mostrolenk's blog

MacLean v. Department of Homeland Security Background

November 6, 2009 - 1:27pm

MacLean was a 10-year federal law enforcement officer, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Air Marshal (FAM) with an unblemished record. In July 2003, he successfully blew the whistle on agency plans to secretly offset budget shortfalls by eliminating air marshals from long distance flights in the midst of a terrorism alert over suicide terrorist hijackings. After public congressional pressure, DHS’s plans were canceled. On April 11, 2006, the agency fired MacLean for using previously-undesignated Sensitive Security Information (SSI) in the 2003 disclosure.

The Politics and Science of Medical Marijuana

October 19, 2009 - 10:17am

Privacy Report Card for the Obama Administration A Talk by Michael Ostrolenk at the National Press Club 9/9/09

September 9, 2009 - 1:50pm

Medical Privacy & Secure Flight

I will be laying out a bit of history and then the present day issues at hand when it comes to both medical privacy and secure flight and then offering a grade to date for President Obama’s Administration on both issues. The historical context and comparisons between Administrations is important but I will also be basing my grade not just on comparisons between Obama, Bush and Clinton but on what is appropriate for a Constitutional Republic based on the sovereignty of the individual.

Secure Flight: Frequently Asked Questions

August 13, 2009 - 11:50am

From the Identity Project
http://www.papersplease.org/sf_faq.html

Secure Flight: Frequently Asked Questions
What are the new requirements in the Secure Flight regulations?

(1) You have to give the airline or travel agency your name, data of birth, and gender, all exactly matching your ID, before you can make a reservation for any flight.

(2) The airline has to send that information, and various other data from your reservation and personal profile, to the TSA, 72 hours before each flight (or as soon as you make a reservation, whichever comes first).

Mr Hsu from the Washington Post is misinformed about "Secure Flight"

August 13, 2009 - 8:16am

Mr Hsu is misinformed. The Civil Liberies community does not only concern itself with redress but the deep concern that Americans right to travel is being slowly taken away and SECURE FLIGHT is one more nail in our rights coffin. Americans should NOT have to show ID to travel and should not have to provide TSA with birth date and sex information.)

Sibel Edmonds Requests Attorney General Review the Invocation of State Secrets Privilege

August 10, 2009 - 1:08pm

CONTACT: National Whistleblowers Center [1]
Stephen M. Kohn (202) 342-6980
Lindsey M. Williams (202) 342-1903

Sibel Edmonds Requests Attorney General Review the Invocation of State Secrets Privilege

Edmonds to Testify in Ohio Case Unless Attorney General Re-Invokes the Privilege

Review of the Big REAL ID Hearing Posted by Jim Harper

July 16, 2009 - 8:33am

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing yesterday on the REAL ID Act and the REAL ID revival bill, known as PASS ID. I attended and want to share with you some highlights.

Good News!

Little good came from the hearing, as it was primarily focused on how to get the states and people to accept a national ID. But there is some good news.

First, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano declared REAL ID dead (much as I did in my testimony two-plus years ago). “DOA” is how she referred to it.

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