bill of rights

LAPD Detains Photographer For ‘Interfering’ With Police From 90 Feet Away

"Words like 'interference' or 'obstruction' seem to be thrown around quite frequently when law enforcement officers decide they'd rather not be filmed while on duty. How the passive act of filming can interfere with investigations or obstruct officials is left to the imagination. Fortunately (I guess...), law enforcement officials have very vivid imaginations. This allows them to arrest, detain, hassle or confiscate devices as needed, in order preserve the peace by chilling speech. The latest definition of 'interference' stretches the limits of credulity -- to nearly 100 feet." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLAPD Detains Photographer For ‘Interfering’ With Police From 90 Feet Away

After gun enthusiast’s arrest, rifle-toting protestors gather outside McAllen PD

"Horton, the open carry advocate, visited the Public Safety Building on Wednesday afternoon and told police he wanted to take a photograph of himself holding an assault-style rifle, according to police. Officers warned Horton not to bring weapons onto the premises and he left. Horton returned later, apparently intending to photograph himself holding a rifle. Officers arrested him for trespassing and carrying a weapon where prohibited, according to the news release. Police later dropped the trespassing charge and Horton was released on a $25,000 bond." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAfter gun enthusiast’s arrest, rifle-toting protestors gather outside McAllen PD

Glenn Greenwald plans to release more Snowden files in 10 days

"Glenn Greenwald is planning to release more documents from the cache handed over to him by whistleblower Edward Snowden, claiming that what has been seen so far is just a very small slice compared to the bigger picture. Greenwald plans to make new revelations public 'within the next 10 days or so', expected to be related to secret US backed surveillance of the internet, worldwide. One of the conditions that Snowden had for receiving temporary asylum in Russia was that he stop leaking. But Greenwald already has access to these files - so technically speaking - these will not be fresh leaks but the disclosure of already leaked material." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGlenn Greenwald plans to release more Snowden files in 10 days

Montana Attorney General blames reporters for online threats against them

"Montana Attorney General Tim Fox (R) suggested that Associated Press reporters who were threatened after their personal information was leaked online brought it upon themselves. 'Whether or not there is a chilling effect I guess the media, the journalistic profession needs to contemplate when they ask for information whether or not they are creating a chilling effect in their own profession,' Fox told Montana Public Radio (MPR) when asked about the threats, which followed his office’s denial of an AP request for a copy of the state database concerning concealed firearm permit holders. A 2013 state law made such information classified." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMontana Attorney General blames reporters for online threats against them

Maine Governor LePage: I’d like to blow up newspaper building

"Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) wasted no time in making a disturbing joke after boarding a flight simulator during a Friday appearance, the Bangor Daily News reported on Friday. 'I want to find the Press Herald building and blow it up,' LePage said in video posted online from his appearance at an event hosted by defense contractor Pratt & Whitney, referring to the Portland Press Herald. LePage later told a WMTW-TV reporter he was targeting both newspapers in the simulation. Later that day, LePage sent a tweet to the Press-Herald, saying, 'Threatened? It was a joke, folks.' Local FBI officials told the Press-Herald they did not expect him to carry out such a threat." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMaine Governor LePage: I’d like to blow up newspaper building

Welcome to Post-Constitution America

"On July 30, 1778, the Continental Congress created the first whistleblower protection law, stating 'that it is the duty of all persons in the service of the United States to give the earliest information to Congress or other proper authority of any misconduct, frauds, or misdemeanors committed by any officers or persons in the service of these states'. Two hundred and thirty-five years later, on July 30, 2013, Bradley Manning was found guilty on 20 of the 22 charges for which he was prosecuted, specifically for 'espionage' and for videos of war atrocities he released, but not for 'aiding the enemy.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWelcome to Post-Constitution America

‘Intelligence laundering’

"One of the things that is really telling in this story is that the DEA bizarrely didn’t seem to think that there was really anything wrong in what they were doing. I think they got blindsided by the reaction. It’s similar to the completely clueless statement by Michele Leonhart when talking about the perjury of supersnitch Andrew Chambers. They have gotten so used to considering themselves above the law, that they actually forgot that’s where they went. Lying it’s just what you do to get the job done. Re-creating an evidence trail from scratch is just part of the standard red tape that you go through to complete a drug arrest." Continue reading →

Continue Reading‘Intelligence laundering’

Just What I Was Afraid Of: Feinstein To Hold NSA Hearings

"If you really think that Feinstein and Obama are calling for hearings and revisions in the Patriot Act to enhance American freedoms, then you really need to get here to San Francisco, fast, I have a great fog making machine to sell you. Any revisions will carry short paragraphs of legalese that will allow the data collection to be used against Americans in many more ways. The legislation will be passed and 6 months later, after it is enacted, WaPo and NYT will come out with stories on how the legislation actually enhanced the government to use the data in new ways. Any Congressional hearings will be very dangerous." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJust What I Was Afraid Of: Feinstein To Hold NSA Hearings

Snowden revelations force Obama’s hand on surveillance program

"After his administration issued repeated defenses of a National Security Agency monitoring program that collects Americans' phone and Internet data, Obama announced during a press conference Friday afternoon that reforms to the system will make the collection activities more transparent and 'give the American people additional confidence that there are additional safeguards against abuse.' Officials will also launch a new website next week that will serve as 'a hub for further transparency' for interested members of the public." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSnowden revelations force Obama’s hand on surveillance program