ABC Claims Government Traced Its Reporters' Calls

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

[George W. Bush]

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

I advocate the Constitutional view and take a dim view of any expansion of governmental power at the expense of liberty. Liberty, once lost, is difficult to reclaim without bloodshed.

As for preferring anarchy, do you think that's what we had before all these new 'security' measures? And we're no more secure against a determined enemy than we were before. Inept freaks with boxcutters might not make it now but we're far from secure.

[George W. Bush]

Funny how the MSM never seemed bothered by Clinton's use of the IRS to attack their enemies.

Or 900 FBI files. They really are whores.

[George W. Bush]

We want to know who's calling whom so we can catch terrorists.

Yeah, we'll have Bin Laden by next week. Count on it.

[Tannerone]

SO how do they know the calls are being traced? If being traced.

Do we have a "leaker" in the woodpile with the crapped on newspaper?

[carrier-aviator]

You misread my post. When I said "who cares," I meant "who cares about ABC's whining." I think ANYONE that divulges classified information (to include "leaks") ought to be tossed into jail.

[JoeGar]

Er, isn't "investigate" what the gummint is supposed to do when classified information is published?

[NCLaw441]

You said: I advocate the Constitutional view and take a dim view of any expansion of governmental power at the expense of liberty. Liberty, once lost, is difficult to reclaim without bloodshed.
***

I don't understand how liberty is being lost by the government obtaining telephone records that the phone companies have always kept. I don't see what provision of the Constitution this might implicate. We are still free to make any calls we like. The phone system has always kepts records of what number those calls were made to and from. I am especially dubious of any claim of "privacy" made by corporations, even so-called journalistic corporations.

[YaYa123]

I understand the current law is, it's illegal to give out classified information, but it's not illegal to receive it. I'm still googling to double-check myself.

[Pox]

I advocate the Constitutional view and take a dim view of any expansion of governmental power at the expense of liberty. Liberty, once lost, is difficult to reclaim without bloodshed.

Nothing wrong with that. However, our own Supreme Court has already ruled decades ago that these records are fair game and that the Constitution does not forbid our government, or civilians for that matter, from utilizing these records, not the content of the conversations mind you, in a law abiding manner.

Are you saying that you disagree with the USSC?

As for preferring anarchy, do you think that's what we had before all these new 'security' measures? And we're no more secure against a determined enemy than we were before. Inept freaks with boxcutters might not make it now but we're far from secure.

What I am saying is your steadfast refusal to allow our government the tools necessary to insure our safety will inevitably lead to the downfall of civilization and Anarchy, IMO.

If not for the "Gorelick Wall", we may have had a fair chance of stopping the 9/11 hijackers prior to the tragedy, IMO.

[Mad Dawg]

Look: rightly or wrongly, when individual states misused their rights under the Constitution, a war was fought and amendments were passed which limited states' rights and which (perniciously, in my opinion) expanded the power of the Federal Government. A lot of the crappy thinking on the part of the Supremes appeals to the Reconstruction amendments for its pretense of legitimacy.

Rightly or wrongly, there will come limitations and hindrances on the precious (IMHO) freedom of the press because it as been abused for several decades and flagrantly abused for a couple of decades.

When you have reporters famously saying that their special status as reporters would forbid them from intervening if they knew US troops were walking into an ambush, the end of their freedom is near.

I try not to get all Biblical and prophetic, but the MSM has squandered its birth-right, and the time for reckoning is coming and the bill collector is at the door.

The sons of b*tches have thrown away something precious.

[George W. Bush]

Are you saying that you disagree with the USSC?

Regularly. That was, after all, the point of electing Bush. Judges who are strict constructionists. As we heard in 2000 and 2004, if nothing else vote for Bush because of the judges.

What I am saying is your steadfast refusal to allow our government the tools necessary to insure our safety will inevitably lead to the downfall of civilization and Anarchy, IMO.

How do you sleep at night?

[LibWhacker]

If he dares to pick up the phone in his cave, maybe we will.

[Pox]

Regularly. That was, after all, the point of electing Bush. Judges who are strict constructionists. As we heard in 2000 and 2004, if nothing else vote for Bush because of the judges.

Fair enough. I disagree with you on this issue since I can find nothing in the Constitution or BOR that would justify your belief/stance.

How do you sleep at night?

Comfortably and deep. I also do not have recurring dreams of Black Helicopters on their way to get me! :)

I understand your misgivings, however, I am not personally paranoid to the N^th degree. :)

[George W. Bush]

If he dares to pick up the phone in his cave, maybe we will.

No, he's not in a cave. And the intel services of various Muslim countries, some who pretend to be our friends, will help him evade detection. IMHO.

[George W. Bush]

Comfortably and deep. I also do not have recurring dreams of Black Helicopters on their way to get me! :)

The time to stop the black helicopters is before they buy them and train the pilots.

[cwb]

Well...this certainly goes a long way in explaining the media's continuing obssession with the NSA issue. It's not the American people they are worried about; it's their potential treasonous behavior.

[Pox]

Way too late for that now. The New Deal was enacted prior to my birth by several decades. :)

[uncitizen]

ABC probably made up the story to "Inoculate" its agents reporters.

Whatever their reasoning was, they probably fabricated this story. Trying to put the legs back on the "tapping our phone lines" story.

[MissAmericanPie]

When the founders penned the Constitution insuring freedom of the press, little did they know that in our day it would be interpreted that the press is free to lie, distort, spin, be biased, indoctrinate, and aid and abet our enemies.

The Fed can get a ton of information from collecting all our phone records, they know the address of every illegal, every active patriot, every active liberal, and they can tally the number of the silent majority who just don't give a hoot about the workings of D.C., and find out which members of the press communicate with terrorists.

[Ben Hecks]

Very interesting; I vaguely remember Comey.

Comey supervised Noel Hillman who allowed Berger to plead to a misdemeanor and go to traffic court. Let's see....Comey appoints Fitzgerald and Hillman lets Berger walk. Great bunch we have there at DoJ.