Bruce Carton writes: Politicos want to know whether the “secret video” of Mitt Romney speaking at a private fundraising event will hurt his chances in the upcoming presidential election, but some lawyers are pondering a different question: Did the person who made the tape violate state law? CNBC reports that in Florida, both parties to a conversation must…
Category: U.S.
New GAO report: UAV and privacy
There’s a new GAO report that supports what privacy advocates are all saying – the government needs to address privacy concerns raised by the use of unmanned aircraft. But should it be the DOJ or DHS to take point, or do we need another agency that might be more, um, civil liberties-leaning? UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS:…
EPIC Prevails in Mobile Body Scanner FOIA Case
From EPIC.org: A federal district court has awarded EPIC attorneys fees and costs in EPIC v. DHS, No, 11-945, a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit that resulted in the disclosure of information about the agency’s plan to deploy body scanners at bus stations, train stations, and elsewhere. The court found that EPIC had “substantially prevailed” in…
Immunity, state secrets may doom warrantless surveillance lawsuit against NSA and AT&T
Philip A. Janquart reports that the NSA has filed a motion to dismiss claims against it in the long-running Jewel v. NSA lawsuit. NSA claims that it has immunity from such suits, and that disclosures by itself or AT&T would endanger state secrets. Same tune, different week. And sadly, I think they will get their…