Apparently Team Corbett is too bloated to hide behind grand jury secrecy any longer. (Try cutting back on the salt, guys.) "We can't comment on an ongoing investigation (except when we feel like it)" just doesn't cut the mustard in the Show.
And we are most definitely in the Show. The New York Times, USA Today, the Washington Post Politico, Wired, even Keith Olbermann have taken an interest in the little assault on free speech we've got goin' on up here in Pennsyltucky.
(If you want to hear Signor Ferrari's incredibly sexy electronically-distorted voice, visit KDKA and WTAE)
Finally called upon to justify Tom Corbett's attempt to unmask his online critics, mouthpiece Kevin Harley brilliantly hinted the subpoena is related to today's sentencing hearing for a Bonusgate defendant.
As the kids say, O RLY? "Using the grand-jury process to get evidence in the aid of sentencing is an abuse of the system. Grand juries are to investigate potential crimes, not aid in prosecution," says Witold Walczak, legal director for the ACLU of Pennsylvania (a total rock star and our new personal hero).
Um...what was it that subpoena said again? "You are ordered to appear as a witness ... to give evidence regarding alleged violations of the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."
Even if the blogger did turn out to be Corbett's favorite whipping boy, unless exercising free speech anonymously on the internet is now a violation of the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, that subpoena seems a bit, well, misleading.
Not everyone is buying this sentencing spin. As Will Bunch of the Philadelphia Daily News asks, "if he's going after one guy, why go after two Twitter accounts?" Attorney Bryan Walk says his client is being used as a smokescreen and the real motive behind the subpoena is to stifle dissent.
But let's set aside the blatant violation of the First Amendment. Let's set aside the abuse of the grand jury system. Let's set aside the inveracity of the subpoena itself.
Let's indulge Team Corbett in their little fantasy. Let's say Twitter complies (quietly!) with the subpoena. Let's say the information Twitter divulges somehow definitively proves Signor Ferarri is who Corbett believes he is.
ACLU law professor Eugene Volokh mused to the New York Times that "if [the defendant] turned out to be one of the commenters," perhaps his online comments might "be at odds with a claim of contrition at sentencing."
Was this their plan? To use a grand jury subpoena to solicit information they might get to use in case a defendant were to make a statement in the future that contradicts a statement on a blog that they suspect he writes?
If it weren't so chilling from a civil liberties perspective, you'd have to admit it's pretty hilarious. Clearly, they're watching too many Law & Order reruns (the histrionic later episodes, not the Jerry Orbach classics). You just know they were fantasizing about a grand dramatic moment when they leap up and yell, "that's not what you said on your BLOG, sir!"
C'mon. That's funny.
Even granting the possibility of this truly bizarre scenario - and that is a stretch - exactly what statement on this blog might contradict any "statements of contrition?" After the dramatic Law & Order moment, what were they going to say? What statement were they going to cite?
As we said yesterday, for all their obsession with this blog, they're not reading it too carefully.
Special thanks to our new friend "TN2010" for the lovely illustration on today's post. We think the Corbett campaign should consider using it as a poster or maybe a direct mail piece.
60 comments:
Write on brother!
Someone asked which law school Mr. Corbett went to in a previous post. I could only find one St. Mary's Law School which is located in San Antonio in Texas. Here is the link to the school's ranking:
http://www.lawschool100.com/
Go down to the area below the top section to find it.
If there is another St. Mary's I have not been able to find it. Google the school for more info about it. Just in case you are interested in the question.
The Pennsylvania Republican party please is very afraid.
This kind of stuff can backfire and make loyal republicans vote for Onorato out of fear that as Governor Corbett will cast himself as Mahmud Ahmadinejad.
Corbett will not get my vote.
He has now demonstrated at least three qualities that do not make for a good governor:
1. Thin skin;
2. Willingness to violate civil rights;
3. Abuse of authority/position; and stupidity on two counts:
1) Failing to realize this action would increase blog readership and
2) Thinking that the public would consider an appropriate act.
Let’s add a third act of stupidity: he is demonstrating just how far the Republican Party is willing to go to stifle expression of personal opinion.
What's next?
Talk about abuse of power!
