Feds sue to block disclosure of confidential information... (Re Verizon)

[MaineDem]

Feds sue to block disclosure of confidential information to PUC

PORTLAND, Maine — Federal prosecutors filed suit Monday against Maine utility regulators and Verizon to block disclosure of confidential information linked to questions of whether the company broke the law by cooperating with a domestic surveillance program.

The U.S. District Court complaint followed an Aug. 9 order by the Public Utilities Commission that Verizon attest in a sworn statement to its previous public comments about the National Security Agency´s warrantless eavesdropping program.

The suit said compliance with the order would "place Verizon in a position of having to confirm or deny the existence of information that cannot be confirmed or denied without causing exceptionally grave harm to national security."

In a letter last month, the U.S. Department of Justice served notice to the PUC that it was prepared to go to court if the agency elected to move ahead with an investigation into alleged privacy law violations.

http://news.mainetoday.com/apwire/D8JL31VG0-232.shtml

[MissWaverly]

1. How can they take our freedom away so casually

they would not be doing this if there was nothing illegal in what they did.

[Gman]

2. Confirm or deny something that has been in the news,

never denied and in fact confirmed in many places in the administration including Gonzales' remarks last week about the Detroit federal court ruling.

But they cannot confirm or deny. Their left hand hasn't a clue what the right hand, left foot, right foot, brain (or lack thereof), mouth, nose.... are doing. Furthermore they'll be arrogant while appearing about as foolish as is humanly possible (which makes them look even more foolish). They are now into super-human foolish.

[merwin]

3. I disagree! They have very creative right brains...

it's their left brains that are lacking.

[rodeodance]

7. no matter, as it will be "exceptionally grave harm to national security."

The suit said compliance with the order would "place Verizon in a position of having to confirm or deny the existence of information that cannot be confirmed or denied without causing exceptionally grave harm to national security."

[Gman]

8. You see, we're all idiots

and never mind that mind behind the curtain.

[annabanana]

4. Abu Gonzales better keep tapdancing as fast as he can.

The knots these guys tie themselves into to avoid admitting what everybody knows would be funny.. If the knots weren't keeping our Constitution bound tight.

[brentspeak]

5. What happened to "trust the people"?

[HuffleClaw]

6. what i find really funny is that it is gonzales who will end up taking

a big fall over this crap.

[BR_Parkway]

9. So if the utilities commission suspended Verizon from doing business in

the State until such time as they were able to comply.....