BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached

Subject: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Azizi
Date: 20 Mar 08 - 11:01 PM

Azizi and all others: Please observe the Copy and Paste suggestions in the FAQ. The political threads are especially bad right now. A TINY snip and your personal comments with the link only please.

This is absolutely outrageous!!

2 fired over Obama passport file breach
Third employee at State disciplined over accessing candidate's records
NBC News and news services
March 20, 2008

"Two contract employees of the State Department were fired and a third person was disciplined for inappropriately looking at Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's passport file.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the department itself detected the instances of "imprudent curiosity," which occurred separately on Jan. 9, Feb. 21 and March 14. He would not release the names of those who were fired and disciplined....

Bill Burton, a spokesman for Obama's presidential campaign, called for a complete investigation.

"This is an outrageous breach of security and privacy, even from an administration that has shown little regard for either over the last eight years. Our government's duty is to protect the private information of the American people, not use it for political purposes," Burton said.

"This is a serious matter that merits a complete investigation, and we demand to know who looked at Senator Obama's passport file, for what purpose, and why it took so long for them to reveal this security breach," he said.

We briefed Senator Obama's office on this issue this afternoon," McCormack said. "That was when senior management first became aware of these incidents."

McCormack said it was not immediately clear what the contract employees may have seen in the records or what they were looking for. He said he did not know the names of the companies they worked for.

The department has informed Obama's Senate office of the breach, and a personal briefing for the senator's staff was scheduled for Friday, McCormack said"...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23736254/

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: GUEST,Jack the Sailor
Date: 20 Mar 08 - 11:09 PM

Olberman spent 20 minutes on the story.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23736659#23736659

It looks like the question is "What did Condi know and when did she know it?"

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Azizi
Date: 20 Mar 08 - 11:14 PM

There's alot of speculation about the significance of the dates Barack Obama's passport file was breached: Jan. 9, 2008; Feb. 21, 2008 and March 14, 2008.

"...The dates of the breaches. Look at the dates.

The first one after the Iowa caucus

The second after Super Tuesday

The third just before around the Rev. Wright situation.

Hmmmm...."

by Brubs on Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:55:00 PM PDT

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/3/20/211633/685/910/481166
Diary 2: Obama's passport data compromised multiple times
by clambake
Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 06:23:18 PM PDT

**

Here's the link for the first dailykos diary on this subject that made that website's recommended diary list:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/20/20452/8256/483/471399
BREAKING: Obama's passport data compromised multiple times.
by Scoopster
Thu Mar 20, 2008 at 05:04:52 PM PDT

-snip-

That second diary was posted because the first one had too many comments {over 750}

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Azizi
Date: 20 Mar 08 - 11:29 PM

Here's another online discussion about Obama's Passport file being breached:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0308/State_Dept_workers_illicitly_check_Obamas_passport.html
March 20, 2008
Politico.com
State Dept. workers illicitly check Obama's passport [Updated]

Here's some examples of the comments that were posted on that blog:

"Heads need to roll at the State Department. 50+ days to tell a sitting US Senator that his passport records had been breached. Outrageous? More like CRIMINAL."
-Posted By: Duane in Philly | March 20, 2008 at 08:18 PM

**

"well, according to the Times article, it APPEARS to be just curiosity on the part of the people who were fired. And, apparently, this same thing happened to Bill Clinton when he was a presidential candidate.
-Posted By: lola | March 20, 2008 at 08:56 PM   

**

" 'Imprudent curiosity' to controlled and sensitive information in three separate incidents? Are you kidding me?"
-Posted By: this is not coincidence | March 20, 2008 at 09:09 PM      

**

"So, is there any indication if this was employees acting on their own, out of curiosity, or did someone have them do it?"
-Posted By: pelagic rabbit | March 20, 2008 at 09:10 PM   
   
**

"I might buy 'Imprudent curiosity' if there was only one incident. But there were 3.