Now I will follow these two on Twitter.
Thanks Tom, I wouldn't have known about these tweeters if you hadn't SPENT TAXPAYER FUNDS to engage in a political witch hunt.
This guy needs to be impeached and booted from office.
Corbett's not only unfit to be Attorney General and Governor; he's unfit to be an American.
Why does not someone on Corbett staff stand up to him nd say, No This Is Not Right!
In stead, Blessington, Harley, and Brian Nutt just continue to be minions in attacking democracy in the name of justice.
I am ashamed to be a Republican.
Just for revealing Corbett and his Prosecutors approach to violate all people basic Civil Rights, Brett Cott alone should be granted Amnesty and not serve one day in jail, just for exposing The Corbett Gang for the Tyrants they are in this world.
Two things Governor Rendell must do now before leaving office:
1. Appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate Attorney General Corbett Office, Operations and Behavior.
2. Pardon Brett Cott!
Stop The Rain and Turn The Tide!
It's a critic, not an inside man giving out confidential info.
If the twittered had given out his personal cell phone number, or address of his kid's school, it would be a different story.
Last I heard, the voting public has the right to air their frustrations about politics and political figures.
Judge Lewis should admonish the Prosecution at sentencing for their violation attempt to violate all bloggers civil rights on anonymous free speech and refuse to even consider Corbett's position on sentencing.
There is really a twofold problem here that needs redress.
One is Corbett and two is the judge who signed off on this Nazi Tactic.
Sounds like the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is going to have a judge to chastise, admonish and suspend.
Can't defend the hypocritical abuse of power?
Where is the outrage from the conservative right?
Isn't this exactly what you are against?
Not allowing the government to over-reach their power by subverting our Constitutional rights?
Isn't this a blatant abuse of using taxpayer money to try to suppress free-speech? Isn't it still legal to criticize politicians?
You guys on the right are very good about that when it comes to Democrats.
Or is it OK, as long as it's a Republican doing the over-reaching?
Let Adolf Corbett know how you feel:
http://www.tomcorbettforgovernor.com/contact
Hope I don't get sued for saying that.
First-Tier Law Schools:
Law Schools Corbett Coyuld Not Be Admitted to In Pennsylvania Rankings!
7th University of Pennsylvania Law School
57th Temple University-James E. Beasley School of Law
63rd Dickinson School of Law (Penn State)
63rd University of Pittsburgh School of Law
Second-Tier Law Schools That Rejected Corbett:
Duquesne University School of Law
Widener University School of Law
The Only Law Schools Corbett was Able To Be Admitted Due To Big Daddy Help Politically:
St. Mary's University of San Antonio School of Law
Civil Liberities must not be taught there!
This goof just lost the election. Onorato is rolling on the ground in tears.
Our tax dollars are going to quiet little people who tweet that you and I never heard of until today.
Bottom line, its a waste of tax dollars in hard economic times and not a good move by a gubernatorial candidate.
Why would the Hon. Barry F. Feudale sign this subpoena?
Tom Corbitt has female hands.
A man with female like hands. Ewww.
Corbett is more dangerous than I originally thought he was. It appears that he really has no clue about the wide latitude that freedom of speech and dissent is given by our federal and Pennsylvania constitutions. Even conservative judges traditionally have guarded jealously our First Amendment right to free speech, in all forms.
Forget about what law school Corbett attended. The question appears to be whether he was ever awake in his constitutional law class.
Woe is us if this guy gets to be governor. Our new state slogan will be "You've got a thought police state in Pennsylvania".
Corbett has to resign as Attorney general, this is outrageous.
Can he be Impeached?
This is one dumb dude!
This is amazing and a simple matter of a citizen right to speak their mind.
No threats or the like seem to have been made.
The politician just launched a great negative publicity campaign for himself for trying to shut-up two critics.
As well this is a great representation of the GOP - wonder if they will embrace or reject corbett after this.
Personally I hope this completely backfires on him and he is forced to withdraw due to lack of support because of his actions.
It is a prime example of an amazing abuse of power by a politician.
As well though, I am completely surprised that the judge even signed the subpoena given the lack of substance.
