Posted on 05/13/2013 5:24:46 PM PDT by Nachum
Edited on 05/13/2013 5:40:13 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
May 13, 2013
Attorney General Eric Holder
Department of Justice Washington, D . C .
Dear General Holder :
I am writing to object in the strongest possible terms to a massive and unprecedented intrusion by the Department of Justice into the newsgathering activities of The Associated Press.
Last Friday afternoon, AP General Counsel Laura Malone received a letter from the office of United States Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. advisin g that, at some unidentified time earlier this year, the Department obtained telephone toll records for more than 20 separate telephone lines assigned to the AP and its journalists. The records that were secretly obtained cover a full two month period in early 2012 and, at least as described in Mr. Machen’s letter, include all such records for, among other phone lines, an AP general phone number in New York City as well as AP bureaus in New York City, Washington, D.C., Hartford, Connecticut, and at the House of Representatives. This action was taken without advance notice to AP or to any of the affected journalists, and even after the fact no notice has been sent to individual journalists whose home phones and cell phone records were seized by the Department.
There can be no possible justification for such an overbroad collection of the telephone communications of The Associated Press and its reporters. These records potentially reveal communications with confidential sources across all of the newsgathering activities undertaken by the AP during a two month period, provide a road map to AP’s newsgathering operations, and disclose information about AP’s activities and operations that the government has no conceivable right to know.
That the Department underto ok this unprecedented step without providing any notice to the AP, and without taking any steps to narrow the scope of its subpoenas to matters actually relevant to an ongoing investigation, is particularly troubling.
The sheer volume of records obtained, most of which can have no plausible connection to any ongoing investigation, indicates, at a minimum, that this effort did not comply with 28 C.F.R. §50.10 and should therefore never have been undertaken in the first place. The regulations require that, i n all cases and without exception, a subpoena for a reporter’s telephone toll records must be “as narrowly drawn as possible.’’ This plainly did not happen.
We regard this action by the Department of Justice as a serious interference with AP’s constitutional rights to gather and report the news. While we evaluate our options we urgently request that you immediately return to the AP the telephone toll records that the Department subpoenaed and destroy all copies. At a minimum, we request that you take steps to segregate these records and prohibit any reference to them pending further discussion and, if it proves necessary, guidance from appropriate judicial authorities. We also ask for an immediate explanation as to why this extraordinary action w as taken, and a description of the steps the Department will take to mitigate its impact on AP and its reporters.
Given the gravity of this situation, I look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely,
Gary Pruitt
Wasn’t Holder going to quit anyway? Obama is in big trouble, and then this comes out.
“Look at Holder! Look at Holder!”
Are the Democrats really that sneaky? Yep.
Can anyone imagine the response of Ben Franklin or perhpas Jefferson?
“You didn’t use lube, President Lightbringer! What’s up with that? You promised!”
}:-)4
Welcome to Obamastan.
You mean laziness? You could have easily gone thru it and inserted paragraph breaks on your own...........just sayin
You’re a jerk. Give the man a break.
Gary Pruitt's new to the world of Government thugs - he probably thought if he was accepted as a liberal elite, he would get a pass... and they wouldn't come after him or his organization... 'They came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Jew..." so I'll help Gary Pruitt ...
First, if you use the words "constitutional rights' you will be branded as a potential domestic terrorist. Yes, I'm telling you the truth. Homeland Security has that as one of their 'buzz phrases'... you could be pulled into Janet's web...
Also be careful Gary Pruitt - if liberal elites don't like the words you use, you'll have the IRS to deal with... in addition to your file at Homeland Security... you could be on an enemies list already...
Interesting point you bring up.
Vince Flynn does seem to publish before the fact—I’ve noticed this too.
Mitch Rapp is fiction, even if mythical, unfortunately, with the military playing defense even at home.
1st: Freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition..Obama WH Targets Tea Party
2nd: Right to keep and bear arms..Weapons Ban
3rd: Quartering of soldiers
4th: Search, seizures, proper warrants..Boston, Drone Surveillance in US, and now AP
5th: Criminal proceedings, due process, eminent domain WH claims right to kill or Indefinitely Detain Americans
6th: Right to a fair trial..See 5th
7th: Rights in civil cases..Obama WH only brings civil cases when minorities are victims
8th: Bail, cruel and unusual punishment Obamacare Fines
9th: Protects rights not enumerated in the constitution Obama WH corruption
10th: States' rights..Obamacare
Sorry, but I think they're running interference for this A$$hole!
At least Gary spells his name with a single R. Now what are you going do to about it, Gary? Stomp your widdle feeties? Send another angry letter?
Impeachment File on Benghazi Coward B. Hussein Obama, aka Barry Soetoro, a legal citizen of the sovereign Nation of Indonesia.
Maybe y’all can get together and FReepmail Nachum with your eazy peazy instructions.
Thanks Nachum.
What are you talking about?
Don’t I recall reading about Jarrett exacting revenge after the election?
Have you noticed that the debate between the WH and media is just the talking points? Yeah they are finally doing their job, asking really tough questions on the talking points, which happens to have nothing to do with the brutal deaths of four Americans or the culpability of the administration, in those deaths. It is definitely a sham.
Is the Justice Department investigating itself?
There were rumors to that effect. It’s looking like those rumors may have been “fake but accurate.”
Agreed. This whole story makes zero sense. Am I to understand that the government reached out to let the ap know that had illegally gained phone records? Really?
What would prompt them to do that?
The response by the ap was written by a 5th grader. Jeez, I know middle school kids who can write far better than this letter.
This whole story is illogical and potentially yet another silly diversion. Somebody tell me what I’m missing.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.