Believe me, these employees know the rules. Aside from the fact you sign a statement that you understand the Privacy Act and how it relates to your job, you also have to log in and a warning comes up when you access records. Also, you are aware you are being monitored and that unathorized access trips an electronic alarm.

If one dummy did it anyway in January and was fired, believe me, all the other low level employees knew it because the repercussions of accessing unauthorized records are played up to them.

Something really stinks here that three people are willing to do this in such a short time span. It also stinks that the middle management team for whatever reason didn't feel it was important enough to report. I don't believe it was to save themselves. They would have been fine for taking the right corrective action.

This is a huge rat's nest and the question that needs to be asked is who would benefit from accessing this information."
-Posted By: speckles | March 20, 2008 at 09:27 PM

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 20 Mar 08 - 11:39 PM

We are surprised? Why do you think no-one in the UK wants ID cards or the proposed government database that links everything from your health records to your tax records to your benefits records, to the PNC etc? Big brother is watching you.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Mar 08 - 11:42 PM

"We have a right to know when he trained in Afghanistan to be a Muslim terrorist."

Rush Limbaugh

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 12:21 AM

Key-riced, I hope they get to the bottom of this! Unfortunately, not too surprised, knowing this administration, but VERY angry. It's completely outrageous!

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Mr Red
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 05:20 AM

You mean this never went on before we had computer systems so powerful they had spare connectivity & capacity to notice and log these things?

er - I say to you (purely as a known example) -

Watergate

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 08:53 AM

Guess who leaked the PASTOR videos to FOX?


McCain's camp? Hillary's machine? Rove?


I'd like to know exactly where this swiftboating came from.

I suspect they were extra careful to cover their tracks and use a patsy to do their bidding but it came from someone and
I want to know .

Once you know the source America can judge the source rather than a man merely by virtue of acquaintance.

Pastor gate is the last straw. Gloves are off and fingers should begin to point to the Bush family drug lord connections if only to show the veracity of Wright's comments regarding Iran contra and the Bush 2 reopening of the opium fields in Afghanistan.

Comcast Shotime is currently showing Drug War, a documentary showing the connection of the CIA Bush family and the importation of cocaine and heroin.

The investigative journalist who proved the Bush connection completely. The CIA became the scapegoat with a public confession shown in the video and the Journalist was found dead 3 months later.
Of course it was reported as a suicide.

Hypocrisy is getting much attention lately. America is ready to believe the truth regarding the drug lord hypocrisy within the Bush dynasty.

Paul Wellstone was known to have touched the third rail of the Bush drug lord connection. These brave people should not die in vain.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Rapparee
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 09:09 AM

I have a right to known when Rush Limbaugh trained as an arrogant son of bitch (no insult to real bitches intended).

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Bobert
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 09:11 AM

I know I'm kinda going against the grain here but I'd rather see Obama not get too bogged down with this... It is a negative and doesn't help his image to be banging away at trying to get an "investigation" when he needs to be talkin' about bread 'n butter issues...

Let someone like Howard Dean do the dirty work...

That's MO...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Charley Noble
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 10:11 AM

I agree that it's a serious charge but the Obama Campaign should not be distracted by this scandal. Let the lawyers do the dirty work.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: DannyC
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 10:20 AM

... and now Condi plans to step in to 'reassure' Obama...

What was the old TV adage? - "The Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions..."

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 10:29 AM

Oh, poor Obama. Bush ain't playin' fair w/him, just like Clinton ain't playin' fair w/him.

They are being mean to poor baby Obama.

Yawn. Slow news day on the campaign trail?

Cable gives this story 20 minutes?

The world is outraged by these dirty tricks?

Whatever.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 10:39 AM

Please allow me to apologize for my posting of 10:29AM.