Wonder if Tom Corbett will refile the subpoena to include all the re-tweeters.
Lets all re-tweet the tweets.
Now is the time to start petition to recall Corbett as Attorney General,in thatw ay, when he loses the Governorship, he also loses his job as Attorney General.
All Tweeters to the Blogs, March On, Post On, Viva La France!
Corbett is the JAVERT in Les Miserables:
JAVERT CORBETT:
I will join these people's heros.
I will follow where they go.
I will learn their little Secrets,
I will know the things they know.
We will nip it in the bud
We'll be ready for these School boys and girls
They will wet themselves with blood!
Looks like Corbett is willing to go through our pants and handle our Subpoenas.
Give me a break, this guy has to be arrested sooner or later.
He is hiding something and very worried about or he would not be doing this kind of shady dealings.
What is Corbett hiding?
Doesn't Corbett and his Prosecutors research any law before doing things that are illegal???
A federal judge in San Francisco has quashed a baseless subpoena aimed at outing an anonymous online critic of Pennsylvania corporation USA Technologies after the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) successfully argued that the First Amendment shields the identity of anonymous speakers who engage in lawful speech."
http://www.eff.org/press/archives/2010/05/18
At first blush a PA Investigating Grand Jury Subpoena for Twitter account information, two accounts that collectively have, at last count, less than 125 followers, seems foolhardy on many levels.
Assuming, of course, this is a nefarious attack on First Amendment rights to critique public official(s), AG Corbett specifically, character and suitability to office.
Chilling opposition rhetoric going toward November elections would be beneficial to the candidate.
However, chilling “free speech” should have disastrous election results for Corbett.
Nevertheless, if this is an attempt to silence opponents; an appropriate November headline
“Corbett’s Campaign – Hoisted with its own petard”
Tom Corbett, your a poopy head. Now....try to indict me!!!!
And this guy thinks he can now win,
Now we will see if PA voters are ignorant or smart!
We are in the U S A Me Corbett, not a communist or dictator lead government.
Thanks for showing us what you are really all about.
Like the say....give someone enough of a rope and they eventually will hang themselves....
Happens all the time
Wow. I would have never heard of these idiots without them trying this 1984-ish stunt. What a backfire.
Defending any American's and every American's Freedom of Expression, a Constitutionally unalienable right, is not a political position.
Defend Casablancapa; Defend Freedom of Expression; Defend both Pennsylvania and the US Constitution.
Corbett turned on the lights and the roaches don't like it.
Anonymous said...Corbett turned on the lights and the roaches don't like it. May 21, 2010 12:17 PM
Too bad after 3 years Corbett has not turn on the lights on Republican Senator Contributors???
Roaches do not stay in one room, but in Republican Circles they protect them.
Anonymous said...Corbett turned on the lights and the roaches don't like it. May 21, 2010 12:17 PM
Too bad after 3 years Corbett has not turn on the lights on Republican Senator Contributors???
Roaches do not stay in one room, but in Republican Circles they protect them.
May 21, 2010 12:36 PM
That could be said of both parties. The whole system is one big corrupt mess on both sides of the politcial aisle.
Thank you so much for working to hold this thug acountable. You are worth several conventional news sources-they have all wimped out!!!This guy should be indicted, not elected to high office and you are helping to make it do. I love you!! Sue in Springfield
So, Signor, are you in jail now?
After reading the blog I get the distinct impression that you (and possibly your ghost writers) have a background in either journalism or public relations. You're writing in an editorial style and have obviously done quite a bit of research coupled with hypertext footnotes. This doesn't necessarily fit the background or profile of the BonusGate co-conspirators. Your choice of blog title and character names also indicate to me that you're probably male, mid 40s to late 50s in age...but then again what do I know.
Hope you, Ric and Louie make beautiful music together.
Nope, I'm not. Thanks for asking.
obviously, Tom Corbett has never heard of Voltaire...Thank God for the American Civil Liberties Union and their willingness to stand up for equal rights
Where are the Tea Party voters? are they just going to stand by and let our right to free speech be taken away. Now is the time for all good Patriots nto come to the aid of the Constitution and exercise the right to recall. Stand up to tyranny and Tom Co.rbett's anti-Constitutional tactics.
