Now They Know How Joe the Plumber Felt
EmailAs first reported by CNN, the Obama Transition Team (OTT) was notified Wednesday by officials at Verizon that employees of that company had accessed the records of an old cell phone that’s no longer in use once used by President-elect Obama. It’s a phone that OTT officials say hasn’t been used in quite some time, though they’re not sure how long.
OTT officials were told that Verizon is taking disciplinary action, and they were assured there had been no monitoring of email, voicemail or BlackBerry messages, or anything like that.
- jpt
UPDATE: BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Wireless President and CEO Lowell McAdam made the following statement today:
“This week we learned that a number of Verizon Wireless employees have, without authorization, accessed and viewed President-Elect Barack Obama’s personal cell phone account. The account has been inactive for several months. The device on the account was a simple voice flip-phone, not a BlackBerry or other smartphone designed for e-mail or other data services.
“All employees who have accessed the account –- whether authorized or not -– have been put on immediate leave, with pay. As the circumstances of each individual employee’s access to the account are determined, the company will take appropriate actions. Employees with legitimate business needs for access will be returned to their positions, while employees who have accessed the account improperly and without legitimate business justification will face appropriate disciplinary action. We apologize to President-Elect Obama and will work to keep the trust our customers place in us every day.”
USS Gabrielle Giffords Honors Courage 
Mitt Romney's Full Speech at CPAC 2012
lol …’
Comparing a President to an unlicensed plumber …
Posted by: Blogger | November 20, 2008, 10:20 pm 10:20 pm
Joe the Who?
Never heard of him.
Posted by: R Mutt | November 20, 2008, 10:30 pm 10:30 pm
So, this is worthy of blogging????PAHLEEZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JT what, exactly are you implying by your headline? Do you KNOW something about Joe The “whatever” that we all should be advised of?
Otherwise, HOW SLANDEROUS of you!
Posted by: richard | November 20, 2008, 10:35 pm 10:35 pm
Although I voted for Obama, with great hesitation and consternation, Joe the Plumber has been way more real than Obama. He may end up running against Obama/Biden next term.
Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | November 20, 2008, 10:39 pm 10:39 pm
They are now on a terror watch list for the rest of their lives and get to spend an extra hour getting onto an airplane….wah…wah
Posted by: Anonymous | November 20, 2008, 10:43 pm 10:43 pm
Now they know how Palin felt when her private email address was published in the press and then compromised.
The people who snooped Joe the Plumber’s records were government officials, by the way. An intrusion that is much more chilling, since governments can force the turnover of private information, and have a much higher duty to keep it confidential.
Posted by: Bridget | November 20, 2008, 10:44 pm 10:44 pm
Blogger,
Yeah, what an insult to the unlicensed plumbers of America.
Posted by: buckaroobonsai | November 20, 2008, 10:45 pm 10:45 pm
You’re still implying that the violation of Joe’s records were at the behest of the Obama campaign. Some shoddy journalism there pal. Makes me think journalists should be licensed just like plumbers. :P
Posted by: thorfinn | November 20, 2008, 10:47 pm 10:47 pm
Life is going to be hell for those Verizon employees after Obama and his leftist illuminati cronies get ahold of them. Installing cell towers in Iceland sound good?
Posted by: Jeff | November 20, 2008, 10:48 pm 10:48 pm
Funny how you forget the time line of when Joe started getting vetted by outside people. It was not until after McCain used “Joe” 21 times in the debate three days after the initial contact between Obama and Joe. The world did not care about Joe until after the debate. Now you insinuate that it was the Obama camp that dug up Joe’s past. Shameful in the fact that Politico showed the mails from the Obama camp the next day showing no interest in Joe or any talk of him. It was outside people that started investigating Joe since McCain made him the focal point of the debate. It bothers me to hear reporters forget to check the facts in the time line and blame all of Joe’s problems on Obama. Now I will have to factcheck any “news” you report.
Posted by: MyVoiceHere | November 20, 2008, 10:59 pm 10:59 pm
Breaching anyone’s cell phone is criminal. This would leave the ordinary person feeling violated. And for what reason do people feel the desire to “snoop?” Bad manners? Bad upbringing? Bad character? Plainly a personality defect.
Posted by: Yankee | November 20, 2008, 11:17 pm 11:17 pm
Joe the Who? Oh, you mean the tax evading domestic abusing hospital bill-skipping loser that no one but you is thinking about anymore? I don’t think Obama knows what Joe the Douchebag feels like because Obama has American values while Joe has delusions of grandeur.
