1. I guess I’m to assume that no warrant or subpoena was used.
2. Note Drudgereport headline uses the term “TAPS” despite it being pretty clear that we’re not talking about illegal phone taps, just phone records.
3. What carrier was involved? I would like to know why they gave the information up without a warrant or subpoena. Was it something from the Patriot act?
The AP story is a trap, set to net the republicants. The unJustice department will, when the time is right, release the leak that the subpoenaed records were going after a secrets leaker endangering the nation. This will give the media the hook upon which to embarass the republicants and cause them to sit down and shut up on the real impeachable treachery, Benghazi. BTW, the IRS scandal will be handled by giving up minor agency players for crucifixion, leaving little barry unscathed. AP is a trap. IT’S A TRAP!
Quoting:
“We take seriously our obligations to follow all applicable laws, federal regulations, and Department of Justice policies when issuing subpoenas for phone records of media organisations,” the office said.
Once investigators for the federal attorney studied the records and established suspected government leakers they might apply for warrants to monitor those phone lines to build a case.
The problem with this operation is that the net is so wide it offers investigators the opportunity to gather information not relevant to an alleged national security breech. If the information is being shared with White House or DNC operatives the potential for abuse is scary.
This information could involve identities of anonymous sources for a range of AP stories. Dates and times of phone contacts could be correlated with dates stories were published to pin down the sources. If a source was a federal employee and the story was unfavorable to the administration or a Democrat politician then retaliation might happen.
If investigators discover that a reporter or editor is having an affair, frequenting prostitutes, purchasing illegal drugs, accepting bribes for favorable news coverage, etc. then the individual is vulnerable to blackmail.
Some home phone records were seized. What if investigators discovered a journalist's spouse was having a secret affair or feeding a secret drug habit? The spouse might be blackmailed into spying on the journalist. I'm just speculating but the past four years demonstrate that these people are indistinguishable from a criminal syndicate.
If anything is to be learned from Fast and Furious, Benghazi, the IRS scandal and many other sinister events, it is that the Obama’s is the most Machiavellian Administration in history.