There are checks and balances in the system. Even though the politicans and click are all the same regardless of which side of the aisle they sit on, WE THE PEOPLE, have a built in recourse. It,'s called A PETITION TO RECALL and I urge you to call the Office of the Secretary of the Commoinwealth in Harrisburg and find out about your rights.
SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS!!!
K,eep up the good work, Team Casa!!! I think the poem SEPTEMBER 1, 1939 applies here.
If St. Mary's College is in San Antonio, you would think that Tom Corbett would have learned something about JUSTICE, EQUALITY and the American way, even if he skipped class and visited the Alamo. Something just ain't right about that boy. As they say in the Texas. That dog don't hunt.
You have the right NOT to remain silent. Exercise it. You have the right NOT to remain silent. Use it or lose it.
I a conservative who is sympathetic to the Tea Party movement and I WILL NOT VOTE FOR TOM CORBETT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.
He's engaged in selective prosecution and he's abusing the power of his office. He should be thrown out on his ear.
--Dolley Madison
SEPTEMBER 1, 1939
by W.H. Auden
I sit in one of the dives
On Fifty-second Street
Uncertain and afraid
As the clever hopes expire
Of a low dishonest decade:
Waves of anger and fear
Circulate over the bright
And darkened lands of the earth,
Obsessing our private lives;
The unmentionable odour of death
Offends the September night.
Accurate scholarship can
Unearth the whole offence
From Luther until now
That has driven a culture mad,
Find what occurred at Linz,
What huge imago made
A psychopathic god:
I and the public know
What all schoolchildren learn,
Those to whom evil is done
Do evil in return.
Exiled Thucydides knew
All that a speech can say
About Democracy,
And what dictators do,
The elderly rubbish they talk
To an apathetic grave;
Analysed all in his book,
The enlightenment driven away,
The habit-forming pain,
Mismanagement and grief:
We must suffer them all again.
Into this neutral air
Where blind skyscrapers use
Their full height to proclaim
The strength of Collective Man,
Each language pours its vain
Competitive excuse:
But who can live for long
In an euphoric dream;
Out of the mirror they stare,
Imperialism's face
And the international wrong.
Faces along the bar
Cling to their average day:
The lights must never go out,
The music must always play,
All the conventions conspire
To make this fort assume
The furniture of home;
Lest we should see where we are,
Lost in a haunted wood,
Children afraid of the night
Who have never been happy or good.
The windiest militant trash
Important Persons shout
Is not so crude as our wish:
What mad Nijinsky wrote
About Diaghilev
Is true of the normal heart;
For the error bred in the bone
Of each woman and each man
Craves what it cannot have,
Not universal love
But to be loved alone.
From the conservative dark
Into the ethical life
The dense commuters come,
Repeating their morning vow;
'I will be true to the wife,
I'll concentrate more on my work,'
And helpless governors wake
To resume their compulsory game:
Who can release them now,
Who can reach the dead,
Who can speak for the dumb?
All I have is a voice
To undo the folded lie,
The romantic lie in the brain
Of the sensual man-in-the-street
And the lie of Authority
Whose buildings grope the sky:
There is no such thing as the State
And no one exists alone;
Hunger allows no choice
To the citizen or the police;
We must love one another or die.
Defenseless under the night
Our world in stupor lies;
Yet, dotted everywhere,
Ironic points of light
Flash out wherever the Just
Exchange their messages:
May I, composed like them
Of Eros and of dust,
Beleaguered by the same
Negation and despair,
Show an affirming flame.
The Judge doesn't sign the subpoenas. The prosecutors use a signature stamp.
Frightening.
The stiff sentence "sends a loud and clear message that this kind of activity [illegal use of taxpayers funds for political campaigns] will not be tolerated, and people will pay for their crimes,'' said Deputy Attorney General E. Marc Costanzo.
GOOD WHEN WILL SEE AN INVESTIGATION ON REPUBLICAN SENATORS AND FRIENDS OF CORBETT AND CONTRIBUTORS TO HIS CAMPAIGN AND CORBETT HIMSELF????