I am clearly not feeling well, but I have an appointment later today and will attempt to regain my senses.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 11:44 AM

Business as usual. Outrageous, but not unusual.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: TIA
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 12:07 PM

Moments ago, the story broke that Condi Rice has called Hillary Clinton to tell her that her passport file was breached also.
Even those who do not believe conspiracy theories ought to see a pattern emerging.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: number 6
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 12:36 PM

... the latest news states McCain's file was also breached.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: number 6
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 12:38 PM

Now how in the hell can we explain this conspiracy theory?


It's gotta be the, those, who .......

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 12:42 PM

And those of us who have been involved in radical left politics for decades know this is SOP for whatever group is in power.

And therefore, not only are we not surprised, we don't view it as the bigger issue for concern.

These politicians & media whores don't give a shit when the government spies on political dissenters, and throws habeas corpus out the window & starts imprisoning and deporting immigrants of a certain background.

But boy, let the game be about the presidential candidates, and we're suddenly supposed to care?

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: DannyC
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 12:45 PM

It is clever for the Clintons - who held the executive power for eight consecutive years - to feign that they are victim outsiders like Obama. They're quick - ya gotta give 'em that.

Sort of a "me too --- we're oppressed little ex-leaders-of-the western-world".   

I voted for them twice. I ignored the bright-eyed, bobble-head act on the '60 Minutes' Jennifer Flower segment in '92. I knew at the time that they were liars but wanted to turn the GOP out. I had their sticker on the back bumper of the van for the duration - it turned into a source of personal embarrassment - they'll never get a nod from me again - never.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: number 6
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 12:52 PM

I dunno .... things are getting dangerous .... this stinks of ..... yes, Osama Bin Laden .... I think they've infiltrated the inner sanctuaries of the inner government.

It will only get better, the closer we get to votin' day.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 01:04 PM

Yeah, but DannyC, a lot of us are quite weary of Obama the Victim Candidate too.

He is the "victim" of Clintons being mean/unfair.

Welcome to Politics 101--if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

He is the "victim" of race baiting.

Welcome to Politics 102--if you can't beat the politicos, pundits, media whores, and right wing hate machine, we don't want you as the "first" president of anything.

Now he is "victim" of Bush/Cheney/Rove dirty tricks.

Welcome back to Politics 101--and we're sorry you flunked 102, and had to take 101 over again. This shit has been going on forever--if you think it is bad now, you should have seen what it was like when J. Edgar was at FBI & Nixon had the White House--this is tame by comparison.

And finally, even though one of Obama's main campaign themes is that he isn't about "politics as usual", some of us have noticed Obama & his campaign staffers playing politics as usual vis a vis Clinton especially.

Like that punch in the nose he gave Geraldine Ferraro & his grandma--both functioned as subtle, substitute for Clinton white women punching bags for Obama in that uplifting, but kinda sexist speech he gave the other day...

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 01:21 PM

I'm a real nowhere man
sitting in my nowhere land
posting all my nowhere plans
for nobody

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: artbrooks
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 01:30 PM

The interesting about conspiracy theorists is that they rarely consider the possibility that, like Abu Graib, stupid things are often done by low-ranking idiots screwing around. In this case, it seems that three people (at least two of whom worked for companies contracting with the State Department) whose jobs involved updating records accessed the passport files of the three candidates. There is nothing yet about who else's records they may have been into - such as a spouse, an ex-boyfriend, Bill Gates or whoever. When I worked for the VA, a constant issue with people who had access to veterans' claim and medical files was curiosity - and the sanctions were immediate and severe.

