ?

America is fast losing friends if this trend is continuing.

Not that long ago, Russians, Chinese, Cubans, Iranians, North Koreans were painted as EVIL because America said so ~ and the world (mainly Europeans, plus many third world countries) generally subscribe to that view because the United States of America supposed to be trustworthy

Is America anymore trustworthy than the Russians, Chinese, Cubans, Iranians, or North Koreans ?

There are those who paint Snowden as a traitor who has harmed the security of the USA for leaking information about the excesses of the NSA. Snowden, however, was not the first to speak up, nor is he likely to be the last. He was just the snowflake that triggered the avalanche. It WOULD have come out sooner or later - I forget if it's Ben Franklin or an old Russian adage that "3 men can keep a secret if 2 of them are dead", but sooner or later, truth leaks out. Just ask Richard Nixon.

The greatest enemy to the security and integrity of the USA hasn't been Snowden. He was just one of many messengers. The real enemy was the NSA itself. Had they simply done what they said they were doing, well it's an ugly business, but a necessary one. By grossly exceeding their mandate like a horde of rampaging Mongols, however, they have damaged the credibility and the moral authority of the USA in ways that will take a long, long, time to repair. If ever.

Re:First leaked email from Mexican president

[BluBrick]

"Shut the fuck up, two-million ID boy", thought by everyone who remembers when Slashdot was still relevant and not swarming with fuckwits.

Huh, must've been before my time!