THE KIMMENT CASE AND STETLER MOTIONS ARE VERY DETAILED IN THERE ALLEGATIONS AND FACTUAL PROOF ON COREBTT'S CAMPIAGN VIOLATIONS AND NO BID CONTRACTS????
Timothy Havener said...Anonymous said...Corbett turned on the lights and the roaches don't like it. May 21, 2010 12:17 PM Too bad after 3 years Corbett has not turn on the lights on Republican Senator Contributors??? Roaches do not stay in one room, but in Republican Circles they protect them. May 21, 2010 12:36 PM That could be said of both parties. The whole system is one big corrupt mess on both sides of the politcial aisle.May 21, 2010 1:11 PM
Fine, but so far Republican House Members, Democratic Senators and Republican Senators have not been fully investigated or brought before any Grand Juries on Bonuses for over 3 years now.
Only Democratic Members of the House have been investigated, chargeds, and put on trial and now sentenced.
Corbett own Campaign Manager was given the highest bonuses of all, but is part of Corbett's OAG now, not under any investigation????
Clearly, it has not been a balance and fair investigation of all 4 caucuses and that is not right, and not justice.
Brett Cott is now Officially a Convicted Felon now that he has been sentenced, but he is without question a political victim of an abuse of his human rights, and this cannot stand.
Other branches and good men must stand up to this travesty of justice, opportunists for governor, and shoddy withch hunt hidden with fraud, abuse, and political bias by Prosecutors towards only one party.
Funny, the pay raise and bonuses came from Judges complaining they needed more money. Now they sit back and do not stand up for what is right.
This is so wrong!
A rubberstamped writ, it's getting more serious the more we go on. Tell the world more.
When they came for the gypsies, I did not protest.When they rounded up the homosexuals, I remained silent. When they came for the Jews I said nothing. When they persecuted the trade un ionists I did not speak out and then when they came for me, there was no one left to defend me. Note:The Jehovih Witnesses stood up to the Nazi Party and drove him crazy with their underground resistance and their printing presses. The rest of the world's organized religions were intimidated by Hitler and fell right in line. Read your history and then wake up and act.
WELL, ONE THING FOR SURE, BRETT COTT IS IN PRISON FOR POLITICAL FREE SPEECH NOT 3 COUNTS ON 39 UNPROVEN CAHRGES.
SINCE BRETT COTT IS IN PRISON AND THIS BLOG STILL EXISTS, WELL, IT CANNOT BE BRETT COTT BLOGGING, SO RIGHT THERE IS GROUNDS FOR APPEAL.
CORBETT, CORBETT CAMPAIGN AND THE OAG FEAR THESE BLOGS, AND ARE HIDING THINGS FROM THE PUBLIC; WE NEED MORE CASABLANCAPA NOT JUST 1 ANYMORE.
WE NEED TO COORIDINATE THESE BLOGS AND STICK TOGETHER AND REPORT EVERYTHING ON CORBETT, CORBETT CAMPAIGNS, CORBETT CAMPAIGN STAFFERS, AND PROSECUTORS MISCONDUCT.
TODAY BRETT COTT IS A POLITICAL VICTIM AND ALTHOUGH HE HAS BEEN SILENCED SO FAR, WE NEED MORE TO STAND UP AND BE THE VOICE OF REASON, FAIRNESS, JUSTICE AND EXPOSING THE EVIALS OF A CORRUPT JUSTICE SYSTEM, OAG, AND JUDGE.
Meanwhile in occupied Casablanca, COL Strasser will lead us in a rousing chorus of THE FATHERLAND.
Free All Political Prisoners!!!
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night, As live as he could be. Said I, but Joe, you're ten years passed,
Said Joe, I NEVER DIED,,,
Said Joe, I NEVER DIED.
Anyone heard from Silence Dogood, lately?
The People United will never be defeated.
Tom Corbett, the tyrant, will be unseated!
Now, I remember, it's all coming back. Wasn't there a Spartacus in
the Bird Cage(La Cage au folle).
I knew I'd seen that Tom Corbett somewhere. I wonder if he has a thirds cell phone to use on the set.
John Brabender, a Republican consultant and senior adviser to the Corbett campaign.
