Brickbat: State Secrets

Andy Nelson/ZUMA Press/Newscom

Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to order an Oregon man to take down blog posts he made that contain information about informants the feds had in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge when part of it was occupied by a group led by Ammon Bundy. They say Gary Hunt is illegally in possession of sensitive documents that could threaten investigations.

Comments

[The Hyperbole]

One positive development that may come of this, Hunt said, is that his personal standoff with the FBI may put to rest some speculation that Hunt was an informant for the feds.

Well it might have until you threw that out there. Pro tip- the dude who keeps telling you he's not a narc is a narc.

[Rat don't serf]

The judge has asked federal prosecutors to explain ... how the court has authority over the actions of a third party ... how she could compel someone outside the District of Oregon to respond to the government's motion
At least the judge appears open to reason.

[(((Renegade)))]

It's important that multiple people be ready to repost the information if the court order is actually issued.

[(((Renegade)))]

I should mention that the comments in the linked article are hilariously unhinged. Much reading pleasure.

[sarcasmic]

I skimmed the comments. Oh man. I think my IQ just dropped a full 20 points.

[Pompey: Ho Class Mothersmucker]

Am I seeing the same thing as you? 100% off topic bullshit about brexit and golden showers?

[Jerryskids]

Rule 41. Do try to keep up.

[Radioactive]

thought I filed this under Rule 34...

[sarcasmic]

Agent provocateur?

[Princess Trigger]

I just assumed most or all of them were government informants. It's an easy way to make some money on the side.

[Citizen X]

+1 Man Who Was Thursday

[Fist of Etiquette]

"If the government can get into my records, email and drop box accounts, why can't we look at their records?'' he said.

Spoken like a domestic terrorist.

[straffinrun]

Watch what you say online.

[UnCivilServant]

What I say depends upon the audience I am speaking to at the time.

I had the crazy notion that other people moderated their dialogue in a similar fashion out of some degree of social convention to avoid pointless conflicts.

Or do people just forget that the internet is, in the end, a means of connecting people?

[straffinrun]

Connected this guy with the FBI or Secret Service, anyways.

[Suthenboy]

I generally speak my mind and more and more ignore those who whine about it. You are correct it is pointless to argue about it.

Still, in addition to not wanting to hurt anyone (thats not how we do things here) I wouldn't be stupid enough to personally threaten public officials. Or anyone really. I may suggest now and then that pitchforks, torches or lamp posts may come in handy...

[Citizen X]

-1 woodchipper reference

[Radioactive]

not just on-line...they're listening to everyone, everywhere!

[sarcasmic]

Dominic Puopolo, 51, is being held without bail on charges of threatening harm against a public servant

Some pigs are more equal than others.

[Dan S.]

So there were six informants at the Wildlife Refuge? Out of how many total occupiers?

[Citizen X]

Five.

[A Cynic's Guide to Zen]

Why haven't we just used a hot piece of iron and a Petri dish of blood to suss out the informants? When did we get away from that method?

[UnCivilServant]

When it failed to detect collaborators.

[Radioactive]

is this the litmus test for fellow travelers as well?

[Radioactive]

and how do you test for useful idiots?

[Tonio]

Have those idiots not heard of the Streisand effect? Are they not aware that there are lots of offshore sites that they can't touch which would gladly host this info?

[Corey]

This guy isn't from Oregon. The fact that he's from California is not only in the headline of the linked article but in the URL itself. C'mon reason, did you even read the link?

[rakesh sharma]

I have been waiting for the day where you can get psn code online and it is worth got to play online games at the playstation network.

[Kyfho Myoba]

Federal courts are created by the Congress. Now, we know that "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech or of the press ..."

So riddle me this: How does this court have an authority that its creating body does not have?

I guess the same way that "We the People" delegated to Congress powers that we don't have, like telling our neighbors what they can or cannot put in their bodies. Meh.