Forums | MacLife

Anonymous Delivers! · 2009-10-13 11:08 am

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/10/att-doj-foia/

The feds argued that the documents showing consultation over the controversial telecom immunity proposal weren’t subject to the Freedom of Information Act since they were protected as “intra-agency” records:

“The communications between the agencies and telecommunications companies regarding the immunity provisions of the proposed legislation have been regarded as intra-agency because the government and the companies have a common interest in the defense of the pending litigation and the communications regarding the immunity provisions concerned that common interest.”

The Obama camp is filing an appeal to the judgment that the narcs and slimeballs that sought immunity from DoJ don't have their names revealed:

http://www.eff.org/files/filenode/foia_ … .final.pdf

I thought we were done with this bullsmurf in the new administration. Guess not, eh?

From the comments section, though:

This may actually be a bonus for American taxpayers. If the money you pay for phone service is going to a branch of the US Government, then it is effectively a tax.

You could then take this to court demanding to be able to have any money paid to your phone carrier be treated the same way as tax is, allowing you to demand more in tax refunds at the end of the tax year.

If a clever lawyer can make this stick, you will see a terrified government backtracking on calling phone companies an arm of the government.

Ho ho! We can dream, can't we?

Last edited by Anonymous Delivers! (2009-10-13 11:11 am)

Tallgeese · 2009-10-13 11:15 am

Obama's telecom immunity vote was a key reason I did not contribute to his campaign.

Tallgeese · 2009-10-13 11:17 am

Anonymous Delivers! wrote:
From the comments section, though:

This may actually be a bonus for American taxpayers. If the money you pay for phone service is going to a branch of the US Government, then it is effectively a tax.

You could then take this to court demanding to be able to have any money paid to your phone carrier be treated the same way as tax is, allowing you to demand more in tax refunds at the end of the tax year.

If a clever lawyer can make this stick, you will see a terrified government backtracking on calling phone companies an arm of the government.
Ho ho! We can dream, can't we?

I can't write off my vehicle registration or the cost of the USGS quads I ordered so no, this guy doesn't know what he's talking about.

ShnickyShnack · 2009-10-13 12:07 pm

I can't imagine anyone is surprised by this.

Pariah · 2009-10-13 5:05 pm

Tallgeese wrote:
Obama's telecom immunity vote was a key reason I did not contribute to his campaign.

That was a very bad vote on his part.

ScifiterX · 2009-10-13 5:32 pm

Pariah wrote:
Tallgeese wrote:
Obama's telecom immunity vote was a key reason I did not contribute to his campaign.
That was a very bad vote on his part.

If the telcos had not cooperated they would not have received immunity from the Bush administration but giving them immunity from the consequences of domestic spying sent a bad message. It does however put the ultimate blame in Washington where it belongs.

Forums | MacLife

#1 2009-10-13 11:08 am

Shock, shock: American Telecos are Essentially Arm of Government

#2 2009-10-13 11:15 am

Re: Shock, shock: American Telecos are Essentially Arm of Government

#3 2009-10-13 11:17 am

Re: Shock, shock: American Telecos are Essentially Arm of Government

Anonymous Delivers! wrote:

#4 2009-10-13 12:07 pm

Re: Shock, shock: American Telecos are Essentially Arm of Government

#5 2009-10-13 5:05 pm

Re: Shock, shock: American Telecos are Essentially Arm of Government

Tallgeese wrote:

#6 2009-10-13 5:32 pm

Re: Shock, shock: American Telecos are Essentially Arm of Government

Pariah wrote:

Tallgeese wrote:

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