John Brabender is a prominent Republican political consultant.
He earned a degree in from Gannon University and an MBA from Cleveland State University.
He is the managing partner and Chief Creative Officer of BrabenderCox, a national political consulting and advertising firm.
He has served as a campaign and advertising consultant for campaigns in nearly every state, including Tom Coburn, David Vitter, Rick Santorum, Linda Lingle, Tom Corbett, and for the 2008 Giuliani presidential campaign.
He has also worked for the Pittsburgh Steelers in their attempt to gain public funding for Heinz Field in the mid-1990s and for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He has appeared as a guest on The Today Show, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, CNN's Inside Politics, Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, Talk of the Nation, and CNN.
He was an adjunct professor at the Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism at West Virginia University, teaching courses on advertising and the media.
He was named one of the "Rising Stars of 1996" by Campaigns & Elections, after winning 18 of 21 races in the 1994 election cycle, including the 1994 U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania where Rick Santorum upset Harris Wofford.
He helped "mastermind" Tom Ridge's gubernatorial victories in 1994 and 1998.
He was named to the 2002 and 2003 PoliticsPA "Sy Snyder's Power 50" of influential people in Pennsylvania politics.
He was named to the PoliticsPA list of "Republican Dream Team" political consultants.
In 2010, he was named one of the "Top 10 Republicans" in Pennsylvania by Politics Magazine, where he was called the "the go-to consultant for many [Pennsylvania] statewide candidates."
In 2009, he launched Zolitics, a "political entertainment network" with other political consultants, including Leslie Gromis-Baker.
FROM ABOVE....
Author Buzz Bissinger reacted to the case Friday on the Fox 29 News at 5 and said he thinks the attorney general wishes he had never tried to get information out of Twitter.
"I think it's outrageous. I think it's ridiculous. I think it is an abuse of power. Yes, it is about the Constitution – it's about the First Amendment, free speech. You know, I'm on Twitter. People say terrible things about me. You know what? You fight back on Twitter. You issue a Tweet back in response. I think what Corbett did was pathetic. People are allowed to do Twitter anonymously. That's the way it works. It made no difference in the sentencing, and I think everyone who Twitters should just condemn Corbett for what he did."
Bussinger called it "one of the most outrageous abuses of power that I've seen," adding that the punishment should be dealing with millions of Tweets.
"Twitter was right not to give up the names," Bussinger said. I don't know what Corbett was doing except it was pretty stupid."
A.G. Corbett Defends Twitter Subpeona
Tweep Sentenced To 5 Years In Corruption Case
PHILADELPHIA - "Twitter-gate" entered another round Friday as Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett defended his demand to find out the names of two of his critics who bashed him on Twitter.
Corbett has really drawn a lot of criticism, and his rivals say he is on the wrong side of freedom of speech.
The American Civil Liberties Union had threatened to sue to protect the identities of those bloggers.
It all started when Corbett tried to get Twitter to give up the names of two "Tweeps" openly critical of him.
Corbett now says he did so to convince the judge to give a heavy sentence to corruption defendant Brett Cott. He believed Cott was using anonymously using Twitter to bash him and intimidate witnesses and was not remorseful at all.
The subpoena request sparked Corbett's Democratic opponent in the governor's race, Allegheny Executive Dan Onorato, to accuse the state's attorney general of using his power for personal problems.
In the end, Twitter never gave up the names, and the judge without that information threw the book at Cott, giving him up to five years.
Former federal prosecutor Fred Tecce said Corbett is in a tricky spot, both running for office and trying to effectively do his job at the same time.
"He has to walk a fine line," Tecce said. "You know, if he had stepped over the line, he would have really stepped on the rake here and could really get himself in trouble.
But the other side of the coin is he is an elected official, he has a job to do, he swore to uphold the Constitution of the state of Pennsylvania, and he swore to do his job.
And I would be more worried about a guy who was more worried about getting elected to another job than focusing in and doing his job that he was appointed to do in the first place."
MORE BELOW:
Thorns for using power to engage in bad politics:
THORNS to Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett for using the power of his office on a political witchhunt to uncover the identities of two anonymous Twitter users who have criticized Corbett's "Bonusgate" corruption investigation, saying it was politically motivated.
