Two More Plead Guilty In Obama Student Loan Case

DES MOINES, Iowa — Two more people accused of illegally viewing President Barack Obama's student loan records have pleaded guilty.

Anne Rhodes pleaded guilty Friday in federal court in Iowa to one count of exceeding authorized computer access. Lisa Torney pleaded guilty to the same charge Thursday. Both face up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine when they are sentenced on Dec. 13.

They were among nine former employees of a U.S. Department of Education contractor in Iowa where prosecutors say they viewed Obama's student loan records.

All but one defendant has pleaded guilty or been convicted by a jury. Trial in that case is set for Oct. 4.

Rhodes' attorney declined comment. A telephone messages left for Torney's attorney was not immediately returned.

Comments

[murphy80]

07:41 PM on 08/30/2010

the least i expected was that the new president would enforce the laws on the books
and restore law and order.....................Omaha is a long way from Wall Street.

[Amber Lynn]

02:59 AM on 08/30/2010

Very nice effect, and great tutorials thanks for sharing

Thanks for sharing with us ...

http://lostchild.tv/

[Biendiosa]

11:53 PM on 08/29/2010

Curiosity killed the cat.

[Yozac]

06:39 PM on 08/29/2010

that's what you get for being snoopy/sneaky.

[jrsposter]

04:35 PM on 08/29/2010

It's not the Obama student loan case. It's the employee illegal invasion of Obama's privacy case.

[HoosierRadical]

03:13 PM on 08/29/2010

Why would someone want to look at his student loan records?

[xmw]

10:18 PM on 08/29/2010

I guess they thought it would say born On Mars. sorry birthers...better luck next time.

[collettethehedgehog]

01:58 AM on 08/30/2010

Why wouuld someone go fishing for dirt that they could slime our first black president with? Good Q.
Ask Faux News and Rupert Murdoch.

[Angie Cordeiro]

10:44 AM on 08/29/2010

"...they were among nine former employees of a U.S. Department of Education contractor..."

Why does "contractor" feel like such a scum bucket word?

[lkgilles]

06:05 PM on 08/29/2010

Easy ... nothing wrong with contractors :)

[collettethehedgehog]

02:03 AM on 08/30/2010

Because contractor in this case means someone hired to do the work that used to be done by a civil servant but now is done by someone promising to hire people of no experience or dedication for very little pay. One of the legacies of the Bush administration is that contractor means a new low in hiring standards.

[gingersaff]

08:32 AM on 08/30/2010

Actually, I'm a contractor for the Army. I was hired because it's very difficult to find people with certain skillsets in this part of the country who are willing to put down roots and live here. Using contractors is a cost-cutting measure but not because we are stupid and hence cheap. Government benefits are legendarily expensive; my benefits are minimal (if I don't work, for example, I don't get paid. No vacation/sick time for me.) My hourly rate may be more than GS, but I pay the price in benefits.

Just for the record, the reason that there are no GS employees available for career positions is that it is a closed system. That means that you need to know or be related to someone on the inside in order to get into it, and if an opening occurs and there is GS interest, even the most highly qualified outsider will be shut out of consideration. I've seen hirings of individuals who had absolutely NO experience, education, or ability over those who would have excelled at the job. It's nearly impossible to even get an interview if you are not already "prior service" (meaning already a civil servant). The reason? The gigs are good, once inside it's almost impossible to be fired, you can transfer nearly anywhere in the country, the benefits are enormous and you get plenty of time off, regular increases, etc. So please don't insult us contractors. We're actually saving the taxpayer money.

[out here]

09:56 AM on 08/29/2010

first off, student loans are still private according to federal law.

second, most universities only require faculty to hang onto student work for 2 maybe 5 years if the student doesn't pick it up outside of published holdings in the university library. all student work must be shredded or destroyed after the time limit including all copies. got a crystal ball showing a student from 15 or so years ago would become president?

besides, faculty offices would be more of a fire trap with all the paper collected then they are already!

[Nichole Boultas]

12:45 AM on 08/29/2010

Since when was it a federal crime to just peek at a President's college records? Actually I didn't know it was a federal offense.

[justlw]

02:35 AM on 08/29/2010

Ah, you're referring to the "just peeking!" clause found in all modern countries' privacy laws.

[N8tracks]

03:28 AM on 08/29/2010

Since forever. And it's not a president's records, it's anyone's private records.

