SUBPOENAS, GAG ORDERS …
|| By FITSNEWS || There’s a scary column up on The Daily Beast this week by Nick Gillespie, editor of Reason.com – one of our favorite libertarian websites.
According to Gillespie, on June 2 his website received a subpoena from the U.S. district court for southern New York seeking “all identifying information” on individuals who commented on a specific blog post – including “IP addresses, names, emails, and other information.”
Apparently some commenters did not like a ruling made by federal judge Katherine Forrest – and offered up some incendiary comments related to her.
“I hope there is a special place in hell reserved for that horrible woman,” one wrote.
“Its judges like these that should be taken out back and shot,” another opined.
Mean-spirited? Sure. Maybe even a tad menacing? Okay.
But nothing about either of those comments represents an individual communicating their intention to do real harm to the judge.
Which the feds seemed to understand …
“To the extent that the feds actually thought these were serious plans to do real harm, why the hell would they respond with a slow-moving subpoena whose deadline was days away?” Gillespie mused.
Reason’s response to the subpoena?
“Out of sense of fairness and principle, we notified the targeted commenters, who could have moved to quash the subpoena,” Gillespie wrote.
That’s when the government slapped Reason.com with a gag order – barring its employees from even discussing the situation with anyone other than their attorneys.
Wow …
We have no problem with government obtaining identifying information about commenters in the event a credible threat involving imminent danger to people’s safety is associated with the request.
In other words there’s a big difference between someone posting this …
judges like these should be taken out back and shot
… and this …
I am going to take this judge out back and shoot her
See the distinction?
Government can (and should) be allowed to use its investigatory powers to probe credible threats to public safety. But the mass evisceration of the fourth amendment (a.k.a. domestic spying) and the rampant abuse of subpoena power – which we see on display in this case – erodes public faith in legitimate law enforcement efforts.
Which is dangerous …
47 comments
One of the many dangers of codifying “hate”. There will be many cheering on such actions too.
Wait till they read comments about the president on this site? Wowzers.
I am shocked no one has paid a certain troll a visit.
‘FBI Guest’ has appeared when I search for Wi-Fi networks since I started commenting on Fits? Coincidence? Ha! :)
My attorney laughs.
Attorneys usually want money for their services, something I doubt you have.
A cousin.My back up is a niece in law school. My sis works for feds.:) Have a great weekend.
Oh wow, so you don’t have to pay for lawyers after all, just mooch off the family? Wow, right on the nose!
Why so surprised? Flippy dip pogo just admitted he mooches off free WIFI too. Must be hard to pay for anything when trolling FITS all day.
I have Perry Mason, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., and Screw McGoo from the “We skin ’em” law firm on speed dial in case my wifi is violated.
Are we not allowed to disagree with our ‘closet’ Muslim,American hating pResident? I disagree with him on his world-view and policy.My goodness they made movies and wrote books about killing W.Bush.
He appears to have a nice family and certainly would wish NO harm on OUR pResident. We have elections.Elections have consequences. Republicans need to convince the 5% undecided voters in this country that they can govern. Boehner and McConnell are making that difficult to do.
Those two are working with the moderate Republican running as a Democrat named Barack Obama to get what the Republican party actually stands for. If you are upset with Obama’s policies you are a RINO. :)
We’re mild by comparison.
I think the U.S. district court for southern New York should be taken out back and given “what for.”
uh oh, you are in trouble now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG2ci9CyiwI
Open question to Will Folks: When these government busybodies check in to read comments, do they count towards your money compensation?
He certainly hopes it does.
Clicks are clicks…make money, money!
Who “clicks” on Fitsnews ?
10% Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement
15% Federal, State and Local Employees
20% Elected Officials of South Carolina
54% Michael, First Eunuch of South Carolina
1% Grumpy Old White Bastards
Note: word down at the Get’nGo is that the Gypsy Queen is bringing on board Rachel Dolezal as an consultant for her run to occupy the Little White House out behind the Big White House
good one!
Just Use I looked at the draft which said $9958@mk2
vvv
http://www.GlobalworkworldJobs/tap/tab….