Corbett, who won the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania governor on Tuesday, needs to develop a thicker skin if he wants to lead Pennsylvania.
An American Civil Liberties Union lawyer said Thursday the subpoena by a statewide investigative grand jury is an unconstitutional retaliation that violates First Amendment free-speech protections.
We agree.
It is my personal opinion that Tom Corbett is a giant baby and needs to grow up if he really thinks that finding the identity of the twitter folks will do anything. What's he going to do? File a defamation suit against them?
This guy should be investigated for violating the oath that he took to uphold the constitution in his position of power. Childish egotistical moves like this is what makes our court system a joke, of course that's just my opinion on the subject.
Attorney General Tom Corbett Subpoenaes Twitter To Identify Anonymous Critics
140 Comments
133 by Robin Wauters on May 19, 2010
Tom Corbett, current Attorney General of the state of Pennsylvania and Gubernatorial Candidate, has subpoenaed Twitter to appear as a Grand Jury witness to “testify and give evidence regarding alleged violations of the laws of Pennsylvania”.
The subpoena orders Twitter to provide “any and all subscriber information” of the person(s) behind two accounts – @bfbarbie and @CasaBlancaPA – who have been anonymously criticizing the man on the popular micro-sharing service.
According to the subpoena (embedded below), the information that Twitter is ordered to provide includes “name, address, contact information, creation date, creation Internet Protocol address and any and all log in Internet Protocol address”.
A Twitter representative was supposed to appear as a witness before the Pennsylvania Statewide Investigation Grand Jury on Friday, May 14.
We’ve asked the company to comment, but a Twitter spokesperson said they don’t comment on legal matters.
We’re still waiting to hear back from Corbett’s office.
As the subpoena notes, if Twitter failed to attend, a warrant for arrest could be issued and the company could be held liable under penalty of law for Contempt of court.
The account @CasaBlancaPA, whose owner is identified as ‘Signor Ferrari’ (a criminal in the film Casablanca, played by Sydney Greenstreet) on Twitter, links to this blog in the bio section.
The blog, hosted on Google’s Blogger service, is dedicated to “exposing the hypocrisy of Tom Corbett” according to its subtitle.
Some choice tweets that may have gotten the @CasaBlancaPA account owner in trouble:
- “Is it wrong to mix campaign work with taxpayer business?
Apparently not when Tom Corbett does it bonusgate #pagovrace” (tweet, blog post)
- “Corbett erupts at campaign event; security tries to eject questioner #bonusgate #pagovrace” (tweet, blog post)
- “Quiz! Who sputters with indignation over failure to recuse from cases involving contributors? #bonusgate #pagovrace” (tweet, blog post)
In 2008, a lawsuit was filed by a former state employee against the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office that alleges public dollars were “illegally paid out to vendors” and contends wrongful termination. However, there have been no charges filed or evidence of criminal wrongdoing by Corbett.
We’re digging further into this
Read more: http://techcrunch.com/2010/05/19/tom-corbett-twitter/#ixzz0odYauZCe
The irony is that the grand jury should be investigating the Pennsylvania attorney general for abuse of power.
Read more: http://techcrunch.com/2010/05/19/tom-corbett-twitter/#idc-cover#ixzz0oda1oi6Z
In fact, there are reasons to consider that Corbett’s campaign could be relieved that statewide voters have made the economy and taxes their primary issues, because it has kept widespread attention away from the prosecutions, not to mention the conflict-of-interest charges leveled at Corbett — as well as pending court motions and lawsuits against Corbett that remain potential liabilities.
It remains to be seen whether he can demonstrate to voters that Corbett didn’t abuse his prosecutorial power in the semblance of cleaning up public corruption.
Additionally, a federal lawsuit filed against Corbett in 2008 alleges that thousands, perhaps millions, of public dollars were “illegally paid out to vendors.”
On March 11, Corbett was deposed in his office for six hours for a lawsuit filed against him and others in the office of the attorney general and Department of Revenue.
