May 24, 2013

"The Obama Administration fought to keep a search warrant for James Rosen’s private e-mail account secret..."

"... arguing to a federal judge that the government might need to monitor the account for a lengthy period of time," writes Ryan Lizza in The New Yorker.
The new details indicate that the government wanted the option to search Rosen’s e-mails repeatedly if the F.B.I. found further evidence implicating the reporter in what prosecutors argued was a conspiracy to commit espionage.

73 comments:

Anonymous said...

what they wanted was not info in the case in question, which was old business, but any new sources he found in the Obama administration.

most transparent evah...

Mark said...

Fishing expedition, pure and simple. Makes you wonder how many of these cases are out there and just haven't yet come to light.

edutcher said...

Supposedly, Holder lied about this under oath.

Isn't that impeachable?

Palladian said...

It doesn't matter. Most Americans are happy with this government. They can do whatever they want.

Tim said...

Of course it did.

Because, ultimately, the Obama Administration had to know this would become public, and open knowledge of this would have a chilling effect.

Which is certainly intended.

And nothing has a chilling effect like knowing the feds can snoop through your emails unannounced for months or even years.

Rusty said...

Who's he conspiring to spy for, Mossad?

Things appear to be unraveling for mr. holder

cassandra lite said...

The hubris is breathtaking. One can only hope that it is met with the kind of reward Greek dramatists usually devised for the hubristic. Unfortunately, it looks like we're going to need a deus ex machina to pull it off.

Matt Sablan said...

Most transparent administration ever!

JAL said...

Anyone else read the comments over at The New Yorker? Was Kim releasing information about some bombing?

The New Yorker commenter:

"MONGOOSE 1 hour ago

Not only did everybody - FBI, AUSAs, the USAtty, and the magistrate sign this, (and Eric Holder) they obviously didn't READ it. See page 2 of Exhibit, B, the motion to seal.

"The United States has considered alternatives less drastic than sealing and has found none that would suffice to protect the government's legitimate interest in attempting to locate and prosecute those responsible for THE BOMBINGS." What the hell? I mean, really, what the hell?


Yeah -- look and see -- that's what it says.

Any clues what that is about?

Rabel said...

"Any clues what that is about?"

Copy and paste from another document.

William said...

I think that in order for the public to perceive the press as world weary, hard hitting, knowledgeable, and impartial, the press occasionally has to act in such a way.....The media has not suppressed this scandal, but neither have they presented it as a naked woman with her throat cut. They're a tad more skeptical of Holder than they were in the Fast & Furious scandal, but the story has not been presented as a huge giant step towards fascism as such a misdeed would have been in a Republican administration......The fact remains that the most egregious violations of our civil liberties happened under Democrat administrations. Why were 17,000 Romanian nationals rounded up and put in internment camps while Italian nationals were not? Roosevelt famously said that Italians were just a bunch of opera lovers and did not need to be interned. Such was due process under FDR. If Roosevelt liked you, you kept your job, home and business. If not, you were rounded up and put in an internment camp. And none of the scumbag liberals who complained the loudest about McCarthyism found anything wrong about FDR's behavior.

eelpout said...

Spying on filthy leftists needs to be done, of course, it's a matter of national security. But my tits really get lit up like firecrackers if the government spies on anyone else.

edutcher said...

You sound like titus.

cubanbob said...

Man these guys are making Nixon look positively saintly.

Besides Rosen now it appears that a woman who file for a 501c4 for a TEA Party not only had the IRS giving her the bs but coincidentally her business was audited and the FBI grilled her and the EPA and ATF show up out if the blue for a full inspection. This probably the most corrup administration in a hundred years.

bagoh20 said...

OK then, who's got second place for worse administration ever?

Cody Jarrett said...

my tits really get lit up like firecrackers

Post is useless without pictures.

edutcher said...

cubanbob said...

Man these guys are making Nixon look positively saintly.

