Big Brother Alert! Issa wants the the identities of Americans who file a Freedom of Information Act request
By louisehartmann
Republican Darrell Issa - a former small-time criminal and now the richest man in the House of Representatives - is at it again. Using his post as the Chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee – Issa is asking the federal government to hand over the identities of every single American who has filed a Freedom of Information Act request. Issa claims he just wants the information to make sure the government is handling FOIA requests in a timely fashion. But considering the guy has already cozied up with big corporations – asking for their help in outlining what federal regulations he should attack – it should be troubling that he also wants the names of whistleblowers who may have targeted these same corporations in the past. Hundreds of thousands of journalists, former business executives, and regular citizens have filed Freedom of Information requests to uncover everything from the expanded influence of the military industrial complex to the delayed prosecution of rampant polluters of our environment. And now Issa – and his corporate buddies – want their names. This guy is on a mission to not only destroy the White House – but to also ensure that nobody stands in the way of corporations that want to continue violating pollution laws and taking advantage of their workers.
Comments
#2
You only have to see the fear in society and working life, to see the consequences of this charleton's request, it is obvious that this type of infringement will deter genuine people from exposing the truth,
Does he really believe that we trust him?
One of your Countries best piece of leglislation; discredited potentially by a shyster
He does not need the identities of the individuals to ascertain the facts, all the information needed could be supplied without disclosing named parties.
MUST not be allowed!!!!!
#3
I live in CA...Issa is a well known gangster...there is nothing honest or truly patriotic about him. He is a liar and a thug who thinks that unlimited money equals unlimited power. He is the definition of a fascist.
#4
Good for who?? Good for the dark side, that's who!
#5
Funny how Rep. Issa wasn't up in arms about the CI decision allowing unlimited anonymous corporate donations?
#6
My gut instinct is that a criminal has gotten himself into a real good position to make big money. Our political scene is open to this more now than in times past.
#7
Like CIA is for "Central Intelligence Agency," FOIA is "F" for 0 Intelligence Agency.
No one knows how to find the Ledgers of the Home Owners Loan Corporation. IRS doesn't know how to find Corporation Tax Files or Estate Tax Files which have changed Regions. The State of Indiana lost immeasurable corporation records in 1970, and the City/County Complex of Allen County, Indiana lost two contemporaneous New Deal war-time asset Probate Files, one of which legally belongs in my hands.
It doesn't matter if the response is timely if the government is not going to answer the request. They will not even answer Court Orders. Nevertheless a timely "we regret to inform you" letter is always sent and there is no need to verify whether this happens. There is nothing a bureaucrat loves better than to close a file and move to the next thing, particularly if there is a slice of birthday cake around to be eaten first.
Just keep bringing it on, Darrell- since I have no career, no mortgage, credit cards, cell phone, or car payments, the more time I have to figure out what's really going on, and time to research and write.
XXXXX
#8
I wish it was law that elected officials could not accept $ from anyone or business. Funding for reelection? But everyone would get the same amount.
#9
Pretty sick. He's totally going to ride a wave of anti-Wiki Leaks sentiment in order to expose FOIA requestors in order to deter future requests. That's just disgusting. And of course it's to enrich himself and ensure that gap between rich and everyone else keeps increasing.
Anyone that expected anything less from this republican congress should be ashamed.
#10
I watched a BookTV After Words interview of an author William Hartung interviewed by Pierre Sprey. Hartung's book "Prophets of War" is about the Military Industrial Congressional Complex in general but centers on the history of Lockheed Martin and how it grew from a garage in the SF Bay area of the 1930s giving joy-rides on their airplanes to paying customers to the behemoth it is today. If you watch this interview and don't want to move to Mexico where the government is less corrupt after wards then you weren't paying attention.
http://www.booktv.org/Program/12175/After+Words+William+Hartung+Prophets...
#11
Senator Joseph R. McCarthy, who also, as a Representative, served on the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), started the Communist scare in the United States. From about 1947 to 1954, the "Red-Scare" was on. Ordinary people were being hauled into congress to testify about their involvement in The Communist party. Testimony was taken in "Secret" from "anonymous" informants (friendly witnesses), who accused their neighbors and Friends, upon which the accused were dragged into public hearings to testify about their "Thought Crimes". People actually went to jail and were "criminalized", lost their jobs and some deported for these "Thought crimes" that only existed in the mind of Senator McCarthy and his "roving Tribunals" who sought "Red Commies" everywhere. In fact it was an Inquisition. Very much like the hysterical "Heritic", "Witch", "Jewish", diabolical Inquisitions of old. (In fact, not only "Commies" were the target, but any other un-desirables who were a "Subversive Threat" to the United States were also among the accused). So one day you may have been an American Citizen in good standing, and the next hauled before congress to testify about what you knew, if anything, about commie sympathizers, and if you give up names, you just might not be prosecuted!) So the "Secretly" accused was prosecuted for a "Though Crime" he/she may of never of had in the first place. The great COMMUNIST” red-scare Inquisition was on!
And now Issa! This man must be stopped - Now! Before he starts his own "Fear-Mongering" Inquisition! This man is on a mission to destroy Democracy. And this is the way all Inquisitions start: slowly, like asking for a “List” of everyone who requested FOIA. What are he and his committee going to do with this list? All Inquisitions start with Lists – of names. Knowing some history of the Medieval Inquisition, German Gestapo, and Russian KGB, these nefarious "Pogroms" all started with the collection of Names of the people they wanted to destroy.
Tomorrow I am calling my Senators and Representatives. WE ALL do it now or we and all of our children will dearly suffer for it in the future.
#12
He is just a representative of reverse-evolution.
#13
February 1, 2011
Sent To Issa @
http://issa.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=597&Itemid=73
Congressman Issa, You have got to be kidding or insane about your childish & personal agenda to spend our time and our resources on the kind of senseless application of same to your self sustaining policy of investigation in the name of We The People of this America. You are by all implications a thief, and at least a self serving obstructionist to the matters of The People at hand. Insomuch as you were elected, due in good part to your own monetary resources as well as those of a handful (in comparison) of jackals and ignorant voters, I give you no credit for being in your position. Where is your shame and where is the dignity that you should be espousing as a member of the US Senate? You are a disgrace to America and its Sons and Daughters. Your latest "FOIA" Agenda serves no good purpose - is that all you can bring to the table? I ask that you resign immediately and allow for real debate and discussions to take place in your stead on behalf of America. You make yourself a Fool - sit in a quiet room and tune into your conscience, it will tell you the same thing I have, then maybe you can make something productive out of your life again on behalf of your fellow citizens and on a smaller scale.
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Very scary! Once again, our freedom, and all the tools of democracy, are eroding. It's amazing how intelligently and precisely targeted the efforts are to keep our population unaware of what's happening to them. We are losing our right to know.