Posted by: Rbyanes | November 20, 2008, 11:22 pm 11:22 pm
WestCoastMessenger,
I really can’t figure you out. I remember you declaring your support of Palin dead after she made the comment that democrats can never protect America right before the election. happy you voted for Obama but don’t be so fickle. As for the realness of whatsHisFace the whatsHisFace, the name i post below is more real than him.
and Jake, now they know know how he felt??????? who are “they”????? Obama?? did Obama look at his records. Those records were looked at LAWFULLY in case you haven’t heard. Its a routine check that is performed when people go out and reveal their character to the world. How do you think fathers are kept honest in the child-support department?
Posted by: Question | November 20, 2008, 11:31 pm 11:31 pm
now “THEY”- “THEY-WHO?”
I am going to another “Journalist”
blog.
maybe i will start checking our Georges bottom line. or CNN
Or maybe i will see if cspan has any blogs.
andrea mitchell, margaret carlson, and now jpt.
Posted by: What? | November 20, 2008, 11:36 pm 11:36 pm
By the way, Jake T, I usually like your page but do us all a favor and forget Ohio’s very own version of Paris Hilton, will ya? My Christmas wish is to have Joe the Plumber go back to his law breaking ways in complete anonymity.
Posted by: rbyanes | November 20, 2008, 11:40 pm 11:40 pm
Can’t wait for someone to make his phone calls public!
Joe had his information released to the media. Even if it was done by Government officials, shouldn’t he have the right to privacy?
He should of recieved a letter from the IRS, not the media!!!
Funny how you want calls protected, but the IRS information can be leaked!
Is O the only one to expect the right to privacy.
It doesn’t matter what Joe had on him, he has rights!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: tonya | November 21, 2008, 12:10 am 12:10 am
If only we could of had the media doing the same before the election when it mattered. The people who snooped wouldn’t report anything anyway, they know how the dems tried to take down Joe in a few hours. Apparently Obama gets away with whatever he wants.
Posted by: BOOO | November 21, 2008, 2:13 am 2:13 am
Stop grandstanding Jake theres a big difference between Obama and Joe the Fake,
Posted by: willing11 | November 21, 2008, 2:16 am 2:16 am
What’s with this caption? You trying to stir the pot or are you just blowing more hot air? All those responsible for this inciting title should be terminated immediately.
Posted by: Yankee | November 21, 2008, 5:29 am 5:29 am
Please spare us the melodrama, Joe the Plumber is a nobody while President-elect Obama is to run this country. Fire the ones who did this and be done with it.
Posted by: Hege! | November 21, 2008, 7:48 am 7:48 am
rbyanes: So you prefer to believe a media that is very biased as opposed to getting to the truth. You know don’t you that you can be sued for libel and/or slander with what you write on these boards and the court has ruled it to be legal. Absolutely true. So remember that it could happen to you. How would you like it if that same cr@p would have been written about you and you knew that it wasn’t true? Joe the plumber had an absolute right to ask any question, anywhere and anytime!! MAY YOUR LIFE BE FILLED WITH LAWYERS!!!!
Posted by: Cathy | November 21, 2008, 7:48 am 7:48 am
Well. Joe is going to get his vindication. The Strickland appointee was found to have done her snooping in contempt of any actual reason for the snooping. Now. Let’s see if she gets the ax. Any takers on a bet on this one? All talk. No action. As an Ohio voter, I’m watching.
Posted by: beebop | November 21, 2008, 7:55 am 7:55 am
Good morning liberals,
The point of the caption is obvious to anyone who actually understands the situation.
It is indeed interesting that how Verizon has already taken more disciplinary action that the State of Ohio did when Joe’s records were illegally examined!
Posted by: Mike_C | November 21, 2008, 8:00 am 8:00 am
It’s interesting how Verizon put the guilty employees on PAID LEAVE!!!!!!!
So the Verizon employees view the President-elect’s old cell phone records and they get PAID leave?? How ridiculous!!!!
What other perks does Verizon have for these employees?????
Posted by: Shay | November 21, 2008, 8:09 am 8:09 am
beebop:
The person who gave the okay to view the plumbers records received 30 days suspension WITHOUT PAY!
Posted by: Shay | November 21, 2008, 8:11 am 8:11 am
Who gives a heck about joe the unlicensed plumber!
Posted by: Shay | November 21, 2008, 8:12 am 8:12 am
Jake, you make a fool of yourself by showing ANY sort of sympathy for that horrible parasite of this year’s presidential elections, Joe the Faker.