Besides Rosen now it appears that a woman who file for a 501c4 for a TEA Party not only had the IRS giving her the bs but coincidentally her business was audited and the FBI grilled her and the EPA and ATF show up out if the blue for a full inspection. This probably the most corrup administration in a hundred years.


Try 237.

bagoh20 said...

OK then, who's got second place for worse administration ever?

Willie.

All Nixon did was damage control.

bagoh20 said...

I have to rethink my national pride after this. I mean we did elect him in an open, free election, and he probably would have won even without using the IRS and the New Black Panthers, who probably friend each other on Facebook.

Unknown said...

It's hard to choose between Carter and Clinton for second place.

edutcher said...

bagoh20 said...

I have to rethink my national pride after this. I mean we did elect him in an open, free election, and he probably would have won even without using the IRS and the New Black Panthers, who probably friend each other on Facebook.

That's the point. Axelrod and Plouffe clearly were scared purple they wouldn't make it.

Even the media couldn't protect him once Romney nailed him in the debates. That's why they had the vote fraud machine set up.

I don't think he had a prayer. Maybe that's the 4th (5th, if you count the Silver Haired Angel of Death)shoe Joseph Curl has mentioned.

After all, this is Chicago.

Bob Loblaw said...

Isn't that impeachable?

At the very least you'd think it would be... contemptible.

Bob Loblaw said...

It doesn't matter. Most Americans are happy with this government. They can do whatever they want.

Sometimes I hate you for being right.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

espionage meaning ... reporting facts that force Obama and his wretched administration into daylight?

edutcher said...

Palladian said...

It doesn't matter. Most Americans are happy with this government.


You've been drinking the media Kool-Aid.

Michael K said...

If this stands without serious consequences, we are all lost.

JAL said...

"The United States has considered alternatives less drastic than sealing and has found none that would suffice to protect the government's legitimate interest in attempting to locate and prosecute those responsible for THE BOMBINGS." What the hell? I mean, really, what the hell?

@ Rabel 6:59

Copy and paste from another document.

That is the obvious answer, and probably what happened, but remember? This document was a request for a secret search warrant in which a respected journalist is described as being an “aider, abettor, and/or co-conspirator” in a crime.

And no one read the damned thing?

Known Unknown said...

You've been drinking the media Kool-Aid.

No, he's very aware that many others are drunk on the media Kool-Aid.

As am I. We are reaching Peak Apathy.

Known Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Saint Croix said...

I can't keep saying holy fuck. But holy fuck! It's like reading a Martin Cruz Smith novel. The fascism here is mind-blowing. I read this New Yorker piece and it's like we're in another world now. it's not the USA anymore.

A couple of weeks ago, I thought the "impeach Obama" talk was ridiculous. It will never happen.

And yet this is just mind-boggling. This sort of stuff puts every liberal to the test. You really have to decide now, where you stand.

Liberal society?

Or Obama?

Icepick said...

If this stands without serious consequences, we are all lost.

Don't sweat it. It will stand without serious consequences for the Administration. SO we are all hosed, but there's really nothing to do but sit back and enjoy the decline.

JAL said...

"It doesn't matter. Most Americans are happy with this government."

You've been drinking the media Kool-Aid.

BHO's approval rating is 50%

Can anyone explain that to me?

edutcher said...

22% Republicans in the sample.

Icepick said...

And no one read the damned thing?

Come on, that is so 2007.

Icepick said...

This sort of stuff puts every liberal to the test. You really have to decide now, where you stand.

Liberal society?

Or Obama?


They're voting for more power for their party, and damn the consequences. And once they get another 30 to 50 million Mexicans the right to vote, they will get the one party rule they desire. Seriously, enough of this was out there to make the decision in 2012, and the country as a whole decided it wants God Emperor Barack ass fucking every single one of his enemies. By which I mean the Rosens of the world, not the Tsarnaevs.