[multidoc]

11:29 PM on 08/28/2010

If they had found anything the least bit questionable, it would have been all over the rightwingnut media. So face it, you TPers; THERE'S NOTHING THERE. President Obama is playing you all for suckers.

[Privatepractice]

12:52 AM on 08/29/2010

Not only is he playing them but giving them rope to hang themselves. Those idiots don't realize the Clinton and McCain camp/ entire RNC has already picked through the President's fe.ces before the primaries and election happened and if there was anything, would have had a banner made announcing it. But let them continue. The more of them locked up the less ignorance walking around.

[Wallysmom]

09:59 PM on 08/28/2010

The individuals were trying to get something that they could sell to FoxNews or some TeaBag fringe group. Something about his getting money from Ayatollah Khomeni or the Kenyan KGB to pay for his college education. Or perhaps that his mother was not really his mother but a foreign double agent named Ladyfingers working for Q Branch.

[ToniaB]

12:34 PM on 08/29/2010

LoL!!!

[arneader]

04:49 PM on 08/28/2010

They knew they were in violation. They have to suffer the consequences.

[thepoliticalcat]

06:13 PM on 08/28/2010

That's what laws are for. We pass laws to protect ordinary citizens from certain types of invasions. Those who violate such laws do so at their own peril. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.

[xmw]

10:19 PM on 08/29/2010

Yep!

[Robert Wright]

04:34 PM on 08/28/2010

A persons student loan information is NOT germaine to running for public office, I have no idea why anyone would think they should be able to access them or have them available for review. They also contain serious personal information that is NOT in the public realm, nor should it be. It is not your, or anyone else's business how much loan money he took or how quickly he repaid it.

[thepoliticalcat]

06:14 PM on 08/28/2010

I know if someone were illegally accessing *my* student loan information, I'd want the authorities to throw the book at them.

[frannymay]

08:45 PM on 08/28/2010

I bet they were birthers trying to see if there was any proof that he was born in Kenya!

[Nichole Boultas]

12:47 AM on 08/29/2010

Either that or they're trying to see if he's a Christian or Muslim.

[oniya]

02:37 PM on 08/28/2010

The headline makes it sound like President Obama did something wrong. These headlines imply that Obama = trouble. Thanks, HP. Yet, again, leading the cursory reader down the wrong path.

[Amerigucci]

04:10 PM on 08/28/2010

How would you have written it?

[oniya]

09:40 PM on 08/28/2010

"Two Plead Guilty for Illegally Viewing Obama Loan Records"

[justlw]

02:42 AM on 08/29/2010

BATBOY FOUND WITH ELVIS' PANCREAS

Well, you asked.

[dollbaby]

07:30 PM on 08/28/2010

well the headling was a bit misleading ....I thought it was going to be more about revamping the loan process. or something

[Sue McFarland]

02:35 PM on 08/28/2010

What in the world were they expecting to find, anyway?? I'm not positive, but I would almost bet the records contain nothing but from whom the loans were obtained and the amount of repayment (and schedule of repayments) requested by the lender. He has stated he and Michelle both paid off their loans when his book(s) became best sellers. What is so damned important about that kind of information, anyway?????

Somebody on the conservative side of things, please explain to me because this particular issue (or should I say "non-issue") has me baffled.

[dcoverley]

03:12 PM on 08/28/2010

Doubt it was political. Curious people who could but shouldn't, did but shouldn't have, because now they are in a peck of trouble.

[blohrd3]

05:23 PM on 08/28/2010

Of course it's political. College conservative are the shock troops of the right wing. It's the zealousness of youth. I seem to recall that there is a scorched earth war being waged against Obama. All is gist for the mill.

[margoharris]

05:25 PM on 08/28/2010

Maybe or maybe not. There was this whole bugaboo about who paid for his college education......they implyed he was a "foreign" student who's education was paid for by marxistcommiesocialist. LOL

[booksnstuff]

10:33 PM on 08/28/2010

I agree with "frannymay". The offenders are probably "birthers" who thought they would possible find infomation stating he was born elsewhere and not in the U.S. I also agree with "Wallysmom" that the were trying to get some dirt on Mr. Obama to sell to Fox News. Each should have received at least 5 to 10 years behind bars for their Tea Party mentality stupidity.