[privacy] Gonzales Pushes Again for Increased ISP Data Retention

[Matthew Murphy]

On 6/27/07, Brian Loe <knobdy at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 6/27/07, Matthew Murphy <mattmurphy at kc.rr.com> wrote:
>
> >
> > Because White House Spokeswoman Dana Perino more or less admitted it
> > publicly.
>
> I can't find that admission - but here is she is getting pummeled:
> http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/04/20070412-5.html

I did.

"White House: Millions of e-mails may be lost" (CNN)
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/13/white.house.email/index.html

Perino personally states "I wouldn't rule out that there were a
potential 5 million e-mails lost."

That's five million potential violations of the Presidential Records
Act.  At best for the White House, it represents endemic negligence
within the administration on adherence to the rules of the Act.

>
> > Here's what an investigation has already found:
> >
> > http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1362
> >
> > The practice is a violation of federal law (specifically the
> > Presidential Records Act) anatord therefore well within the purview of
> > their oversight.
>
> And oversight committees are nothing more than political attack dogs -
> used to chase red herrings and make headlines. They're always BS no
> matter which party is in which office, and this case is no different -
> nor was Libby's - nor was <fill in the blank>. In place of substantive
> ideals and goals, attack your enemy. Ms. Ralston is probably working
> for some senator's friend's business now...

Even if what you say is true (and it probably is) that doesn't
undermine the *facts* of the case.  Witness the Republican attack on
the Clinton administration, and you'll realize that the Democrats are
doing essentially the same thing with their majority.  I for one, am
glad oversight cmtes. are finally getting nasty -- split control is
the most efficient, transparent government we've ever devised, even
though, yes, it still sucks at both of those things generally.

But I digress...

Perino's statement, in particular, is pretty damning.  If the e-mails
were part of the investigation of a major crime (rather than an
at-worst-potentially-improper round of federal firings) this would be
a controversy on par with the eighteen-and-a-half missing minutes of
the Nixon tapes.