Icepick said...

edutcher, you can bitch about the sample sizes, but the American people in their infinite stupidity re-elected him last year, and seem content with it.

We're over two million jobs short of where we were in December 2007. We're over four million FULL TIME jobs short of where we were then. And the American people have declared that this is a successful economy. What makes you think they're going to give a shit about the IRS or the DOJ screwing the Constitution, they don't give a fuck that the Administration sends its own people out to get ass-raped to death by terrorists. They don't care that the Administration wouldn't tell the truth about where the sun will come up tomorrow.

And best of all, the American people have collectively decided that all opposition to Obama is based on racism, and those of us opposed to him deserve whatever we get.

So get used to it.

Rabel said...

"And no one read the damned thing?"

It's all generic except for the one paragraph under "Facts" and the "bombings" sentence. So, yeah, it just slipped in and nobody read it.

Would be interesting to see the "Facts" section that that motion to seal came from.

And, Mr. Holder, if you're reading, the above sentence is hyperbolic speculation and does not represent an attempt to solicit a leak of classified information. Forward!

Saint Croix said...

Eric Holder refused to testify in the AP phone records scandal, claiming that he had "recused himself" from any decisions in regard to the search.

From the NYT:

Mr. Holder also said that he did not put his recusal in writing, which drew widespread criticism from the lawmakers. Later in the hearing, he said that he had decided to examine whether it would be a better policy to always record when he was transferring his powers to his deputy for a specific matter.

From the New Yorker piece:

NBC News reported that the warrant to search Rosen’s e-mail account was personally approved by Holder.

Subpoena him again. Confront him with his lies. Vote to impeach.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

But my tits really get lit up like firecrackers...

I see garage is back.

Saint Croix said...

Obama is really, really, really like Nixon tag.

Saint Croix said...

We have not yet reached peak bullshit.

Original Mike said...

These guys are thugs.

traditionalguy said...

This is the most corrupt administration since Rome fell in 480 AD. Caesar is back!

Saint Croix said...

And the hits just keep on coming.

Here is a 2008 New York Times article about a political campaign to "confront donors to conservative groups, hoping to create a chilling effect."

It reminds me of how Obama was elected to the Senate--by removing his opponents off the ticket.

Just an unbelievable disrespect for democracy and free speech.

I don't see him resigning, either. Or acknowledging any responsibility. It'll be lies, lies, and more lies.

What a fucking nightmare. What a fucking asshole!

glenn said...

Looking for something to use to shut James and Fox News up. That's why they included his parents.

Saint Croix said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Saint Croix said...

President Biden.

Holy fuck, Batman!

It's like he really is the Joker.

cubanbob said...

As far as I can tell the last Administration that was this abusive of power was Woodie Wilson. As for personal corruption probably that was LBJ. Notice the thing in common was that they were both progressive democrats. In the current scandals its no coincidence that the players were Clinton Administration retreads. Can anyone think of an AG more power corrupt than Holder? Seriously how could the senate confirm him as AG knowing his role in the Marc Rich pardon?

Saint Croix said...

I find the Obama Joker really disturbing. Not sure why. It does draw attention to his race, I guess, but that's not it. You don't look at that image and think "Obama is acting white." Nor can you say that whiteface is an insult to anybody.

But it's weird, right? I look at that image and it freaks me out a little. (Designed by a guy named Firas Alkhateeb, by the way).

I think it affects us because of the idea of masks. The Joker Obama makes us think of a man underneath a mask. The Joker Obama is smiling, but it's a fake smile, a phony smile. And we wonder, what's going on underneath?

Obama has a nice guy persona. But what if that's not real? What if it's a charade? What if Obama is truly and deeply an angry man?

How uptight is Obama? How self-controlled is he, and how deep is his desire for control over other people? He has a desire to "go Bulworth" and drop the mask? What does that mean for us? Does that mean you've been lying? What lies did you tell? What is the truth?

