When Golden Valley Electric Association of rural Alaska got an administrative subpoena from the Drug Enforcement Administration in December 2010 seeking electricity bill information on three customers, the company did what it usually does with subpoenas — it ignored them.
That’s the association’s customer privacy policy, because administrative subpoenas aren’t approved by a judge.
But by law, utilities must hand over customer records — which include any billing and payment information, phone numbers and power consumption data — to the DEA without court warrants if drug agents believe the data is “relevant” to an investigation. So the utility eventually complied, after losing a legal fight earlier this month.
Meet the administrative subpoena (.pdf): With a federal official’s signature, banks, hospitals, bookstores, telecommunications companies and even utilities and internet service providers — virtually all businesses — are required to hand over sensitive data on individuals or corporations, as long as a government agent declares the information is relevant to an investigation. Via a wide range of laws, Congress has authorized the government to bypass the Fourth Amendment — the constitutional guard against unreasonable searches and seizures that requires a probable-cause warrant signed by a judge.
Read more at Wired. By David Kravets.
Photo credit: Sumi-l (Creative Commons)
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Not to worry ,we can trust our wonderful moral legally appointed officers of the law,just like the KGB or the Gestapo,they would’nt have a hidden adgena or voliate there oaths of office,and if they do Barry would just claim executive privilege and cover up the criminal acts of this regime,and the Peoples Watchdogs in Congress would play the fiddle while we were all enslaved!Boy I feel so safe knowing Big Sis and “my people Holder are watching out for us ,The Citizens Of United States of America!I’ think maybe that hanging on to my Bible and Guns idea of Barry’s sounds smarter everyday he’s in office and I smell something burning ,thought it was a rangefire ,no just Barry burning the Consitution!
we have not govenment. No law. just a buch of thugs and mafia running the government. this is the worst three and one half years in the history of the US.
You want to be totally disgusted, please watch this youtube video. I was appalled. Our military given the command to shoot American citizens on American soil.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyfkQkchlu4&feature=related
I wonder how the young people of our country can stand to have this sort of pressure put upon them? I was so totally upset when the TX’s judges ruled no voter id and know that holder and obama are at the head of this, it just makes me sick to see what our country has come to…Thanks for the information Texaqs girl….Hope we can get our id and country straigthened up but doubt that we are too far afloat and the commies are backing obama, they have hated us for years and want our solders to march like little Chinese people and Russian solders have to. This to me is abuse to the solders too…
Congress needs to be replaced, term limits need to be imposed if these required events do not take place, America will continue on it’s path of destruction.
If the DEA believes the electric company has data that is “relevant” to an investigation, then the DEA should have no problem getting a court signed warrant.
States cannot hand over the power of the courts to a department in the state! Oh my word!
The 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution states, “No state shall make or enforce any law, which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
and
Amendment 4 – “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
Debra J.M. Smith
Informing Christians Writer
If all the laws only apply to us, why would we follow them?
In a few more months you might still have a bible but your guns will be gone after the Chief muslim signs the UN`s small arm control programme. The Constitution does not exist. anymore Out Royal Dictator has whipped his a$$ with it until it is gone with the wind. We only have the second left and it will be gone soon. Be patient the men in the black uniforms are coming with the chains soon.
if they get my guns, which i haven’t shot in about 10 years, they better come well armed.
Recently, a Deputy Sheriff asked me if I minded if she searched my residence. I responded, “No, I don’t mind. May I see your warrant?” I am now targeted as “uncooperative” by both law enforcement and the judiciary in my county. One more personal reason for being proficient with firearms. Upholding rights under the Constitution I swore to support may be a losing cause, but losing my honor and integrity would be a far greater loss for me than giving my life in so noble an endeavor.
De Oppresso Liber.
This is thanks to the NDAA law that MOST of our senators signed, both parties, so we can thank them! I hope SOMEBODY has the funds to be able to take this all the way to the Supreme Court. Not that that is any guarantee, but, maybe they’ll decide to do the RIGHT thing, this time.
Yes indeed. This usurper has some very grand plans. Why else would he be out golfing so much, and spending his time on tv and doing interviews with magazines? He’s not just a fraud, he’s an unscrupulous one that will stop at nothing to get in his Narcissit way. Him and his whole regime are corrupt. I just pray that our military can stay safe. They are the Hero’s! “he” is just a wanna-be dictator. I pray we can all stay safe, and the elections don’t turn out to be as fraudulent as “he” is!
P.S. viking: I don’t believe we truly have the 2nd Amendment left either.
GOD BLESS AMERICA
Excerpt from a speech given by Lavrentiy Beria, right-hand man to Stalin:
“By psychopolitics our chief goals are effectively carried forward. To
produce a maximum of chaos in the culture of the enemy is our first
most important step. Our fruits are grown in chaos, distrust, economic
depression and scientific turmoil. At least a weary populace can seek
peace only in our offered Communist State, at last only Communism can
resolve the problems of the masses.”
The GOP/DNC/American ignorance are complicit…Semper Fi, bldg 7
Just another one of the great Dictators executive orders. Ameerica has no freedom left. Until this usurper this tossed in a military prison for the rest of his damned natural life. That will give him some training for where he goes afterwards. The devil will have a place for him.
And who said Hilter was dead, must have been the same person who said Americans were free and must be treated fairly! The local police departments,Sheriff’s department,Highway patrol departments, the F B I,
A T F, Secret Service, C I A and many others we have never heard of are as criminal as most gangster groups, but are back by our government!
I would also add Stalin. But the nice thing about a new president. They have the power to revoke previous orders. Congress also can revoke orders if they are illegal to the constitution. Why is not holding booted yet? Hitler would have been powerless with out Himmler’s SS. Stalin & the KGB. The top services are sworn to protect the president first. For some dumb reason they have shown loyalty to holder.
If the GOP doesn’t step up to the plate, and fight this mad man we have as a president, we are headed for destruction!! Obama is a socialist that would love to be a dictator. Recently Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro wrote a book together ( for anyone that doesn’t know them, both are socio-communists dictators) and they needed someone that really admired the two of them to write a Foreword in their book , and guess who wrote the Foreword in their book ? Your’e right Barack Obama!! Leaves nothing to the imagination does it??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????