Now theyre using the call records to track down the whistleblowers

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DarkHand

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http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_t...source_tel.html

Secret gov't source tells ABC News: 'Get new cellphones'

Posted by Frank James at 12:10 pm CDT

ABC News has a very disturbing report today, at least for reporters and anyone else who believe that whistleblowers serve an important role in safeguarding American democracy.

On its blog, The Blotter, ABC News reports that a senior government source has told its reporters that the reporters’ phone calls with sources are being tracked by the U.S. government “to root out confidential sources.â€

I hasten to say I don't have independent confirmation of the ABC News report. But I thought it was something readers of The Swamp would find interesting. The item follows.

Federal Source to ABC News: We Know Who You're Calling
May 15, 2006 10:33 AM

Brian Ross and Richard Esposito Report:

A senior federal law enforcement official tells ABC News the government is tracking the phone numbers we call in an effort to root out confidential sources.

"It's time for you to get some new cell phones, quick," the source told us in an in-person conversation.

ABC News does not know how the government determined who we are calling, or whether our phone records were provided to the government as part of the recently-disclosed NSA collection of domestic phone calls.

Other sources have told us that phone calls and contacts by reporters for ABC News, along with the New York Times and the Washington Post, are being examined as part of a widespread CIA leak investigation.

One former official was asked to sign a document stating he was not a confidential source for New York Times reporter James Risen.

Our reports on the CIA's secret prisons in Romania and Poland were known to have upset CIA officials.

People questioned by the FBI about leaks of intelligence information say the CIA was also disturbed by ABC News reports that revealed the use of CIA predator missiles inside Pakistan.

Under Bush Administration guidelines, it is not considered illegal for the government to keep track of numbers dialed by phone customers.

The official who warned ABC News said there was no indication our phones were being tapped so the content of the conversation could be recorded.

A pattern of phone calls from a reporter, however, could provide valuable clues for leak investigators.

Being a confidential source who disagrees with a presidential administration then decides to oppose it by becoming a whistleblower can take courage when discovery means loss of a job and possible legal consequences.

It’s just that kind of courage that this revelation is likely to chill. That could be the administration’s intent here, to make would-be confidential sources think twice before talking with reporters.

It’s no small irony that the only reason we now know about this is because a ABC News’ confidential source told them about it.

The Blotter posting raises the question of whether ABC News’ phone calls were swept up as part of the vast National Security Agency database consisting of the phone-call records of millions of Americans which USA Today reported on last week.

It’s impossible for anyone outside of a few inside the government to say. But the fact that ABC News journalists are even seriously wondering about whether the warning is connected to the NSA’s domestic surveillance activities indicates just how anxious many people in Washington have become.
 
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nothing this president and his idiots do surprises me anymore.
Yes and no. Although I despise this adminastration, they are not dumb. For the past 6 years, they have slowly taken away our rights with propaganda saying "its to end the war on terrorism" and when it started, the public bought it and didn't question. It went so far as the dixie chicks were basicly ruined because they made negative statements about the president and VP. America did this to themselves. Half of my fucking peers voted this guy back into office. His campaine was really genious. He was loosing on the issues that really effect this country so to avoid them, he put Same Sex Unions on the ballots of key states that he was in limbo with. This caused the Jesus Freaks to go out and vote in force, winning the election for him.

Sneaky, dirty, dictorial politions, yes, Idiots, far from.
 
The Dixie Chicks weren't ruined by the Bush administration, they fucked themselves by going to Franc an denouncing BUSH and the actions of the USA when relations between the two countries were strained at best because France wouldn't back a war in Iraq because they were illegally making billions off of "Oil for Food"

And before I hear the "they opposed it because they new Iraq didn't have WMD's" I'll remind you that France said Iraq had WMD's, they just opposed military action.

And disclosing Secret and Top Secret government information through "leaks" is a federal offense so fuck whoever got caught, I hope they're executed for treason...

Disclosing Security clearance level information is a crime, there is no confidential trust between the media and there sources.

but I suppose you don't care that they're breaking the law cause MTV told you that Bush was evil...
 
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I hate that bullshit.^^^ "Oh, somebody else must have told you how to feel because you couldn't possibly make up your own mind."

no you misinterpreted my comment, a more accurate paraphrase would have been

"Based on your lack of actual knowledge on the subject matter I would assume you get the info you base your opinion on from a poor source"

I really can't believe you guys don't see through this. The government is going after criminals who are leaking classified info which the media uses for ratings... is it that hard to understand why the media is agianst this?

