Carlos Miller
With a grand jury subpoena, the federal government attempted to intimidate an independent news site by ordering it turn over all personal information regarding its registered users, including IP addresses, bank account numbers, social security numbers and credit cards numbers.
The subpoena was filed by the U.S. Department of Justice against Indy Media in violation of its own guidelines, which forbid the Justice Department to issue subpoenas against any member of the media without “express authorization of the attorney general.”
Attorney General Eric Holder had apparently not been informed of the subpoena, which was filed by Tim Morrison, a U.S. attorney from Indianapolis.
It is not clear why Morrison filed the subpoena against the Philadelphia news site in the first place.
The feds withdrew their subpoena after San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation stepped in to assist.
The government then attempted to cover up for itself by ordering Indy Media not to”not to disclose the existence of this request” unless authorized by the Justice Department.
Kristina Clair, who provides free server space to the site, did the complete opposite. She went public with it.
Here is the story on CBS News.
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5 responses so far ↓
1 Nilet // Nov 11, 2009 at 10:39 AM
Attorney General Eric Holder had apparently not been informed of the subpoena…
Eric Holder had not been confirmed as Attorney General when the subpoena was issued on January 23rd.
2 xdamousex // Nov 11, 2009 at 1:23 PM
Kristina Clair, who provides free server space to the site, did the complete opposite. She went public with it.
Out-effing-standing.
*stands up and applauds Clair*
It’s disgusting that those in government honor our veterans today as they disgrace and assault the freedoms those veterans bled and died to protect every other day.
3 mepsipax // Nov 11, 2009 at 3:51 PM
I am a Veteran and the shit I see going on disgusts me. I didn’t give up 5 years of my life to watch our rights erode from the inside.
I say good job Clair for standing up to big brother. Bullies never learn otherwise.
Everyone should stand up when their time comes.
4 Marty Kohn // Nov 11, 2009 at 8:22 PM
Fantastic. Good job to Clair and thank god for that foundation!
5 jimjim // Nov 12, 2009 at 4:35 AM
I’m not surprised Clair went public with it- she’s a Linux systems administrator. Try to tell a Linux sysadmin they aren’t allowed to share information, and you’re going to see the prominent display of a particular finger directed at you.
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