John Aravosis at AMERICAblog reports "Bush administration using creepy online phone records brokers to get YOUR phone records without a search warrant"
John had discovered the online companies selling phone records back in January, and got a month's worth of Wes Clark's calls for a small fee. That had triggered some action in Congress, where there seemed to be broad bipartisan support to shut down the practice - the House passed a bill unanimously.
John reports:
"While the House passed one bill that would address this issue, a second piece of legislation was due to be debated on the House floor on the same day that US [sic] Today revealed that Bush was using AT&T and other phone companies to spy on you. That day the House legislation suddenly disappeared and never was to be seen again. No one knows how it disappeared or who pulled it (though it had to be a Republican, like Denny Hastert, since they control the House). And even more interesting, for some unexplained reason the Senate legislation has gone nowhere. Bill Frist just won't move it. "
John links to an AP account:
WASHINGTON - Numerous federal and local law enforcement agencies have bypassed subpoenas and warrants designed to protect civil liberties and gathered Americans' personal telephone records from private-sector data brokers.
The law enforcement agencies include offices in the Homeland Security Department and Justice Department — including the FBI and U.S. Marshal's Service — and municipal police departments in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia and Utah. Experts believe hundreds of other departments frequently use such services.
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And who have you been calling lately?
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