DEA officials conspired to hide NSA spying.
By Thom Hartmann A...
New documents obtained by Reuters show that the Drug Enforcement Administration is helping the NSA cover up government surveillance. The Special Operations Division of the DEA, otherwise known as SOD, funnels secretly-obtained information to authorities around our nation to initiate criminal investigations of American citizens. And, these aren't people suspected of terrorist plots; this DEA program targets common criminals and drug dealers. The documents obtained by Reuters indicate that agents are trained to “recreate” the source of the investigations, to conceal how the information was originally obtained. Agents aren't just hiding these tactics from the defense attorneys representing alleged criminals, they're concealing the true source of information from prosecutors and judges as well.
According to Reuters, some experts say that this practice violates a defendant's Constitutional right to a fair trial, as it prevents those accused of a crime from accurately challenging the validity of the evidence presented against them. Former federal judge Nancy Gertner said, “It is one thing to create special rules for national security. Ordinary crime is different. It sounds like [these DEA agents] are phonying up investigations.”
Of course, the Justice Department declined to comment on the program, but DEA officials, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, defended the practice. They said that trying to “recreate” an investigative trail isn't just legal, it's a practice that's used “almost daily.” Once again, government officials maintain that government spying is legal, yet say nothing about the program's constitutionality.
Since the news of secret NSA surveillance programs broke, officials from the security agency have claimed that Americans are not being spied on, and that these tactics are necessary to keep us safe. As many NSA opponents predicted, those claims have been proven false yet again. Reuters asked a former federal prosecutor about the program, and he said, “You can't game the system. You can't create this subterfuge. These are drug crimes, not national security cases. If you don't draw the line here, where do you draw it?”
Comments
#2
Carson L - I like your words. You need to get a job writing for SNL.
#3
Thank You Chuck's Chuckle!! You are right indeed, I need a job! But if i had one writing i'd also need medical attention for all the self inflicted wounds I'd suffer from constantly pinching myself to see if I was dreaming! Seriously though, I really appreciate the compliment, I've just been drinking Thom's kool aid lately when it comes to 'Where Despair Is Not An Option". This one was a tough one today to try and lighten up, man, phew! I'm so glad someone digs it!
#4
Privatization! What a disaster that idea is turning out to be. Privatized spying, privatized prisons, now we have a privatized Government. We the People are SOL. No wonder no one talks about the constitutionality of the law anymore, it has nothing to do with profits. We have had a long standing tradition of separation of church and state in this country. It is high time we start a dialogue about mandating separation of the private sector and state as well. As Communism and Fascism has historically shown us, business and Government thrive best separate. Combining them kills them both.
#5
Speaking about evil law enforcement, has anyone read the blog post by growin the other day that mentioned "Operation Zeus" and Internment Camps in Greece. I found it interesting since we seem to be lagging behind Greece a bit in economic plights this may be a grizzly portal of the future here. Personally I'd rather lag behind the Greeks in any level rather than having the Greeks behind me. Just looking out for my a$$.
#6
OPERATION ZEUS:
From a Petition to the EUQuote Petition:First migrants and recent immigrants were rounded up from Greece’s streets and forced into internment camps.Then they threw the drug users in. Next came the sex workers, forcibly HIV tested, publicly humiliated, and imprisoned.Now they’re coming for transgender men and women — and the list of “undesirables” just keeps longer.
Operation Zeus is a cleansing campaign targeting and imprisoning the most vulnerable members of Greek society, accompanied by spikes in racism, gender hate and homophobia.
There are now at least 5,000 people languishing in these hellholes simply for existing — and this month, while warning trans* men and women to “return to normal” or else, the Greek government announced that camp capacity is about to double.
Sound familiar?
http://intothefire.org/petition-eu-operation-zeus-release-detainees-greece/
#7
Thom Hartmann should retitle his blog as "Shenanigans of a Corporatist State". It's hilarious! Forget about any notions of "precrime"; it is more like framing someone for a crime that didn't happen. Virtual Crime? The authorities make up a crime and then prosecute someone for nothing, basically. Null Crime?
Seems like a system going to EXTREME lengths to try and justify its existence. And all under Obama, the great Fake O'. Next time around please, please, please vote third party, independent; anything but the corporatist puppets.
#8
How can this invasion ever recede? I am seeing the world so differently these last few months. It is not good a good look! - but I cannot imagine there is anything we can do about it. Thankyou Edward....better the devil you know, as they say.
#9
OK TYPO CORRECTED BELOW (darn voice text tool sneaks in words).
This is the obvious result of government secret spying, not to be used for national security, rather go for drug offenders prostitutes, who knows maybe masturbation because church groups have far too much power over government.