This is just the government policing their own, plain and simple
 
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHa


"someone", not even an official, told ABC "get new phones" and all the sudden it's fact, and everyone is out to get us. I think you choose to believe this stuff because deep down you WANT someone to be out to get you.

You awake everyday searching for a reason to hate George. You guys are funny !
 
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The government is going after criminals who are leaking classified info which the media uses for ratings... is it that hard to understand why the media is agianst this?

This is just the government policing their own, plain and simple

The people leaking this info took an oath to secrecy. The same people also took an oath to uphold the constitution. When the secrets being held violate the constitution, it's time for them to come out. Ultimately, they serve the people, our rights, our liberties and our constitution, not the government. Government is merely a means to an end, not an end in itself. When they see that government violating the people's constitution, that overrides the oath to secrecy.

From BalanceOfJudgement on Slashdot regarding the same topic: "There's a standing rule in the military that you don't carry out illegal orders from your commanding officer. No Western military tribunal will accept the excuse "I was just following orders." This is because morality can't be put down in a book as a list of numbered, sanctioned rules - we would always miss at least one (and more likely miss thousands).

Soldiers are not expected to be machines, contrary to popular belief; they have to morally evaluate the orders they are given, because it is their responsibility to stand up and say "NO!" if they are given an illegal order (like "Ok, let's take some embarassing pictures of some of our prisoners over there. Say cheese!").

Every American citizen has the same responsibility, ESPECIALLY those with security clearances. It is often only they that will ever be aware of abuses being carried out by our government. There are no hard and fast rules for recognizing unethical or immoral behavior; it is up to us, as moral, thinking beings, to figure it out."
 
On a side note, a bullet fired from the Silverchild gun is getting more and more lethal. Your writing skills and blogging has fine tuned your argument, and I'm happy to see that you're on the right team.

Thanks, I'm no longer alone.
 
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The Dixie Chicks weren't ruined by the Bush administration, they fucked themselves by going to Franc an denouncing BUSH and the actions of the USA when relations between the two countries were strained at best because France wouldn't back a war in Iraq because they were illegally making billions off of "Oil for Food"

That is exactly it, I get all my info from the daily show and MTV.


As for going to france, the statement was said on March 10, 2003 in London (which I think MTV told me was in England) Two days later she said ""I feel the President is ignoring the opinions of many in the U.S. and alienating the rest of the world." By his words "You are either with us or against us in the fight against terror." Which includes nations and citizens. This idea follows others in his administration. John Ashcroft has gone as far as saying “To those who scare peace-loving people with phantoms of lost liberty, my message is this: Your tactics only aid terrorists for they erode our national unity and diminish our resolve (12/7/01).” The answers to controversal Big Brothe policies are "were fight terrorism" When will this ballance of fighting the terrorists vs preserving our rights end and on what side will the ballance rest?
 
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The government is going after criminals who are leaking classified info which the media uses for ratings... is it that hard to understand why the media is agianst this?

This is just the government policing their own, plain and simple

The people leaking this info took an oath to secrecy. The same people also took an oath to uphold the constitution. When the secrets being held violate the constitution, it's time for them to come out.

but leaking classified info to the media is not protected by the 1st amendment! What's more, military and other DOD or national security employees aren't protected by the first amendment the same way you are. This is simply the media lashing out cause they're afriad they'll lose some good resources for info they leagally shouldn't get in the first place. It's spin, spin based on fear of losing money. I can't belive you guys can piece together how Bush caused 911 and you can't connect the dots here LMAO

And the Dixie Chicks comment might have been made in London. I remember them being in a tour of Europe that included France, could have sworn Paris had some part in it as I remember. But it doesn't really matter, they said it in a foreign country and that's good enough for me... either way Bush didn't fuck them either Kanyee
 
It's always the same things from Steve and Silverchild ...
"You blame bush xxx"
"You wake up and look for reasons to hate Bush xxx"

No one has to LOOK for reasons to 'hate' Bush, or disapprove of his administration, those reasons are all over the place. XXX just takes them into their own perception, and is immediately WRONG/STUPID/Watches MTV/Jerry Springer/"Un-American" according to SilverChild.
Yet, you HAVE to find reasons to justify WHAT he's doing and WHY he's doing it AND make it seem all good in your own eyes and try to push your views onto other people so they can make a biased decision. (wh0a @ run-on sentence.)
And having that skill;
I'm pretty sure Steve should run for president right now... then this country would kick ass.
 
