DOJ raids AP offices; siezes phone records

[iRescue 0]

Well, well well...journalists finally feel what it's like to have their rights violated...Don't you think this is interesting given the raids come a few days after the IRS scandal was uncovered.....

 

via Politico:

 

"Journalists on Monday called the news the Justice Department seized records from phone lines assigned to Associated Press offices and its reporters over a two month period “chilling” and a “dragnet to intimidate the media.”

The AP reported the Justice Dept. obtained records that listed incoming and outgoing calls and the duration of those calls for work and personal phone numbers of AP reporters and phone lines for AP offices in New York, Hartford, Conn. and Washington, as well as the main number for AP reporters in the House of Representatives press gallery. The government seized records — which listed incoming and outgoing calls and the call’s length — for more than 20 separate lines assigned to the AP and its reporters, according to the AP.

 

Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren told POLITICO in an email that the DOJ’s seizure “sounds like a dragnet to intimidate the media,” not a criminal investigation.

 

“What is stunning is the breadth of the seizure!” Van Susteren said. “If you read the AP President’s letter to DOJ, and if his letter is accurate, the seizure was very broad: 2 months of telephone records involving many who work at AP! 20 phone lines, home and cell? NY, DC, Connecticut employees? That doesn’t sound like a criminal investigation, that sounds like a dragnet to intimidate the media. The US Attorney’s issued statement about the secret seizure was blah, blah, blah. It doesn’t say anything. The DOJ better be following the law and the Constitution.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/05/journos-fume-over-doj-raid-on-ap-91295.html#ixzz2TInWdObf

 

Welcome to the club......

 

[mipafox 438]

They'll get used to it.  Just like we have.

[Nikos 31]

I don't recall reading/hearing the Gov't raiding their offices. 

[Maksim 1,504]

Let's keep politics out of this thread. =)  Unless we move it there.

[iRescue 0]

Thought it was Ok because was raid on news Org.

[Fred2 367]

I guess since they have the 2nd under control, they can get rid of the 1st.

[DirtyDigz 1,812]

My understanding is that it was not a raid on the AP offices, it was a subpoena of records from telephone companies.  Doesn't make it any less abhorrent, but let's not completely mischaracterize what it was.  The AP offices likely did not have the journalist's phone records, the DOJ had to subpoena those from the telcos.

[iRescue 0]

Right. I apologize.

 

From my reading.. It seems like they obtained the records at some point.. Then sent them a letter recently telling them what they did.

 

 

[Shawnmoore81 623]

With the spy center in Utah it can't be hard to get all that info