Why Qwest Said No to NSA
EmailFormer CEO for Qwest, Joe Nacchio, denied the NSA’s request for private telephone records of its customers because he thought the requests were unlawful, acccording to a statement released today by his attorney, Herbert J. Stern. While Qwest denied the NSA, AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth all complied and turned over the phone records of millions of Americans, according to USA Today.
The NSA first approached Qwest in the fall of 2001, according to the statement. Nacchio inquired as to whether the NSA had a warrant or whether any legal process was being used to support their request. "There was a disinclination on the part of authorities to use any legal process," said Stern. Nacchio concluded, therefore, that the request "violated the privacy requirement of the Telecommunications Act."
Nacchio also turned down follow-up requests from the NSA, which continued until he left the company in June 2002.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
I agree with Qwest. The goverment is very wrong.
Posted by: Laurie A Traxler | May 12, 2006, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
How come Quest was the only company to stand up to the demands of this “Evil Administration”? Don’t yhe others have any backbone, or are they beholden to the Bush administration? The management of Quest is to be heartily commended for their action.
Posted by: Ed Lavender | May 12, 2006, 5:12 pm 5:12 pm
I am very pleased that Qwest (my phone company) took this action. A former newspaper editor and publisher, I was afraid that none of these public service companies would have what it takes to stand up to the government.
Posted by: Charlotte Simons | May 12, 2006, 6:19 pm 6:19 pm
I am a Qwest customer, and I’m extremely proud that Mr. Nacchio refused to comply with this request. Shame on the other companies!
Posted by: Barbara Stucky | May 12, 2006, 6:50 pm 6:50 pm
I will be becoming a Qwest customer as soon as possible. AT&T and Verizon just lost my business forever. Bush should be ashamed for spying on The American people…but then I suppose sociopaths have no shame.
Posted by: Wendy Q | May 12, 2006, 7:28 pm 7:28 pm
The government is very wrong, but if Joe Naccio left the company in 2002, what has happened since then?? Has the new CEO given in to the requests? I don’t see any information on this yet.
Posted by: P Jorgenson | May 12, 2006, 8:02 pm 8:02 pm
Martha Raddick(?) of ABC is on Washington Week in Review now. She says the American people favored the phone spying by +6o% in a ABC poll. I don’t believe it. The Washington Post had a headline about a poll that was taken before the public was fully informed that showed a 60% approval of any program that would make Americans safer. So, my question is did the ABC pollster explain the spying program or just ask if the person approved of a program that would make them safer?
Posted by: hettiemae | May 12, 2006, 8:16 pm 8:16 pm
How much more is it going to take the people of these great United States of ours to finally realize the mistake we’re making by litterally giving our government free reign to step on our freedoms and privacy? It is sickening to see a whole 65% approve of the disclosed NSA’s collection of phone records. Sure, “I’ve got nothing to hide,” they say. Next thing we’ll be doing is inviting them into our homes, and we’ll be saying, “Sure, you can checkout my stamp collection.” This is how it all begins folks: With every bit of our freedoms and liberty being chipped away. And all this for assurances of being protected. Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, I can picture them now, just nodding their heads in disappointment: And our enemies just laughing at us for being paranoid sick. Not even our ally Israel is as paranoid as we are; and they deal with terrorism every day.
Posted by: Mike | May 12, 2006, 8:20 pm 8:20 pm
Verizon just lost my business and all our cell phone business. They can JOIN the lists of ENRON scum!
Qwest should do commercials on this to gain business, it wouldn’t take much for most to move.
An American who selects NOT to become part of BUSH victims!
Posted by: joe / mary american | May 13, 2006, 7:25 am 7:25 am
Has anyone noticed that these very same companies that cooperated with the government in providing this information, were also recently involed with big merger deals. I wonder if maybe these companies were rewarded for their cooperation by the government by not blocking any those mergers…
Posted by: Phil | May 13, 2006, 8:35 am 8:35 am
I cannot believe 60% of America does not mind being spyed on. I mind. Is it wrong to request personal phone records? Hell Yes. This is a clear violation of privacy rights. Stop the practice now. This is a no–brainer.
Sincerely,
Martha W.
Posted by: Martha W | May 13, 2006, 9:43 am 9:43 am
I’m glad I’m not the only one shaking my head in disbelief over this AND the ‘poll’ showing 60% think it’s ok. I don’t believe it either. I have nothing to hide but do not want the gov’t to have any right to track who I call and how often. SICK OF IT!
Posted by: Toni | May 13, 2006, 11:11 am 11:11 am
To follow-up on Phil’s comment about the mergers, the New York Times is reporting today that the former president of Qwest,”Mr. Nacchio left in June 2002. His departure came amid accusations of fraud at the company, and he now faces federal charges of insider trading.” Did the Bush administration create a smear campaign to punish Nacchio and move him out of the way?
Posted by: Martin Ostrye | May 13, 2006, 1:20 pm 1:20 pm
Everyone should change to Qwest. We know they are illegally tapping their opponents(Dems)and especially reporters. And the filth goes on. Republican owned voting machines,Choice Point hired to spy on all for info and make false LISTS to remove people from voting rolls. No end to this!!!!!!!! Wake up America!!!!
Posted by: Zola Daniels | May 15, 2006, 5:26 pm 5:26 pm
Nacchio did not want to open the records because of the revenue and customer fraud he was perpetuating.
This is HIS only reason for not opening up his books. Not because of any higher moral fiber in the man. Nacchio makes the Enron crew look like angels.
Posted by: tom | May 16, 2006, 7:36 am 7:36 am
I agree with the two comments about what happened after 2002 when the former head honcho was forced out.Who is the new guy and is HE sticking to Qwest’s guns by refusing the info? I wish we could find that out. I also read in the TIME article that “heavy pressure by the NSA, including a suggestion (?!) that Qwest might not get future classified work with the government” was applied. Excuse me, but isn’t that EXTORTION? By our own government? Get the criminals on racketeering or RICO Act or whatever it takes to bring them down. Just do it fast, please!
Posted by: Sue | May 16, 2006, 8:09 am 8:09 am
When Bush said he looked into the soul of Putin and trusted him now I understand. Putin’s beliefs are simular to Bush. Qwest here I come.
Posted by: Ricky | May 16, 2006, 11:45 am 11:45 am
This is all well and good, but no one has said a peep about what Qwest has done with those NSA requests since June 2002.
Posted by: Wally | May 16, 2006, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm
I don’t believe any of these poll numbers that they media is giving us.
I live in a supposedly pro Republican state and for every 1 person who supports this Illegal Spying I can name 100 who Cringe at the mention of it. I could not believe it even if it was 30% approval.
Everybody I’ve heard from thinks that chimpy is destroying the U.S. constitution, and this is many people from different walks of life.
Posted by: Jack | July 1, 2006, 10:29 am 10:29 am