Subpoena Seeks Records About Delegate Lists on Web

[Khephra]

The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation and is demanding records regarding Internet postings by critics of the Bush administration that list the names of Republican delegates and urge protesters to give them an unwelcome reception in New York City.

Federal prosecutors said in a grand jury subpoena that the information was needed as part of an investigation into possible voter intimidation. Protesters and civil rights advocates argued that the Web postings were legitimate political dissent, not threats or intimidation.

The investigation, conducted by the Secret Service, comes at a time when federal officials have begun an aggressive effort to prevent what they say could be violence by demonstrators at the convention this week and at other major political events. Large-scale demonstrations in New York began over the weekend.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has questioned at least several dozen would-be protesters about whether they knew of any plans for violent demonstrations, and it has directed agents nationwide to identify possible criminal plots. Some Democrats in Congress and civil rights advocates have criticized the efforts, saying the inquiries have had a chilling effect on free speech.The accusations are likely to intensify with the disclosure of the subpoena regarding the Republican delegates.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/30/politics/campaign/30delegates.html

[oldhat]

1. Say hello.

[Mokito]

2. Investigating voter intimidation

In the blink of an eye for *,
When hell freezes over for the black population of Florida.

Hypocrisy, republican is thy name.

[Nambe]

3. I ran into those on a news search. UGLY..We don't need that.

If the neo-cons get away with murder, should we become murders too? If we are going to turn this country around, let's start from the beginning by doing it the honest way. You know the media will cursify us if we act like them and the swing voters will take notice. I really don't like this.

[Mel]

4. you ran into those in a news search

was it at Indymedia and can you post them and where any of them threatening murder?

The media is corporate owned and they are going to crucify Democrats regardless.
Also, the contrast into the lack of investigation in Florida and this would be laughable it it wasn't so infuriating.

People on the left and in the middle are not going to continue to make nice when they see their lives and democracy being destroyed.

Your not liking it isn't going to make people not stand up and use their free speech. Playing nice and not standing up is what has gotten us where we are now. We don't have to beat people up but letting them spew their hate and destroy our democracy days are over and they need to realize that period. Republican delegates are supporting Neo Cons that want to murder us and peoples in other countries. Do we just roll over? Or do we let them know that NO! Hell No! your not going to do this without us pointing it out you don't keep a Democratic system and your freedoms by rolling over to fascism.

These are the same people that whine about how horrible NY is then they pick it for their convention?

They cry about taxes but as numbers prove the Bush states are the ones that get the most back in federal taxes and pay the least. Should New Yorkers ignore the fact that this convention is costing them money while the same people that support Bush and his not giving New York the money he promised after 9-11?

People are sick of it and they are sick of 'crony capitalism' it destroys people and they aren't going to continue laying down for it. Revolution most always comes from the middle class. Why do you think people like Gates, Soros, Buffett etc. are speaking out they have the good sense to realize that crony capitalism is starting to destroying this country.



<snip>
The Justice Department issued the subpoena on Aug. 19 to Calyx Internet Access, an Internet service provider in New York City, after a Secret Service agent asked the company to turn over information about postings on a client's site, nyc.indymedia.org. Calyx refused to turn over the information, citing privacy concerns, and a subpoena was issued.

The subpoena seeks subscriber information, and contacts and billing records for the Indy Media site. It says the information is needed to investigate possible violations of the federal criminal code barring efforts to intimidate, threaten or coerce voters.</snip>


I hope you haven't signed up at indymedia because your information is at risk of being subpoenaed by the government and as we all know anybody can post at Indymedia and that person or persons need not necessarily be a part of 'we' also if we know that people are planted at protests who's to say they weren't planted at Indymedia in order to obtain Indymedias information? I put nothing past these Neo Cons they outed a CIA agent Valerie Plame nothing is beyond the pale for these fascists. Nothing!



<snip>
Officials at the American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing Calyx, the Internet service provider, said they were aware of no postings that encouraged violence or intimidation of Republican delegates, and they said the site contained political dialogue and information that was protected by the First Amendment.