As someone said earlier, the more important issue to me is that (since [metaphorically speaking] loud bells ring and flashing lights go off whenever someone gets into a file they shouldn't be in) the supervisory staff clearly tried to cover this up rather than immediately running it up the line. The government (and its contractors) should have learned long ago that cover-ups never work...rather, they result in greater problems than if the issue had been addressed openly and immediately. For example, one can point at Mei Lai, Pat Tillson and (again) Abu Graib.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 01:38 PM

I agree with Art--'low ranking officials screwing around' looks like the verdict on this one. There is going to be an investigation of where else they poked around. Bill Gates? Arnold Swartzenegger? Eliot Spitzer? Michael Jackson? Any number of high-profile folks could have been subjected to the curiosity of people who probably knew better but went poking around anyway.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 02:01 PM

All my passport contains is stuff like the colour of my eyes and my height and birthday. Not even any indications of where I've been abroad, because the never bother to stamp the passsports most times you go through passport control.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: number 6
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 05:00 PM

Good point McGrath .... even if you have gone abroad and some immigration guy does stamp your passport, does that show somewhere on your files? The Canadian passport also indcates your town of birth (if you are a naturalized citizen)

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Rapparee
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 05:25 PM

Take another look -- there's encoded data that's scanned into databases now.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: number 6
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 05:41 PM

Ok so ..... some clerk now knows every country were Obama, Hillary and Johnny have visited. It's not like it holds all their tax records, bank accounts, every person they've phoned in the last 20 years.

Not that I'm condoning clerks of any kind snooping through through our files, but let's face they all do.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Rapparee
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 06:36 PM

Actually, these three are so high-profile that checking their passport files wouldn't really add anything to what was already public knowledge.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 06:38 PM

Rush Limbaugh rode the coat tails of Newt Gingrich and the 102nd Congress.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 06:40 PM

George W Bush doesn;t have a passport

He has crossed every border illegally.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 07:01 PM

For what it's worth, from one of the 24 hour cabnewses (my own neologism for CNN et al) I heard, while at the gym tha not only was Obama's file illegally perused, not only was Clinton's (distaff) file illegally read, but also McCain's file was illegally look into. Of course, McCain's file break-in was a ruse to throw everybody off the scent of a dirty trick to Dems.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: number 6
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 07:07 PM

a point that could prove to have some merit John .... obviously at least one of the 3 is the object of interest here. I'm sure this 'passport' issue is just one small cog in a very big picture.

That is of course it just isn't the matter of some snoopy or curious clerk.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Don Firth
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 07:11 PM

Right-wing fishing expedition.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 07:23 PM

I hardly ever am proven to be unsurprised here at Mudcat!
Thank you biLL; thank you Don.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 08:43 PM

Interesting. How many immediately thought Clinton and how many immediately thought Bush and how many thought people just playing around? mg

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 09:44 PM

Ho Hum. The passport files of Hilary Clinton and McCain also breached. The basic information they provided is of little importance.
A couple of State Department nobodies fired for no real reason that I can see. Tempest in a teapot in Condie Wright's little fiefdom.

New York Times comment "Candidates' Passport Files Breached." March 21, 2008. (Found in Archives)

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Azizi
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 12:11 AM

Here's a comment that says what I wanna say better than I could say it:

"Because State Department managers failed to recognize the potential seriousness of these offenses, which could have involved tampering with the presidential election process, the State Department has suffered a monumental failure of management and therefore can't be trusted to investigate them. It would be equivalent to investigating itself.

Whether or not the State Department asks the FBI and Justice Department to open an investigation, since violations of law did occur (improper access to these files was a misdemeanor under the Privacy Act), the Senate and House subcommittees in charge of overseeing State Department operations must immediately start investigations of these events — and complete them quickly.

Those investigations should include asking to question and if necessary subpoena all three employees who illegally accessed these records, and fully examine their previous associations as well as contacts in the period since the files were accessed, taking care to interview their friends and colleagues to try to determine if any information about Senator Obama was shared with third parties (which would be a felony).

It is essential that this investigation continue until the possibility is excluded that the motive of these contract employees was an attempt to penetrate the State Department to obtain negative information about Senator Obama. That possibility can only be fully discounted by a thorough congressional investigation, not by an investigation conducted by any part of the Bush Administration.

