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FCC Refused to investigage NSA Phone Record Scandal

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by SteveS, May 24, 2006.

  1. SteveS

    SteveS New Member

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    Is anybody else considering moving to Canada? I'm really beyond words.

    http://www.rcrnews.com/news.cms?newsId=26437

    FCC refuses to investigate NSA collection of phone records
    By Colin Gibbs
    May 24, 2006
    WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission said it will not investigate whether telephone companies violated consumer-privacy laws by reportedly releasing millions of phone records to a U.S. spy agency.

    In a letter released Tuesday, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said an inability to obtain classified material would prevent the agency from looking into a newspaper report that AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp. handed over call records to the National Security Agency.

    The classified nature of the NSA’s activities makes us unable to investigate the alleged violations,†Martin said. “The commission has no power to order the production of classified information.â€

    Martin’s letter came in response to a request from Rep. Edward Markey, (D-Mass.), to look into a USA Today report that the three telecom companies handed over call records to the spy agency. Verizon and BellSouth denied turning over the records, and BellSouth has demanded the newspaper retract the story.

    The FCC can fine phone companies more than $1 million for violating the 1934 Communications Act, which requires carriers to protect customer confidentiality unless the disclosure is in response to a court order or is approved by the consumer. Earlier this year, the FCC proposed fining AT&T and Alltel Corp. $100,000 each after private companies were found to be selling phone records over the Internet.

    Martin’s refusal drew a pointed rebuke from Markey, who called for congressional intervention.

    “The FCC… has taken a pass at investigating what is estimated to be the nation’s largest violation of consumer privacy ever to occur,†Markey said in a prepared statement. “If the FCC initiates an investigation and gets blocked by the White House, then the White House is stonewalling. But if the FCC refuses to even demand answers, then the White House never has to block the enforcement agency from getting to the bottom of this.â€
     
    #1 SteveS, May 24, 2006
  2. airportkid

    airportkid Will Fly For Food

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SteveS @ May 24 2006, 04:46 PM) [snapback]260603[/snapback]</div>
    So am I. Beyond words, that is.

    But moving to Canada I can't endorse. It capitulates to the bad guys.

    And where do you run when the bad guys, given free run of the country you left and therefore able to flourish unrestrained and unabated, inevitably expand their influence and turn Canada bad? Mars?

    Leave, they win. Stay, they lose. So stick around. Stand your ground and kick the bastards off your home ground. It's not a job you can do by yourself, of course, you need help. Which makes your staying even more important, so you can continue to help us all kick those bad asses off our home ground.

    Mark Baird
    Alameda CA
     
    #2 airportkid, May 24, 2006
  3. larkinmj

    larkinmj New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SteveS @ May 24 2006, 07:46 PM) [snapback]260603[/snapback]</div>
    The FCC has more important things to be concerned about, such as protecting America from breasts of mass destruction that could pop out at the Super Bowl.
     
    #3 larkinmj, May 24, 2006
  4. eyeguy13

    eyeguy13 Member

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    OK, I'll beat the Right to their first post...it will go something like this:

    "Go ahead you whinin', liberal, bitchin' Lefty!! Leave the US! Go to Canada! Just like those draft dodging vets! Can't stand the heat? Might as well get out of the kitchen! And take your pansy apron with you!"

    Wow! That's was pretty easy! :) Once you get started, you can't stop.

    (editors note: the above statement does not reflect the views of eyeguy13 or his parent corporation, Eyeguy13, Inc. Using the above quote without the permission of Eyeguy13 is explicity prohibited by US Title Code 69 and Interpol)
     
    #4 eyeguy13, May 24, 2006
  5. SteveS

    SteveS New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eyeguy13 @ May 24 2006, 09:56 PM) [snapback]260669[/snapback]</div>
    lol.

    I'm not really a liberal lefty... I've traditionally been a moderate Republican... as I got older, my views migrated to a conservative libertarian view... but I think it speaks worlds of the current Republican party's flight towards the right ™ that someone like me could reasonably be attacked as a liberal wackjob... when I think that the traditional liberal wackjob is a total.. well... wackjob...

    I'm just to the point that I'm starting to not care... I feel like everything is so far gone that we can't do anything to stop it... unless something horrible happens to force things to change... something unimaginably bad.
     
    #5 SteveS, May 24, 2006
  6. Mirza

    Mirza New Member

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    Labeling someone's differing opinions as "whacko" is about the easiest thing to do in any debate :rolleyes:

    You can often judge the loser of a debate by the one who resorts to ad hominem attacks first.

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SteveS @ May 24 2006, 10:19 PM) [snapback]260676[/snapback]</div>
     
    #6 Mirza, May 25, 2006
  7. Schmika

    Schmika New Member

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    What scandal...I have ALWAYS benn able to get phone records w/o warrant when investigating phone harassment. This is just a bigger scale. Buncha BABIES!

    There was a great editorial by Greenberg in today's paper. Titled "The STORM before the calm".. Says it all!!!!
     
    #7 Schmika, May 26, 2006
  8. Mirza

    Mirza New Member

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    You ought to check out the AT&T thread and look at the pdf. If these three (or whatever the number) phone companies are so willing to give these numbers to the government, might that also reflect on their values for other "services?" Oh say, like selling phone records and customer information to others?

    I just have to ask this... show me the money; how can you go about getting phone records?
     
    #8 Mirza, May 26, 2006
  9. Betelgeuse

    Betelgeuse Active Member

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    I don't quite get how this qualifies as "refus[ing] to investigate". Aren't they just saying that they can't get access to classified documents, so they can't investigate? Clearly there's something wrong with this whole system, but it doesn't seem to me that it's the FCC's fault.
     
    #9 Betelgeuse, May 26, 2006
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