So it suddenly becomes clear why the phone companies have been agitating so hard through their congressional sock puppets for indemnity in their participation in the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretapping program. In this morning’s Washington Post, Ellen Nakashima reports that Verizon—the US’s second largest phone company—has been turning over customer calling data without subpoenas for more than a little while. Verizon admitted it in a 13-page letter to congressional Democrats dated October 12.
And not just a little bit. From January 2005-September 2007, Verizon provided customer data, including IP addresses and telephone data, without a warrant 720 times. Contrast that with the 94,000 times in the same period that Verizon provided similar data under a subpoena.
What’s especially interesting is that Verizon disclosed that the US government was after calling circle information. For example, if one person—the target of an investigation, say—called another person (not a target), the government wanted data on the entities the other person called (also not targets). Verizon maintains that it was unable to provide this “community of interest” data. But that the government wanted it is nothing short of fascinating.
Meanwhile, Qwest and AT&T are refusing to answer congressional inquiries on the grounds that such disclosure is prohibited. Seriously.
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