Let’s reserve some contempt for the lowest in populist politics and rhetoric.
Posted by: juanita | November 21, 2008, 8:13 am 8:13 am
what does the security of Pres. elect Obama have to do with Joe not the plumber?
Obamas passport records were breached long before Joe was a pipe dream for McCain
Posted by: watching | November 21, 2008, 8:18 am 8:18 am
Both the Verizon and Ohio state employees should be fired and criminally charged,
Posted by: jamescbuilder | November 21, 2008, 8:22 am 8:22 am
Shay,
Hey mental midget, would it bother you if the government decided to make all your records in your life public knowledge and throw out on every news agency and web site in the world?
Who “Joe” is is not even close to the point! The point is his life was ransacked ILLEGALLY and ZERO disciplinary action was taken to those who were responsible!
Posted by: Mike_C | November 21, 2008, 8:26 am 8:26 am
When someone gets around to exploring his passport file (Clinton, Edwards)…his email(Palin)…his life (Joe the plumber)…maybe then they will know how it feels to have their privacy invaded…till then not a chance (obvious by the postings here)
Posted by: samhiguchi | November 21, 2008, 8:27 am 8:27 am
I find it amazing … ooh actually I dont, because you libbies NEVER apply your high standing morals to situations that you dont like.
For months I have been listening to people and reading on web sites how Bush “destroyed” the Constitution and how surveillance here at home to prevent terrorism has “Killed” our civil liberties. Yet you dismiss the EXACT same thing when it happens to someone who does not share you opinions.
Yet another Shining example of the Liberal Motto:
“Do As I Say, Not As I Do”
Posted by: Mike_C | November 21, 2008, 8:33 am 8:33 am
I trust Verizon will first assert that this is a standard procedure, followed by a paid vacation for these employees, and then a month off with no pay.
And let’s remember that there were 18 separate incidents barging into Joe’s personal records.
Your tax money at work.
Posted by: drjohn | November 21, 2008, 9:07 am 9:07 am
Now WHO knows how Joe the Plumber felt, Jake? Name names, my friend. Maybe’s there’s a story I missed. Otherwise, you should probably dial back the snide.
Posted by: Say What? | November 21, 2008, 9:11 am 9:11 am
“Obamas passport records were breached long before Joe was a pipe dream for McCain”
by a DEMOCRAT.
Democrats always are whining about these sorts of incidents, but it’s always Democrats who breach personal information. It’s alway Democrats who actually violate personal privacy.
Posted by: drjohn | November 21, 2008, 9:13 am 9:13 am
beebop:
Shay writes:
The person who gave the okay to view the plumbers records received 30 days suspension WITHOUT PAY!
My husband is a gov’t worker and if he did what Kelley did he would have been fired and could face jail time.
So there is a difference.
Joe the Plumber should go after the Gov.
Posted by: Mac | November 21, 2008, 9:21 am 9:21 am
LOL…looks like Ohio figured out they better get with it…..
“Helen Jones-Kelley, director of the Department of Job and Family Services, will be placed on unpaid leave for one month in response to an inspector general’s investigation. The investigation found Jones-Kelley had no legitimate reasons to check on Toledo-area resident Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, who was popularized as ‘Joe the Plumber’ by Republican presidential candidate John McCain. It also confirmed she improperly used her state e-mail account to raise campaign money for President-elect Barack Obama.”
LOL….One month for 2 offenses. Seem fair to all your liberals who “claim” the Bush adminstration has destroyed freedom?
HEY KEITH OLBERMANN – IS THIS FAIR PUNISHMENT????
Posted by: Mike_C | November 21, 2008, 9:30 am 9:30 am
CATHY – the first thing I would do if I were you is look up the definition of slander. It’s only slander if it’s not true. Are you with me so far? Have I lost you yet? So when there are official records of Joe the Phony’s tax evasion, domestic abuse charges, and hospital debts, that pretty much throws your moronic argument on its butt. Do you follow? Are you confused too badly? Should I talk in Palin-speak for you? Because I can, you betcha wink-wink.
Posted by: Rbyanes | November 21, 2008, 9:31 am 9:31 am
Drjohn you gotta have your degree in hypocrisy. Have you a clue what the GOP has done with respect to domestic surveillance? Spare us the laughable hyperbole.
Posted by: Rbyanes | November 21, 2008, 9:37 am 9:37 am
Didn’t the Republicans LEGALIZE that kind of snooping?
It’s called Homeland Security and the Patriot Act.
