Posted on 06/19/2006 7:43:07 PM PDT by LdSentinal
CNSNews.com) - The California Democrat currently acting as ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee reportedly launched a profane verbal assault on two employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs after they labeled a press conference held outside the VA headquarters Tuesday a "publicity stunt." Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.) is described as "uttering obscenities" at the VA employees in one media account.
Filner joined other Democrats Tuesday outside the VA's main offices to criticize VA Secretary Jim Nicholson for waiting three weeks to inform the public about the theft of a computer disc drive that contained the names, birthdates and Social Security numbers of 26.5 million veterans and their spouses, along with those of thousands more active duty military personnel. The Marine Corps Times later reported that "Filner got into a shouting match with unidentified VA employees after he called Nicholson a political 'crony' of President Bush who wasn't up to the job."
The two employees, Assistant Veterans Affairs Secretary Lisette Mondello and VA spokesman Matt Burns, reportedly challenged Filner, noting that Nicholson is a decorated combat veteran and questioning the congressman''s lack of military service. The ensuing argument continued after the news conference ended, with Filner calling the pair "spin doctor[s]." Mondello and Burns characterized the event as a "publicity stunt," and that remark, according to Associated Press reports, is what triggered Filner''s "F-bomb."
"You guys f***ed it up!" Filner reportedly shouted. "Stop covering your a** and figure it out."
The original Associated Press report of the altercation, which was not included in later articles about the news conference, noted that "Mondello and Burns afterward declined to comment on Filner's remarks, saying only that they were embarrassed that reporters had to 'witness a distinguished lawmaker act in such a reprehensible manner.'"
Filner explained his behavior in the June 14 edition of the Capitol Hill newspaper, Roll Call, saying that he was "furious" with the VA over its handling of the data theft.
Calls from Cybercast News Service to Filner seeking his version or an explanation for the incident were not returned.
For once a democrat is actually right about something. I'd say THEY were the embarrasment.
I am ashamed to say this guy is my representative, he marched with the Illegals here in san diego as well.. and most recently voted not to fund the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, I dont know how he can represent the Veterans when he never was one and does not support our veterans now..Not one peep out of him with our heros in Camp Pendleton brig.. he is a looser...
How ironic. The media is acting like they have never heard this word before. That said, no one should stand around for a cussing. I would walk.
Suppose they managed to inform the thief exactly what he had stolen?
Is anyone surprised that AP dropped its comment on the unprofessional behavior of this congresscritter? I like the way the bureaucrats put it:
The original Associated Press report of the altercation, which was not included in later articles about the news conference, noted that "Mondello and Burns afterward declined to comment on Filner's remarks, saying only that they were embarrassed that reporters had to 'witness a distinguished lawmaker act in such a reprehensible manner.'"
I see no problem with waiting two weeks to tell people that a dedicated employee lost a computer with personal data.
I see no problem with waiting two weeks to tell people that a dedicated employee lost a computer with personal data.
ping to
your maroon congresscritter
Led by such luminaries as Bob Otto at the US Postal Service, the idea around town has been to return to the "closed shop" method of controlling information flow within the agency.
These guys, particularly Otto, point to the absence of successful Internet attacks on their systems as proof that they have been successful.
At the same time many computer/internet savvy analysts throughout the government have succeeded in building their own off net data bases. This is so they can deal with the vast amount of information for which they are responsible without having to use cumbersome remote access to that data while on travel.
Yet other analysts (auditors, civil and criminal investigators, security folks) find the "closed shop" approach to be an unlawful "open shop" concerning their databases, and do everything they can to keep their files out of the hands of the central data system managers and operators. They too end up creating DVDs filled with all sorts of interesting things.
The central network controls thought up by the closed shop guys are ordinarily not sensitive to the needs of legitimate internal agency researchers.
Absent effective "hard encryption" technology, these analysts end up wandering about town with unprotected DVDs filled with the personal information of tens of thousands of people crammed into their laptop cases.
Encryption works. Encryption protocols can be crafted so that employees responsible for all or most of an important data base with critical or personal information can ALWAYS encrypt, and recover, this information seamlessly.
However, the success of the "closed shop" in prohibiting surreptitious entry into government data bases has led too many of the top level managers to believe that hard encryption is not needed.
Solution ~ develop and adopt government-wide encryption protocols ~ controlling access to the laptops, desktops and terminals through closed shop management style is inadequate in today's computer environment.
Might also take some of these mustache Pete's who believe solely in the "closed shop" method and show them their way to the public streets out front too.
This will not be the last time we hear of a government data base involving millions of people ending up stolen.
I don't like Filner at all .. but to say that a person can't support veterans if they never been one is a bit much. I've never been a veteran - but I totally support our military.
Also, while I wasn't a veteran, I had relatives who were active duty military and I saw first hand some of the issues they had to deal with.
I believe the VA was correct about Filner - it was "a stunt". And as often happens - when the dems get cornered - they spew out their hate for all to see.
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