Renewing the Patriot Act While America Sleeps

Of course, there is no doubt that if we lived in a police state, it would be easier to catch terrorists. If we lived in a country that allowed the police to search your home at any time for any reason; if we lived in a country that allowed the government to open your mail, eavesdrop on your phone conversations, or intercept your email communications; if we lived in a country that allowed the government to hold people in jail indefinitely based on what they write or think, or based on mere suspicion that they are up to no good, then the government would no doubt discover and arrest more terrorists. But that probably would not be a country in which we would want to live. And that would not be a country for which we could, in good conscience, ask our young people to fight and die. In short, that would not be America.

--Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), voicing his concerns over Congress' passage of the USA Patriot Act (Oct. 25, 2001)

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In Messages, Lobbyist Says DeLay Pressed for Donation

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 - Newly disclosed e-mail messages from the lobbyist Jack Abramoff show that he told an Indian tribe client that he was being pressured by Representative Tom DeLay for a contribution for a $25,000-a-table Republican fund-raiser and that Mr. DeLay had personally phoned the lobbyist's office in search of the money

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Abramoff Emails Show How Money Targeted to Republicans | Public Campaign Action Fund

Abramoff Emails Show How Money Targeted to Republicans Public Campaign Action Fund

EXCLUSIVE EMAILS: Jack Abramoff Describes Relationship With President Bush

ThinkProgress has obtained emails written by Jack Abramoff in which the fallen lobbyist personally describes his relationship with President Bush. They depict a relationship far more extensive than has been previously reported.
The emails written by Abramoff was addressed to Kim Eisler, the national editor of Washingtonian magazine. The Washingtonian recently reported on the existence of several photographs showing Abramoff and Bush together. Eisler is also the author of Revenge of the Pequots, a book about tribal politics for which Abramoff was interviewed.
In the emails, Abramoff describes meeting Bush “in almost a dozen settings,” and details how he was personally invited to President Bush’s private ranch in Crawford, Texas, for a gathering of Bush fundraisers in 2003. Abramoff did not attend, citing a religious observance.
Abramoff emailed Eisler about his invitation to Crawford and his decision not to attend:

NO, IT WAS THAT I WOULD HAVE HAD TO TRAVEL ON SATURDAY (SHABBOS). YES, I WAS INVITED, DURING THE 2004 CAMPAIGN. IT WAS SATURDAY AUGUST 9, 2003 AT THE RANCH IN CRAWFORD.

The White House has continually downplayed the relationship between Abramoff and President Bush. At a January 26 press conference, President Bush said “You know, I, frankly, don’t even remember having my picture taken with the guy. I don’t know him.”

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McCain Withheld Controversial Abramoff Email

In the 2006 Senate report concerning Abramoff's activities, which McCain spearheaded, the Arizona Republican conspicuously left out information detailing how Alabama Gov. Bob Riley was targeted by Abramoff's influence peddling scheme. Riley, a Republican, won election in November 2002, and was reelected in 2006.

In a December 2002 email obtained by the Huffington Post -- which McCain and his staff had access to prior to the issuance of his report -- Abramoff explains to an aide what he would like to see Riley do in return for the "help" he received from Abramoff's tribal clients.

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Abramoff-Reed Indian Gambling Scandal

The Abramoff-Reed Indian Gambling Scandal is a US political scandal involving the work done by lobbyists Jack Abramoff, Ralph E. Reed, Jr., Grover Norquist and Michael Scanlon on behalf of Indian casino gambling interests. The lobbyists are accused of orchestrating lobbying against their own clients in order to force them to pay for lobbying services.
In the course of the scheme, the lobbyists are accused of illegally giving gifts and making campaign donations in return for political favors to several senior Republican politicians, in particular Tom DeLay, Conrad Burns and Bob Ney

Insulting references to clients

In emails now made public by the FBI, which is investigating him, Abramoff repeatedly refers to Native Americans as "monkeys", "troglodytes" and "idiots."
Abramoff via email once asked his conspirator Michael Scanlon to meet a client. The reason Mr. Abramoff couldn't do it was because, as he put it, "I have to meet with the monkeys from the Choctaw tribal council. You need to close the deal... with the client..."
About one tribal client (date unknown) Abramoff wrote to Scanlon, "These mofos are the stupidest idiots in the land for sure." In another e-mail message he wrote, "we need to get some money from those monkeys!!"

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Secure Client Information Exchange: The Hushmail Myth

Secure Client Information Exchange: The Hushmail Myth: "According to their website: Hushmail is the most secure web-based free email service in the world. Since 1999, millions of people and thous..."

Exposed Email Alert!: Question: SAFe - Mail. Is it Really Safe and Secur...

Exposed Email Alert!: Question: SAFe - Mail. Is it Really Safe and Secur...: "This is what SAFe-Mail claims on its website; Safe-Mail.net 'Safe-mail is the most secure, easy to use communication system. It includes en..."

Apple service briefly suspended in Saudi Arabia

The battle between governments and the internet took another turn yesterday when Saudi Arabia appeared to block access to Apple's MobileMe service. The Saudis gave no reason for the block, did not apply it to everyone in the country and lifted it within a few hours for at least some without an explanation.

Word of the government's block came from Apple World, a Saudi website.

MobileMe is Apple's cloud service, a conduit for email, contacts and calendar services, as well as storage for pictures, video and backups. It syncs with Macs, iPhones and iPads. Apple has a huge investment in MobileMe because of the growing interest in cloud computing, reportedly spending $1 billion to build a 4.6-hectare server farm in North Carolina for the service.

Last summer, the Saudi government threatened to shut down Blackberry services unless the Canadian company that runs Blackberries, Research in Motion (RIM), granted access to encrypted text and email messages sent from the devices. The Saudis claimed the step was necessary to hamper communication by terrorists. RIM worked out a settlement, agreeing to put a Blackberry server in Saudi Arabia and gave a government a key to the encryption code.

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She knows who they are

Don’t under-estimate the pressure from the top, as Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown stands by her suggestion that under-performing city councilors must find ways to improve their performance.

The mayor stayed calm after discovering that a councilor had leaked one of her emails to the media. She told the New Tasman blog: “I am aware of which councillors may have an interest in disruption rather than creativity now they are back from holiday. But I don’t intend to worry about who spread this around.”

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