Posted on 10/28/2008 9:10:47 PM PDT by GVnana
Toledo police clerk charged in Joe The Plumber snooping case; Update: Snooper was doing a favor for a reporter; Joe may sue By Michelle Malkin October 28, 2008 04:49 PM Scroll for updates
Just in: The Toledo Police Department confirms that one of its records clerks has been charged with performing an unlawful search of Joe The Plumbers records.
That makes two Ohio government employees identified in the snooping case. (Obama donor Helen Jones-Kelly, director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, approved a separate search. More are being investigated.)
WNWO reports:
Toledo Police have confirmed that a TPD records clerk is accused of performing an illegal search of information related to Joe the Plumber.
Julie McConnell, has been charged with Gross Misconduct for allegedly making an improper inquiry into a state database in search of information pertaining to Samuel Wurzelbacher on Oct. 16.
Wurzelbacher came under the spotlight after being spoken about during the final presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain.
The inquiry into Wurzelbachers record is a violation of department and state policy governing the use of the Law Enforcement Automated Data System. The clerk is under fire for making the inquiry for a non-law enforcement purpose.
McConnell was hired by the Toledo Police Department in April 1995 and assigned to the Investigative Services Bureau. A quick search of campaign donor records doesnt turn up McConnells name.
Maggie Thurber wants to know: Who was McConnell digging up the information for?
***
Update: Heres your answer, Maggie.
The Toledo PD clerk was reportedly doing a favor for a reporter who wanted Wurzelbachers address.
More: Joe may sue.
Go for it, Joe.
Sue em for $249,999.99 Joe! lol!
Sue the clerk, the city and the reporter.
It sounds like it’s time to start a Joe the Plumber legal fund. I hope he sues everyone involved.
Just proves that all the wailing by the left about the Patriot Act and how it would violate citizens’ privacy was just projection.
That's funny, but completely inadequate. Joe would appear to have an airtight case against the State. add at least one more "9."
How the heck did we get to this point?
Rather than debating the honest points that Joe raised with Obama, instead, the MSM decides to do character assassination against Joe. Rather than discuss the merits of the points Joe makes, instead, it’s decided to destroy this man’s reputation and ignore all of the legitimate policy points Joe raised.
Incredible. Sadly incredible.
I fear this type of thing will become more widespread if Obama wins......
What reporter??????? he/she needs to be named.
I hope Joe sues every last one of those sick scumbags blind.
agreed
Who is the reporter that hired the clerk?
Agreed.
I have no respect for people who do not name names. But I suspect that Michelle Malkin doesn't know the name yet, because she certainly has the guts to name names, as far as I know.
The reporter wanted the address of the plumber who was shown on TV, standing at the edge of HIS OWN PROPERTY? Sounds like B.S. to me.
Palin effigy - Please call and complain.
Where? City of West Hollywood: (323) 848-6400
Mayor Jeffrey Prang jprang@weho.org.
deputy, Jake Stevens at (323) 848-6460
Mayor Pro Tempore Abbe Land aland@weho.org
deputy, Corri Planck at (323) 848-6460
Councilmember John J. Duran
Councilmember Sal Guarriello
Councilmember John Heilman
Code Compliance (Residential) 323/848-6505
How about this as the violation?
9.44.010 Prohibition. It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in malicious harassment against any other person.
(Ord. 87-151 § 1 (part), 1987: prior code § 4290)
West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce 310/650-2688
West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation 650-8771
West Hollywood Convention and Visitors Bureau 310/289-2525
http://www.weho.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/detail/navid/16/cid/3348/
I don’t think Joe is the type to sue. While these people need to be taking to the cleaners (we all will if 0 wins). Joe works hard for his money.
“Sue em for $249,999.99 Joe! lol!”
HAAAAA!! good one!
LOL! ;-D
Just one more step in the slide toward leftist totalitarianism. As a minority, we were tolerant of them -- all in the interest of "healthy debate". Equal in power, they are now completely intolerant of debate with us. They only want totalitarian control. Given more time for their power to consolidate, they will refuse to cede power even if they lose an election.
I know Joe works hard.
Someone needs to hold these folks that abuse their positions accountable.
ping
Hey Joe, what are you gonna do with your new police station?
