FBI: “Not Common Practice” To Seek Reporters’ Phone Records with Secret Letters
EmailFederal officials said Wednesday that it is "not common practice" to use special National Security Letters to seek the phone records of journalists.
"We are much more likely to use a warrant signed by a judge or a grand jury subpoena," said one official reacting to previous stories posted on the ABC News.com blotter.
The officials confirmed that reporters’ records often are "a logical investigative step" in cases involving the suspected leaks of classified information by government employees.
"We usually then delay notification to the reporters while we investigate," an official said.
Justice Department officials say 3,501 people in the U.S. were targets of the National Security Letters, a special provision of the Patriot Act, last year.
The official said few, if any, were journalists.
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I don’t usually watch ABC News because it has always seemed to be puff pieces. You, however, are definitely one part of ABC News that is heads above puff. The secret prisons could have come from any source – such as the United Nations representatives. Since the world does not approve of Bush at all I don’t think that Bush can be sure where anything comes from anymore. He has lied and soldiers died. Just about everything and anything he has done has been for only a few of the richest people in this country. He is reaping what he sowed.
Posted by: Vicki Friedman | May 17, 2006, 3:51 pm 3:51 pm
“….not common practice” means that not only the peep-hole on the door is reversed but the door is wide open for “big brother” to come in as he wishes!
“….more likely to use a warrent signed by judge or a grand jury subpoena” is no different than “not common practice”!
Give me a break! For speaking out like this, I expect my phone line to be tapped soon and I will be one of millions whose lives have experiencd government intrusion! Reporters are NOT exempt from “big brother’s intrusion!
Posted by: leo mercado | May 17, 2006, 4:14 pm 4:14 pm
I am much more likely to stop at red lights than to drive right through them. In fact, it is not a common practice to run stop signs either. I’m so pleased to learn that the FBI upholds the law sometimes.
Posted by: smintheus | May 17, 2006, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm
OK, so I am not sure why anyone would be surprised by the tactics this administration or any government officials working with this administration, employ to get what they want. When they want to invade Iraq, they make false claims and just do what they want. When they want to gut the constitution, they simply ignore it and say they are abiding the law. When they want to come for you and me, they will simply do that and tell us that we lucky to be alive.
Posted by: jklene | May 17, 2006, 9:52 pm 9:52 pm
I pray that we are enlightened on this Secret Agency which seems to have webs thicker than a fish net for hair. God Bless.
Posted by: Victoria Rum | May 17, 2006, 10:21 pm 10:21 pm
I hope ABC pursues this legally. The public ought to know exactly who’s phone records have been illegally accessed. The government’s trampling on Americans’ rights and the constitutional protections of a Free Press has got to end NOW. Congress needs to move to Impeach.
Posted by: Free Press? | May 17, 2006, 11:22 pm 11:22 pm
Do I understand you lot right? You think it’s okay for government employees to illegally leak classified info to the media… but it’s ba-a-a-d for the government to investigate that illegal activity, EVEN WHEN THEY DO SO LEGALLY with “a warrant signed by a judge or a grand jury subpoena”.
That about sum it up? Because that’s what it sure sounds like.
Posted by: Paul in NJ | May 18, 2006, 8:47 am 8:47 am
I’m glad someone is paying attention to this issue. I’m a freelance reporter and work mostly from my home phone. When I heard about the NSA collecting phone records, the first thing I thought of was, “are they tapping journalists’ phones to see what stories they may be working on?” If I thought of it that quickly, they certainly must have considered it by now and did they resist that temptation? We know from the past that Nixon and maybe even Johnson would have stooped that low so why not now?
Posted by: Mike Iacuessa | May 18, 2006, 9:26 am 9:26 am
If your team has some serious strategy meetings possibly you could find a way to publish ALL of our intelligence secrets.
Posted by: Kate | May 18, 2006, 11:34 am 11:34 am
Do I understand you lot right? You think it’s okay for government employees to illegally leak classified info to the media… but it’s bad for the government to investigate that illegal activity, EVEN WHEN THEY DO SO LEGALLY with “a warrant signed by a judge or a grand jury subpoena”.
That about sum it up? Because that’s what it sure sounds like.
Posted by: Paul in NJ | May 18, 2006, 11:39 am 11:39 am
You people just don’t get it. “Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities” – Voltaire. This quote speaks volumes in light of what is going on right here in this blog, and in our country as a whole. I am not paranoid, but I am very careful and thoughtful of what is being said by this administration. We should all be open-minded of everything we are being told. As much as the Daily Show claims to be “fake news”, they continually bring out factual information and routinely “catch” this administration in bold-faced lies; one after another. It’s amazing to me that it takes a self-proclaimed “fake” news show to show what is really going on. I challenge those of you who think this administration is out for our best interest to watch the Daily Show for just one week. I truly believe that it might turn a few heads. I feel a need to clarify that this is, by no means, my only source for news, but it is the only source of news that takes away the sadness, even if just for a short time, of what is happening in our country.
Posted by: JD in WA | May 18, 2006, 6:17 pm 6:17 pm
As a 70 year old I’m well aware of past history..This day of over sights and undersights and big brother watching your every move.
I’m reminded of a person from the 1930′s who though he could have a world order in which he could have equal rights for all of HIS people..How far can this country go before we see our rights are being eroded..We need the truth to be told at ALL cost..Keep up the good work and God will bless us again.. SOME DAY..
EVG
Posted by: E.Gainer | May 21, 2006, 10:41 am 10:41 am