As U.S. Attorney, Chris Christie Approved Warrantless Tracking Of Suspects Using Cell Phone GPS
As U.S. Attorney, Chris Christie Approved Warrantless Tracking Of Suspects Using Cell Phone GPS
While serving as a U.S. attorney during the Bush administration, Christopher Christie, now a Republican candidate for Governor in New Jersey, tracked the whereabouts of citizens through their cell phones without warrants. The ACLU obtained the documents detailing the spying program from the Justice Department in an ongoing lawsuit over cell phone tracking.
While the documents reveal 79 such cases on or after Sept. 12, 2001, they do not specify how many of the applications were made during Christie’s tenure. Christie served as U.S. attorney from Jan. 17, 2002 through November 2008. ACLU staff attorney Catherine Crump noted:
Tracking the location of people’s cell phones reveals intimate details of their daily routines and is highly invasive of their privacy. The government is violating the Constitution when it fails to get a search warrant before tracking people this way.
The new revelations about the cell phone tracking program under Christie is yet another example of the warrantless spying programs authorized under the Bush administration. Previous programs approved without a court order or warrant have included the secret program to monitor radiation levels at over 100 Muslim sites and the NSA spying program on the phone and e-mail communications of thousands of people inside the U.S. These programs run contrary to the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which forbids “unreasonable searches” and sets out specific requirements for warrants, including “probable cause.”
During his tenure as U.S. attorney, Christie also awarded his former boss, John Ashcroft, a $28-52 million dollar no-bid contract to “monitor a large corporation willing to settle criminal charges out of court.” Former Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach blasted the decision, saying that awarding a no-bid contract “suggests other political things, and that seems to me to be as wrong as it can be.” Christie also doled out “a multi-million-dollar, no bid contract to an ex-federal prosecutor who declined to criminally prosecute Christie’s brother on stock fraud charges two years earlier.”
Christie’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien, declined to comment on the cell phone spying program “due to pending litigation.”
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Obama Administration quietly expands Bush’s legal defense of wiretapping program
John Byrne
Published: Tuesday April 7, 2009
In a stunning defense of President George W. Bush’s warrantless wiretapping program, President Barack Obama has broadened the government’s legal argument for immunizing his Administration and government agencies from lawsuits surrounding the National Security Agency’s eavesdropping efforts.
In fact, a close read of a government filing last Friday reveals that the Obama Administration has gone beyond any previous legal claims put forth by former President Bush.
FULL ARTICLE HERE
April 23rd, 2009 at 6:49 pmThey’re watching me right now, aren’t they…
Um, God bless America?
(just figured out why nobody’s commenting in here. Talk about a wet blanket on the Internet usage)
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:06 pmthat’s what I thought, anyways…
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:11 pmI though I caught a whiff of the Jersey Shore the other day from my phone…funny… quahogs with drawn butter….
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:11 pmMaybe they were busy decoding my first post, and the correction slipped in ahead of it….
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:12 pmGood news and next maybe Bush and Cheney can come back to take over the White House and get back to business. Obama is messing up the US by making it honest and respectful. We want people like Christie, Limbaugh, Boehner, Foley, Vitters, Craig, Delay and other. Let us return to our Christian Religion ways of the pass 8 years. Get back to putting those people in their place. Christie can continue to spy on anyone he wants as long as it serves the Republican Party. We don’t need immigrants to work in the United States when we have those people who can do the work. McCain made that point clear. If the people of New Jersey don’t elect Christie there is a good chance the State will recovery from the Recession with those Obama Policies and we don’t want that.
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:13 pmAmerica, an endemic spying society.
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:14 pmFor all their blathering about the,”rule of law,” the Repugnicans time and again prove that they only obey the laws that they like to begin with. For all his blathering about,” change,”. Obama is making a valiant effort to preserve the status quo ala Bush-Cheney leading me to conclude that we are desperately in need of multiple parties to represent us. These policies which I found intolerable during Bush-Cheney are no more tolerable under Obama, and no less reprehensible!
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:15 pmBlah, Blah, Blah……all this means nothing as Obama is at this very moment war gaming on his WI and running scenarios over at the pentagon at record pace as the Taliban keeps steadily marching into north-west Pakistan and are readying a strike. OBAMA WATCA GONNA DO WHEN TELIBANIMANIA RUNS WILD ON YOU?
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:16 pmSadly, this jackass will be the next gov of new jersey. We here NEED someone to whip Corzine in the primary. I’d consider re-registering as a dem just so i could vote against him twice in one year.
Which isn’t to say i’d vote for anyone who’d so recklessly trample the 4th amendment…i just really freaking hate corzine.
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:19 pmI really don’t understand the point of all this spying. It hasn’t yielded any answers regarding where Osama Bin Laden is staying. It hasn’t confirmed who was really behind the 9/11 attacks. It’s just a waste of resources.
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:28 pmSlappyBastinado,
I thought Bush had everything under control, that Pakistan was an ally, that there was no oplace Bin Laden could hide, that the Taliban were defeated, that the central front in the war on terror was Iraq, and the US was winning that war?
