George Orwell would roll over in his grave if he posthumously found out that the inaptly titled "Freedom House" was naming the author of the grossly misnamed "Patriot Act" as chairman of its board of trustees. A U.S. government-funded "non-governmental organization" (NGO), Freedom House bills itself as "an independent watchdog organization dedicated to the expansion … Continue reading PATRIOT Act author Chertoff to head Freedom House board
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Two "official use only" government documents published this week offer insight into federal investigators' perceptions of the domestic terrorism suspects they pursue, making them especially relevant in light of revelations in a recent in-depth article from The Intercept exploring the murky world of undercover terrorism stings. "Analysis of 57 fully adjudicated FBI international terrorism cases … Continue reading New documents show how feds view domestic terror cases
In the wake of the 2016 U.S. election, Wikileaks and its founder Julian Assange have become, if possible, even more controversial than they were previously. Yet their latest contribution to the political chaos swirling in Washington may set some kind of new record. In March, Wikileaks began publishing a trove of Central Intelligence Agency documents … Continue reading CIA spies on ‘liaison services’ — including other US intel community members?
Have you overheard the fry cooks at your local fast food establishment furtively discussing jihad amidst seemingly harmless banter about how customers are really better off not knowing what's in the secret sauce? What about that potential Salafist lurking at the salad bar, measuring the dimensions of the sneeze-guard? If you've seen this kind of … Continue reading DHS embraces poisoned candy paranoia
As tweet-storm controversies and allegations and investigations of Russian meddling in the U.S. election continue, President Donald Trump is having trouble -- for reasons both self-made and external -- filling vacancies in top jobs throughout the federal government. Trump has recently announced a few nominations. These include Richard V. Spencer (not to be confused with … Continue reading Key federal jobs vacant under chaotic Trump administration
In December, a congressional oversight committee released a report on the use of cell-site simulators, and claimed federal authorities only use the mobile phone surveillance devices to determine suspects' locations, rather than to intercept content. A new investigation, however, shows that local law enforcement, at least, has often been using the sophisticated surveillance technology under … Continue reading Local police cell phone snooping highlights lack of surveillance oversight
Following protests and rioting in Berkeley, California last week over a scheduled -- and then cancelled -- appearance by conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos that brought condemnation from President Donald Trump, and new executive orders signed this week including one aimed at "preventing violence" against law enforcement, many are wondering how aggressively the new administration plans … Continue reading Activism and ‘extremism’ in the era of Trump
A report from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released last week, provides new details on the federal government's use of "cell-site simulators" -- cell phone surveillance devices also commonly known as Stingrays or IMSI-catchers -- and suggests changes to policies governing their use. The report confirms that federal agencies -- primarily the … Continue reading House Oversight Committee calls for clearer rules on cell-site simulators
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper announced his resignation this week, following Donald Trump's election win. Clapper, who endured a few controversies in his six years as DNI, will step down from his position January. Clapper's most memorable moment in the media spotlight was probably following his congressional testimony in 2013, when he answered a … Continue reading DNI Clapper resigns, leaving uncertainty about his replacement
As hacking fears remain in the media spotlight leading up to the presidential election, a debate is raging in Washington, D.C. over how to best approach cybersecurity and other technological challenges. While there is no consensus, however, there seems to be a common thread among many suggestions: the answer is to hold somebody accountable for … Continue reading Officials, tech execs suggest more bureaucracy, scapegoating as cybersecurity solutions
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