A senior federal law enforcement official tells ABC News the government is tracking the phone numbers we (Brian Ross and Richard Esposito) call in an effort to root out confidential sources.
"It's time for you to get some new cell phones, quick," the source told us in an in-person conversation.
ABC News does not know how the government determined who we are calling, or whether our phone records were provided to the government as part of the recently-disclosed NSA collection of domestic phone calls.
Via Digby.
Posted by binky at May 15, 2006 02:56 PM | TrackBack | Posted to J. Edgar HooverSadly, middle America's reaction to this will probably be something like "good, I hope they get those dirty know-it-all reporters who are giving away all our nation's secrets." Good thing we live in a "free" "country", eh?
Posted by: jacflash at May 15, 2006 03:08 PM | PERMALINKYeah, I agree with jacflash's comment. I don't think these stories are being covered in ways that really are likely to stir up intense public oppposition. As long as people are talking about the government spying on reporters, private individuals or whomever, in an attempt to promote national security I think public opinion, while possibly thinking that "goes too far" won't be intense enough to really force limits on these programs.
Now if the news stories did take the "government agents are breaking the law" angle more often (I'm obviously thinking of the NSA stuff here) I think there's a better chance for outrage to really develop. But as long as the targets of these acts are discussed more than the actual scope and practice of the acts and the legality of those practices, I don't see the public rising up.
Posted by: Armand at May 15, 2006 03:31 PM | PERMALINKI'm continually amazed that no one remembers Nixon and Watergate. It was only 30+ years ago: not that long. Why do we need to re-learn this lesson now?
Posted by: baltar at May 15, 2006 04:57 PM | PERMALINKIt's funny you should mention Watergate, because that's what Digby was talking about. Clicky clicky!
Posted by: binky at May 15, 2006 05:00 PM | PERMALINK