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Senator Asks DOJ to Investigate SWAT-ting Attacks on Conservative Bloggers

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nota bene

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Senator Asks DOJ to Investigate SWAT-ting Attacks on Conservative Bloggers


A number of conservative bloggers allege they have been targeted through the use of harassment tactics such as SWAT-ting (fooling 911 operators into sending emergency teams to their homes), in retaliation for posts they have written, and now Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., has stepped into the matter. He has sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder urging him to investigate the SWAT-ting cases to see if federal laws have been violated.

“I am writing with concern regarding recent reports that several members of the community of online political commentators have been targeted with harassing and frightening actions. Any potentially criminal action that incites fear, seeks to silence a dissenting opinion, and collaterally wastes the resources of law enforcement should be given close scrutiny at all levels,” Chambliss wrote.

Senator Asks DOJ to Investigate SWAT-ting Attacks on Conservative Bloggers - ABC News

As well as other sites discussed in the article, Patterico and Red State have already been targeted, and these aren't "pizza pranks." In Patterico's case, a phone call was made from inside his home by a man claiming to have killed his wife, but nobody inside the house had phoned. Deputies arrived and helicopters hovered, and the blogger was handcuffed.

I hope that AG Holder will take an interest in this. In the Red State case, Georgia is well aware of a person of interest. In general, though, if it's a cyber-attack, it could come from anywhere, so the DOJ's active involvement makes sense.
 
This is scary. You gotta ask what kind of thinking person(s) would go to this level to "get your opponents"? What's next?
 
While I think the Senator's request is a good one, I don't think the DOJ will do much...Holder is too busy trying to keep his job till after the election.
 
Mycroft said:
While I think the Senator's request is a good one, I don't think the DOJ will do much...Holder is too busy trying to keep his job till after the election.
Click to expand...


True. He's on deck to day with a subcommitte about Fast and Furious isn't he?
 
Mycroft said:
While I think the Senator's request is a good one, I don't think the DOJ will do much...Holder is too busy trying to keep his job till after the election.
Click to expand...

I hope you're wrong. Argument can be made that this is an attempt to silence dissident opinion, a First Amendment issue.
 
nota bene said:
I hope you're wrong. Argument can be made that this is an attempt to silence dissident opinion, a First Amendment issue.
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I hope I'm wrong, as well...but so far, I haven't seen much out of the DOJ that makes me think they care about the Constitution.
 
Didn't Nixon want the CIA to take out the New York Times?

Liberals are so bitter...
 
rocket88 said:
Didn't Nixon want the CIA to take out the New York Times?

Liberals are so bitter...
Click to expand...

Could you just stick to the topic please? What a President wanted/didn't want decades ago has nothing to do with anonymous intimidation of conservative bloggers.
 
nota bene said:
Could you just stick to the topic please? What a President wanted/didn't want decades ago has nothing to do with anonymous intimidation of conservative bloggers.
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Sure it does. It's the same sort of thing. Abuse of power isn't just liberals you know.
 
sawyerloggingon said:
Libs tend to be angry bitter and immature, this does not surprise me.
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And your evidence this is being done by liberals, or to further a liberal ideology, is . . . . ?
 
Mycroft said:
I hope I'm wrong, as well...but so far, I haven't seen much out of the DOJ that makes me think they care about the Constitution.
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In order to see, you first must look.

LAST DEFENDANT SENTENCED IN SWATTING CONSPIRACY

DALLAS — Carlton Nalley, 35, was sentenced Friday afternoon by U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn to 108 months (nine years) in federal prison following his guilty plea to offenses related to his involvement in a swatting conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Nalley’s two co-defendants, Matthew Weigman, 19 and Sean Paul Benton, 25, were sentenced in June 2009 to 135 months and 18 months, respectively.

Carlton Nalley Sentencing Press Release
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No more off topic than the knee jerk attacks on all liberals as bitter, angry, immature.... ahhh are we talking about Occy Rush Limbaugh???

I have full faith in those dedicated folks at the GEORGIA Bureau of Investigation to sort this out in quick order. (thought the radical right demanded more power, and with that more responsibility, be passed down to the states.)

I say this is a most excellent opportunity for the state investigators to determine who is responsible.
 
rocket88 said:
Sure it does. It's the same sort of thing. Abuse of power isn't just liberals you know.
Click to expand...

I haven't said anything about liberals, just FYI. And I haven't said anything about abuse of power. Please, conservative bloggers have power and are abusing it? They're public officials who are abusing their power? Get off of it. This is about trying to silence dissident opinion through intimidation, a First Amendment issue.
 
notquiteright said:
No more off topic than the knee jerk attacks on all liberals as bitter, angry, immature.... ahhh are we talking about Occy Rush Limbaugh???

I have full faith in those dedicated folks at the GEORGIA Bureau of Investigation to sort this out in quick order. (thought the radical right demanded more power, and with that more responsibility, be passed down to the states.)

I say this is a most excellent opportunity for the state investigators to determine who is responsible.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, if you read the ABC blog link I provided, you'll see that this isn't just about Red State. Yes, Georgia is well aware of the person of interest named. But other bloggers in other states have also been victimized, which is why the DOJ needs to investigate.
 
nota bene said:
I haven't said anything about liberals, just FYI. And I haven't said anything about abuse of power. Please, conservative bloggers have power and are abusing it? They're public officials who are abusing their power? Get off of it. This is about trying to silence dissident opinion through intimidation, a First Amendment issue.
Click to expand...

If it's not the government doing it, it's not a First Amendment issue.

If it is the government, then it's abuse of power.
 
Never mind. Really.
 
Karl said:
In order to see, you first must look.
Click to expand...

Well, that was in 2009, right?

I won't hold my breath waiting for action in response to the Senator's request during this election cycle.
 
It doesn't matter who is responsible, this is illegal and should be investigated.

Although I think the Senator is p*ssing in the wind if he thinks the DOJ will get involved. Maybe the local law inforcement folks will investigate and find the stooge(s) that is responsible.
 
Mycroft said:
I hope I'm wrong, as well...but so far, I haven't seen much out of the DOJ that makes me think they care about the Constitution.
Click to expand...
Karl said:
In order to see, you first must look.

LAST DEFENDANT SENTENCED IN SWATTING CONSPIRACY

DALLAS — Carlton Nalley, 35, was sentenced Friday afternoon by U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn to 108 months (nine years) in federal prison following his guilty plea to offenses related to his involvement in a swatting conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Nalley’s two co-defendants, Matthew Weigman, 19 and Sean Paul Benton, 25, were sentenced in June 2009 to 135 months and 18 months, respectively.

Carlton Nalley Sentencing Press Release
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Mycroft said:
Well, that was in 2009, right?

I won't hold my breath waiting for action in response to the Senator's request during this election cycle.
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I see. When you said "so far", you meant "so far this election cycle". Silly me :roll:
 
Karl said:
I see. When you said "so far", you meant "so far this election cycle". Silly me :roll:
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You're citing a case that was prosecuted and tried prior to the Obama catastrophe.

That particular case you cited was investigated and prosecuted during the Bush years. Silly you. :)

The question is whether or not Eric Holder and the rest of ObamaNation will put as much attention into the recent cases of SWATting [attempted murder] as they did, say, the Trayvon Martin non-issue.
 
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