Former CEO Says NSA Punished Phone Firm

Washington Post:

A former Qwest Communications International executive, appealing a conviction for insider trading, has alleged that the government withdrew a $100 million contract after Qwest refused to participate in an unidentified National Security Agency program that the company's top lawyer said was illegal.

Former chief executive Joseph P. Nacchio, convicted in April of 19 counts of insider trading, said the NSA approached Qwest more than six months before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, according to court documents unsealed in Denver this week.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[PollM]

Wow even before 9/11.

It's a decision made, it contradicts their contractual agreement with the customer. They should be held responsible as they have violated their agreement. If they are given immunity this behavior will repeat itself. In addition to the above, I believe telecommunication companies need to inform their customers if they have released any info about their customers and what info. Full Disclosure.

Do you believe telecommunication firms should be given immunity for disclosing customers' phone records & other data to the government?
-------> http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=702
.

[ChristinDemocrat]

Steve Colbert tries to put a nice face on the Regugs that are behind the evil never seen in the history of this nation. The people he looks like and represents would kill for a cup of coffee. They say the next barbarian will carry a brief case. Colbert is what they look like. Mr Colbert are you proud of the animals you look like. Get back in your cage and shut up.

[baylaw73]

Um, do you know Colbert is satirizing them?

[stargazer13]

I think if you really watched Colbert you would see he is trying with humor to educate the American people

[dawlishgal]

Yikes, if what Colbert is showing re Republikers is their "nice face," imagine what their not-nice face must look like. Please don't think that Colbert's pointed satire is doing the Republikkers a favor!

[ChristinDemocrat]

Ken Star started the onslot against we the poeple. Clinton built so much wealth in this nation the mega rich racise republicans wanted to steal it and stop the baby boomers from getting the pay off for building the greatest nation in the world.


George and his sick friends have did a job on this nation and the world that is of biblical proportion. They did a thieving bunch of cowards. Stole election, 9/11 Iraq and did it by scaring us every day with there own news media. What do you need a full confession by The New American Century.

The Damnation that will follow these guys the rest of there lives will make them regret every thing they did. Where would Dick Cheney be safe. He is going to need as many terrorist guards as possible.

[Tr0uBle]

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Let Congress know targeting Smokers with a $6.10 a Carton Tax Hike is going too Far!

SAY NO to Higher Cigarette Taxes

www.stoptheFETincrease.com
Or
Call 1-866-527-4494

[stargazer13]

since I am a smoker and I also have ten grandchildren I think I am willing to pay the tax so that they may have health care and when I can,t afford them any more may I will quit the disgusting habit

[askmeificare]

So maybe Bushie was actually trying to spy on the terrorists before 9/11 because an impending threat left behind by Mr Bill?

[ZingoBonMot]

~askmeificare~

If that were the case, then WHY DIDN'T HE PAY ANY FLIPPIN' ATTENTION TO THE INTELLIGENCE, you putz? Gawd, you repukes are dumb.

[testerwebbdemocrat]

wow, a whatif..maybe..bu..bu..Clinton troll.

must've ran out of bu..bu..Clintons, bu..bu..Carters, bu..bu..Kennedys, and bu..bu..Roosevelts..

[Libertysconscience]

PART 2:

Yet she was rewarded by becoming an unproductive Sec of State who merely conducts chasting or fear mongering interviews against other nations without any credible evidence based on conjecture, FAILING TO REALIZE THAT FAITH BASED CONJECTURE HAS BANKRUPTED OUR NATION, DESTROYED THE LIVES OF OUR VALIANTLY DEDICATED PROVEN WOUNDED AND PERMANENTLY HORRIBLY DISABLED SOLDIERS WHILE SECRETING OFF AMERICA'S GREATEST HEROES, OUR FALLEN, AS IF THEY WERE ROAD KILL WHILE OUR COALITION NATIONS GREETS WITH HONOR EVERY DEBARKING PLANE WITH THEIR FALLEN WITH THE FULL NATIONAL HONOR EACH FALLEN SOLDIER AND THEIR FAMILY DESERVES NOT AS A SYMBOL OF FURTHERING ONE'S STANCE OF THE WAR, BUT OUT OF PURE UNADULTERED RESPECT AND THE HONORED THEY DESERVE THIS ADMINISTRATION SEEMS BENEATH THEMSELVES TO HAVE REPLICATED FROM THE FIRST PLANE THAT RETURNED WITH OUR FALLEN.
YET, WITH THE SPEED OF THIS BLOG, IT SOUGHT TO SPY ON ITS CITIZENS AND POTENTIAL DISSENTERS TO ITS PLANNED INVASION FROM DAY ONE OF IRAQ.

