[Judicial Watch] Washington, DC -- Judicial Watch announced today that it obtained State Department documents revealing that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton repeatedly sought to obtain "Blackberry-like communications," but was rebuffed by the National Security Agency due to security and cost concerns. The National Security Agency’s Information Assurance Directorate response was "shut up and color." The emails show that Clinton demanded Blackberry devices that could be used by her and her staff in her office’s Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF).
The documents were obtained in response to a court order in an April 28, 2015, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, Judicial Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Department of State (No. 1:15-cv-00646), filed after the Department of State failed to comply with a March 10, 2015, FOIA request seeking following:
Any and all records of requests by former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton or her staff to the State Department Office Security Technology seeking approval for the use of an iPad or iPhone for official government business; and
Any and all communications within or between the Office of the Secretary of State, the Executive Secretariat, and the Office of the Secretary and the Office of Security Technology concerning, regarding, or related to the use of unauthorized electronic devices for official government business.
In an email dated February 13, 2009, Senior Coordinator for Security Infrastructure, Bureau of Diplomatic Security Donald R. Reid reveals that the request to obtain secure Blackberry technology for Clinton was denied. When Clinton aides sought to compel the NSA’s cooperation by asking about the security arrangements for President Obama’s Blackberry, the exchange apparently became heated.
#1
So State Department Dip Security knew she was in violation. State Info Management (IMO) and Security folks knew she was in violation. NSA probably suspected or soon learned she was in violation, and everyone on her staff or associated with her (to include the White House Communications Detachment) knew as well.
Nobody said anything about her 'work around' until the Benghazi committee uncovered the violation. Oh well, if we can't 'report' the violations, we might as well exploit them.
Among others, I think it might be time to ask the Director NSA some rather pointed questions. Director of Diplomatic Security, please wait outside in the hall with your legal council.
Yes, you are correct. Special Intelligence collection on high-profile foreign targets, diplomats, and others will be the topic of conversation. US Persons caught up in the mix, a potential added bonus.
#2
[W]e began examining options for S [Secretary Clinton] with respect to secure “Blackberry-like” communications … the current state of the art is not too user friendly, has no infrastructure at State and is very expensive…each time we asked the question “What was the solution for POTUS?” we were politely told to shut up and color … NSA opened the door for us to establish requirements and they would try to help…
A 'thumbs down' from NSA likely indicates a 'thumbs down' from POTUS as well. Why limit the listening and monitoring to SCIF traffic? Forcing her into an open system made collection on her considerably more inclusive and less painstaking.
Just a thought. Yes sinister, but still a thought.
[Daily Caller] Hillary Clinton sent at least three dozen emails during seven different trips to China, Vietnam and Russia as secretary of state, a Daily Caller investigation reveals.
So Judicial Watch can subpoena the Russian records now, right?
Communicating through a personal email account, which Clinton had synced up to a private email server and a non-government-issued BlackBerry, put the Democratic presidential candidate’s communications at risk, especially in nations with robust spy agencies and government-owned telecoms companies like China and Russia, a cyber security specialist tells TheDC.
The risk would have been even greater if Clinton failed to use what’s known as a BlackBerry Enterprise Server, a so-called "middleware" program that encrypts emails and other information, says Stephen Perciballi, a cyber security expert who formerly worked for BlackBerry retailer Softchoice.
If she did not, "it puts her at more risk," Perciballi told TheDC.
It is unclear how Clinton’s server was configured. The device, which is now in the FBI’s possession, was kept at Clinton’s home in New York during her tenure at State. It was managed by former State Department IT specialist Bryan Pagliano, who worked on Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign.
"Was that server just sitting there wide open, sitting on her Comcast cable connection?" Perciballi asked. "We don’t know, and that’s really the problem."
"Is she building up a fortress of security in her basement? The sheer fact that she did something as irresponsible as this with her work email, I’m guessing no."
The State Department declined to tell TheDC if Clinton utilized a BlackBerry Enterprise Server. From a 'damage assessment' standpoint, one must assume the worst and plan accordingly.
"There are reviews and inquiries looking into this matter generally and we are not going to get ahead of that," agency spokesman John Kirby told TheDC.
#1
Too bad we can't hack the KGB (successor) files to find out what was in Hillary's missing e-mails...
