SLTRIB:Hatch says he's 'shocked' at hacking of files

[jbfam4]

http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Nov/11262003/utah/114498.asphttp://www.sltrib.com/2003/Nov/11262003/utah/114498.asp

Hatch says he's 'shocked' at hacking of files


By Christopher Smith
The Salt Lake Tribune

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who has made cracking down on the theft of digital files over computer networks one of his crusades, said Tuesday that he was "shocked" that a member of his own staff hacked into Senate Democrats' protected files on the computer network of the Senate Judiciary Committee he heads.

"I am mortified that this improper, unethical and simply unacceptable breach of confidential files may have occurred on my watch," Hatch said in a hastily called evening news conference that diffused mounting criticism by Democrats that he was downplaying and delaying the probe of leaked memos written by Senate Democrats about judicial nominee confirmation countermeasures.

"Each senator has an expectation of receiving confidential, candid advice from his or her staff members," Hatch said. "There is no excuse that can justify these improper actions."

Hatch announced that a member of his staff has been placed on leave with pay after an internal investigation found the staffer had improperly penetrated the protected digital files of Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts on a shared computer server used by the Republican and Democratic members and staff of the committee. Hatch said the staff member denies releasing the memos to the news media, but that "preliminary interviews suggest that a former majority committee staff member may also have been involved." He declined to name either staffer and could not say if criminal charges might apply.

[wryter2000]

1. Hmmm...the momentum shifts?

Sounds like the empahsis is moving from the memos themselves to the theft. Good thing.

[Liberal Veteran]

2. Re-editted for clarity....

I am mortified :) that this improper :) , unethical :) and simply unacceptable :) breach of confidential files may have occurred on my watch,

"Each senator has an expectation of receiving confidential, candid advice from his or her staff members," (wink, wink. nudge nudge) Hatch said. "There is no excuse that can justify these improper actions." (wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more).

[Drifter]

6. Yup ...

I'm sure the thing that Hatch is outraged about is the fact this dipshit got caught.

Cheers
Drifter

[patdem]

3. Leave WITH pay...isn't that called a 'vacation'?

I guess he was so shocked and disgusted he forgot to penalize the evildoer???

[w13rd0]

4. on leave with pay?

yeah, that's par for the course when someone breaks the law...or its a paid vacation for 'job well-done'...whatever you whining beyatch. nice to see Insanity's "scoop" getting turned on its head...

[madrchsod]

5. well i`m shocked!!

looks like my senator durbin and kennedy have some big time weight in the senate. even orie hatch had to do something about the "theft".

[realFedUp]

7. from Democrats.com

__CAUGHT! Orrin Hatch's Staffer Stole and Leaked Dem Memos

Josh Marshall writes, "Caught red-handed. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch has placed one of his committee staffers on administrative leave for what the media reports are agreeing to call, with some delicacy, 'improperly obtaining data from the secure computer networks of two Democratic senators.' (Reminds me of my pals who used to get kicks by improperly obtaining Snickers bars from the local drug store when we were in grade school.) Keep in mind, Democratic Senators raised questions about how an unsent memo from the Democratic staff on the Intel Committee ended up in the hands of radio chatmeister Sean Hannity three weeks ago. Now that it seems the Judiciary Committee memo was in fact stolen, the Democrats' demands that the other incident be investigated sounds a lot more compelling. Was that one 'improperly obtained' too? Following is a selection of Hatch's press conference late Tuesday." We demand an investigation!
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2003_11_23.html#002240


__'Liberal Media' Ignores GOP Theft of Democrats' Private Memos

Kevin Drum writes, "BURIED....I noted in passing this morning while reading the LA Times that the story about the theft of Democratic computer files was limited to a Reuters dispatch on page 14. The Washington Post ran a few paragraphs on page 23. And the New York Times also limited itself to wire service copy. I now confidently await howls of outrage from the usual suspects about the mainstream media ignoring this story."... Atrios: "As Kevin Drum notes, the theft of private files from Democrats is being universally ignored by the SCLM . Of course, literally all of their files could have been compromised by Republican operatives, but this only merits a yawn. Look! Al Gore grew a beard!"
http://atrios.blogspot.com/2003_11_23_atrios_archive.html#106986717133343674