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FBI Investigating Fake Texts Sent To GOP House Members (wsj.com)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating fake text messages sent to some House Republican lawmakers from someone impersonating a top aide to Vice President Mike Pence, WSJ reported. From the report: Several House Republicans have received the texts, and at least one member has been repeatedly engaging with the imposter, who posed as Alyssa Farah, Mr. Pence's press secretary and a former House staffer, one of the people said. A person familiar with the fake texts said the messages sought the whereabouts of certain lawmakers and their availability for meetings. Rep. Liz Cheney (R., Wyo.), the House Republican conference chairwoman, has been made aware of the fake texts and referred the matter to the House Sergeant at Arms office, a spokesman for Ms. Cheney said.

3 of 54 comments (clear)

  1. Re: Republicans by Zocalo · · Score: 4, Informative

    Historically, the one form of government that seems to get the most good things done is "Benevolent Dictator". Unfortunately, as history will also attest, most such leaders, or occassionally one of their successors, inevitably proves the maxim that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Unless you can come up with a way to maintain a party system akin to the Roman Senate at its peak and are ruthless in your removal of responsibility from those who start to waver from your defined constitution then the people are eventually going to need a way to change not just individual party members but the entire party.

    Besides, even if you've got a one party system, there are still going to be factions within that party, just as today's parties have their Tea Parties, Brexiteers, Hardliners, Reformists, or whatever other name they might want to go by. It might be "The Party", but it's still going to be multiple parties in practice.

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    UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
  2. Re:Fake is not a catch all word by Oligonicella · · Score: 3, Informative

    Dear Mr Pedant: fake is in common use as a synonym for fraudulent and has been for many decades.

  3. Re:In the annals of stupid ideas... by jellomizer · · Score: 3, Informative

    The problem isn't the integration between the system. But the fact that the Telco services are so security poor.
    Sure I can fake a text, from an other person. However the Telco can find a way to bill me for that text, but they cannot confirm to the recipiant that the text came from me or not, and whom.

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    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.