Tag: DOJ

Rep. Issa Calls Out Civil Asset Forfeiture As Letting ‘Cops Go Treasure Hunting’ | Techdirt

Civil asset forfeiture allows police to seize property as long as they believe that the assets in question were somehow connected to criminal activity. “As long as they believe” — that’s the key part. Authorities don’t have to actually prove the person was guilty of a crime. They don’t have to even file charges. The presumption of innocence is thrown to the wayside. It’s an egregious violation of the 4th Amendment, but that’s not even the most glaring problem with the system. Under current law, most states allow police departments to absorb up to 100% of the value of the confiscated property — whether it’s cash, cars, houses or guns — and use the proceeds to pad their budgets. It’s an obvious conflict of interest — and boy, is it profitable for law enforcement agencies.

Source: Rep. Issa Calls Out Civil Asset Forfeiture As Letting ‘Cops Go Treasure Hunting’ | Techdirt

FBI Says It Will Ignore Court Order If Told To Reveal Its Tor Browser Exploit, Because It Feels It’s Above The Law… | Techdirt

Source: FBI Says It Will Ignore Court Order If Told To Reveal Its Tor Browser Exploit, Because It Feels It’s Above The Law… | Techdirt

DOJ Reopens Asset Forfeiture Sharing Program After Temporary, Budget-Related Shutdown | Techdirt

The Justice Department has announced that it is resuming a controversial practice that allows local police departments to funnel a large portion of assets seized from citizens into their own coffers under federal law.

The “Equitable Sharing Program” gives police the option of prosecuting some asset forfeiture cases under federal instead of state law, particularly in instances where local law enforcement officers have a relationship with federal authorities as part of a joint task force. Federal forfeiture policies are more permissive than many state policies, allowing police to keep up to 80 percent of assets they seize.

Source: DOJ Reopens Asset Forfeiture Sharing Program After Temporary, Budget-Related Shutdown | Techdirt

Senator Wyden Warns That The Justice Department Is Lying To The Courts; Also Still Worried About Secret Law | Techdirt

We’ve been noting for years: when Senator Ron Wyden says that (1) there’s a secret interpretation of a law that is at odds with the public’s understanding of it, or (2) that government officials are lying, you should pay attention.

Source: Senator Wyden Warns That The Justice Department Is Lying To The Courts; Also Still Worried About Secret Law | Techdirt

Blackwater’s Founder Is Under Investigation for Money Laundering, Ties to Chinese Intel, and Brokering Mercenary Services


For more than a year, U.S. intelligence has been monitoring Erik Prince’s communications and movements, probing allegations that he used his company as a cover to set up Blackwater-style operations.

Source: Blackwater’s Founder Is Under Investigation for Money Laundering, Ties to Chinese Intel, and Brokering Mercenary Services

US Government Has Apparently Demanded, And Obtained, Tech Companies’ Source Code In The Past | Techdirt

The US government has made numerous attempts to obtain source code from tech companies in an effort to find security flaws that could be used for surveillance or investigations.

The government has demanded source code in civil cases filed under seal but also by seeking clandestine rulings authorized under the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a person with direct knowledge of these demands told ZDNet. We’re not naming the person as they relayed information that is likely classified.

With these hearings held in secret and away from the public gaze, the person said that the tech companies hit by these demands are losing “most of the time.”

Source: US Government Has Apparently Demanded, And Obtained, Tech Companies’ Source Code In The Past | Techdirt

Law Enforcement Groups File Amicus Brief In Favor Of FBI… But Which Undermines DOJ’s Claim That This Is Just About One Phone | Techdirt

Source: Law Enforcement Groups File Amicus Brief In Favor Of FBI… But Which Undermines DOJ’s Claim That This Is Just About One Phone | Techdirt

James Clapper has found another reason why he lied about NSA spying • The Register


Yep: he had actually forgotten about the storing of all Americans’ phonecalls

Source: James Clapper has found another reason why he lied about NSA spying • The Register

DOJ Has Blocked Everyone In The Executive Branch From Reading The Senate’s Torture Report | Techdirt

the new head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Richard Burr, demanded that all the federal government agencies that received the report should return it to him so he can destroy it and make sure that no one ever sees what’s in the report.

Source: DOJ Has Blocked Everyone In The Executive Branch From Reading The Senate’s Torture Report | Techdirt

U.S. Government Grabbed Dotcom’s Millions “As a Last Resort” – TorrentFreak

The U.S. Government has informed the Court of Appeals that the civil forfeiture case against Megaupload and Kim Dotcom was launched as a last resort. The authorities feared that Dotcom and his colleagues would regain possession of the millions in seized assets and argue that they are properly labeled as “fugitives.”

Source: U.S. Government Grabbed Dotcom’s Millions “As a Last Resort” – TorrentFreak