Nothing To See Here, Move Along
Well, well, well: it seems that the FBI has admitted it was spying on reporters for the NY Times and the Washington Post in their respective Indonesia Bureaus. From today's NY Times:
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said Friday that it had improperly obtained the phone records of reporters for The New York Times and The Washington Post in the newspapers’ Indonesia bureaus in 2004.
Robert S. Mueller III, director of the F.B.I., disclosed the episode in a phone call to Bill Keller, the executive editor of The Times, and apologized for it. He also spoke with Leonard Downie Jr., the executive editor of The Washington Post, to apologize.
F.B.I. officials said the incident came to light as part of the continuing review by the Justice Department inspector general’s office into the bureau’s improper collection of telephone records through “emergency” records demands issued to phone providers.
Now, you'd think the editors of both papers would be outraged at this unconstitutional behavior, but, alas, you would be wrong. While both Mr. Keller and Mr. Downie did suggest that they would be interested in learning more about the incident, they both thought it was damned decent of Robert S. Mueller III to personally call to apologize.
It used to be such an incident would have provoked quite an uproar across the media, but I guess the major news outlets have become inured to such trespasses. That's the only explanation I can find for this little blurb at the end of the online edition of this story:
A version of this article appeared in print on August 9, 2008, on page A15 of the New York edition.
Page A15: apparently the story isn't considered very important or very newsworthy by Mr. Keller.
The First Amendment, so quaint, so pre-9/11.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said Friday that it had improperly obtained the phone records of reporters for The New York Times and The Washington Post in the newspapers’ Indonesia bureaus in 2004.
Robert S. Mueller III, director of the F.B.I., disclosed the episode in a phone call to Bill Keller, the executive editor of The Times, and apologized for it. He also spoke with Leonard Downie Jr., the executive editor of The Washington Post, to apologize.
F.B.I. officials said the incident came to light as part of the continuing review by the Justice Department inspector general’s office into the bureau’s improper collection of telephone records through “emergency” records demands issued to phone providers.
Now, you'd think the editors of both papers would be outraged at this unconstitutional behavior, but, alas, you would be wrong. While both Mr. Keller and Mr. Downie did suggest that they would be interested in learning more about the incident, they both thought it was damned decent of Robert S. Mueller III to personally call to apologize.
It used to be such an incident would have provoked quite an uproar across the media, but I guess the major news outlets have become inured to such trespasses. That's the only explanation I can find for this little blurb at the end of the online edition of this story:
A version of this article appeared in print on August 9, 2008, on page A15 of the New York edition.
Page A15: apparently the story isn't considered very important or very newsworthy by Mr. Keller.
The First Amendment, so quaint, so pre-9/11.
Labels: First Amendment, Free Press
posted by Diane at 4:00 AM
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