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(Photo: Mark Nozell / Creative Commons)
Obama Admin Intervening to Muzzle Police Departments on Surveillance
New AP report exposes 'unusual' federal attempts to block public records requests at local level
Jun 13, 2014
Interviews, court records and public-records requests show that the Obama administration has repeatedly taken the "unusual step" of getting directly involved in "routine state public records cases and criminal trials regarding use of the technology," resulting in police departments censoring or completely withholding the information from the public, according to journalists Jack Gillum and Eileen Sullivan.
The Obama administration's intervention "comes at a time when President Barack Obama has said he welcomes a debate on government surveillance and called for more transparency about spying in the wake of disclosures about classified federal surveillance programs," AP notes.
The withholding of information from the public is making it difficult for the public to gain information about surveillance technology like Stingray, which tricks cell phones into providing tracking and identification information.
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Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
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Sarah Lazare
Sarah Lazare was a staff writer for Common Dreams from 2013-2016. She is currently web editor and reporter for In These Times.
Interviews, court records and public-records requests show that the Obama administration has repeatedly taken the "unusual step" of getting directly involved in "routine state public records cases and criminal trials regarding use of the technology," resulting in police departments censoring or completely withholding the information from the public, according to journalists Jack Gillum and Eileen Sullivan.
The Obama administration's intervention "comes at a time when President Barack Obama has said he welcomes a debate on government surveillance and called for more transparency about spying in the wake of disclosures about classified federal surveillance programs," AP notes.
The withholding of information from the public is making it difficult for the public to gain information about surveillance technology like Stingray, which tricks cell phones into providing tracking and identification information.
_____________________
Sarah Lazare
Sarah Lazare was a staff writer for Common Dreams from 2013-2016. She is currently web editor and reporter for In These Times.
Interviews, court records and public-records requests show that the Obama administration has repeatedly taken the "unusual step" of getting directly involved in "routine state public records cases and criminal trials regarding use of the technology," resulting in police departments censoring or completely withholding the information from the public, according to journalists Jack Gillum and Eileen Sullivan.
The Obama administration's intervention "comes at a time when President Barack Obama has said he welcomes a debate on government surveillance and called for more transparency about spying in the wake of disclosures about classified federal surveillance programs," AP notes.
The withholding of information from the public is making it difficult for the public to gain information about surveillance technology like Stingray, which tricks cell phones into providing tracking and identification information.
_____________________
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