BUT after 7 years of being Commander in Chief and Decider. not so goddamn much, huh?–Even though for four of those years he didn’t have a re-election race to distract him.
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:29 pm5th Estate, I see you have been getting all you news over there at MSNBC from Keith and his little teabagger…….when did you make the change?
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:32 pmI’m not a terrorist so, I’m not worried. These Reich-winged ditto-heads better worry! Go get em’ Tiger!
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:35 pmGlad you like rhf……and its all for free, thanks me very much!
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:39 pmThis could be a delema for the Teliban…..when GW was in charge they pretty much stayed in their place but now that Obama has had the Navy snipers shoot people in the face they might be going doing a rethink. Ya think?
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:42 pmfat bastard from the austin power’s movies is running for the governor of jersey? SWEET!
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:43 pm“when GW was in charge they pretty much stayed in their place”
“Their place” would be harobring the masterminds of 9-11 and running afghanistan? how’d that work out for you, clown?
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:45 pmApril 23rd, 2009 at 7:46 pm
The Taliban grew back pretty quickly under the Boosch regime, like a field of poppies in the summer sun…
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:54 pmIts kind like a cat and mouse game the cat plays with the mouse and tortures him for a long time before killing him. If the military caught Osama bin the game would be over and then what would everyone do??????????????????????? Life is much more exciting this way…..more “mean” people to hunt down and kill………..
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:54 pmSlappyBastinado Says:
Yeah they stayed in their place when GW was in charge because of TORTURE. TORTURE to force lies and give GW an excuse to invade Iraq.
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:54 pmAnd SlpppyBastinado:
Why with all of the lies & BS that Bush & Cheeeney tried to sell us for 8 years did they not catch Osama Bin Laden? Was Bush hiding him in Texas? You seem to have all the answers.
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:56 pmI guess microsoft was pretty smart when they decided it was nessesary to include a message encryption option into their email software. I may start using it unless the warrantless eavesdropping wiretapping stops. If this keeps up it may become nessesary to scramble phone calls as well. Sheesh.
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:56 pmOnly cowards think America is too weak to defeat terrorists without resorting to violating our privacy and torturing suspects.
Why are right wingers so cowardly as to think America is so weak?
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:57 pmTorture? The CIA should be sending out bills for the cleaning of sand out of nasal passages. Word is that once a detainee received nasal irrigation food never tasted better and there was happiness all around.
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:58 pmRight wingers are weak.
April 23rd, 2009 at 7:58 pmSlappyBastinado Says:
Torture? The CIA should be sending out bills for the cleaning of sand out of nasal passages.
__________
HAWHAWHAW… yer such a card.
That sure is witty.
Yer such a treasure.
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:01 pmYou need to be slapped in the face, slappy.
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:03 pmSlurpyBastard is a troll…waste your time you like…you’ve been warned.
I’m focused this Christ Christy phuckhead from the Botch and Dick(head admin.
Arrest. Prosecute. Repeat.
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:04 pmSlappy has been flagged.
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:06 pm“You need to be slapped in the face, slappy.”
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:08 pmpreferably with a bag of hot nickels
Hehe. republicans hate facts Says: “teabagistan”
The Teabagistani aboriginals are on the march.
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:36 pmLooks like a typical Republican fat cat.
Do you really thing he’s gonna win EnnuiDivine?
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:50 pmIn other news:
Scripps Develops New Stem Cell Research Techniques
SAN DIEGO — Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla have converted adult cells into embryonic-like stem cells without using dangerous genetic manipulations, it was announced Thursday.
The technique allows scientists to make stem cells in the laboratory from adult cells without genetically altering them, overcoming a previously challenging safety hurdle, according to Scripps.
“We are very excited about this breakthrough in generating embryonic-like cells from fibroblasts (cells that give rise to connective tissue) without using any genetic material,” said Sheng Ding, an associate professor at The Scripps Research Institute who led the study. “Scientists have been dreaming about this for years.”
Using adult instead of embryonic stem cells also avoids the moral dilemma of destroying zygotes, which pro-life advocates oppose.
The discovery has the potential to accelerate the development of therapies for such diseases at diabetes and Parkinson’s, according to Scripps.
The study was published in Wednesday’s online issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell.
Don’t know if it’s already been posted, but exceedingly good news.
April 23rd, 2009 at 8:54 pmThis could be a delema for the Teliban…..
That pretty much says everything folks. Now, I go back up and return where I left off.
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:05 pmI’ll go………and did. Sheeeeeeesh…
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:08 pmBarfly,
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:10 pmYes, that is GREAT news!
O/T Hi ape-man whenever i come onto TP and see your user name the song apeman by the kinks starts going thru my head. Im a big kinks fan,so im just curious are you a fan of the kinks and do you know the song?
April 23rd, 2009 at 9:42 pmbrothabill Says:
I’m an anti-American troll who is full of shyte!
