GAGGED Secret Informer: "I Resent Being MADE TO MISLEAD"

[kpete]

"I resent being conscripted as a secret informer for the government and being made to mislead those who are close to me, especially because I have doubts about the legitimacy of the underlying investigation."


WAPO's DISCLOSURE
It is the policy of The Washington Post not to publish anonymous pieces. In this case, an exception has been made because the author -- who would have preferred to be named -- is legally prohibited from disclosing his or her identity in connection with receipt of a national security letter. The Post confirmed the legitimacy of this submission by verifying it with the author's attorney and by reviewing publicly available court documents.

My National Security Letter Gag Order
Friday, March 23, 2007; Page A17


The Justice Department's inspector general revealed on March 9 that the FBI has been systematically abusing one of the most controversial provisions of the USA Patriot Act: the expanded power to issue "national security letters." It no doubt surprised most Americans to learn that between 2003 and 2005 the FBI issued more than 140,000 specific demands under this provision -- demands issued without a showing of probable cause or prior judicial approval -- to obtain potentially sensitive information about U.S. citizens and residents. It did not, however, come as any surprise to me.

Three years ago, I received a national security letter (NSL) in my capacity as the president of a small Internet access and consulting business. The letter ordered me to provide sensitive information about one of my clients. There was no indication that a judge had reviewed or approved the letter, and it turned out that none had. The letter came with a gag provision that prohibited me from telling anyone, including my client, that the FBI was seeking this information. Based on the context of the demand -- a context that the FBI still won't let me discuss publicly -- I suspected that the FBI was abusing its power and that the letter sought information to which the FBI was not entitled.

........................

I recognize that there may sometimes be a need for secrecy in certain national security investigations. But I've now been under a broad gag order for three years, and other NSL recipients have been silenced for even longer. At some point -- a point we passed long ago -- the secrecy itself becomes a threat to our democracy. In the wake of the recent revelations, I believe more strongly than ever that the secrecy surrounding the government's use of the national security letters power is unwarranted and dangerous. I hope that Congress will at last recognize the same thing.

more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/22/AR2007032201882.html

[sellitman]

1. Drip, drip, drip...

I wonder how many have this same story to tell?

[Sydnie]

2. Kick this to the greatest people!

This needs to be read by all!

[Kber]

3. kick

[Terri S]

4. and kick again!

[CrazyOrangeCat]

5. kick

[redqueen]

6. "a point we passed long ago"

Indeed.

[IWantAChange]

7. K&R - let the story be told!!!

[donkeyotay]

8. The national security need for secrecy has been exploited, and it's not like

there wasn't precedent that agencies like the FBI would abuse their power.

At some point -- a point we passed long ago -- the secrecy itself becomes a threat to our democracy.

[Control-Z]

9. k & r

A must read article.

[mmonk]

10. Amen.

A big thumbs up.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

11. Any ideas as to this person's identity?

K & R

[DemReadingDU]

17. That what I was wondering

[w4rma]

29. Don't want to know. Would rather not know until this part of the Patriot Act is overturned. (nt)

[EVDebs]

12. Deja vu, Hoover's secret files...a president's 'enemies list'...how far will the NSA go ?

Rightwingnuts on the inside. Without a leash. Without conscience, as John Dean has surmised.

[Major Hogwash]

13. After the misnamed Patriot Act was passed, some of the posters I used to talk with went silent.

They left the internet.
They went totally off-line.
They no longer joined any message boards or forums or blogs anywhere.
Not even during the 2004 Presidential election.
Or last year's mid-term election.

And none of them were secret covert CIA officers or important people with high-risk jobs.
They were just ordinary people.

One of the last posts made by 1 guy I was talking to in 2001 and who was criticizing Bush said -

"I've lived through this before, this is the beginning of a new McCarthy Era.
When the government, our government, can spy on Americans and listen in on phone conversations without asking a judge if they can first, this is no longer a government I can trust.

When this country overturns this atrocious law, when sanity returns to this country, then maybe I will come back to this board, if I'm still alive at that time."

He was an old guy, a WWII veteran and he was so astonished at the intrusion to our rights of privacy, he left the forum where we were discussing how bad WWII war was.

[rasputin1952]

14. I have spoken w/many WWII and Korean Vets that feel the same way...

they know when the country turned bad, but never thought that anything like the "Patriot Act" would ever take place in the US.

This, and every other servicemember, whether in peace or at war, never signed up to allow the government free access to all forms of information, unchecked and silenced at will. We all signed on "to protect and defend the Constitution from enemies both foreign and domestic." Seems as though the domestic enemies of the Constitution far outnumber the foreign ones.

:patriot:

I will say this until the day I die...No one can take Liberty from you, you have to be willing to give it away.

edited: should have used spell-check...:(

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

15. and the FBI falls under

whose jurisdiction?


Gonzo?

[fooj]

21. Eek!

I wish I could just reach up and rip that flag off the f*ckers lapel!

[progressoid]

16. Ho Lee She It

[wicket]

18. K & R

:kick:

[Kurovski]

19. Kick.(nt)

[Old and In the Way]

20. I will bet that the vast majority of these investigations have precious little to

do with National Security and a lot more to do with Bush/Republican security.

[Nothing Without Hope]

23. ...and also collecting blackmail data to keep everyone "loyal." n/t

[bleever]

31. The strangely missing part of the story: why?

Who was directing the issuance of these NSLs, and why, hasn't even been touched on yet.

[Nothing Without Hope]

22. The future depends on brave people of principle, like this person. K & R. n/t

[tom_paine]

24. Another thing we knew well ahead of today, But now is confirmed

"a point we passed long ago"

Indeed.

[mzmolly]

25. Considering the MSM is about 6 years behind US, they're doing pretty good as of late.

;)

[OneGrassRoot]

26. kpete, once again, you are saving me from the brink of insanity ...

I know it's not fair, but I rely on you, H2OMan and a few others to give me a glimmer of hope that the truth may indeed set us free.

I am surrounded by B*sh's 30%-ers. While I don't lose my way as far as knowing there are criminals in the WH, I do get very disheartened and feel I'm living on a different planet than those around me. They genuinely see things differently.

I suppose perception is everything. Since they had a visceral dislike of Clinton from the start, even the smallest missteps were automatically criminal behavior in their eyes.

Admittedly, I feel the same about B*shco. Couldn't stand any of them from the start.

I have a completely different perception than those around me. EVERYWHERE.

So, I rely on the facts and legitimate news items you guys share here to help me hang on to the belief that my perception is valid.

Thank you for keeping me sane thus far. No pressure ... ;)

[redacted]

27. Between 2003 and 2005 the FBI issued more than 140,000 specific demands?

Hmmm. Geez. I'm speechless at that.

[muriel_volestrangler]

28. When similar laws about non-disclosure of being forced to give customer information

were introduced in the UK, someone suggested that what ISPs ought to do, if they wanted to resist it, was tell a customer regularly that they had not handed over information to the authorities. If they were forced to, then they'd just stop telling the customer.

Has anyone heard of this being attempted? Has any lawyer an opinion whether it would stand up in court?

[bleever]

30. This is big.

[caligirl]

32. chasing pornography? Is this part of Gonzo's " I want to protect children" bull sh*t

[Lochloosa]

Fucking K/R

[Lochloosa]

33. Fucking K/R

[Land Shark]

34. Kinda Like Secret Vote counting on e-voting machines, this quote is

"At some point -- a point we passed long ago -- the secrecy itself becomes a threat to our democracy." --Anonymous My National Security Letter Gag Order, Washington Post,
Friday, March 23, 2007; Page A17

[Amonester]

35. Kick!

And rec #125!