Utah halts secret role in Matrix database

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Delivered-To: dfarber+ () ux13 sp cs cmu edu
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 09:28:43 -0500 (EST)
From: Freematt357 () aol com
Subject: Utah halts secret role in Matrix database
To: dave () farber net

Utah halts secret role in database

FRIDAY
January 30, 2004

By Dan Harrie
The Salt Lake Tribune

<http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Jan/01302004/utah/133947.asp>http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Jan/01302004/utah/133947.asp


    Gov. Olene Walker pulled the plug Thursday -- at least temporarily -- 
on Utah's secret participation in a federal antiterrorism program that uses 
billions of government records on citizens to compile a quick-access 
database for law enforcement.

    "I have asked the Department of Public Safety to stay any 
information-sharing until I have had an opportunity to gain a better 
understanding of the security and accessibility of this system," Walker 
said in a hastily called news conference.

    The governor downplayed the threat to citizens' privacy, saying the 
database was available only to authorized police agencies in accordance 
with state and federal laws. Nevertheless, she acknowledged legitimate 
concerns about the extent of the program and the potential for misuse of 
the mass of information.

    She has halted the information flow from Utah until she can appoint a 
committee of executive and legislative branch officials to delve into the 
details.

    Walker said she learned of Utah's involvement in the so-called Matrix 
project just hours before she suspended it. Until Wednesday night, she said 
the only Matrix with which she was familiar was the "fast-action movie."

    She had lots of company in her ignorance. Former Gov. Mike Leavitt, 
who was a member of the President's Homeland Security Advisory Council, 
authorized Utah's participation in 2003 and apparently shared the 
information on a need-to-know-only basis.
    The federal pilot program was funded with $22 million in seed money, 
according to The Associated Press. But Utah officials insisted they only 
received $22,000.

    Legislative leaders were cut out of the tight information loop and 
they were angry Thursday after learning of the database.

    "It bothers me that we could be involved in a program with such broad 
ramifications when it was never discussed," said Senate President Al 
Mansell. "The Legislature was taken by surprise by this."

    Leaders on Capitol Hill ordered their staffs to determine precisely 
what kind of information was being gathered on citizens, and how it was 
being used.
    "Most of us don't have a lot to hide in this information, but that 
doesn't mean we want them gathering it," said Mansell.

    House Speaker Marty Stephens, who last fall was appointed to President 
Bush's Homeland Security Advisory Council, was aware at least of the 
existence of the program, though not its details.

    "I'm not sure I even know enough to be worried about it," he said. "We 
just need more information."

    Senate Minority Leader Ron Allen, D-Stansbury Park, called it the 
"Patriot Act gone awry," and Majority Leader Mike Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, 
wondered about "overtones of Big Brother."

    Public Safety Commissioner Robert Flowers said he supplied the 
seven-state database with information from all driver licenses, motor 
vehicle titles and registrations, criminal records and Corrections 
Department records.

    "It's a good program, it should go forward. But the public needs to be 
made comfortable with it first," said Flowers.

    He insisted the information provided already is available to law 
enforcement from Utah, other states and the federal government, but the 
difference with Matrix is the speed and ease with which it can be accessed.

    He acknowledged that because the state-supplied information contained 
driver license information from virtually every Utahn over the age of 16, 
it probably includes information identifying a person's spouse and 
children, Social Security number and, "in some cases," address.

    Flowers said the state did not provide any records containing health 
information, financial data or other personal records such as hunting and 
fishing licenses or concealed-carry weapons permits.

    However, at least some of that data could be included in Matrix 
through private companies that collect information from public records, he 
acknowledged.

    Documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union, which fears 
Matrix opens a troubling new front on the government's post-9-11 invasion 
of privacy and civil rights, indicate the project can sift through some 20 
billion records. The data include such things as ownership of boats and 
property, bankruptcies, liens, utility connections, voter registration and 
business filings, according to the AP.

    Apparently accessible to the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, 
in addition to participating states, the program is managed by the Florida 
Department of Law Enforcement. The database is managed by Seisint Inc., a 
private company.

    States involved in the project besides Utah are Connecticut, Florida, 
Michigan, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. States opting out after initial 
interest include Alabama, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Kentucky, Oregon, 
South Carolina and Texas.

    California Attorney General Bill Lockyer said: "The act of compiling 
even publicly available data on innocent Americans offends fundamental 
rights of privacy," the AP reported.

    Walker, who served for 11 years as lieutenant governor before 
ascending in November to the top slot, expressed no regrets or dismay that 
she was kept in the dark on Matrix.
    "I feel like on most of the major policy decisions, I was involved," 
she said. "I think this was not viewed in that light -- that it was viewed 
as an enhancement of technology rather than a major strategy or policy."

    Leavitt, who stepped down before his third term ended to take the post 
of Environmental Protection Agency administrator, could not be reached for 
comment Thursday.

    Spokeswoman Natalie Gochnour, who also served on Leavitt's staff in 
Utah, said he was traveling to Pittsburgh. But in an e-mail response 
relayed through Gochnour, Leavitt called Utah's Matrix participation "a 
planning effort."

    In 2002, Leavitt said he was not alarmed about a homeland security 
plan -- later abandoned because of public outcry -- for Americans to spy on 
each other.

    "It's not something I raised a lot of concerns over," Leavitt said of 
"Operation TIPS," which encouraged mail carriers and utility workers to 
report suspicious activity.
   -----
    Tribune reporters Kirsten Stewart and Rebecca Walsh contributed to 
this report.


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