Always remember: the Republican party won't have me because I'm pro-abortion. (Not pro choice, mind you.. Pro Abortion.)

My ideas tend to link me to Republicans for reasons that Democrats are highly irrational, mostly ludicrous and always completely off their rockers. And you should look at who is doing that to you - The Clintons, Sharpton, All of the hollywood crazies, Sheehan, Plame, The New York Slimes, .. I mean shit man, the list goes on !

You tell me to clean up my party.. man, you got some sprucing up to do too.

As far as the issues, I take a very sensible view of what's going on, and I try to get the most reliable history on the topic that I can. From there I form an idea, or opinion, about the way things should be done. Without any predisposition, I gotta tell ya, The Republicans are on my side 90%. And George Bush has done everything that he has promised, and all the laws that you piss and moan about - and you should know this from the 3rd grade civics classes - Aren't just fucking "decreed". They are voted on and ratified by a senate and congressional majority - that YOU helped to vote in !

So yes, the "Stop blaming bush" thing is valid. He's not a dictator - all of these laws, from tapping to the patriot act to health care and energy - He has ideas on how he thinks they should be done, but when his ideas aren't popular - they get shot down. When they are popular - they come into law. This is how it happens when ANYONE presents and promotes a law.

Bush is not a dictator. He may like to be, but shit - pick anyone out of the politics crowd now that wouldn't. Reagan was the last truly honorable man in the white house, before him - Eisenhower. The history of American Presidency has been speckled with joksters and people ranging from completely ineffective to completely insane.

Oh, and Cindy Sheehan, who has collected on the $500,000 of US money for her son's burial, has recently purchased a new Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet, and vacationed in Hawaii. She has NOT bought a headstone for her son's grave. You remember that next time you cheer that shit sucking cunt on. Don't believe me ? Snopes it.
 
Wh0a Steve, I was complimenting you saying you should run for president... furthermore I don't claim a party, it's all political bullshit and propaganda no matter the party.

I would be just the same if XXX was making the same calls instead of XXXX.



I have my own views, and in my opinion- he's doing bad, unfortunately it's ALL OF OUR lives...
I don't base my opinions on the poll numbers, and i don't think most 'anti-bush' people all of a sudden changed their vote to "i hate Bush" when his ratings hit a low 30%s.

If this country were to be run by Steve, we'd be full of big words and complex sentences that boil down to 'fuck you' at the presidential speeches.
That would be heaven. :cool:


Vote for the SteviNADER!


PS: Who is Cindy Sheenan?
And i also support abortion, it should be limited to no more than 12 per year :p
 
I read and understood the compliment, I do appreciate it. But after 9/11 the congress said, in no uncertain terms, "do what you have to do to make sure this never happens again". And lemme tell ya, there are countries FULL of people who are more than willing to strap a bomb to themselves and kill americans.. .and yes, it does happen - But surprisingly little.

The american people turned to him and asked for protection. Protection is what they got. Within 48 hours of the attacks of 9/11, thousands of those people that were being spied on or watched were brought in. Carnivore (remember carnivore?) was admitted to be in use, but in our post 9/11 panic we dismissed it and thanked Bush's administration for their fast work.

Now that the terror has worn off, we're pissed off - and we shouldn't be - The Patriot Act was sundowned, and by a surprisingly large vote - EXTENDED. Bush had the power to simply extend the act while he was in charge, but he didn't.

We had the ability to "conquer" Afghanistan and Iraq. But we didn't.
We have the ability to dissolve the UN, but we haven't.
We are able to put the world under a nuclear annihilation shut-down, but we wont.
We have the strongest military in human history - and we use it for peace, instead of conquest (Say that about ANY other country in the world.. )

All in all, I'm proud of where I am, what my country does, and how we do it. Ask Japan, Germany and Italy what it's like to be on the losing side of an American Conflict. Then ask the Eastern Bloc what it was like to be on the losing of a Russian Conflict. Ask the African nations what it's like to be on the losing side of a British conflict. Ask India what it's like to be at war with Islam. Look all over the world and you'll see that American fighting power is the most refined and level-handed force in human history.

