I know I missed this story when if first hit. But I’ve got an 3.8 grade average as an excuse.
Following the report earlier this week that the FBI regularly broke the ECPA law, in obtaining information from telcos without going through the proper process (and, in some cases using just a post it note!), some interesting details from the full report have come to light. The two key ones? First, “the Obama administration issued a secret rule almost two weeks ago saying it was legal for the FBI to have skirted federal privacy protections.” And, second, the original idea to use these bogus “exigent letters” didn’t come from the FBI, but from an AT&T employee.
It’s as though he’s a combination of Bush, Nixon and Carter.
It must be the Carter part that keeps the left from issuing the “He’s just like Hitler” screeds and demanding he be prosecuted on this.
Also, about the wording from the link: I know that the Executive Branch doesn’t issue “rulings”. He/It issues Executive Orders that can change certain rules. The wording may be wrong, but the fact is still valid.
UPDATE: I’m also waiting for the cries of “War Criminal” pointed at Obama over this factoid as well.
You’re not holding your breath until the Left takes up the cudgels here, are you? If so, you’ll be donating your body to science sooner than you thought.