Seriously, people just do not seem to comprehend the national security risk posed by her indifference to internet security - count on the Russians and Chinese having sensitive or compromising Clinton e-mails (personal or government) which they WILL use to 'control' her should she be elected President.
#3
people just do not seem to comprehend the national security risk
A lot of people do. But the ones who don't say, "Everybody does it," and "It's just a witch hunt, like Bill Clinton's bimbo eruptions." Point out that some of those bimbos were respectable professional women who claimed to have been raped, and this is the first time they've heard anything like that, so it must not be true.
#4
Russian officials are not on the witness list of Judicial Watch however maybe the discovery process will get to the bottom of Hillary's continuous prevarication. Maybe U.S. District Court Judge Emmet G. Sullivan should be considered for a SCOTUS appointment down the line.
#5
If it's proven Clinton not only "could have" but indeed "did" comprimise security it's a game changer. It's likely there's people that already know the answer to that question. Sources and methods...
18 U.S. Code § 793 - Gathering, transmitting or losing defense information
(f) Whoever, being entrusted with or having lawful possession or control of any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, instrument, appliance, note, or information, relating to the national defense, (1) through gross negligence permits the same to be removed from its proper place of custody or delivered to anyone in violation of his trust, or to be lost, stolen, abstracted, or destroyed, or (2) having knowledge that the same has been illegally removed from its proper place of custody or delivered to anyone in violation of its trust, or lost, or stolen, abstracted, or destroyed, and fails to make prompt report of such loss, theft, abstraction, or destruction to his superior officer—
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
Posted by: Chusong Dark Lord of the Algonquins6851 ||
03/17/2016 23:00 Comments ||
Top||
#9
Hardly a day passes that Hillary Clinton does not say or do something that can only considered as outragously stupid. But it could hardly be said that Donald Trump does any better.
Donald Trump is without doubt Hillary Clinton's preferred opponent. And likewise Hillary Clinton is obviously Donald Trump's preferred opponent.
There is an old adage that a candidate should never interrupt their opponents while they are engaged in destroying themselves.
It would be counter productive for either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump to attack their preferred opponent at this point.
In the annals of U.S. political history there has probably never ever been two more flawed political front runners than Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
After 40 years in politics, Hillary Clinton's personal and political scandals are pretty well documented. But the very surface of Donald Trump's ugly personal and business affairs has, on the other hand, remained mostly unscratched.
On the day after the conclusion of the nominating conventions we should expect an eruption of insults and mud slinging unlike anything any of us has witnessed in the past.
#11
In the annals of U.S. political history there has probably never ever been two more flawed political front runners than Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
Worse than Baraq Hussein and John McCain in 2008? I don't think so.
#13
On the day after the conclusion of the nominating conventions we should expect an eruption of insults and mud slinging unlike anything any of us has witnessed in the past.
You weren't around in 1860, but you know the result. "Them's fightn words" had real meaning.
#14
In the annals of U.S. political history there has probably never ever been two more flawed political front runners than Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
Worse than Baraq Hussein and John McCain in 2008? I don't think so.
Some comparison:
From RCP Average Favorability/Unfavorability Data in the polls on March 1 - 11, 2008
John McCain: Favorable = 52.3 Unfavorable = 41.5
Barack Obama: Favarable = 69.0 Unfavorable = 23.0
From RCP Average Favorability/Unfavorability Data in the polls on March 7 - 17, 2016
Hillary Clinton: Favorable = 40.8 Unfavorable = 53.3
Donald Trump: Favarable = 32.5 Unfavorable = 61.0
Actually both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's Unfavorable Ratings are both better than last week. Hillary's were in the 55% range and Donald Trump's were as high as 67%.
#15
Ebbang, its an order of magnitude worse for Trumpy And HilLIARy.
Plenty out ther eon Trump, start with self contradictions and lies - there are plenty to be seen. Bu wait till they get going on Trumps ongoing fraud trial, and his past associations with organized crime. They dont have to prove anything, they will simply insinuate it, and that is enough to destroy him with anyone other than Trumpbots who are willingly self-blinded. And Trump is stupid enough to rise to the bait and put his foot in his mouth which will worsen the damage.
The only thing that remains to be seen is if he can damage hillary as much as hillary can damage him.
This is going to be a slime fest, a race to the bottom.
Unless Hillary gets indicted. That changes things (Hello Joe Biden in that case)
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