Make no mistake that Islam, even "peaceful Islam" wants us gone. If not dead, than they want us converted. They (even Peaceful Islam) want the world under Sharia law, and they don't give a shit about Church and State seperation, They don't give a shit about freedom of speech, They don't give a shit about human rights. Mexico, South America, East Africa, The Middle East, Korea, Vietnam, India, Pakistan, China and most of Russia don't give two shits about the economic status of their "subjects", nor do they give a crap about the Environment.

Even the upper-crust of the backward civilizations, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Canada or Japan - They have their own problems that are in many ways far worse than the US has it. From high crime and racial tensions (New Zealand) to seemingly utopian lives with a dark underbelly of corruption and lies backed with the world's leading suicide rate (Japan) - All of the world has a problem.

I think only the Icelandic seem to have it right. But the moment the world realises that, I hope they have what it takes to close their borders, or else Britain will take over them economically (They are trying to RIGHT NOW).

As far as who Cindy Sheehan is, she's basic reading for today's American politics. You are required to read about her (moveon.org is a good place to start, Freerepublic.com is a good place to end). All of Hollywood is off their rockers (Talking about basic human rights while taking multi-million dollar vacations because their lives are so hard, then adopting / kidnapping some kids and giving them fucked-up, self-serving egotistical names like "Maddox" or "Quantas"). All of the liberal Left is full of floozies and well-rounded, puckering assholes that can't wait to scream 'It's all Bush's fault" at the top of their lungs not because they have any reason or rationale - but because it gives them good press.

Fuck these people, I hope they get morgellons.

Katrina is a great example of the bipartisan polarity that this nation is divided into by the likes of Hollywood, the MSM and it's loud-mouthed flunkies: There are people who actually state that "Katrina is Bush's hatred of black people / Katrina is god's hatred of gays" (When it comes down to it, my idea that Katrina, both the actual storm and the pandemonius aftermath is a direct result of god's hatred of the Haitians and the Wannabee French, is more valid than any of the extremist viewpoints, primarily because we all witnessed a bunch of Haitians looting and raping before the winds even died down)

And while I'm on that topic, Bush is NOT talking about Immigrants. He is talking about illegal immigrants, so how about a show of support for once ? How can there be a counter-argument to this ?

-> Steve for Dictator, 2006.
 
I disagree with praising Bush for today's 'border fix' shit...
These laws were in place for 49848 years and if he was TRULY worried about terrorist entering this country he would've had the Guard down there September 12th 2001.

I can't really say all I know about Mexico and terrorists because people I know could get into trouble.. but what you're seeing Today should've happened BEFORE 9/11.
 
Absolutely, agreed there. Only looking at the voting records and the addendums will tell the tale rightly. You'll have to look at all of the preceding attempts to get more border security, and then look at who voted it down - to get the full picture.

But no time is better than now. I want you to put this thought in terms of the new retirement plans that Bush and the republican party put into congress 4 years ago. The democrats shot it down and during this past State of the Union they APPLAUDED and made monkey hoots about the fact that they shot down his plan. Not that they promoted a better one , mind you, but that they shot his plan down.
 
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The Dixie Chicks weren't ruined by the Bush administration, they fucked themselves by going to Franc an denouncing BUSH and the actions of the USA when relations between the two countries were strained at best because France wouldn't back a war in Iraq because they were illegally making billions off of "Oil for Food"

And before I hear the "they opposed it because they new Iraq didn't have WMD's" I'll remind you that France said Iraq had WMD's, they just opposed military action.

And disclosing Secret and Top Secret government information through "leaks" is a federal offense so fuck whoever got caught, I hope they're executed for treason...

Disclosing Security clearance level information is a crime, there is no confidential trust between the media and there sources.

but I suppose you don't care that they're breaking the law cause MTV told you that Bush was evil...
no. never said that anyone who discloses information like that is in the right. i agree, fuck em, if someone is willing to compromise the security of our country then charge their ass with treason and let em suffer the consequences.

i'm just fed up with bush, and tired of his bullshit. yes some of the things he did were good, but it seems that whatever he does tends to benefit him in some way too.

i don't know, im rambling, i got too much shit on my mind to think about this stuff. girl problems, schoolwork, and work problems, no time for political shit right now.
 
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