FBI wiretaps dropped due to unpaid phone bills

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - Telephone companies have cut off FBI wiretaps used to eavesdrop on suspected criminals because of the bureau's repeated failures to pay phone bills on time.

A Justice Department audit released Thursday blamed the lost connections on the FBI's lax oversight of money used in undercover investigations. Poor supervision of the program also allowed one agent to steal $25,000, the audit said.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080110/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/fbi_unpaid_phone_bills

:rofl:

how dare they not care about NATIONAL SECURITY anymore
Do the telecoms want the terrorists to take out another financial district?

:rofl:

About that writer's strike? What writer's strike?

"Everybody wants to get into the act"---Jimmy Durante

Source: Associated Press


By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 23 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Telephone companies have cut off FBI wiretaps used to eavesdrop on suspected criminals because of the bureau's repeated failures to pay phone bills on time.

A Justice Department audit released Thursday blamed the lost connections on the FBI's lax oversight of money used in undercover investigations. Poor supervision of the program also allowed one agent to steal $25,000, the audit said.

In at least one case, a wiretap used in a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act investigation "was halted due to untimely payment," the audit found. FISA wiretaps are used in the government's most sensitive and secretive criminal investigations, and allow eavesdropping on suspected terrorists or spies.

"We also found that late payments have resulted in telecommunications carriers actually disconnecting phone lines established to deliver surveillance results to the FBI, resulting in lost evidence," according to the audit by Inspector General Glenn A. Fine.

More than half of 990 bills to pay for telecommunication surveillance in five unidentified FBI field offices were not paid on time, the report shows. In one office alone, unpaid costs for wiretaps from one phone company totaled $66,000.
...
The report released Thursday was a highly edited version of Fine's 87-page audit that the FBI deemed too sensitive to be viewed publicly. It focused on what the FBI admitted was an "antiquated" system to track money sent to its 56 field offices nationwide for undercover work. Generally, the money pays for rental cars, leases and surveillance, the audit noted.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080110/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/fbi_unpaid_phone_bills

:rofl:

:wow:

Perhaps it was a FISA thing, wanted to avoid paper trails, scared to call GeekSquad for help?

nearly inoperable. Cutting checks is now a nearly impossible task for the GOPers.

is an ear mark of the U.S. Govt. During the late 80's through the 90's the Feds would not pay an of the invoices we sent them for packaging materials any earlier 60 days from the invoice date. Some times went 90 days past invoice date. We even offered a 10% discount if they would pay within two weeks of invoice date, but that never happened.

Sweet mercy is there nothing out there this clown car of an admistration screw up? And this is something they want to do.

I love it!

anybody else sick of the repuke double whammy?

Jesus PAY THE DAMNED BILLS!!!

That's bizarre.

:lol:

Thanks, I needed that laugh!

Source: AP

Telephone companies have cut off FBI wiretaps used to eavesdrop on suspected criminals because of the bureau's repeated failures to pay phone bills on time.

A Justice Department audit released Thursday blamed the lost connections on the FBI's lax oversight of money used in undercover investigations. Poor supervision of the program also allowed one agent to steal $25,000, the audit said.

In at least one case, a wiretap used in a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act investigation "was halted due to untimely payment," the audit found. FISA wiretaps are used in the government's most sensitive and secretive criminal investigations, and allow eavesdropping on suspected terrorists or spies.

"We also found that late payments have resulted in telecommunications carriers actually disconnecting phone lines established to deliver surveillance results to the FBI, resulting in lost evidence," according to the audit by Inspector General Glenn A. Fine.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080110/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/fbi_unpaid_phone_bills

:spray:

LOL

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I'll alert the admin, perhaps they can combine it to yur thread. Thanks for letting me know.

Actually, it's a headline that is funny enough that it bears repeating.

and once elected, they do their best to prove it.

The same incompetent Repukes who finally catch a Democrat (as opposed to the endless procession of Republican thieves) breaking the law, and even find a freezer full of cash... and still find a way to fuck it up so badly that the guy walks free.

their wiretaps on you and me are fully funded.

giggle, snorggle, snorf. :rofl:

Sounds like instead of drowning government in a bathtub, BushCo couldn't even find the damned water faucets.

Not paying phone bills, indeed.

Billions and billions! No wonder most of the telcos wanted to hop right into The Program! It's another way to loot the Treasury and a huge give-away to big GOP campaign contributors. This sort of thing almost defines corporate fascism, 21st Century American-style.