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Demanding Truth, Justice and Accountability in Government

Government Lawyers Claim Bush Dictatorship is a "State Secret"

Reed31463

AT&T now claims they own your personal information, but they are not just collecting information. They have allowed the NSA direct access to conversations and internet data.

Then in turn, the information is shared with State and local official. They may then obtain warrants to search or arrest Americans on illegally obtained information.

For providing the access, the carriers are being ~~bribed~~ compensated at the prevailing rate.
The Government shall compensate, at the prevailing rate, such carrier for furnishing such aid.

AT&T Claims They Own YOUR Personal Data.

Now, though, the U.S. telecom giant is revising its policy on client information and is arguing that as the provider of the telecommunications services, it actually owns the information it collects. What's more, the carrier has claimed that it has the right to share that information with government authorities should the need arise.

"While your account information may be personal to you, these records constitute business records that are owned by AT&T ... as such, AT&T may disclose such records to protect its legitimate business interests, safeguard others or respond to legal process," the company said in a statement released Wednesday. Furthermore, the new policy requires customers agree to its latest privacy policy before signing up for its services. The revised policy is expected to be in place Friday. It did, however, emphasize that it had no plans to share such information with private companies that would want the data for marketing purposes or with other profit-oriented groups.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, after all, filed a class-action lawsuit against AT&T earlier this year, accusing it of helping the NSA wiretap and data-mine users' phone lines. On Friday, however, a federal judge in San Francisco will hear oral arguments on the U.S. government's motion to dismiss the lawsuit as the government contends that even if the NSA program is illegal, the lawsuit should not go forward because it might expose state secrets.

This specious argument the government has trotted out to rescue AT&T from this lawsuit is fascist to the core--BushCo is claiming that American citizens have no legal standing to challenge the Constitutionality or legality of the policies of own government in courts of law if the government conduct in question is declared a "state secret."

What happened to upholding the laws of the land?

Comment # 1 ~ Alma ~ 06/25/2006 23:34 GMT

"What happened to up upholding the laws of the land?"
Thats like so last century Reed.

Comment # 2 ~ Rusty ~ 06/26/2006 00:09 GMT

Reed, our "quiet one" has a point. You wrote a great 21st century article, but it has a George McGovern ending.

Comment # 3 ~ Rusty ~ 06/26/2006 00:10 GMT

I may have to change that ending before TopperFalls sees it . . .

Comment # 4 ~ tahoebasha1 ~ 06/26/2006 18:37 GMT

Always nice to know our telephone company is complicit with the government and the government is complicit with our telephone company -- all at the expense of their customers, the American people. Maybe, we should "All Get Dis-Connected."