Ousted Aide Seeks Identity Of Web User (FR mentioned) (MD4BUSH-NCPAC)

WBAL on-line ^ | May 6, 2005 | WBAL

[ZinGirl]

BALTIMORE -- There is a new effort to unravel Maryland's political mystery -- who is MD4BUSH, the Internet name of whoever communicated with Gov Ehrlich's aide Joe Steffen about Mayor Martin O'Malley's personal life.

I-Team lead investigative reporter Jayne Miller said Steffen is behind the new push to find the answer.

*snip*

In his letter, Steffen's lawyer specifically seeks MD4BUSH's account information at Free Republic.com, which would include an e-mail address and server records that could reveal clues about the locations from which MD4BUSH logged in.

*snip*

Miller said Free Republic.com's operator has suggested he'd like to reveal information about MD4BUSH -- saying publicly when the whole story broke, he was "almost hoping to receive a subpoena." Miller reported that could happen if Steffen sues to get the information he seeks.

[ZinGirl]

if a double...please delete. (Yes! I tried a search). FR is not just mentioned....we're the TOPIC, baby!

[Peach]

Bump

[baseballmom]

BTTT

I'd like to know too. ....

[advance_copy]

But Steffen's lawyer is using both federal law and a previous court case to try to force Free Republic.com's hand. The federal law is called the electronic communications privacy act and does permit a Web site operator to reveal account information about a user. A lawyer familiar with the federal law told 11 News under its terms, Steffen is entitled to information about MD4BUSH

Well, now this might shed a little light in a dark corner... I wonder if anyone knows anything about the "electronic communications privacy act". Is there a lawyer in the house?

[Dog]

In his letter, Steffen's lawyer specifically seeks MD4BUSH's account information at Free Republic.com, which would include an e-mail address and server records that could reveal clues about the locations from which MD4BUSH logged in.

There we go....can you release the info now?

Please..

[Junior]

Why? When folks sign on here it's in the hope that most of this information will remain confidential and not be handed over to the government. Being anonymous keeps the government from harrasing one just because of the views one takes.

[Dog]

MD4Bush entrapped a Freeper.....and used it against an aide to the Gov of MD....to smear the Gov. I think IMHO...this info should be made public.....someone ran a sting to score political points.

Payback is now at hand.

[Netizen]

I didn't follow the story so I don't understand what the deal is, but I guess people don't want internet privacy anymore. Was there something in the story that wasn't true? Is this why they want the info so they can sue because someone lied?

[Glenn]

>>When folks sign on here it's in the hope that most of this information will remain confidential and not be handed over to the government

i hope you've learned over the years that you are responsible for your virtual self. more than one freeper has had the secret service stop by for a chat when they chose to go over the line. (although i'd probably rather have a chat with them than a dressing down by JR.)

[tomkat]

Please remember that you have a lot of capable friends here eager to help as needed.

Hope our bushwacked FReeper ends up nailin' someone's ass to the wall over all this !

[Netizen]

MD4Bush entrapped a Freeper.....

How so? and used it against an aide to the Gov of MD....to smear the Gov.

Was the information untrue?

[tomkat]

Background

[expat_panama]

It's hard to get the facts here.  MD4BUSH is (was?) an actual freeper with posts and an about page.

We've had a lot of trolls here-- possibly MD4BUSH.   IMHO we've been getting a lot of new 'protectionists' who've been panning Bush and saying how great Clinton was.   Same for all the new immigration bush-bashers.

The question is whether this is 'divide and conquer' or am I running low on tin-foil.

[kevkrom]

When folks sign on here it's in the hope that most of this information will remain confidential and not be handed over to the government.

This is why JimRob hasn't released the information on his own. owever, it seems clear that "MD4BUSH" misreprented him/herself (or themselves), and very likely broke their agreement with FR policies, so I have no poblem with Jim turing over the info if Steffen (or anyone else) gets a court order for it.

[Dog]

You don't post private freepmail's in the open which MD4BUSH did to Steffin....and then have a major American newspaper run a story based on the private freepmail you posted on the open forum.

Now in my world ...ruining a mans career to score a few political points for a hack politican....is not right.

Screw the rules.....JimRob should sic'em...

[Netizen]

Thanks for the link. From what I read, I guess I don't see the problem.

Was this Mayor's private life somehow 'protected' while other politicians aren't? Were the things said untrue? If it's a matter of who said what, wouldn't the content of the emails be enough to show who said what, without having to reveal anyone's identity?

The internet is notorious for BS and rumors, should all posters have to use their real names?

[Netizen]

You don't post private freepmail's in the open which MD4BUSH did to Steffin....

Well, posting them is against FR rules and netiquette, but other than that, oh well.

As for ruining a career, was the info true or not?

[Netizen]

I forgot to add that since they broke FR's rules about posting them, they should be banned or suspended, like others that have done the same thing.

[tomkat]

My understanding of it is that MD4 was some kind of agent provocateur in here who, in collaboration w/a WaPo reporter, libeled our FReeper (Steffin) by misrepresenting the content of FReepmails between the two of them, having same published in the comPost, resulting in our guy's losing his job w/the MD governor's office.

That's merely my recollection of events however and it would behoove you to read the archived posts as I suffer from chronic Sometimers.

[Dog]

Why are you so hung up on is it true or not.

I don't know if the politican in question was having an affair.

Steffin lost his job....because of what happened..