You mean I’m only one percent ???? LOL
In the old days it was the one that didn’t go to church or never came along drinking, soon it will be those who defy Google and Facebook – the new Standard Oils and United Fruit Companies of our age – in bed with the government like in a true oligarchy.
ALL have a great weekend.Road trip.Blessings. I may not agree with same-sex marriage HOWEVER we obviously have several on here that a SCOTUS ruling on gay marriage would affect.If it comes down today, happy nuptials.
Sorry SCOTUS hasn’t made your nuptials possible yet.
Rocky keeps on turning me down.Buzz won’t return my calls. :(
GAY MARRIAGE LEGAL!!!!!SCOTUS
Hillary will lose in a landslide.
Republicans have lost bigtime this week.
No Confederate flag.
No Obamacare destruction.
No gay marriage bans.
GOP fails again!
This ruling just blew the Democrat Party up.Obamacare will be gone when a Republican is elected President in 2016 and who gives a fuck about the confederate flag? The American people know the goal you people have is to remove the American flag.
The Democrats lost the debate on immigration when people saw thousands of children flooding across the border.When they see this gay marriage debacle they will be sickened.
What is constitutional? OBAMACARE!
What isn’t constitutional? GAY MARRIAGE BANS!
Democrats, the CONSTITUTIONAL party!
Republicans, the UNCONSTITUTIONAL party!
Might as well grab some booze and just accept it. Your side has been on the wrong side of history, yet again.
Bigoted dumb people, wrong? What is the world coming to?
Can you imagine the confusion and destruction this inflicts on the MILLIONS of families that raise their young children as Christians? Can you imagine how the state controlled schools will brainwash these young children into believing that the perversion of gay marriage is a ‘norm’?
There is no hate or dysfunction in my household. If a gay guy marries another gay guy I’ll still be happy in my own marriage.
I actually pity guys like you. God bless you, I hope you find peace in your heart some day.
Another Duggar fan. Y’all need to get your own pervs under control first.
I look forward to savoring their cries of impotent outrage, their wails of alleged betrayal, their hollow threats.
Did Roberts forget to take his meds? Do the feds have dirt on him? Did Obama threaten his life? Probably all of the above! Let’s listen to Alex Jones and find out together!
Wasn’t the ever-hated Earl Warren nominated by a Republican too.
Eisenhower said he was his biggest mistake. Looks like Roberts was 41’s worst mistake. I just don’t understand how conservative judges turn liberal, but liberal judges never turn conservative.
This is an ASCII pic of 5 Muslims praying to the rebel flag. I hope it offends the government.
x ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here’s a new one for the chronically dishonest GOPer pols who want to blame Roof’s actions on everything but their Southern Strategy.
Maybe he was just the first stage of this:
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/26/africa/tunisia-terror-attack/
Apoplectic GOPers: please make your outrage coherent and in the form of explicit threats and on the open Net. On your StormFront and National Alliance and Council of Conservative Citizens and Tea Party backboards is not enough. Though on second thought those will probably be infiltrated in Obama’s crackdown on violent extremism.
Post away!!
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article25555048.html
I can’t wait for the national armory to be emptied with an escort of A-10s , Stealth Bombers and drones under the cover of night.
…and then Hillary will follow up by using gun registration information to confiscate the rest of them.
..it’ll sound like a pooch pound before feeding time.
When they read the crap on this blog, they should feel offended, not threatened.
Actually, most people that post here, try to threaten each other, not the government and its officials.
We have too many government bureaucrats, most of then do nothing, so being offended makes them feel important.
When they read the crap on this blog, they should feel offended, not threatened.
Actually, most people that post here, try to threaten each other, not the government and its officials.
We have too many government bureaucrats, most of then do nothing, so being offended makes them feel important.
In other words there’s a big difference between someone posting this …
“judges like these should be taken out back and shot”
… and this …
“I am going to take this judge out back and shoot her”
See the distinction?
B-b-b-but, what if the first poster has a Rebel flag tacked up in his garage?
*Note: TBG ain’t even got a garage…
…just shoot the judges for crying out loud… don’t talk, shoot!