IP: Ashcroft "may end email surveillance" ... BUT wants to crack crypto!

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 13:36:38 -0700
> To: farber () cis upenn edu, freematt () coil com (Matthew Gaylor)
> From: Jim Warren <jwarren () well com>
>
>
> Left hand ... meet right hand.
>
> Is someone talking out of both sides of their mouth?  One wonders if the 
> WASHINGTON TIMES (source for Edupage's first item, below) has any 
> journalists working for it.
>
> --jim
>
> ===
>
> At 09:53 AM -0400 04/28/01, David Farber wrote:
> Re: IP: ASHCROFT MAY END E-MAIL SURVEILLANCE: Edupage, April 27, 2001
>
> > > ASHCROFT MAY END E-MAIL SURVEILLANCE
> > > The future of the FBI's DCS1000 e-mail-monitoring system, also
> > > known as Carnivore, is in doubt. The FBI is pressing Attorney
> > > General John Ashcroft to allow the system to remain operational,
> > > but there appears to be good reason to believe that Ashcroft, a
> > > noted privacy advocate, may not give his approval to the system.
> > > Ashcroft has the power to make changes to DCS1000 or even kill
> > > the program entirely. Ashcroft had previously promised to
> > > "ensure that adequate measures are taken to secure personal
> > > privacy" during his review of DCS1000. DCS1000 has drawn
> > > scathing criticisms from privacy advocates and conservative
> > > members of Congress.
> > > (Washington Times, 27 April 2001)
>
>
> BUT! ...
>
> At 01:32 PM -0400 04/28/01, Declan McCullagh wrote:
> Re: FC: Ashcroft asks for cash to break crypto, protect networks
> ...<SNIP>...
>
> >                                  STATEMENT
> >
> >                                      OF
> >
> >                                JOHN ASHCROFT
> >
> >                       BEFORE THE UNITED STATES SENATE
> >
> >                         COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
> >
> >                SUBCOMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE,
> >
> >                      THE JUDICIARY AND RELATED AGENCIES
> >
> >                                April 26, 2001
> >
> >    Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:
> ...<huge SNIP>...
>
> >    the FY 2002 budget includes $33
> >    million in increased resources. Within this amount, $28.14 million
> >    will support the FBI's counter-encryption capabilities, and the
> >    development of cyber technologies for the interception and management
> >    of digital evidence.
> ...<huge SNIP>...
>
>
> But "countering" your [presumed-guilty] use of encryption, and 
> intercepting your [presumed-guilty] digital "evidence" (how can they know 
> you're innocent until they can read everything you write?!) isn't sufficient.
>
> Ashcroft also wants to computerize all convicts' DNA.  Of course, anyone 
> convicted of almost ANYthing can be called a "convict."
>
> Note that this *also* computerizes much of the DNA of EVERYone who is 
> *any* blood relative of *any* such "convict".  Better check *your* family tree!
>
> >    To directly assist state and local law enforcement agencies with their
> >    technology needs, the FY 2002 budget includes an increase of $225.7
> >    million in grant funding. Specifically, the Department is requesting
> >    $20.7 million for Crime Identification Technology Act (CITA) funding;
> >    $35 million to address the backlog of state convicted offender DNA and
> >    crime scene DNA samples that exist nationwide
> ...<huge SNIP>...
>
> Declan's archive, below, has the very-lengthy full text of Ashcroft's full 
> comments and requests for billions of dollars on federal funding.
>
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