Nothing is more important than the sanctity of the people's right to have exclusive control over the nomination and election of a president. When the privacy of a serious presidential candidate is invaded and a crime has been committed when doing so, that control is placed in jeopardy. What is at stake is not merely the confidentiality of Senator Obama's passport records, and not only the question of whether political shenanigans have occurred. It is whether or not we are going to have a serious democracy in this country.

Will Democrats in Congress recognize that?
-Tribunus Plebis, on March 20th, 2008 at 8:55 pm

http://ruralvotes.com/thefield/?p=922#comments


-snip-

I believe that that comment was written before the news came out that Hillary Clintons' passport file was breached sometime in 2007 [!] and McCain's passport file was also breached [though I can't remember the stated date that was said to have occurred].

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 08:26 AM

I can't believe anyone in this day and age would be shocked that the Republicans were engaging in this sort of syping, just because they can. Why would anyone be that gullible, when all the evidence from recent history is to the contrary?

Does anyone not remember Thomas Eagleton? Now, that was despicable. And people thought Novak the Slime only was involved in Plamegate & Swiftboating!

Not so, he has a long history of this sort of thing.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 09:42 AM

Britney Spears hospital records--yup, that was low life types satisfying their curiousity, or possibly getting paid to snoop by tabloids.

This? This is political spying by the Republican administration, dressed up to look like low life types, satisfying their curiousity. Easy to do now that Big Business has the country bamboozled with the propaganda cult of celebrity.

Azizi, considering the evidence, what is it about this story that makes you think the FBI and Justice and State aren't involved in this caper, and are capable of an objective investigation into such a highly politicized case of spying?

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 10:25 AM

I take it that the "passport details" are just the indication that something odd is going on, rather than being the real issue. A bit like the door found left open at the Watergate Hotel all those years ago.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Azizi
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 10:48 AM

Here's more information about this subject:

"...The Associated Press later identified Stanley, Inc. as the Virginia-based contractor whose two employees were terminated."...
Stanley's CEO was a political donor to the campaign of Sen. Joe Lieberman, "a leading supporter of Obama's Republican adversary John McCain. In March 2005 Nolan gave $1,000 to Lieberman's reelection campaign."...

The NBC News 'Deep Background' blog has more on Stanley as well as another firm involved in the breaches, The Analysis Corporation of McLean, including the revelation from public records that Stanley CEO Nolan "gave $1,000 to Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign on Feb. 20, 2008" and Analysis CEO John Brennan "gave $2,300 to Sen. Obama on Jan. 28, 2008."...

-snip-

That article also provides more information about the information in passport files and how it can be used-

"It is not clear whether the employees saw anything other than the basic personal data such as name, citizenship, age, Social Security number and place of birth, which is required when a person fills out a passport application.

Aside from the file, the information could allow Obama's critics to dig deeper into his private life. While the file includes his date and place of birth, address at time of application and the countries he's traveled to, the most important detail would be his Social Security number, which can be used to pull credit reports and other personal information"...

-snip-

Furthermore, that article includes the information that

"The disclosure of inappropriate passport inquiries recalled an incident in 1992, when a Republican political appointee at the State Department was demoted over a search of presidential candidate Bill Clinton's passport records. At the time he was challenging President George H.W. Bush.

The State Department's inspector general said the official had helped arrange the search in an attempt to find politically damaging information about Clinton, who had been rumored to have considered renouncing his citizenship to avoid the Vietnam War draft".

The State Department said the official, Steven Berry, had http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Rice_apologizes_for_Obama_passport_snooping_0321.html

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Azizi
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 10:52 AM

Sorry, here's the rest of that quote:

"The State Department said the official, Steven Berry, had shown "serious lapses in judgment."

After a three-year, $2.2 million probe, a federal independent counsel exonerated officials in the incident, saying that while some of the actions investigated were "stupid, dumb and partisan," they were not criminal. The independent counsel also said that Berry and others who were disciplined for their involvement were treated unfairly".

