FBI Not Good At Paying Wiretap Bills

from the a-near-total-mess dept

Thu, Jan 10th 2008 6:37pm — Mike Masnick

While the FBI has regularly decided that court orders aren't necessary for wiretaps, it is a bit surprising to find out that it seems to feel the same way about paying the bills for wiretaps. Newly released info show that the FBI often failed to pay its wiretapping bills, leading one telco to cut off the FBI's wiretaps until it finally paid up. Given how screwed up the FBI's computer systems are, perhaps it's not surprising that they don't have an acceptable accounts payable system either.

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Filed Under: fbi, payment, wiretaps
Companies: fbi

17 Comments

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Overcast, 10 Jan 2008 @ 6:47pm

All the money they soak from us for taxes... and they can't pay their phone bills? Maybe they are too busy nosing into people's business and not taking care of their own.
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Rick, 10 Jan 2008 @ 7:24pm

I wish it was that easy. Wait, maybe, just maybe.....

If we stop paying taxes, will the government stop functioning? PLEASE!
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Justin, 10 Jan 2008 @ 8:02pm

Telecoms
What I find funniest:

"Some of the problems stemmed from telecoms billing multiple times for individual surveillance warrants -- which, in the case of Cox Communications, costs $1500 for a 30-day wiretap order."

At least now we know they're fair in their greed; they overcharge the government just as much as they overcharge us.
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jJack Rennscheidt, 10 Jan 2008 @ 8:06pm

comon sense
Perhaps we need a Department Of Common Sense which would have the power to over rule other government department's foolish regulations, rules, edicts, and fiats. They could tell other agencies, "We have studied your proposals and find them completely idiotic and just plain stupid." The same would apply to Congress...there's a lot of stupidity there too. Probably 80% of the government could be eliminated. Of course it will never happen: it makes too much sense
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Greybeard, 10 Jan 2008 @ 8:15pm

What scruples?
I find it interesting that the phone companies won't turn down wiretaps based on ethical considerations but if you don't pay your bill you're history? It makes it entirely too clear where the Corporate Ethic lives ... the Basement!
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Anonymous Coward, 10 Jan 2008 @ 8:17pm

Re: What scruples?
What does paying your bill have to do with ethics at all?
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Dave Z, 11 Jan 2008 @ 1:07am

dystopia - "protecting" freedom
The dystopia of THX-1138 hits the FBI.
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Unknown Coward, 11 Jan 2008 @ 2:48am

Throw the deadbeats in the slammer!
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Enrico Suarve, 11 Jan 2008 @ 3:49am

Re: What scruples?
LOL - damn fine point

I love the fact that its a paid service, I'd never even considered it before. I wonder if they have a brochure with different options. Does the deluxe service come with pager notifcation, do they get SMS messages informing them that to qualify for reduced rate wiretapping, their targets just need to make another 2 minutes of calls today?

Do they get their own helpdesk and does it suck as much as the normal one? "oh I'm sorry I just sent the invoice for wiretapping to the wiretap address - is that a problem?"

I love it
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Jan 2008 @ 5:25am

Re:
some say paying federal income tax is unconstitutional
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Alfred E. Neuman, 11 Jan 2008 @ 5:31am

Your Phone Bill
I wonder if they have to pay all those silly additional charges as well.

For example the Universal Service Charge, because those living in rural areas are in need of affordable wiretaps.
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Jan 2008 @ 6:45am

So if they are so bad at actually doing things, why is everyone so worried about their capabilities?
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M. Thompson, 11 Jan 2008 @ 7:15am

Federal Income Taxes
Actually there is no constitutional provision for FEDERAL taxes.

If I read it correctly (and I am by no means an expert) it provides for states to tax the populace but does not allow the government to tax our earnings.

"The first U.S. income tax, enacted in 1862 to pay for the Civil War, was repealed 10 years later."

"In 1894, Congress tried to bring back income taxes, but a year later the Supreme Court ruled them unconstitutional in the landmark "Pollack" case."

"By 1913, Congress gave it one more shot, and the states ratified the Sixteenth Amendment, which says:
-The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several states, and without regard to any census or enumeration.-"

So an amendment allows it, though there are a lot of arguments that say this was not ratified in the normal manner and therefore shouldn't be considered a legal amendment.

The long and the short of it is, better just go ahead and pay the taxes, there are a multitude of people fighting this in courts, so eventually there will be an 'official' repeal (not likely) or the gov't will just say STFU and pay us! (most likely)
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Eliot, 11 Jan 2008 @ 9:20am

Re: Your Phone Bill
Only if they want the extra features.
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Enemy Sympathizer, 13 Jan 2008 @ 8:19am

Warrantless wiretap?
"While the FBI has regularly decided that court orders aren't necessary for wiretaps ..."??

That link says the FBI doesn't always get a court order when seeking calling records. Nothing about actual wiretapping -- listening in on phone calls. It's the NSA that apparently has done warrantless wiretapping, but even if you believe that was illegal (as I do), that's very different from the FBI doing it for domestic investigations.

This administration does plenty of playing fast and loose with the law. Critics needn't play fast and loose with the facts in order to find something worth criticizing.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jan 2008 @ 7:40am

Enemy Sympathizer, the NSA wasn't listening in on calls, the whole case whas about calling records.
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Leland, 12 Feb 2008 @ 6:26pm

wire tapping FBI lack of bill paying
Your assertion that the FBI is foundless and without proof. In my opinion it is just another thing to bring us closer to being defeated by the enemy who wants to kill us. What do you people have to fear about having your telephones tapped? You must have something to hide. I say that if it saves us from another attack, tap away! The U. S. Government always pays its bills and you know it! Anyone who says otherwise is full of it! Get a life!
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