New court filing: Documents were deleted from GOP redistricting computers

[hue]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/new-court-filing-documents-were-deleted-from-gop-redistricting-computers-0p9530v-197833071.html

Madison - Documents were deleted from state redistricting computers last year even after a lawyer for the Legislature told lawmakers' aides to preserve all records on the computers, according to documents filed Wednesday in federal court.

Nine hard drives were recently given to groups suing the state because of questions about whether legislators and their attorneys had turned over all the documents they had been ordered to provide. One of the nine hard drives was unreadable and the outside of it was dented and scratched, which suggested its metal housing had been removed, according to affidavits in the case.

In addition, some of the hard drives had a program installed on them that could remove electronic data and hide the fact that files had been deleted, according to the filing. So far, however, a computer expert has not been able to determine if the program was actually used.

A lawyer representing the law firm that helped lawmakers with redistricting called the new allegations premature and unproven.

Left unanswered so far is who was responsible for the deletion of any documents. The technician reviewing the computers hopes to recover at least some documents.

The filings are the latest sign of legal difficulties for Republicans who control the Legislature and their backers. It raises the possibility officials or their lawyers could face sanctions from the panel of three federal judges or the state Office of Lawyer Regulation...

[Squinch]

1. Oh. My. God.

[mokawanis]

2. Blatant destruction of evidence

Makes me sick. Sanctions aren't enough. People should be prosecuted.

[HooptieWagon]

3. Prosecuted and jailed.

A slap on the wrist won't prevent them from doing it again. These people are enemies of a democratic society. Only serious jail time will prevent them from committing further crimes.

[blkmusclmachine]

4. .

.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. From the technical side, this article is nonsense

Lanterman and his crew have a decent reputation, so I for now, it appears to be another example of journalistic excellence.

The key here is the statement that once there was no pending legal actions with no preservation order in place, the machines were returned to general use. At that point, just about any evidentary use was compromised at a practical level. Even more so if the BIOS was unsecured. It also would in any reasonable interpretation absolve any users who used those machines at that point. However, if the normal computer forensics procedures had been followed and the hard drives cloned with copies secured, tampering/destruction would not have been an issue. .

A key item would be how IT support is done for that area. If normal procedures were followed, the plaintiffs will have little to stand on.

[Scuba]

6. No one could have predicted that.

[hue]

7. My 1st smile of this day!! ;-)

[Scuba]

8. Glad to oblige!

[midnight]

9. Republican's Gerrymandering Scandal Deepens

"In the two weeks the plaintiffs have had hard drives, forensic examiner Mark Lanterman has determined documents were deleted in June, July and November. He also found some of them contained "wiping" software meant to delete files so that they cannot be recovered."

"The internal and external hard drives come from the three computers that legislative aides, lawyers and consultants used to draw the maps. One of the nine hard drives had a stripped screw, dents and scratches and is unreadable."

"Included in the documents released Monday was a set of talking points that stressed that those who discussed the maps could eventually be called as a witness in a court case."

"Interestingly, Scott Walker has had nothing to say about any of this. But then again, he's probably afraid that any comment he might make would only serve to remind people that Walkergate also involved the destruction of digital evidence. It was Darlene Wink's willingness to testify regarding this that helped her get a plea deal with the DA's Office."

http://cognidissidence.blogspot.com/2013/03/republicans-gerrymandering-scandal.html






"Lastly, even though it should be so obvious that it needn't be pointed out, the question that should be on everyone's mind is that if the Republican is so wonderful, why do they need to resort to such secrecy, such corruption as to destroying the evidence of their work. If it was such a good thing, one would think that they would be screaming it from the building tops."