Apple General Counsel Blasts Justice Department For Crazy Filing

from the no-love-lost dept

It must be admitted that the Apple/FBI fight over iPhone encryption has had much more "outside the courtroom" drama than most cases -- what with both sides putting out their own blog posts and commenting publicly at length on various aspects. But things have been taken up a notch, it seems, with the latest. We wrote about the DOJ's crazy filing in the case, which is just chock full of incredibly misleading claims. Most of the time, when we call out misleading claims in lawsuits, the various parties stay quiet about it. But this one was apparently so crazy that Apple's General Counsel Bruce Sewell called a press conference where he just blasted the DOJ through and through. It's worth looking at his whole statement (highlights by me):

First, the tone of the brief reads like an indictment. We've all heard Director Comey and Attorney General Lynch thank Apple for its consistent help in working with law enforcement. Director Comey's own statement that "there are no demons here." Well, you certainly wouldn't conclude it from this brief. In 30 years of practice I don't think I've seen a legal brief that was more intended to smear the other side with false accusations and innuendo, and less intended to focus on the real merits of the case.

For the first time we see an allegation that Apple has deliberately made changes to block law enforcement requests for access. This should be deeply offensive to everyone that reads it. An unsupported, unsubstantiated effort to vilify Apple rather than confront the issues in the case.

Or the ridiculous section on China where an AUSA, an officer of the court, uses unidentified Internet sources to raise the spectre that Apple has a different and sinister relationship with China. Of course that is not true, and the speculation is based on no substance at all.

To do this in a brief before a magistrate judge just shows the desperation that the Department of Justice now feels. We would never respond in kind, but imagine Apple asking a court if the FBI could be trusted "because there is this real question about whether J. Edgar Hoover ordered the assassination of Kennedy — see ConspiracyTheory.com as our supporting evidence."

We add security features to protect our customers from hackers and criminals. And the FBI should be supporting us in this because it keeps everyone safe. To suggest otherwise is demeaning. It cheapens the debate and it tries to mask the real and serious issues. I can only conclude that the DoJ is so desperate at this point that it has thrown all decorum to the winds....

We know there are great people in the DoJ and the FBI. We work shoulder to shoulder with them all the time. That's why this cheap shot brief surprises us so much. We help when we're asked to. We're honest about what we can and cannot do. Let's at least treat one another with respect and get this case before the American people in a responsible way. We are going before court to exercise our legal rights. Everyone should beware because it seems like disagreeing with the Department of Justice means you must be evil and anti-American. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Somehow, I don't think Apple and the DOJ will be exchanging holiday cards this year. Apple's reply brief is due on Tuesday. I imagine it'll be an interesting weekend in Cupertino.

Filed Under: all writs act, bruce sewell, doj, encryption, fbi, litigation
Companies: apple