Posted on 03/21/2008 4:25:53 AM PDT by Republican Red
BALTIMORE -- Federal prosecutors have opened an inquiry into allegations that two Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee employees illegally tapped into Lt. Gov. Michael Steele's credit history.
WBAL-TV 11 News reporter David Collins reported the workers obtained the report in July while executing opposition research on the lieutenant governor.
In June, the Republican lieutenant governor announced he had established an exploratory committee to explore a candidacy for the U.S. Senate (Full Story).
Paul D. Ellington, Steele's chief of staff, issued a statement late Wednesday afternoon in reaction to the allegations.
"Lt. Gov. Steele was extremely disturbed to learn about the alleged criminal identity theft of his personal finance records by (a staff member of U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.,) at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
"He was notified by the FBI that a federal criminal investigation is under way and has been asked not to comment on the specifics of the case.
"He intends to honor this request and expects that those responsible for these actions will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
According to the FBI, two Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee employees illegally obtained Steele's credit report.
Those familiar with the incident, say Katie Barge and Lauren Weiner were working on opposition research in July. They found Steele's Social Security number in a court document and used it to obtain his credit report.
"It's extremely unethical," said Evan Hendricks, the author of "Credit Scores Credit Reports." "This is a case of a couple very bright researchers, so smart, ending up doing the stupidest thing they could have done."
Hendricks, a privacy expert who has written books on the subject, said that without authorization, those snooping would have had to misrepresent themselves.
"There's lies involved one way or the other. The law is very clear on this," Hendricks said.
Collins reported that the two employees have since resigned and committee officials said they have destroyed the document. The committee said they have immediately reported the incident to the Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney's Office, and have since issued an apology.
"While the DSCC did not authorize the employees to access Mr. Steele's credit report, we regret that this incident occurred and apologize to Mr. Steele," DSCC spokesman Phil Singer told 11 News.
Singer's statement continued, in part, by saying "the DSCC also launched an internal review into this matter, ascertained that it was an isolated incident and has put safeguards in place to ensure that no employee ever does this again."
Matthew Crenson, a professor of political science at the Johns Hopkins University, spoke about opposition research, saying credit reports could provide opponents with some embarrassing material, including "past bankruptcies (which may be questionable), great large debts (and) suspicious expenditures."
Collins said it's no secret that Steele was in financial trouble before being elected lieutenant governor. Steele publicly disclosed in 2002 his personal debts that included an unpaid political loan.
are they yipping and yapping about the passport this A.M.?
The Stupid Party didn’t exactly exert themselves, either. You know if it were the other way around, the RATS would have been out on the Capitol steps screaming bloody murder.
It is interesting how the democrats can easily push this down to their low level employees but with the Republicans the issue always goes to the top.
The Stupid Party in the People’s Republic of Maryland (Land of Peasant Living) barely exists.
The problem right now is that Maura Harty may be Clinton’s agent but she is Bush’s employee.
This is why the Clintons are so uniquely dangerous. Seven plus years after the fact and the STILL have de facto control the civil service.
why isnt this the partys talking point.....?
The national one isn’t registering much of a pulse on this kind of stuff, either.
When Linda Tripp was in the news they didn’t just leak, they were pumping out anything and everything as fast as possible!
Do not recall anybody being terminated?
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
Obama won his Senate seat because his Republican opponent was forced to drop out of the race after embarrassing information from sealed divorce records was leaked to the press. Was that ever investigated?
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