Attorney accidentally releases names of sources

classicman · 01-07-2009, 08:07 PM

U.S. Attorney accidentally releases names of sources in fraud case

Quote:

JANUARY 7--In a remarkable screw-up, a Department of Justice official today accidentally distributed to the media a document containing the names of nearly 20 confidential witnesses interviewed during a federal probe targeting the operators of a fraudulent investment scheme. In announcing felony charges against two men for their roles in an alleged $15 million Ponziesque swindle, the spokesman for Chicago U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald (he of Rod Blagojevich- and Scooter Libby-prosecuting fame) e-mailed reporters a 62-page U.S. District Court complaint filed against John Walsh and Charles Martin, principals of the now-defunct One World Capital Group. Included in the document was a one-page key that identified by name sources referred to in the complaint only by monikers such as "Employee A," "Customer D," or "Individual F." The inadvertent disclosure of the sources--former One World employees, customers, and "other" individuals who spoke with FBI and IRS agents--caused Fitzgerald spokesman Randall Samborn to send an urgent follow-up email asking journalists to destroy the complaint due to the "non-public information disclosing the identities of persons not named in the affidavit."

Oops.

Perry Winkle · 01-07-2009, 08:21 PM

Based on my first-hand knowledge of the DoD Army JAG corps., I'm not surprised in the least.

richlevy · 01-07-2009, 08:32 PM

This is why public officials can't be sued.

Beestie · 01-07-2009, 09:15 PM

Why are witnesses protected in this case? Not questioning it as much as asking.

The whole idea of secret witnesses is a little chilling to me. I understand in cases where repraisal is a possibility (witnesses to gang violence, for example) but secrecy should be the exception.

I must be missing some obvious explanation.

Griff · 01-08-2009, 05:27 AM

That is odd. The actual indictment hasn't occurred yet, maybe at that point the prosecuters open up?

Sundae · 01-08-2009, 07:40 AM

[Dad's Army] "Don't tell them, Pike" [/Dad's Army]

TheMercenary · 01-08-2009, 08:36 PM

Funny as hell. I love it.

01-07-2009, 08:32 PM	#3
richlevy King Of Wishful Thinking Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs Posts: 6,669	This is why public officials can't be sued. __________________ Exercise your rights and remember your obligations - VOTE! I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting. -- Barack Hussein Obama

01-07-2009, 09:15 PM	#4
Beestie -◊\|≡·∙■·∙≡\|◊- Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Parts unknown. Posts: 4,081	Why are witnesses protected in this case? Not questioning it as much as asking. The whole idea of secret witnesses is a little chilling to me. I understand in cases where repraisal is a possibility (witnesses to gang violence, for example) but secrecy should be the exception. I must be missing some obvious explanation. __________________ ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦

01-08-2009, 05:27 AM	#5
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	That is odd. The actual indictment hasn't occurred yet, maybe at that point the prosecuters open up? __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

01-08-2009, 08:36 PM	#7
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Funny as hell. I love it. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

01-07-2009, 08:21 PM	#2
Perry Winkle Esnohplad Semaj Ton Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: A little south of sanity Posts: 2,259	Based on my first-hand knowledge of the DoD Army JAG corps., I'm not surprised in the least.

01-08-2009, 07:40 AM	#6
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	[Dad's Army] "Don't tell them, Pike" [/Dad's Army]

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