Cute, but no worries. Damages received from civil suits are not usually taxable in the first place.
Better make that $199,99.99. No wait, $149,999.99......
This is too pat. What is the political affiliation of this clerk? Who is up the chain of command from her, and what are their political affiliations? The possibility of collusion does not stop until you run into a Republican, rather unlikely in government work in Ohio. Who is this reporter, and what reputable news organization employs such illegal tactics?
A real journalist could make quite a name for himself, or herself. Assuming, that is, that there is absolutely nothing to blackmail them over, and threatened public embarassment is a form of blackmail.
We all know that MSM reporters arent the sharpest crayons in the box, but not knowing how to use the phone book is dumber than I gave any of them credit for.
Incredible. Sadly incredible.
Not realy.
Think FBI files, Linda Tripp, that Naval officer from Able Danger who appeared before Specter's committee....it's the way it's been for a looooong time.
The media has proven itself to be a fully functioning Socialist Propaganda Apparatus.
Obama/Biden updated their definition of rich.
Joe’s gonna have to change accordingly..make that $149,999.99
Sue the hell out of them, then prosecute her.
Hey, thanks Pikachu_Dad. I just sent off an email, and it twern’t too happy.
good move, quoting the violation. I did mention that.
Yes they need to be held accountable, but suing the city is only going to put a greater burden on the taxpayers. They need to be fired immediately then prosecuted
We all know that MSM reporters arent the sharpest crayons in the box, but not knowing how to use the phone book is dumber than I gave any of them credit for.
____________________________________________________________
Especially, it happened in Joe’s neighborhood. All the reporter had to do was to go the neighborhood, ring a few door bells and find Joe.
But NOOoooooo, the reporter has to break the law in order to get Joe’s info. The reporter should be named as well because he/she asked the clerk to break the law.
I could go for that.
Just so I understand this...When Bush wants to surveil possible terrorists using any and all means possible, it’s the end of the Constitution according to the NYT, WAPO CNN et al.
But, when a common citizen asks a two sentence question of Barack the Merciful, that same press has no problems using any means (legal or otherwise) to get the dirt to destroy this non-believer.
Where’s the outrage from the MSM? Where’s Bill Moyers and his sanctimony? Where 60 Minutes with their cameras crawling up the (#)*$% of these Ohio GOVERNMENT agencies.
This incident makes me more angry than anything else that’s happened in this election SO FAR. Who knows how much worse things will get if McCain continues to close the gap?
Sue for more Joe, sue everyone involved. You will be a Congressman in a couple years so show them how much spunk you have.
GO JOE GO!!!
In the article in the Toledo Blade he said that he’d contacted a lawyer. His reasoning is that no citizen should go through what he did just for asking a question.
The reporter was after more than the address, the clerk is lying.
Sorry, this story is breaking and I don't have that data yet.
I’m not the suing type, but this cannot be left unpunished. The next clerk should have to think twice before pulling this kind of illegal stunt. I would sue, seek federal civil rights violation investigations, anything I could to punish this.
see post #33
We have a reverse source protection case. Normally, the reporter would claim privilege to prevent disclosure of a source. Now we have a public employee performing an illegal act on behalf of a reporter. The reporter is now part of the story. A grand jury should be convened to force the clerk to disclose the reporter's name. The reporter should be charged with conspiring to violate the privacy of Joe the plumber.
Toledo is Dem controlled. Unless Joe threatens to sue, the “investigation” will peter out and nothing will happen.
Thanks for the ping!
gotta go for the jugular... bring federal charges for trying to influence the election. offer a plea if the reporter is named and the specific information requested. then repeat with the reporter and continue up the chain. The reporter knowingly asked a public servant to do something illegal, and then knowingly their employer published that data in an attempt to influence a federal election. I’m no lawyer, but I gotta believe there are a few laws against that! Ohio authorities will never pursue this, so it’s gotta be the feds. Would this be DOJ or FEC? Anyone for a JTP email campaign to bring federal charges?
Are spies hung or do they face a firing squad?
Depends if someone wants to waste bullets or reuse a slightly used rope.
EXCELLENT!!!!
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