B.T.W- Joe is a joke without the k.
Posted by: Redneck4Reason | November 21, 2008, 9:41 am 9:41 am
Rbyanes: You have no proof of anything except your need to make yourself feel better at someone else’s expense. Until you can prove that what you are saying about him is true, you have no right to publish it! Now get into your box or crawl back into your hole and know why the reason you get no respect or have to belittle people will stare back at you from the mirror!!! You are a piece of work!!! Your mother must be or must have been so proud!!!
Posted by: Cathy | November 21, 2008, 9:42 am 9:42 am
To all of you out there who believe that Joe can’t be a plumber because he is not licensed..knowledge is power. You do not have to have a license as long as you work for a master plumber you are working under their license. Sort of explains why these posts are so stupid and childish!!! All of you tearing apart someone you don’t even know…you have one little pathetic life. Obama won’t be able to cure that one..you will have to do that one on your own.
Posted by: Cathy | November 21, 2008, 9:46 am 9:46 am
CATHY – like your hero Joe the Fake likes to say, do your research. The proof of his transgressions is there, you just don’t want to believe it. Now take a deep breath, get a hold of yourself, and stay away from blogging. You’re way too hysterical and emotional for this lifestyle. Maybe you could fish or paint in your free time. You betcha.
Posted by: Rbyanes | November 21, 2008, 9:53 am 9:53 am
rbyanes…my point is that you have not seen the evidence first hand. Feel better now?
Posted by: Cathy | November 21, 2008, 10:00 am 10:00 am
Weak
Posted by: Rbyanes | November 21, 2008, 10:03 am 10:03 am
But thanks to President Bush and the Republicans and their Homeland Security act its ok to Invade ones Privacy, Its the American way right! its all good Bush and the republicans have shredded the Constitution!!!! its ok with Republicans
Posted by: ANGIE | November 21, 2008, 10:10 am 10:10 am
LOL….Liberals ……Living proof our education system has failed complelely!!!!
Posted by: Mike_C | November 21, 2008, 10:46 am 10:46 am
Ver-SPIES-ON!
Posted by: diggyzazz | November 21, 2008, 10:53 am 10:53 am
For the record, the acronym “USA Patriot” Act identifies the “Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001″ (Public Law Pub.L. 107-56) was passed with large majorities of Democrats and Republicans in Congress following 9/11. Both parties were criticized for passing that act. The act was extended in 2005, again by majorities of both houses of Congress.
Posted by: moder8 | November 21, 2008, 11:00 am 11:00 am
Regarding the Homeland Security Act, (H.R. 5005) as amended by the House was passed by the Senate on November 19, 2002 on a vote of 90-9. Prior to the Senate vote, the bill passed in the House by a vote of 295-132. Obviously both Democrats and Republicans voted for the measure.
Posted by: moder8 | November 21, 2008, 11:16 am 11:16 am
moder8:
Don’t forget, we had a Republican President AND the Republicans held the majority of the House and Senate seats in the White House when the Homeland Security and Patriot Act was passed.
It’s refreshing to see that the majority of Americans have common sense, by a landslide…
Posted by: Redneck4Reason | November 21, 2008, 2:37 pm 2:37 pm
Redneck4Reason(aka.Brad)- Says,
A majority of negative influence can be intimidating to a minority with positive influence.
Posted by: Redneck4Reason | November 21, 2008, 2:44 pm 2:44 pm
Redneck4Reason(aka.Brad)- Says,
A majority of negative influence can be intimidating to a minority with positive influence.
Better make it CLEAR that I’m referring to when the Homeland Security and Patriot Acts’ were passed.
Posted by: Redneck4Reason | November 21, 2008, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm
Like that bumper sticker says;
Slow Thinkers Keep Right.
Posted by: Redneck4Reason | November 21, 2008, 2:54 pm 2:54 pm
“LOL….Liberals ……Living proof our education system has failed complelely!!!!
Posted by: Mike_C ”
Awesome, who wants first dibs at THAT?!?
Me go first, I am just finishing the George Bush First Dictionary, lotta new words in there buddy.
Posted by: Redneck4Reason | November 21, 2008, 3:24 pm 3:24 pm
How come you Republican backers don’t make a lick of sense yet?
You Betcha.
Posted by: Redneck4Reason | November 21, 2008, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
We’re talking government officials breaching private data vs. some phone company dweebs checking out numbers dialed Jake. Tiny, itty bitty difference there champ.
Posted by: NM | November 21, 2008, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm