I found this little summary from rightgrrl.com

Think back to 1996, when Newt Gingrich was Speaker of the House. On December 21st of that year, a Florida couple, John and Alice Martin, were going Christmas shopping, and “just happened” to have a scanner and tape recorder in the car with them. They claimed to have “accidentally” monitored the cell-phone conversation of Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, as he spoke from his car in a conference call with several other key Republicans, including Gingrich. They just “happened” to record it “for history.”

I’m sure it’s common for people to accidentally intercept and tape private cell phone conversations while going Christmas shopping. Happens to me all the time.

The Martins then turned the tape over to Washington Democrat Jim McDermott, a member of the House Ethics Committee, which was about to rule on Gingrich’s ethics violations. McDermott, in turn gave the tape to the New York Times and other newspapers. The New York Times then printed a transcript of the call’s participants discussing how Gingrich should respond to the Ethics Committee.

Of course, it’s just a “coincidence” that the Martins are active in Florida Democratic politics, just as it was a “coincidence” that they gave the tape to a Democrat on the Ethics Committee instead of the Independent Counsel or the Republican committee chair. Perhaps it was also an “accident” that McDermott gave the information to the press, rather than discussing the tape with his fellow committee members.

Since it is illegal to eavesdrop on cellular phone calls and disseminate the contents, the Martins eventually pleaded guilty and were fined a “whopping” $500 each. However, the court ruled that McDermott’s leaking of the call’s contents to the press is protected by freedom of speech. Because the recordings were a matter of “important public interest,” (how this conversation was a matter of “important public interest” is a bit questionable) the First Amendment trumped the privacy rights of the call’s participants.

Some of us remember all the way back to “The Pentagon Paper,” and of course there is the beautiful and viciously violated Madame Plame. And a whole lot more that should have resulted in somebody rotting in a dungeon or dying of a nine mm brain hemorhage.

Sounds coming from Erick’s office as he pours over the Rolodex.

Maybe with all the hacking and such, an old-fashioned Rolodex really is the best way to go. They’re bulky. The have to be transcribed to be of much use electronically. I think I have one out in my shed!

It is what the Progressives are made of. It is no surprise in their quest to ‘debunk’ and ridicule and ‘bogus-ize’ every attack, Mediamatters is acting out its part of propaganda ministry quite well. The fact that they bothered attacking, both you and the two Patriots who shot video of Acorn, is simply their application of deceptive diversion. Change the topic. It is what that ‘Change’ thing meant in the ‘Hope &’ slogan of the one society.

The topic is never addressed, and the moment they can manage to cause you, or any other Patriot to respond to their attacks is the moment they have caused the topic to change. The conversation then takes on the sprit of the strawman argument, leaving the attacked person in the dust, and their message hidden beneath the droppings.

I suspect there are names on that list you don’t know who they might be. I suspect that those names are people that would be considered to be ‘unknowns’ and therefore, Redstate should publish those ‘unknowns’ and see if anyone else knows who they are.

I’d absolutely crave the opportunity to read all of those names. A pattern could erupt from those connections far more important that the topic of who is in the list.

Oh, and several Missouri and Ohio campaigns, in particular, are going to have a few headaches based on some recent staff hires.

Ohio and Missouri campaigns in the forms of those who had a hand in “investigating” Joe and “threatening” anti-Obamites with legal problems?

Why do I suspect that Media Matters failed to express similar outrage with Sarah Palin’s e-mail account was hacked into.

Because hypocrisy is the foundation of all leftist thought.

Eric, that you’ll shortly be the subject of an FBI visit. Not that you’ve done anything illegal, but in all likelihood, the person that acquired Lewis’ contact list did. If they did do something illegal electronically, the FBI could very easily get involved if Lewis files a formal complaint… and you know that’s likely. If you’re not willing to give the FBI the name of the person you suspect, be prepared to have your computers taken and searched. I’m sure you know this, never lie to a federal agent, just take the 5th.

And be careful about deleting stuff you don’t want them to have. Unless you’ve planned ahead, getting rid of electronic data can be really hard, and it can be very embarrassing (in a goto jail sort of way) if you get caught doing stuff like that. Also have good backups and spare computers ready to reinstall on.

Good luck.

n/t

n/t

and what Bertha names will fall next. This is better than a murder mystery, and, it has to have all the cockroaches running for cover.

nt

…If you want peace, prepare for war…

Erick…do tell… DOOOO TELLL!!! =D

the fact that WE are now playing on their level and not that snotty level of Republican elites. I want you to load it all and if someone comes to check with you load it onto the internet in a split second. This is the way the left is and it is the way WE must become to win! This is about liberty and tyranny and I know that RedState stands on the side of liberty!

…but I wonder what might come of this little problem with the anti-acorn bill.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/22/whoops-anti-acorn-bill-ro_n_294949.html

Probably no real problem, but a loophole like this could be prone to exploitation. I’m sure with all the attention focused on this bill, no one will try to take advantage; still, something to keep an eye on!

Sorry about the ‘HoPo’ link, but this is where I found out.

for a long time about ACORN. And all that matters is that Media Matters doesn’t really matter. (I think I just hurt myself)

n/t

Too bad it’s a joke the rest of the media doesn’t always get.

I can’t wait.

I visited Media Maters site to follow the smoke coming out of their ears over the “stolen” Rolodex….. I admired the few conservatives who dared to post there – usually short, to-the-point remarks that just grilled their chili after their postings appeared. Frankly, when I saw a Media Maters regular poster there proudly displaying a site ‘handle’ (avatar?) consisting of a red star with yellow hammer and sickle inside of it, I wondered just what sort of vermin belong to or endorse the whole Media Maters cabal. I guess to them the name ‘Media Maters’ actually means “media matters – only IF we control it”.
Just being there made me feel like one of my immigrant ancestors who had arrived here from Ireland to escape the Potato Famine and be told “Irish Need Not Apply”.

After visiting the Media Matters site and reading the numerous screeds of Mr Hammer and Sickle, I had to take a shower to wash off the ugly slime that I felt from my visit there.