ABC Claims Government Traced Its Reporters' Calls

New York Sun ^ | May 16,2006 | JOSH GERSTEIN

[Kaslin]

ABC News claimed yesterday that phone calls made by its reporters and journalists at the New York Times and Washington Post are being traced by the federal government as part of an investigation into leaks of classified information.

In a blog posting, the network said two of its reporters, Richard Esposito and Brian Ross, were told by an unnamed senior federal official that the government had obtained records of calls placed by the two men. The network said the probe may be focused on leaks about a CIA program to detain terrorism suspects at secret locations outside America, but could also involve the network's reports on the spy agency's use of missile-firing Predator drones in Pakistan.

[colonialhk]

I am sure they have a court order on this one. A federal crime has been committed.

[BlueStateDepression]

Now we see the real reason for the uproar over the call records being given to the NSA. B

(IF they were actually given)

DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!

[BlueStateDepression]

Maybe ABC can borrow CBS's big black eye!

Which one? Rather or Couric? He He...

[BlueStateDepression]

If they are free of coverage by these laws, of course, every spy, every terrorist agent will become a news reporter or work for the media so that they can freely contact any they choose, handle information as they choose.

Can you say Al Jazeera?

[Captain Kirk]

It all comes down to the government abusing its given powers, and that can happen regardless of who is the POTUS. What they are doing now is not abuse of their powers as far as I understand it. If Hitlery were doing the same right now I would still be happy that the traitors were being tracked, although I wouldn't be so quick to actually give her credit for the idea. :)

Let me get this right. You are saying that anybody can "abuse" presidential power....therefore we shouldn't worry if President Hitlery unquestioned and unchecked power to track our (err "traitors", that means you btw) phone calls? Interesting theory there.....but then I one of those rare fossels who still still believes that Acton's dictum was correct. Yeah,....I know your response. You're going to tell me that "everything changed" on 9-11, right? Save it. The march of power to use any excuse to suppress liberty has not changed.

[George W. Bush]

Just wait until President Hillary starts tapping the phones of Washington Times and National Review. Maybe people will see how wrong it is to give the government such power.

[HawaiianGecko]

I have a hard time understanding the reasoning that it is somehow a bad thing for governmental agencies to investigate possible law breaking.  I'm sure more people are investigated that are totally innocent of any charges than are people that actually get charged. It's simply a natural part of "gum shoeing" and has gone on for centuries. If one is only allowed to investigate people known to have broken the law, what's the point in having a trial in court?

 

 

[George W. Bush]

Few of us remaining, Captain. I think we're an endangered species.

[Joe Boucher]

You should know by now that Mr. Bush has this can't we all just get along idea in his head.
Thinks this attitude will encourage a large majority to come together like they did for him in Texas.
Ain't gonna happen here in the national and international stage though.
He has yet to send up a veto or knock down any overly costly budget item. Reporters and senators as well as congresscritters have treated him and his subordinates like crap with impunity knowing nothing will happen.
After some of the crap his former press secretary took I'd have gone after some of these bozos physically.
So much for my rant,

Thanks for your service as a carrier flyer.
I live on a nice little airpark in southeast florida and have an RV6A.

[Cap Huff]

While everybody has been going ballistic over border issues (on both sides of the issue) this story has been working its way to the surface.

Here's an interesting blog entry that may seem a bit cryptic (no pun intended) but may be worth a read:

http://macsmind.blogspot.com/2006/05/rockefeller-did-you-teller-xxii.html

The really interesting things are perhaps in the comments section. A link from someone named clarice presents an interesting hypothesis:

http://americanthinker.com/comments.php?comments_id=5140

It just might start to explain a number of otherwise inexplicable events in the last couple of years.

[Pox]

Bovine Excrement.

If the powers granted to our government are being abused, remove the abusers from power in any way possible, IMO.

Who is claiming that President Bush has been granted unquestioned and unchecked powers?

Is President Bush abusing any powers that have been granted to the POTUS? If you believe so, then start the push to have him removed, otherwise you're just pissing into the wind, IMO.

[Pox]

So basically you advocate the libertarian POV and prefer anarchy to civilization?

[Peach]

Very interesting; I vaguely remember Comey.

[LibWhacker]

Gee, haven't everyone's calls been "traced" under this new NSA program? That's the point. We want to know who's calling whom so we can catch terrorists. I don't give a fig if ABC doesn't like it.

[ElPatriota]

ABC News claimed yesterday that phone calls made by its reporters and journalists at the New York Times and Washington Post are being traced by the federal government as part of an investigation into leaks of classified information.

Now I feel better to know that the ENEMY is being watched!... :) way to go NSA!!!! :)

[HawaiianGecko]

Just wait until President Hillary starts tapping the phones of Washington Times and National Review. Maybe people will see how wrong it is to give the government such power.

The article doesn't make the claim that anyone is "tapping phones" or doing anything illegal or doing anything not specifically outlined in the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986.  Your claim of tapping phones sounds good, but it's not what this article says happened.

 

 

[Obadiah]

Funny how the MSM never seemed bothered by Clinton's use of the IRS to attack their enemies. Many of us here are convinced that the MSM has been actively engaging in subversive activity. Subversive in the manner of deliberately trying to undermine the authority and credibility of this president during a time of war. The MSM has been actively engaged in doing all they can to undermine the effort to successfully prosecute this war. These activities warrant investigation. No one is saying that the freedom of the press should be impinged, just that it should not be used as a tool by liberals to sabotage this country.

[traditional1]

"ABC News claimed yesterday that phone calls made by its reporters and journalists at the New York Times and Washington Post are being traced by the federal government "

GOOD !

Now, build a case for treason against the yahoo's that leak classified information, and develop a RICO case against the MSM for their efforts to implement even more Socialism, and I'll be impressed.....

[SixIron]

"If there's a lunch truck outside the ABC offices, he'd do well to add Tums, anti-perspirant, Paxil, and dry underpants to his offerings."

Don't know if you noticed, but that lunch truck had an awful lot of antennae......

[Mad Dawg]

ABC News claimed yesterday that phone calls made by its reporters and journalists at the New York Times and Washington Post are being traced by the federal government as part of an investigation into leaks of classified information.They say this like it's a bad thing....