America, we were and are being betrayed both by our executive branch and the very telecommunication firms you own the very air waves they in turn used and will continue to use to spy on you for 'any reason seen fit' without warrant thus voiding our own form of government that has endured and defeated every threat since its founding and Constitution that held our nation as one.

The executive's office via the NSA Machiavellian pact with the telecoms is but one shoe to fall which later will encompass, creditors, credit agencies, employers, healthcare and nearly all aspects of our lives.
Why?
The creation of secreted national dossier databases 'for any reason the executive branch deems' that will make Nixon's and the Committee to Re-Elect the President, C.R.E.E.P., actions look like miniscule
CHILD'S PLAY, WHILE IN FACT IT WAS THE SEED STARTER FOR THE PERMANENT EMERGENCE OF A ONE PARTY RULE.

[Libertysconscience]

One question as liberty's conscience-Why?

This administration claimed it couldn't have conceived of 9/11, yet America endured Cuban hijackings during the 1970's, and witnessed the unconventional wars with Afghanistan, and the former Soviet bloc nations along with the German and Italian terrorists actions of the 1970's - 1980's including the French terrorists actions in France where garbage cans were no longer used, and no one--no one left a package alone without the entire restaurant or train stopping the individual demanding they take their package with them?
Dr. Rice had decades of knowledge how the nonstate IRA conducted its bombings using Britain's public access to places, and planes!
Yet, the claim of ignorant creative thinking taking into account even the Beirut military bombing and the events I have mentioned, is still allowed to stand as an excuse for abject failure to protect our nation while its president was hosting a siesta fest with the then Presidente Fox for a month replete with warning PDB's?

Yet, the erudite, gifted then NSA advisor Rice failed to conceive of such a deadly action by those who command no standing airforce equivalent to America's, no standing naval fleet replete with nuclear subs equivalent to ours, no standing army and marines with state of the arts tanks and war machines including bunker busting bombs would use terrorist and historically proven strategies just like America's foreparents did including the Potato famine Irish and ScotIrish immigrants who used their rudimentary pitch forks, sling shots, and determination to defeat the British well trained armies, against America itself?

[Mutineer]

It should also not surprise anyone that the Patriot Act was (mostly) written before September 2001.

[MoeJava]

Now that this tid bit of information has been revealed, why do people still think that 9-11 conspiracy theorists wear tinfoil hats, and should be ignored or their theories discounted? The more we learn about the Bush administration, the more we MUST investigate.
Too bad a special proscutor couldnt be appointed - and all those folks who have a story to tell about the Bush administration, can feel free to bring this prosecutor up to speed - more revelations are bound to come out.
If they disclose "in privacy" to an Attorney, then that will be held in confidence and perhaps then this administration may be investigated, impeached and ultimately imprisoned.

[MetalCanuck]

Its because this was all planned before 9/11, they were planning 9/11 for a long time. Bill Clinton started the eaves dropping program with "Echelon". I wish people would stop believing that the Dems are the good guys, they are in on the corroption too.

[Libertysconscience]

Tha's why I stated America has to look to its presidential history. Carnivore is an surveilance program. Political affiliation is no concern, Nixon's action's brought the nation the Freedom of Information Act, which is why I use it. But the seed starter was planted and citizens can't just throw up their hands in resignation especially after legitimate protest organizers who complied with New York's permits were then visited by the FBI that I'd be curious if such work visits resulted in the ultimate chilling affect of being fired.
This issue can unravel the very fabric of our nation without any hyperbole. IF there is no pushback, then your children and mine will be forced to compose their own Magna Carta of the 21st century as opposed to 1215 A.D.

