State requests regulatory investigation of phone record policy

[struggle4progress]

MONTPELIER, Vt. -- Vermont utility regulators have been asked to open a formal investigation into whether phone companies improperly provided customer records to the federal government.

Gov. Jim Douglas' administration questioned AT and T and Verizon after news broke that some phone companies had provided records of domestic phone calls to the National Security Agency.

The administration's Public Service Department requested information but the governor concluded the "nonchalant" attitude required more attention by the regulatory Public Service Board, said Douglas spokesman Jason Gibbs.

"The response we received from them was thoroughly inappropriate from the administration's point of view," Gibbs said. "The governor has ordered the commissioner of public service to request that the Public Service Board open an investigation." ..

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