The State Department has fired two contract the passport file of Barack Obama’s passport file. The Department insists that it was a case of “imprudent curiosity,” but an investigation is planned by the inspector general.
It may indeed by such a case of poor judgment given recent reports that the files of Clinton and McCain may have been also compromised. Nevertheless, it is obviously worthy of investigation given the breach of former president Bill Clinton’s file during the first Bush administration.
It also shows the continuing danger to privacy of government records and the need for greater controls and penalties. The Bush Administration has radically increased the use of government data bases on citizens and has sought even greater access to such systems. Ironically, this happens to be one of the more monitored areas of government information. Most such records are held under far less active control or supervision. Today, reports surfaced that the Bush Administration has undermined past restrictions on passport records, click here.
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