Feds Squelch Capitol Hill Blue

Willysnout tells you what Doug Thompson can't - Thompson and his crew were under surveillance through his site (the aforementioned Capitol Hill Blue), and forced him to change a column they didn't like.

Thompson is best known for "The Rant" - a regular online column which has lately been highly critical of the current White House. (He's also been critical of the Clinton White House - Thompson just has it out for authority.)

Well, the current authority doesn't like that.

The offending article reported that Thompson, who also owns the web hosting company that puts Capitol Hill Blue online, had received a request under the USA Patriot Act from the FBI for information about the publication, its contributors, its personnel and its readers. It was only through his ownership of the hosting company that Thompson was aware of the government's surveillance.

The FBI's request instructed Thompson not to reveal who had made the information request or what law had authorized it. Thompson refused to provide the information and revealed the letter and its contents in Capitol Hill Blue. At that point, a U.S. attorney threatened Thompson with jail unless he not only removed the information, but revised the article discussing it.

To avoid going to jail, Thompson complied.

Think about it, folks. A publication has been not only censored, but forced to submit new content acceptable to the government.

And now that the Patriot Act has just been signed to another contract extension, we have more of this to look forward to.

Whoops. There's someone at the door. I'll be righ

Comments

[AJ]

Hoff, you're imagining things. Hang on, someone's knocki

[chuck, Stow OH]

Doug Thompson's rants have been a great learning source. Most of the things he writes are accurate and way ahead of the mainstream media. In this case I am glad he complied so we can keep him around. In case you missed it, his reply to the fbi was "F*#k you! Strong letter to follow." What is most alarming is the mere fact that they came after him about the publication of this inquiry and that freedom of speech is truly under attack.

[lib4]

I read Capitol Hill Blue all the time....I am frankly stunned...stunned...if that can happen to Doug it can happen to anyone.....

What has happpened to this once great nation...

This is out of control.....

[Rotwang]

I assume the "Chimpy's-a-drunken-pill-popper" stories were the pretzel that choked the camel's hump.

[DVV]

I figure that the FBI will come knocking on my door sooner or later, if they aren't monitoring me already.

The difference? I'm not a punk, and I never back down from a fight. You want to put me in jail for saying what needs to be said? Go ahead. I'll just let the ACLU deal with you. In the meantime, it's three hots, a cot, and all-day cable television!

[Peter]

um... should I start locking the windows??
Oh hold on a minute, "Yes, who is it?" (opening door)........................................

[Mad as Hell]

Bush is in such deep shit right now, he's losing control pretty severely! I don't know if that means that we can worry less, or should we all be worrying more?

[David Aquarius]

How come there's a black sedan parked outside my door?

[Thomas Ware]

Kinda' makes 'ya wonder why just about every month or so he has to rant on his credibility, aeh?

[rhoda]

Sandra Day O'Connor Warns Of "Beginnings" Of Dictatorship.

[steve]

See I told ya ... there was a black helicopter in the back forty ... and guys carrying red-laser rifles and gas masks, and ..... knock knock ...

Oh shit .....

[Jon Shafer, Indianapolis]

Frightening, indeed! However,the failed ports deal may turn out to be a defining moment for the Bush Administration. To me it was less about terrorism than it is of economics, and Bush oil family ties. Made a blog about that on The Washington Post's "Think Tank Town" by Ron Nessen. There is an issue to turn this around, and the issue is: get out of Iraq, and impeach this lunatic Bush Administration. If the Dems want to regain control of at least one House of Congress, if not both, they need to step up to the plate before our government is allowed to step on our Constitutional guarantees, if not stamp them out entirely! I am ashamed to call myself an American as a result of the leadership vacuum that has descended on Washington as a result of the scheming, lying, dishonest sonofabitch who sits in the White House.

[Terry]

Regarding one of the posts, which wondered if we have less or more to worry about with Bush crashing and burning...There's a quote from a movie called the Lost Boys, about vampires, which has dialogue that is applicable here. One of the vampire killers says, "No two bloodsuckers go out the same way, but all will try to tak you with them." I've always thought that bush, rum, etc are totally sadistic nuts, and they enjoy the blood and gore, like vampires. In this case, bush didn't want blood for oil. He used the excuse of oil to justify the bloodshed. Any fool can negotiate a fair and benefical price for oil. bush wants people to die. he thinks he has the right to torture children, with john yoo arguing that bush could order a child's testicles to be crushed. these people are sick and dangerous nuts. so, as bush is like a domestic violence criminal, and the us like the beaten spouse, we have a lot to expect from bush as he goes down. the most dangerous time for the beaten partner is when she or he finally decides to leave. that is when the domestic violence criminal will try to kill the partner. it seems imperative that we return to the ritual of the constitution and bill of rights. we need to walk bush out of the white house, flanked by his dad and clinton, and perhaps aided by John McLaughlin, who is the guy who talked nixon into leaving the white house with dignity. give bush a photo op--tell him he's great for saving face and resigning for the good of our country. with cheney, i think we have to cut the power to wherever he is, and send in a few stunning but non-lethal microwave zaps to interrupt his pacemaker just long enough to send in the swat team. as shakespere wrote in Julius Ceasar (sp) we need a ritual, "or else this were a savage spectacle." i think we have experienced enought of a savage spectacle, and i'm ready for ritual, the law, and trying these guys in court asap.

[Richard Bastian, Atascadero, Ca.]

The freedoms that not only my father, but many others who went to war and faught during WW11,and others, so that our freedoms would remain, are being disregarded as those hard faught wars ment nothing.How about the reason the government says why were over in Iraq for,WHAT was THAT I HEARD,??? So people over there could enjoy the same freedoms we have and enjoy here!!
Come on lets get real here. Lives lost and men and women comming back wounded and mained.Not to mention all the families that are being torn apart by the lose of a loved one, someone who went and made the sacerfice because they truly belived our leaders.This is all giving me a headach, and I'm honestly being brought to tears over the deseptive ways our leaders are lying to us.Yes, we have the freedom to say what we want, that is, as long as it's what they want to hear.I am a free man, born and created by a God who put me here on this earth. As a people we colectivly intrusted limited powers to fellow humans to care and watch over us, and to act always in what would be in the best intrest for all. That trust has been abused and misused. There is no man above me, nor I him, were equeal and there for should all be treated as such. When those whom we;ve intrusted misuse that trust, we have the God given duty to remove them from the offices we put them in. We are in the last days according to the scriptures, but even those who have placed themselves in postions to over see Jehovah's flock are mis leading them.Doing so by encouraging congerations world wide to get involved in the political process. These bastards are the worse, they are the wolves in sheeps clothing, and all true chritians are being called to flee while yet there is still time remaining.The signs are all around us, and the sirens are blaring load. If you can't see nor hear it, then your willfully tuning out and wishing to ignor the warning. The wealthy perhaps feel they are secure with all their power.Time will tell won't it!!