In December 2010 the FBI came to ask about a person who'd attended a King Street Patriots function. In January 2011 the FBI had more questions. The same month the IRS audited her business tax returns. In May 2011 the FBI called again for a general inquiry about King Street Patriots. In June 2011 Engelbrecht's personal tax returns were audited and the FBI called again. In October 2011 a round of questions on True the Vote. In November 2011 another call from the FBI. The next month, more questions from the FBI. In February 2012 a third round of IRS questions on True the Vote. In February 2012 a first round of questions on King Street Patriots. The same month the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms did an unscheduled audit of her business. (It had a license to make firearms but didn't make them.) In July 2012 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration did an unscheduled audit. In November 2012 more IRS questions on True the Vote. In March 2013, more questions. In April 2013 a second ATF audit.

Isn't this, you know, overkill?

Why do it? It's not like Obama has a chance to win Texas. Did you really have to crush this one lady under your boot?

Obama is our first African-American President. He's such a huge, important symbol to millions of people. Wouldn't you respect that, at least? Wouldn't that give you pause and keep you from acting like a dictator in a banana republic?

Aren't you embarrassed? And isn't the crushing of Catherine Engelbrecht pointless, in the grand scheme of things? Pointless and rather pathological?

Obama is like Nixon tag.

Palladian said...

Obama has a nice guy persona.

Really? He seems, mostly, like a total asshole.

JD3 said...

Mongoose here:
The reason I posted my comment at New Yorker about the "bombings" was not to suggest that that Mr. Rosen was involved in that crime. No, I assumed that the AUSA needed a go-by for a motion to seal, had one in his computer, and cut and pasted, overlooking this little detail. Could happen to anybody.
I posted the comment, and the "what the hell?" question because the AUSA in question did this in such a sloppy, unprofessional, and self-destructive way. You guys are mostly lawyers (I'm not) so you tell me: Wouldn't you take a little extra care, maybe proofread your pleadings a little more carefully in this case? I mean, it's not like when this gets unsealed, nobody's going to notice a little slip up like this. It's not like this won't be, as Joe B likes to put it, "a big effin deal." It's not like you're taking on some big media player that buys bandwidth by the terabyte and is likely to object strenuously. Oh, wait. It's Fox News.
And, consider the position Mr. Harvey has put his boss in. "I thought you read it." "Well, I thought YOU read it." And finally, do you think the magistrate judge will be real pleased, next time the AUSA shows up with a motion to seal, having been shown to be rather less than diligently inquisitive on the last one?
I didn't think so either. Hence my comment.

edutcher said...

Icepick said...

edutcher, you can bitch about the sample sizes, but the American people in their infinite stupidity re-elected him last year, and seem content with it.

Are we, or is the discontent just not being shown on the nightly news? A sample with 22% Republicans is phony and we all know it. That's why we've been given the "Resistance Is Futile" psyop since 11/7/12.

As for re-election, again, I don't buy it.

I think that's the whole business that "terrifies" people around him. That somehow the word will get out.

BTW, ever notice there are a lot more cars with Obama stickers since the "election" than there ever were before it?

cubanbob said...

As far as I can tell the last Administration that was this abusive of power was Woodie Wilson. As for personal corruption probably that was LBJ.

Naw, Willie had LBJ beat by a country mile.

And I lived through both.

PS As to stealing the "election", if you think they didn't do it, is the issue they couldn't do it or wouldn't do it?

wendybar said...

I hope this is the straw that breaks the camels back. Wouldn't it be GREAT if Fox News is the one who brings this thug of a president down!!!!! Oh, the crowing I would do!!

campy said...

PS As to stealing the "election", if you think they didn't do it, is the issue they couldn't do it or wouldn't do it?

Could have & would have, but didn't need to.

Michael Haz said...

One has to wonder if this administration is at war with the people it governs.

