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Now They Know How Joe the Plumber Felt
November 20, 2008 10:07 PM
As first reported by CNN, the Obama Transition Team (OTT) was notified Wednesday by officials at Verizon that employees of that company had accessed the records of an old cell phone that's no longer in use once used by President-elect Obama. It's a phone that OTT officials say hasn't been used in quite some time, though they're not sure how long.
OTT officials were told that Verizon is taking disciplinary action, and they were assured there had been no monitoring of email, voicemail or BlackBerry messages, or anything like that.
- jpt
UPDATE: BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Verizon Wireless President and CEO Lowell McAdam made the following statement today:
“This week we learned that a number of Verizon Wireless employees have, without authorization, accessed and viewed President-Elect Barack Obama’s personal cell phone account. The account has been inactive for several months. The device on the account was a simple voice flip-phone, not a BlackBerry or other smartphone designed for e-mail or other data services.
“All employees who have accessed the account –- whether authorized or not -– have been put on immediate leave, with pay. As the circumstances of each individual employee’s access to the account are determined, the company will take appropriate actions. Employees with legitimate business needs for access will be returned to their positions, while employees who have accessed the account improperly and without legitimate business justification will face appropriate disciplinary action. We apologize to President-Elect Obama and will work to keep the trust our customers place in us every day.”
November 20, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (57)
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We're talking government officials breaching private data vs. some phone company dweebs checking out numbers dialed Jake. Tiny, itty bitty difference there champ.
Posted by: NM | Nov 21, 2008 5:59:56 PM
How come you Republican backers don't make a lick of sense yet?
You Betcha.
Posted by: Redneck4Reason | Nov 21, 2008 3:31:19 PM
"LOL....Liberals ......Living proof our education system has failed complelely!!!!
Posted by: Mike_C "
Awesome, who wants first dibs at THAT?!?
Me go first, I am just finishing the George Bush First Dictionary, lotta new words in there buddy.
Posted by: Redneck4Reason | Nov 21, 2008 3:24:12 PM
Like that bumper sticker says;
Slow Thinkers Keep Right.
Posted by: Redneck4Reason | Nov 21, 2008 2:54:32 PM
Redneck4Reason(aka.Brad)- Says,
A majority of negative influence can be intimidating to a minority with positive influence.
Better make it CLEAR that I'm referring to when the Homeland Security and Patriot Acts' were passed.
Posted by: Redneck4Reason | Nov 21, 2008 2:50:04 PM
Redneck4Reason(aka.Brad)- Says,
A majority of negative influence can be intimidating to a minority with positive influence.
Posted by: Redneck4Reason | Nov 21, 2008 2:44:59 PM
moder8:
Don't forget, we had a Republican President AND the Republicans held the majority of the House and Senate seats in the White House when the Homeland Security and Patriot Act was passed.
It's refreshing to see that the majority of Americans have common sense, by a landslide...
Posted by: Redneck4Reason | Nov 21, 2008 2:37:04 PM
Regarding the Homeland Security Act, (H.R. 5005) as amended by the House was passed by the Senate on November 19, 2002 on a vote of 90-9. Prior to the Senate vote, the bill passed in the House by a vote of 295-132. Obviously both Democrats and Republicans voted for the measure.
Posted by: moder8 | Nov 21, 2008 11:16:19 AM
For the record, the acronym "USA Patriot" Act identifies the "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001" (Public Law Pub.L. 107-56) was passed with large majorities of Democrats and Republicans in Congress following 9/11. Both parties were criticized for passing that act. The act was extended in 2005, again by majorities of both houses of Congress.
Posted by: moder8 | Nov 21, 2008 11:00:34 AM
Ver-SPIES-ON!
Posted by: diggyzazz | Nov 21, 2008 10:53:02 AM
LOL....Liberals ......Living proof our education system has failed complelely!!!!
Posted by: Mike_C | Nov 21, 2008 10:46:48 AM
But thanks to President Bush and the Republicans and their Homeland Security act its ok to Invade ones Privacy, Its the American way right! its all good Bush and the republicans have shredded the Constitution!!!! its ok with Republicans
Posted by: ANGIE | Nov 21, 2008 10:10:54 AM
Weak
Posted by: Rbyanes | Nov 21, 2008 10:03:56 AM
rbyanes...my point is that you have not seen the evidence first hand. Feel better now?
Posted by: Cathy | Nov 21, 2008 10:00:52 AM
CATHY - like your hero Joe the Fake likes to say, do your research. The proof of his transgressions is there, you just don't want to believe it. Now take a deep breath, get a hold of yourself, and stay away from blogging. You're way too hysterical and emotional for this lifestyle. Maybe you could fish or paint in your free time. You betcha.
Posted by: Rbyanes | Nov 21, 2008 9:53:51 AM
To all of you out there who believe that Joe can't be a plumber because he is not licensed..knowledge is power. You do not have to have a license as long as you work for a master plumber you are working under their license. Sort of explains why these posts are so stupid and childish!!! All of you tearing apart someone you don't even know...you have one little pathetic life. Obama won't be able to cure that one..you will have to do that one on your own.
Posted by: Cathy | Nov 21, 2008 9:46:44 AM
Rbyanes: You have no proof of anything except your need to make yourself feel better at someone else's expense. Until you can prove that what you are saying about him is true, you have no right to publish it! Now get into your box or crawl back into your hole and know why the reason you get no respect or have to belittle people will stare back at you from the mirror!!! You are a piece of work!!! Your mother must be or must have been so proud!!!
Posted by: Cathy | Nov 21, 2008 9:42:33 AM
Didn't the Republicans LEGALIZE that kind of snooping?
It's called Homeland Security and the Patriot Act.
B.T.W- Joe is a joke without the k.
Posted by: Redneck4Reason | Nov 21, 2008 9:41:05 AM
Drjohn you gotta have your degree in hypocrisy. Have you a clue what the GOP has done with respect to domestic surveillance? Spare us the laughable hyperbole.
Posted by: Rbyanes | Nov 21, 2008 9:37:04 AM
CATHY - the first thing I would do if I were you is look up the definition of slander. It's only slander if it's not true. Are you with me so far? Have I lost you yet? So when there are official records of Joe the Phony's tax evasion, domestic abuse charges, and hospital debts, that pretty much throws your moronic argument on its butt. Do you follow? Are you confused too badly? Should I talk in Palin-speak for you? Because I can, you betcha wink-wink.
Posted by: Rbyanes | Nov 21, 2008 9:31:48 AM
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