Passport firms' CEOs donated to Lieberman, Clinton and Obama
-David Edwards and Mike Sheehan
Published: Friday March 21, 2008

Contracting firms identified as Stanley, Inc. and The Analysis Corp., both of Virginia

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Rice_apologizes_for_Obama_passport_snooping_0321.html

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 11:09 AM

I remember the good old days when a break in required duct tape, screwdrivers and and crowbar.

Its much more sanitary today.




The new branches of US domestic spying has now exceeded Stazi and KGB. Privacy is not insured by the Constitution. Information stealing is a wild west freak show today.


One of the most ingenious programs of extortion today is to sell you insurance against an invasion of your privacy or identity theft.

With the "accidental" misplaced files of millions of people every month ending up god knows where, the insurance that you can buy is right out of hte mafia protection plan playbook.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Azizi
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 11:13 AM

Here's more information:

..."Last summer, the State Department brought in hundreds of contractors to process U.S. passports to ease a backlog forcing Americans to cancel vacations. Currently there are 1,800 employees working within the Office of Passport Services. There are an additional 2,600 contract employees working in the office...

McCormack cited an incident last summer when a trainee had unauthorized access to Hillary Clinton's passport file. It was part of a training seminar in which people usually ""are encouraged to enter a family member's name," he said. The individual was ""immediately admonished,"" he said.

The State Department this year also detected that one of the people who accessed Obama's file also accessed McCain's, McCormack said. That individual was disciplined.

The State Department's inquiry began yesterday after a reporter inquired about the breach of Obama's records. After senior management researched the incidents surrounding Obama, they decided to examine whether Clinton's and McCain's records had been breached. This morning, it became clear that they had, McCormack said.

McCormack said the State Department was still trying to determine if any laws had been broken.

"We must await a final determination of the facts to determine what precise laws may have been violated,"" he said.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aRxaoTS9nkuU&refer=home

Obama, Clinton, McCain Passport Files Breached (Update4)
By Janine Zacharia and Kristin Jensen

-snip-

Note: Senator Obama's file was accessed on three separate occassions
Jan. 9, 2008; Feb. 21, 2008 and March 14, 2008. See my 20 Mar 08 - 11:14 PM post to this thread regarding the possible political significance of those dates.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 11:28 AM

Sure, it's just the flunkies' fault. Like Abu Ghraib was the foot soldiers' fault.

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 12:31 PM

A violation that the three files were breached, but no real harm done. This has happened before, as the party in power searches for dirt on possible opponents.

One may try to close the door, but keeping records of this type safe, when there are so many files (and the government looking for spies and terrorists or whatever), is impossible.

Perhaps there will be a review of the system, and some new measures installed, but no record is 100% confidential.

(I am sure the data on all visitors to the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent have been examined.)

Subject: RE: BS: Filegate- Obama's Passport File Breached
From: Azizi
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 12:53 PM

Besides the real possiblilities of political opposition research, there's this:

Obama passport breach... will it get worse?
By New York Civil Liberties Union - March 21, 2008, 3:11PM

"...It's disconcerting that senior State Department officials only learned of this incident after a reporter contacted them about it. It suggests they don't run a very tight ship when it comes to guarding Americans' personal information.

This from the administration that so desperately wants to implement the Real ID Act, a law that would consolidate Americans' DMV records into a network of interlinking databases accessible to the federal government and bureaucrats throughout the 50 states and U.S. territories. These records, possibly including digital copies of birth certificates, Social Security cards and other sensitive documents, would be accessible to thousands of state and federal bureaucrats – some of whom are certain to be imprudently curious. The Bush administration has made sure there are no limits in place in the amount of information kept in the Real ID database. The potential for abuse is boundless.

This is one of many reasons why the New York Civil Liberties Union is fighting to block the implementation of the Real ID Act in New York and throughout the country. Government bureaucrats can and do make mistakes. Our lawmakers should do everything possible to ensure that Americans' personal information is secure. They could start by repealing the Real ID Act."

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/03/obama-passport-breach-will-it.php