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New FBI messages reveal agents sought way to evade federal record requirements
 [Sharyl Attkisson at The Hill] DOJ office says it has found missing text messages of FBI agents. There’s an important but little-noticed subtext in the revelations about alleged FBI misconduct in the investigations into Hillary Clinton’s email practices and Donald Trump’s Russia associations. It’s the light they shine on what has come to be routine obstruction of public records laws by federal officials. The records that federal agencies generate while in our employ aren’t owned by faceless bureaucrats or political officials who can choose to withhold or disclose at their discretion and convenience. The records are owned by us: the public. That includes text messages. In the past two decades as communications via email, smart phones and social media have grown routine, there’s evidence that federal officials have consciously devised ways to thwart public records laws and keep their communications ‐ our records ‐ secret. Federal officials have used private email accounts, private servers and aliases (not their own name) for public business. They have deleted or lost messages that are supposed to be saved. And they have learned to use text messaging. In a new exchange released by the Senate Homeland Security committee today, FBI officials Lisa Page and Peter Strzok seem to discuss this very issue in private texts. Posted by: Besoeker 2018-02-02 |
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