The whistleblower case alleges that Thomas D. Kimmett, a former attorney with the AG’s office, and his assistant, Sherry E. Bellaman, were terminated because of Kimmett’s call for an independent investigation into the collection practices within the Attorney General’s Financial Enforcement Section.
The case alleges “pervasive wrongdoing” in the collection of accounts receivable amounting to upwards of $300 million to $500 million.
It gives details of alleged fraudulent payouts to no-bid vendors and claims there was a “cover-up by Mr. Corbett and the other defendants.”
The discovery process in the case is set to end April 12, with a pre-trial conference July 2.
Unless the case is dismissed, it will go to trial in August and could prove “very embarrassing” to Corbett, said Charles Kimmett, a D.C.-based lawyer representing his uncle Thomas Kimmett.
Beginning in April 2008, when Corbett was running for re-election, Kimmett — who had already expressed concern internally about the collections practice inside the financial enforcement section — went “outside the chain of command” at the attorney general’s office, Charles Kimmett said. “He had spoken to the U.S. attorney’s office because he was concerned that they were going to pin what was going on on him when the Department of Revenue had backed down from doing anything that would embarrass the AG’s office,” Charles Kimmett said.
In November, Corbett signed off on Kimmett’s termination, but two years later the case continues, but now the National Media is about to report on it.
Corbett is in for a woe of troubles, I am told.
Unfortunately, so many people do not find it necessary to defend liberty when it doesn't concern them or their agenda. Even fewer understand the concept of essential liberty. This story motivated me to do a write up on my blog:
http://mentalbrushfire.blogspot.com/2010/05/freedom-all-or-nothing.html
TWITTER AMERICAN REVOLUTION ALERT AND CALL TO FREEDOM!
WE NEED A BRETT COTT DEFENSE FUND ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER.
TWITTERS EVERYWHERE WE NEED TO SET UP A BRETT COTT DEFENSE FUND SO WE CAN RAISE MILLIONS TO HIRE THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST ATTORNEY'S IN THE WORLD TO DEFEND AND FREE BRETT COTT FROM THE ABUSES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT BEING USED FOR HIGHER OFFICE.
JUST ONE DOLLAR SENT TO THE DEFENSE FUND, PREFERABLY BY CHECK, TO ACCOUNT FOR IT, AS A SHOW OF SUPPORT, OR CASH ASKING FOR A RECEIPT, CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THE ONE THING IN AMERICA WHEN YOU HAVE MONEY YOU CAN PROPERLY DEFEND YOURSELF.
THE MONEY WILL GO TO HIRING FORMER PROSECUTORS AND TOP INVESTIGATORS THAT CAN RESEARCH THE ABUSES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA OAG AND THEIR PROSECUTORS AND CORBETT.
LAW STUDENTS THAT CAN VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME WITH LAW PROFESSORS TO POINT OUT THE ABUSES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA GRAND JURY SYSTEM UNDER TOM CORBETT.
PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU DARE SPEAK OUT TO DEFEND YOURSELF ON TWITTER OR BLOGS.
PLEASE I AM NOT RELATED TO BRETT COTT AND DO NOT AGREE WITH EVERYTHING HE BELIEVES OR SAYS, BUT HIS IMPRISONMENT BY CORBETT OAG AND SENTENCE BY JUDGE LEWIS NEEDS TO CHALLENGED AND ONLY MONEY CAN DO IT.
MILLIONS CAN BE RAISED TO STOP THIS KIND OF ABUSE, PLEASE CASABLANCAPA SET UP A CASBLANCAPA DEFENSE FUND.
ONE GROWING PYRAMID OF PROUD TWITTERS PUTTING JUST $1 DOLLAR INTO THE MAIL CAN SEND A BETTER MESSAGE ALONG WITH MILLION OF MESSENGERS AND BRING WORLD ATTENTION TO CORBETT ABUSES OF POWER.
BRETT COTT AND HIS LAWYER CANNOT SPEAK, TWIT, OR DEFEND HIMSELF, SINCE HE IS IN PRISON, BUT WE ALL CAN, BY JUST SENDING $1 DOLLAR!
Please delete all comments written in all caps, it makes this Blog look like it is written by and for emotionally disturbed old people.
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