3 ms·

The government could have used Special Administrative Measures (SAMs) to keep the Snowden documents out of the papers in the USA, sending the Secret Service rou

The government could have used Special Administrative Measures (SAMs) to keep the Snowden documents out of the papers in the USA, sending the Secret Service round to collect any 'inappropriate' documents. With a 'D-Notice' to effect the same in the UK and coupled with the usual soft measures - threaten to take away press passes from journalists (and their papers) - the whole lot could have been kept out of the papers. The fact that these measures have not been used means that this was a limited hang out - or - that the Obama administration just does not know how to use the law as well as the Bush administration.

jrockway 13y ago
The only reference I see to "Special Administrative Measures" involves communication with prisoners: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_administrative_measure http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_administrative_measure Even articles in publications like "Reporters' Committee for the Freedom of the Press" refer to this phrase as a thing for prisoners: http://www.rcfp.org/browse-media-law-resources/news-media-law/news-media-and-law-winter-2012/silencing-stories http://www.rcfp.org/browse-media-law-resources/news-media-la... So it's unclear what you're talking about.
- olefoo 13y ago
  From context it seemed as though he were using the phrase as a euphemism for extrajudicial procedures. (read: black bag jobs, rubber hose decryption, and even piscine sleep therapy) The fact is that the Obama administration seems to have been kept out of the compartment on a number of programs; which is not surprising, but very naughty.
- Theodores 13y ago
  Much in the way that the NSA can bend the law to collect everything, the government can bend the law to use SAMs for whatever they want. You could say that any of the NSA revelations could affect some on-going case that has yet to be brought to court in Guantanamo, e.g. knowledge that a given prisoner's communications being intercepted could prejudice the case. The details of exactly how that might work out could be kept secret under terms of the SAM.
  - justin66 13y ago
    It's still pretty unclear what you're suggesting, but: if the federal government starts trying to bend the rules against the papers the old saying about making an enemy out of someone who buys ink by the barrelful becomes highly relevant. Most of us concerned with civil liberties feel like those sorts of court cases and issues go underreported. Start sending federal agents to reporters in order to "collect any inappropriate documents" and kill stories and things will get messy quick. If you're the administration and you are aware of something you don't want the papers to have, you take them to court. (which is messy enough)

jrockway 13y ago

The only reference I see to "Special Administrative Measures" involves communication with prisoners: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_administrative_measure http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_administrative_measure Even articles in publications like "Reporters' Committee for the Freedom of the Press" refer to this phrase as a thing for prisoners: http://www.rcfp.org/browse-media-law-resources/news-media-law/news-media-and-law-winter-2012/silencing-stories http://www.rcfp.org/browse-media-law-resources/news-media-la... So it's unclear what you're talking about.

olefoo 13y ago
From context it seemed as though he were using the phrase as a euphemism for extrajudicial procedures. (read: black bag jobs, rubber hose decryption, and even piscine sleep therapy) The fact is that the Obama administration seems to have been kept out of the compartment on a number of programs; which is not surprising, but very naughty.
Theodores 13y ago
Much in the way that the NSA can bend the law to collect everything, the government can bend the law to use SAMs for whatever they want. You could say that any of the NSA revelations could affect some on-going case that has yet to be brought to court in Guantanamo, e.g. knowledge that a given prisoner's communications being intercepted could prejudice the case. The details of exactly how that might work out could be kept secret under terms of the SAM.
- justin66 13y ago
  It's still pretty unclear what you're suggesting, but: if the federal government starts trying to bend the rules against the papers the old saying about making an enemy out of someone who buys ink by the barrelful becomes highly relevant. Most of us concerned with civil liberties feel like those sorts of court cases and issues go underreported. Start sending federal agents to reporters in order to "collect any inappropriate documents" and kill stories and things will get messy quick. If you're the administration and you are aware of something you don't want the papers to have, you take them to court. (which is messy enough)