There's a grain of truth that our government should protect, but there's also the problem of government gaining too much power over the people, and historically that's how fascist regimes gain power in the first place, via fear. More people are killed by deer's crossing the road than terrorists in America.. What makes terrorism truly dangerous, are idiots and demagogues using fear 2 gain power in government here at home.
#10
Again, George Orwell's 1984 is coming true inthe U.S. and former Pres. Jimmy Carter's statement that the U.S. is no longer a Democracy is being verifies.
#11
If NSA was using the data collected the way they claim, NSA would have stopped the Boston bombing. Russa warned us about the older brother.
It's all about control!
#12
Quote akunard:If NSA was using the data collected the way they claim, NSA would have stopped the Boston bombing. Russa warned us about the older brother.It's all about control!
akunard ~ An excellent point! Yet not only does it show a lack of effort to protect people, but it also shows a lack of increased security after sacrificing privacy. Most of all, it shows that despite the spying efforts Snowden exposed, two kids already identified by a foreign enemy were able to evade capture and pull of a very successful terrorist event with nothing more than two backpacks and a homemade bomb. Any overpaid, overfed "intelligence" community that can be foiled by two would-be Boy Scouts doesn't do anything to impress me. Personally, I'd feel safer with a Government that would just simply take a Russian intelligence tip seriously. What so hard about that?
Obviously, this is no 'War Against Terror.' This is a war against American Citizens and The US Constitution. The real enemies are the Corporate Fascists who "hate our freedoms" and want to destroy our way of life. The real enemies are from within and not from without. The real goal is to turn the US Government into a profit making Corporation--The United Corporations of America. The real solution is separation of The Private Sector and State. We should all push to Amend the Constitution to make that the law of the land and Exorcise these profit fed Demons from our Government.
#13
Quote Flopot:Seems like a system going to EXTREME lengths to try and justify its existence. And all under Obama, the great Fake O'. Next time around please, please, please vote third party, independent; anything but the corporatist puppets.
Flopot ~ As you wish! You can count on it!
#14
Quote bobcox:Again, George Orwell's 1984 is coming true inthe U.S. and former Pres. Jimmy Carter's statement that the U.S. is no longer a Democracy is being verifies.
bobcox ~ Thanks for that little tidbit. I understand that statement was made in a closed door meeting and reported by a German Newspaper; but, widely ignored by the American media. I managed to find the story doing a websearch. Here is a bit of an article I found in The New American.
The New AmericanQuote An Article by Jack Kenny:"America does not have a functioning democracy at this point in time," former President Jimmy Carter (shown) said this week, according to a report in the German newspaperDer Spiegel. Carter was quoted as having made that remark at a closed-door meeting of Atlantic Bridge, a research and education organization supporting cooperation between the United States and Great Britain on political, economic, and defense issues. The former president reportedly said the National Security Agency's invasion of privacy has gone too far, as he defended that actions of Edward Snowden, the American now seeking asylum in Russia after leaking classified documents revealing the massive NSA interception of communications between citizens and among government officials worldwide.The English translation of Carter's remarks was published in the online news source Inquisitr.com. No American media outlets reported on the closed meeting and it was not clear where Der Spiegel got its information, Inquisitr noted. But both Inquisitr andHuffington Post, which also carried the story, noted that the quotes were consistent with previous published remarks by the former president.
Thanks for the heads up bobcox. I've always liked President Jimmy Carter. You can alway count on him to tell it like it is.
#15
Legally we should see one of two lawsuits. DEA VS the Department of Health and Human Services for possessing a legally binding patent 6630507 which is to this date the only legal description of pot on record. Either the patent was obtained by fraud and that needs investigating, or the DEA is guilty of treason for using knowingly using false facts to enforce corrupt laws on pot.
#16
According to Reuters, some specialists say that this follow violates a defendant's Constitutional right to a good trial, because it prevents those defendant of against the law from accurately difficult the validity of the proof given against them. Former federal decide metropolis Gertner same, “It is one factor to form special rules for national security. standard crime is totally different. It appears like [these law enforcement agency agents ar phonying up investigations.” Latest Pakistan News
#17
Agents are not simply concealment these ways from the defense attorneys representing alleged criminals, they are concealing truth supply of data from prosecutors and judges moreover.
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Once again ole Uncle Sam gets caught with his hands on your trophy girlfriend. I hate it when that happens. I don't even think he cares anymore if I see it or not! Why should he? Who am I to try and 'keep it real' by stepping up to someone that intense with some choice words and a bad attitude only to get my teeth kicked in and laughed at? The poor chick dosen't even realize that he's just gonna use her and lose her like a pair of rented bowling shoes. Besides, how am I supposed to explain my new false teeth to my wife?