Open Thread → Feds threaten to sue if Maine probes Verizon ties to NSA

said by Boston.com :

---

PORTLAND, Maine --Citing concerns about national security, the Bush administration has threatened a lawsuit if Maine utility regulators investigate whether Verizon Communications violated privacy laws by cooperating with a domestic surveillance program.

The U.S. Department of Justice advised the Public Utilities Commission in a letter last week that it would likely wind up in court if it elects to look into whether the telecom giant turned over customer information to the National Security Agency.

"We sincerely hope that, in light of governing law and the national security concerns implicated by the requests for information, you will decline to open an investigation and close these proceedings, thereby avoiding litigation over the matter," the letter read.

A group of 22 Mainers filed a complaint in May seeking an investigation and the PUC is expected to decide Monday if it will pursue the matter.

Similar cases have surfaced in other states in response to news reports alleging that phone companies have cooperated with government surveillance efforts.

The Justice Department has filed lawsuits to prevent the disclosure of information in New Jersey and Missouri. Officials in Vermont are considering whether to open an investigation of Verizon and AT&T, prompting the department to come down against the idea.

---

»www.boston.com/news/loca ··· _to_nsa/

This coming from a friend who works for the city. The City of Edgewater is going to begin to crack down on the neighborhood being too lax. They would go door to door if they had to, to have residents remove junk and address other code violations.

Okay, so what about us that make a living on buying junk cars and bikes and parting them out on eBay? Or by buying cheap broke cars, fixing them and reselling them?

That and I have four trailers (one with a boat on it), and only one has a legal tag... the boat hasnt had a tag or hull registration in 10 years, the other trailer (a car dolly) doesnt require a tag, my utility trailer has a valid tag, and my camper doesnt....

What am I worried about? This is a neighborhood where you can almost literally put a new roof on your house w/o having to pull a permit..