Wire tapping members of the press. Using federal agencies to harass and intimidate citizens who may oppose the administration's policies. Giving itself unchallenged authority to read all citizens' emails, text messages, tweets and other social media comments. Having unquestioned authority to listen to all telephone calls.

Giving itself the authority to use drones anywhere in America. Maintaining a "kill list". Authorizing Homeland Security to buy billions of rounds of ammunition, without stated purpose or evident need. Seeking to take the guns owned by Americans.

Having persons with known ties to the Muslim Brotherhood serve in the NSA, and giving others seemingly unlimited access to WH visits. A chief of staff born in Iran and who has family ties to the communist party and the Muslim Brotherhood.

The enemy is inside the gate.

Michael Haz said...

Tell us, liberals, why are you okay with this? Why are you oaky with giving up freedoms? Does not the idea of the WH and DOJ intimidating a free press bother you?

Or is it okay because hope and change?

Deb said...

A coworker shrugged and said he doesn't feel strongly about anything. He feels very proud and self-righteous about this. I think this is the root of the problem. In spite of what you see, I believe the commenter nailed it above who said we ahve reached "peak apathy". It just doesn't matter to them. To be passionate about things like this is comical to most people.

Rusty said...

Obama is like Nixon tag.

Funny. This is the kind of behavior a dictator engages in to consolidate their reign.
More like Stalin I think.
He wants to keep his boot on the neck of anyone who disagrees with him.
Holder is his Beria.
To be honest he really has fundamentally transformed the country. Unless there is a strong move to get back to constitutional principals I don 't think we're ever going back.

Paco Wové said...

"he doesn't feel strongly about anything. He feels very proud and self-righteous about this"

His initials aren't "PHX" by any chance, are they?

AllenS said...

This is reflective of the current people in this administration and the lefty people working for the government. I really don't think that Obama has anything to do with this. I also don't think that he knew about what was going on, and I don't think that he has a clue about anything, and I do mean anything. His whole success at life has been having other people do the work while he has been promoted upwards.

Unfortunately, most Americans see nothing wrong with this.

Saint Croix said...

And isn't the crushing of Catherine Engelbrecht pointless, in the grand scheme of things? Pointless and rather pathological?

And of course I don't want to be pathological in response. It's not like Obama has taped up Catherine Engelbrecht's name on his bathroom mirror. "I must stop her!"

And yet that's really bizarre, right? The FBI is investigating her. The IRS is investigating her. The ATF is investigating her. OSHA is investigating her.

This is an innocent woman! Utterly innocent! How is it that her name pops up on the radar of so many government agencies? Are all these agencies corrupt?

Or maybe her name pops up in a computer somewhere.

All this because she requested tax-exempt status for a local conservative group and for one that registers voters and tries to get dead people off the rolls.

That's why the warning bells go off?

Her attorney, Cleta Mitchell, who provided the timeline above, told me: "These people, they are just regular Americans. They try to get dead people off the voter rolls, you would think that they are serial killers."

Contrast the Obama Administration's investigation into the killers of our ambassador.

It's just bizarre to have so much focus on True the Vote, and so little focus on Ansar Al-Sharia. Right?

Who are your enemies, Obama?

It's the night of the assassination of your ambassador. And what are you doing this night? Where is your focus? Where do you go the next day?

LilyBart said...

Palladian said...
It doesn't matter. Most Americans are happy with this government. They can do whatever they want.


If they are happy with it, it is because they are ignorant of the outcome of the government's policies. We're losing our liberty, then we collapse under the weight of the debt, then comes the deluge.

Idiots.

Saint Croix said...

Maybe it's rogue IRS agents, rogue FBI agents, rogue ATF agents, and rogue OSHA agents, all wilding together.

And afterwards, the Secret Service provides the hookers.

jr565 said...

I do notice as the scandals mount, the libtards make fewer and fewer comments.
Hiding under their rocks I guess.

cubanbob said...

Who are your enemies, Obama?"