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:13 pmOf course he did. He is a Republican. He is a lawyer. And he is corporate. And he is sleazy. And not to put to fine a point on it. He looks like a mafia don. This last statement was just a personal observation. I have no real knowledge to back this up. Just throwing it out there as a statement of biased prejudice. Yes I know. I sound like Fox. Mea Culpa.
Actually, I was originally from MO. And anyone that hires Ashcroft cannot be good. There!!
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:31 pmbrothabill Says:
(I hate government so they should be allowed to spy on me?)
At least be consistent, one way or the other.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:53 pmI am a libertarian mixed a dash of anarchist.
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:34 pm—-
No you aren’t you are just a lonely sould screaming out for attention…
EnnuiDivine Says:
Sadly, this jackass will be the next gov of new jersey. We here NEED someone to whip Corzine in the primary. I’d consider re-registering as a dem just so i could vote against him twice in one year.
Which isn’t to say i’d vote for anyone who’d so recklessly trample the 4th amendment…i just really freaking hate corzine.
*****
April 24th, 2009 at 12:41 amWhat’s your problem w/ Corzine?
fire _ant_chavis Says:
I really don’t understand the point of all this spying. It hasn’t yielded any answers regarding where Osama Bin Laden is staying. It hasn’t confirmed who was really behind the 9/11 attacks. It’s just a waste of resources.
*****
All this spying is a preview of things to come. Those of us who have dogs and pay attention to dog laws know that they’re trying hard to make microchipping mandatory. It’s being tested on dogs now before they gradually require it for humans. Within time everyone will be microchipped and wiretapped.
April 24th, 2009 at 12:45 amThe reason Arab Nations dispise America?
They have previous experience dealing with Republicans.
April 24th, 2009 at 1:54 amCB Brooklyn Says:
Obama Administration quietly expands Bush’s legal defense of wiretapping program
April 24th, 2009 at 6:10 amJohn Byrne
Published: Tuesday April 7, 2009
—————————————–
This was before the “torture memos” scandal broke. I’m sure all that has changed now.
Hey, candidate Christie, where am I now?
April 24th, 2009 at 8:45 am“ISLAMIC JIHAD”
That should trigger their monitoring software alarm…
Now, let me make sure my phone is on, GPS enabled, and throw it in the trash on trash day, so it can visit every house in my neighborhood.
Anything I can do to waste even more of the NSA’s time.
Fun shit!
April 24th, 2009 at 9:02 amHe’s no more than a thug.
April 24th, 2009 at 9:13 amThank you, telecom industry, for putting a GPS chip in my cell phone. I feel so much better knowing that I can be found at anytime, even if my phone is turned off.
You need to retrain the salespeople selling the phones though, everyone I asked if there was a chip in the phone said: “I don’t know.”
April 24th, 2009 at 9:18 amDid anyone ever wonder why the cell phone thing has been marketed like it has?
April 24th, 2009 at 9:40 amNot at all.
April 24th, 2009 at 9:46 amWhat’s a little brain damage anyways?
American Patsy Says:
Obama should release the memo on the attacks prevented.
There’s no unreleased memo on that. No such thing ever existed.
.
American Patsy Says:
Yet last week Mr. Obama overruled the advice of his CIA director, Leon Panetta, and four prior CIA directors by releasing the details
He does not work for them. He’s their boss. If we have rule based on a vote taken from former CIA directors, we’d still have to count Gates. Who are the four you’re counting?
.
brothabill Says:
Encouraging behaviors that lead to failure over success is a disorder of the democratic party.
Like civil rights, human rights, the Constitution, human decency… Just like every movie villian in history, you’re accusing our basic human goodness as making us “weak.” I’m willing to have that argument on its own merits.
.
brothabill Says:
Encouraging black men to NOT raise their children…
…is not at present happening and is a wingnut fantasy. You’re also presuming that all social services have the word “black” in the list for qualifications, which I find interesting. In the real world white people apply for help too where they can, unless you subscribe to the racist fantasy of the black welfare queen.
.
noseeum Says:
Thank you, telecom industry, for putting a GPS chip in my cell phone. I feel so much better knowing that I can be found at anytime, even if my phone is turned off.
Link to the science on that? As I understand it, if something’s not transmitting, then nothing’s going to receive its non-transmissions.
April 24th, 2009 at 10:37 amElBruce Says:
Link to the science on that? As I understand it, if something’s not transmitting, then nothing’s going to receive its non-transmissions.
From Wikipedia…
“The only way to turn off GPS cell phone tracking is by turning off your cell phone.”
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/how_to/4258805.html
I was wrong.
April 24th, 2009 at 11:18 amMy apologies for being the purveyor of erroneous information.
Got the hair raised on the back of your neck though, eh?
caption…
Sylvester Stallone, after 6 weeks as the new CEO of Crispee Creem Doughnuts.
April 24th, 2009 at 11:49 amI was also going to comment on Mr Christie’s appearance, but noseeum did a better job.
April 24th, 2009 at 4:26 pmThanks SitesSesli Sohbet
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