NSA to Qwest: No court order needed, national security at stake

Qwest refused to turn over records
Reported by Leslie Cauley, USA Today, posted by 9 NEWS Staff

Among the big telecommunications companies, only Denver-based Qwest refused to help the National Security Agency, sources tell USA TODAY. According to multiple sources, Qwest declined to participate because it was uneasy about the legal implications of handing over customer calling information to the government without warrants.

According to sources familiar with the events, Qwest's CEO at the time, Joe Nacchio, was deeply troubled by the NSA's assertion that Qwest didn't need a court order - or approval under FISA - to proceed. Adding to the tension, Qwest was unclear about who, exactly, would have access to its customers' information and how that information might be used.

The NSA told Qwest that other government agencies, including the FBI, CIA and DEA, also might have access to the database, the sources said. As a matter of practice, the NSA regularly shares its information - known as "product" in intelligence circles - with other intelligence groups. Even so, Qwest's lawyers were troubled by the expansiveness of the NSA request, the sources said.

Trying to put pressure on Qwest, NSA representatives pointedly told Qwest that it was the lone holdout among the big telecommunications companies. It also tried appealing to Qwest's patriotic side: In one meeting, an NSA representative suggested that Qwest's refusal to contribute to the database could compromise national security, one person recalled. In addition, the agency suggested that Qwest's foot-dragging might affect its ability to get future classified work with the government. Like other big telecommunications companies, Qwest already had classified contracts and hoped to get more.

http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=23f4a7e2-0abe-421a-01a7-c2472c590672&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf

to withhold future classified work with the government. That to me sounds illegal as hell.

my virginia ancestors kicked ass of the redcoats - this stinking administration has got to go and go fast

NSA does none of the above. NSA just leaves Quest alone.

I think that is all we need to know.

Or did they capitulate?

:kick:

In my experience their service has sucked and their price is higher than some others. As long as everything goes well they have been fine, but if there are problems with a bill it's almost impossible to straighten it out. It takes multiple calls and a great deal of time to get anything resolved; at least that has been my experience. We have only recently had an option to switch local providers in this rural area, and I have planned to leave Qwest and go with a smaller outfit built by my town.

And then I see this. Now I'll stay, as a matter of principle. Sh*t! Just when I thought I was done with them they go and do something terrific. I'll write and tell them why I'm staying.

They're one of the regional Bells, and it's my understanding that they only provide service to mid-western states, but I could be wrong about that.

Qwest could not be worse than them.

I have been waiting for our small-town owned utility to get phone service up and running. I already get cable and high-speed internet from them. If you have a problem with them, you just call people you know and that your kids go to school with. You don't even need to give them your address - they know where you live without looking it up.

I always try to do business with small operators when I can. In this case, the corps in Iowa have been trying to block city utilities from providing such services. But we get better service for less from our town. (All the nonsense puke politicians spew about "running the government like a business" is complete bull. If truth be told they could learn a great deal from the government about running a business.)

What about our FUCKING RIGHTS!?

I will not sacrifice freedom for comfort.

or at least he thinks he's one...

WE may make them not even need to have government contracts....

They negotiated with Qwest over a period of time. Plenty of time to get the warrant Qwest was requesting. That the NSA did not procure such a warrant PROVES it was not a legal program.

Unable to get comfortable with what NSA was proposing, Qwest's lawyers asked NSA to take its proposal to the FISA court. According to the sources, the agency refused.

The NSA's explanation did little to satisfy Qwest's lawyers. "They told (Qwest) they didn't want to do that because FISA might not agree with them," one person recalled. For similar reasons, this person said, NSA rejected Qwest's suggestion of getting a letter of authorization from the U.S. attorney general's office. A second person confirmed this version of events.

They might say no? They knew if they went they would say no.

-Hoot

My personal legally has him in leg irons with little presidential seals on them in extradition to whereverdufuck the Hague is.

-Hoot

We know the Bushbots will be out to get them.

Rate hikes, change in leadership, could be anything.