Commerce Department security unit evolved into counterintelligence-like operation, Washington Post e

[LetMyPeopleVote]

This operation was illegal as heck and had continued until the Biden admin stopped it

Link to tweet

An obscure security unit tasked with protecting the Commerce Department’s officials and facilities has evolved into something more akin to a counterintelligence operation that collected information on hundreds of people inside and outside the department, a Washington Post examination found.

The Investigations and Threat Management Service (ITMS) covertly searched employees’ offices at night, ran broad keyword searches of their emails trying to surface signs of foreign influence and scoured Americans’ social media for critical comments about the census, according to documents and interviews with five former investigators.

In one instance, the unit opened a case on a 68-year-old retiree in Florida who tweeted that the census, which is run by the Commerce Department, would be manipulated “to benefit the Trump Party!” records show.....

Incoming Commerce leaders from the Biden administration ordered ITMS to pause all criminal investigations on March 10, and on May 13 ordered the suspension of all activities after preliminary results of an ongoing review, according to a statement issued by department spokeswoman Brittany Caplin.

The suspension came two days after The Post presented its findings about the unit to the department and sought interviews.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

1. From Deadline White House

Link to tweet

[OAITW r.2.0]

2. My guess is DU was on the "watch List".

DU is a real time, LBN internet comment point, Why wouldn't resources be expended to at least monitor, and, if possible, ratfuck?

Harder to ratfuck now.......too many understand the play.

[blogslug]

3. Wow

George Lee, had/has been at it for the better part of 20 years. I bet Mr. Velvet Slippers just loooved this guy.