St Croix isn't it obvious his/their enemies are average real Americans? Still as the saying goes every cloud has a silver linking. Perhaps after 2014 and 2016 there will be enough revulsion to do a serious rollback of the progressive state. One can hope.

cubanbob said...

Maybe it's rogue IRS agents, rogue FBI agents, rogue ATF agents, and rogue OSHA agents, all wilding together.

And afterwards, the Secret Service provides the hookers.

5/25/13, 8:47 AM


As Reagan said if you want to know my policies read my speeches. There are no rogue agents here. They heard and read the boss's speeches.

AllenS said...

I can visualize Obama sitting in the Oval Office, behind his desk, jacket off, sleeves rolled up, feet on his desk, slumped down in the chair saying: "Whatever." To anyone in there giving their report, or asking for advice and guidance on any matter.

The man doesn't have a clue.

Saint Croix said...

St Croix isn't it obvious his/their enemies are average real Americans?

I meant those questions as rhetorical. But now that I think about it, I would suggest that Obama's list of enemies is made up of anybody who would oppose his will.

So, yeah, it's a pretty big list.

And obviously Al-Qaeda would make that list. Recall that Obama does do drone strikes on terrorists (and nearby innocents). Why? The terrorists are in opposition to his will.

But the Obama administration arrests filmmakers, spies on journalists and harasses voters. Why? They are in opposition to his will, too.

edutcher said...

campy said...

PS As to stealing the "election", if you think they didn't do it, is the issue they couldn't do it or wouldn't do it?

Could have & would have, but didn't need to.


Yes, they did, the Romster was winning. That's why they needed the Miracle of Sandy.

Michael Haz said...

One has to wonder if this administration is at war with the people it governs.

No wonder about it.

And, by their own admission, they don't govern, they rule.

Anonymous said...

"Who are your enemies, Obama?"

Anyone who threatens his power.

That rules out Ansar al Sharia.

MB said...

I have seen a recurring theme in the left’s defense, that is:
‘Bush did it to, you weren’t upset, therefore it is OK.’

Example from WP comment:
route234
5/24/2013 9:46 PM CDT


FYI it did happen under Bush. You dont think the DOJ has investigated leaks before with clandestine warrants? They have been doing it since the 70s. You guys are woefully ignorant on this subject.


Of note, Bush is always worse. Go back and point out that prior to Nixon, Democrats abused the system and ‘that is just ancient history, therefore not relevant.’ There is a variant of Godwin's law where opponents are dismissed as ignorant and/or bigoted/racist/homophobes. On Twitter, I am shocked at how many people, who appear otherwise reasonable, believe it is altogether fitting and proper that the IRS investigate these groups.

RecChief said...

They wanted to monitor his emails for a lengthy period of time.

just how long is a lengthy period of time? looked to me that it was open ended. Think about that. the government wanted to monitor this man's email in perpetuity, based on whether the government decided was a need to continue. And a judge agreed.

Where is our Samuel Adams?

Icepick said...

BTW, ever notice there are a lot more cars with Obama stickers since the "election" than there ever were before it?

Most likely a dead thread now, but anyway...

I have noticed that. I'm also noticing more Romney stickers now than before the election. Not sure that it means anything.

...

As for whether or not they stole the election: I believe they would if they could, and perhaps they did. But how is it they perpetrated this massive fraud without someone somewhere gloaming on to it and starting to expose it?

Frankly, given what I see on the web, on TV and especially in real life, I find it easy to believe that the American electorate is just stupid enough and lazy enough and, frankly, minority enough to re-elect Barry. ANd I won't be shocked if either he gets elected to another term in 2016, or if Michelle gets elected in his place.

Welcome to the Third World edutcher.

Icepick said...

Where is our Samuel Adams?

Sam Adams is good beer. But as for being a revolutionary, that is right out. Anyone proclaiming against the new order will be called a racist often enough and loud enough that people will begin to ignore that person. It's what 35 to 50 years of conditioning has done to the people.