Judge Rules DOJ Unlawfully Recorded Renzi's Calls

[maddezmom]

Judge Rules DOJ Unlawfully Recorded Renzi's Calls
The Justice Department unlawfully recorded privileged phone calls between former Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) and his lawyers during an insurance fraud investigation, a federal magistrate judge in Arizona ruled Thursday in recommending the recordings be suppressed.

Magistrate Judge Bernardo Velasco found that prosecutors made false statements to the supervising judge regarding the status of one of the lawyers Renzi was talking with and regarding the government’s effort to minimize the intercept and recording of calls with other attorneys.

Still, Velasco is recommending that Renzi’s motion to dismiss the indictment be denied.

“While this court has concerns over the government’s conduct in this case, it does not rise to the level of outrageousness,” Velasco wrote in his 24-page ruling. U.S. District Judge David Bury will have a chance to review the magistrate’s report and recommendation. Velasco's ruling is here.

more: http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2010/03/judge-rules-doj-unlawfully-recorded-renzis-calls.html

[zbdent]

1. I thought that Repubs were all for illegal (warrantless) wiretapping

when a person is breaking the law ... that "you have nothing to fear if you're not doing anything wrong" ...

Silly me ...

[bemildred]

2. Republican lawmakers still retain their Constitutional rights.

Everybody else can get screwed whenever expediency dictates.

[TexasObserver]

3. As I've said many, many times ...

The person in America most likely to violate your constitutional rights is someone SWORN to defend the constitution against all enemies, domestic and foreign.

Our freedoms are under siege by police and prosecutors who thumb their noses at constitutional constraints.

[The Genealogist]

4. The DOJ acted unlawfully. And I do not agree with their doing it. But...

The GOPoop loves to blast us all with the rhetoric of "if you have nothing to hide, why worry?" They "rammed through" all kinds of legislation allowing illegal surveillance, and used fear of TERRA to do it. The worst kind of liberties were taken with the constitution by the G(L)OP during the Shrub years. Now, one of them has reaped what his party sowed. How does it feel, Mr Renzi, to be exploited by your own party's foul agenda?