Suit claims N.Y. town used false subpoenas to I.D. e-mail critics

[Judi Lynn]

Suit claims N.Y. town used false subpoenas to I.D. e-mail critics

By The Associated Press
08.14.05
ALBANY, N.Y. — A federal lawsuit claims officials of an upstate town issued five false criminal subpoenas to make Time Warner Cable identify the RoadRunner e-mail subscribers who were anonymously criticizing emergency services.
(snip)

Skerker, a 47-year-old paramedic in Colonie, was suspended for six months in 2004, accused of disseminating confidential information through the e-mails. Gardner, 53, a part-time volunteer emergency medical technician, was dismissed. Skerker fought his suspension through arbitration. It was reduced to three months. He has not returned to the job.

The e-mails alleged deficiencies in personnel, equipment and treatment in Colonie’s emergency services department.

Attorney Edwin Tobin says the town has acknowledged some mistakes in the procedures it used to issue subpoenas but maintains it was entitled to know who was sending the anonymous messages to Town Supervisor Mary Brizzell in late 2003 and early 2004.
(snip/...)

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=15661

[girl gone mad]

1. fascism much? n/t

[oscar111]

2. how exactly did supoenas id the guys?

xxx

[DBoon]

3. Whose account was associated with this IP address

only the ISP would know this

[Luminous Animal]

5. There's a definitely a benefit to communicating

by snail mail. And paying with cash.


By the way, I love your sig. My daugher,11 years ago, when she was four years old had that image on her T-shirt.

[kestrel91316]

4. Any guesses as to which party the town officials belong to????

I have my own theory.

And it ain't the Democratic Party.

[SouthernDem2004]

9. Actually you are incorrect.

The mayor is a Democrat.

[kestrel91316]

10. Well then SHAME ON THEM.

[Judi Lynn]

11. The article doesn't name the mayor. Who is he/she? n/t

[SouthernDem2004]

12. Gerald D. Jennings /nt

[Judi Lynn]

13. I just did a quick check on his name in connection to this story

Don't find it. He's not among the officials involved.

[SouthernDem2004]

14. He controls the city. He is involved.

[NeoConsSuck]

15. Colonie is a township north of Albany

To my knowledge, Jennings does not govern Colonie. Jennings is the mayor of the city of Albany.

[SouthernDem2004]

16. My bad. The article was out of Albany so I thought that was it. /nt

[Judi Lynn]

17. The cosmopolitan Frank Leak is the mayor of Colonie.

http://www.colonievillage.org/mayor/index.htm

Thanks for clearing this up. :hi: :hi:

[DBoon]

6. And with the Patriot Act

they wouldn't even need subpoenas, so they wouldn't have to go through the effort of putting together false subpoenas

[oscar111]

7. Extremely virtous act, pointing out flaws in 911 system

the last thing the city fathers ought to harass.

they ought to give an award to the whistleblowers.

not some cheap medal, but cash , which low level employees really need in the age of bush.

[awoke_in_2003]

8. Award a whistleblower?

Not anymore. Can't have it. If you report the ineffectiveness of the leadership, even on the local level, you are only supporting the terrorists. What's wrong, dont you support the troops? :sarcasm:

Seriously though, that seems to be the attitude anymore. It is the whistleblower who has the deficiency. Just look at the way they villianized Joe Wilson, Deepthroat, etc.