[paige]

Totally agree with you. For the life of me I can't understand why people aren't seeing it for what it is. If they all have been walking like ducks for a long time then they are ducks. In this case Dems and Repub are the 'ducks' that are out to grab as much money and power as they can. They can't see the long run ramifications it will result for America though or else they don't care. Sad. Tragic actually.

[MetalCanuck]

People are being told how to think by their third parent..television. That is much of the problem we have today, they still believe the media is on their side.

[mydogshakespeare]

Is this a photo of Bush measuring his IQ, Courage, or likelihood of winning a Nobel Prize? (More likely, the sum of all three.)

[dawlishgal]

None of the above....he is telling us the size of his...whatever.

[pleeezzze]

Since all this PLANNING was underway in FEB.01,with Qwest,it must have been under way... (before) BUSH was INSTALLED by FLORIDA as the so called president !!!
That could only mean,Jeb Bush and the Florida Supreme court committed THE VOTER FRAUD for the SOLE PURPOSE of INSTALLING THE CRIMINAL BUSH THUGS to over take OUR COUNTRY !!!!

Not only did they do that,they've DESTROYED 2 OTHER countries so far !!

[MetalCanuck]

Its because this was all planned before 9/11, they were planning 9/11 for a long time. Bill Clinton started the eaves dropping program with "Echelon". I wish people would stop believing that the Dems are the good guys, they are in on the corroption too.

[pleeezzze]

You seem confused !!! When have the REPUKES and DEMS worked that closely together ???????

[testerwebbdemocrat]

In 387 days this nation will be reborn. Nothing can kill the spirit of what we started 230 years ago.

The Bush Family can't kill it.
Cheney cant.
The NSA can't.
The Republics can't.
PNAC can't.
Some demolished buildings in NY can't.
Fox News can't.
Rush can't.

Go to the polls. Be in the delivery room when this nation is reborn.

[MetalCanuck]

How will it be reborn? With Hillary HAHAHA! What a joke. If you are smart you will vote Kucinich, Paul or gravel. Anything else will be a continuation of the present course.

[Plowboy]

Have all the spirit you will; you are still enslaved. Only a fool can still believe that our government works for us. And only a damned fool can still believe that, on that issue, there is a smidgen of difference between the two parties.

[ZingoBonMot]

~MetalCanuck~
I gotta agree with you. I love Gravel's anger and indignation, Paul's idea of driving a stake through the heart of the IRS, and EVERYTHING about Kucinich (who happens to have a smarter and much better looking young wife than either Rooty or DeadHeadFred).
If we could shut the g.d. MSM up, maybe one of these three would have a chance.
KILL YER TEEVEE.

[testerwebbdemocrat]

Idol-worship of single cult-of-personality candidates politically naive, at best. Thats how you get a Mussolini (see last 7 years). If you want to beat the f&*k out of a bully, grab the biggest stick you can find, and beat the f&*k out of him.

The biggest stick available is whoever gets the Democratic nomination. That "Hillary is just like Bush" shit makes you sound like a diversion troll. No one has experienced ONE day of a 2008 presidency, so you don't know. What the Republics are doing with Hillary is what we in the South call "playin Brer Rabbit".

I'm an Edwards first man myself, but I've met & shook hands with Obama & Hillary. They're all a cut above the f&*king clowns in the WH now.

[amerdiaspora]

yest but they put in a few potentially fatal blows that pseudo-liberal queen hillary with dry to give the death grip to. she might finish killing this country that the gop and it's propaganda machine couldn't

[1man1voicenovote]

The Spirit of 76 was not about voting.

It was about VIOLENT REVOLUTION.

It was our answer to "shut-up and accept your fate"

Liberty or Death. It's really that simple.

al Qaeda is not in the equation.

BOO!

[speakingtruth2power]

The invasion of Iraq was already in their game plan too but it wasn't politically feasible until 9-11 conveniently came along. Conspiracy theories on 9-11 will persist as long as who killed Dr. king and the Kennedys for a very good reason. The Bush Crime Family is capable of anything!

[Ginzaman]

Impeach Bush and Cheney