"We can't see any legitimate purpose behind this investigation, and it looks to us like another attempt to repress legitimate political dissent," said Ann Beeson, associate legal director for the A.C.L.U.</snip>

[Just Me]

5. Well-stated, Mel.

It appears that, as the independent political opposition becomes more tactically savvy, our powers-that-be increase the intimidation BS. I don't believe the SS's actions against indymedia have anything to do with some alleged threat of violence but rather everything to do with restricting/controlling their influence.

[Radius]

6. I read the page when it was published

It is still mirrored other places, was on sydney indymedia.

Names ,addresses, phone numbers. Instructions on how to fax, and email bomb RNC accounts. Links to DDoS traffic generators. Username and password to server info was stolen from.

Poor form IMHO. Consider how you would feel if someone cracked DU and posted your account info and email and that info(know its not collected).

Cracking servers is against the law, and it sucks when it happens to you. Publishing hacked information is against the law in some states.

[Radius]

7. kick (NT)

[Mokito]

10. Well stated indeed, but Gates, Soros and Buffet are hardly middle-class

[Mel]

11. no they aren't middle class

they don't have to be to get 'it' my point is those men realize from history's lessons that Revolution usually comes from the middle class.

What's being most strained now with crony capitalism at full-tilt-boogie? The middle class.

I would like to believe that the men I mentioned are ones that believe in capitalism not crony capitalism.

Mind you I'm not delusional those men are not saints nor do I agree with corporations having person-hood just wanted to be clear on that.

Thing is if I have to choose between crony-capitalism or capitalism give me capitalism at least with that we still have a ledge to stand on with crony capitalism we head back to the Robber Baron era of the 1800's no thanks!

[Tight_rope]

8. Did I mention that Zell Miller would be speaking at the RNC!

Zell Miller
Why the Democratic senator loathes Democrats.
By Michael Crowley
Posted Friday, Aug. 27, 2004, at 8:59 AM PT



snip

Miller is a silver-haired Democratic senator from Georgia who has dedicated the twilight of his long career to excoriating his own party. The 72-year-old Miller has become such a heretic, in fact, that he will deliver the keynote address at next week's Republican convention in New York City. It's a strange twist of history, given that Miller delivered the keynote address on behalf of Bill Clinton in 1992 (also at Madison Square Garden, as it happens).

http://slate.msn.com/id/2105700/

[TeeYiYi]

9. From the Indy NYC website . . .

Secret Service Attempts Subpoena For Indymedia Logs as Part of Harassment Campaign

by NYC-IMC 30 Aug 2004

As was reported in today's New York Times, the Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation and is demanding records concerning anti-RNC deleagte posts to this website. Specifically, the DOJ is seeking information on lists of 2,200 RNC delegate names posted to our Open Newswire.

NYC Indymedia believes that this investigation is wholly without merit, and is part of a larger campaign of intimidation against our supporters and peaceful protest activities surrounding the RNC.

Additionally, NYC Indymedia does not keep the records that the DOJ is seeking. According to Global Indymedia, "as a result of attempts to violate our clear rights, we felt it prudent to develop a policy of not voluntarily gathering data for the government on people who visit our websites, or who post material to sites. '. . . we do not log IP addresses as a way of protecting the privacy of our visitors. . .'

Those of us at New York Indymedia feel, first and foremost, that this site is in the business of media-making and journalism. We invite first time visitiors to look around, and we hope they like what they see.

Calyx's contacts at Indymedia are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. We advise all members of the press to contact our lawyers for further comment on this matter.

http://nyc.indymedia.org/

TYY

[BeFree]

12. Looks like they have been waiting for a way

To try and bust our balls. This is one way of cracking the internet and stopping free speech. Glad to see the ACLU and EFF out front on this... those groups need our support, eh?

[Rich Hunt]

13. interesting

There was a thread on 'that other board' which insinuated that the target was DU. Which is funny because this is the only thread I could find on DU that had anything to do with delegate lists.