At the request of a Bloomberg News reporter, I made a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request of the FBI. Heres what I got back: Based on the information you provided [name, address, ss#], we conducted a search of the Central Records System. We were unable to identify mian file records responsive to the FOIA. In other words, The FBI has nothing. The letter goes on to issue disclaimers about whats excluded by Congress--but this is all just boiler plate. But that raises the following question: Mike Hutson is with the Pennsylvania State Police/FBI Joint Ecoterrorism Task Force--so what was he doing at my door? On what possible grounds could he have had reason to drive all the way from Williamsport (about an hour) on a snowy Winter Valentines Day in the middle of the day with no particular expectation that Id even be home from work? Who, Officer Hutson do you work for? The only investigation I have been able to unearth in which Officer Hutson was involved had to do with alleged pipe bombs at 14 locations, but only one identified at a frack pad in Zelienople, PA. But while he canvases a number of possibilities about the culprits--Officer Hutson does not even consider the possibility that the report is false, that even if there were explosive devices found, that they were planted by the industry itself: With no suspects except in one case, “we don’t know the intent,” said state Trooper Michael Hutson, a member of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force based in Williamsport (Hazardous devices found at gas well sites but intent unknown | PennLive). Officer Hutson then goes onto say something rather telling: It does not appear the natural gas industry was targeted because no environmental group has come forward to claim responsibility, he said. So, again, what brought you to the door of my home, Officer Hutson? What could have possibly justified that visit--paid for by tax dollars, without a warrant, and without any claim of wrong-doing on my part? Are we comfortable as a public--as citizens--with State Police/FBI investigators just comin to chat awhile? Coming to our homes on fishing expeditions? We should not only find this wholly unacceptable--but clear evidence of a state police whose job has become to run interference in the interest of protecting an industry favored by a corrupt state. And anyone who thinks this will change one iota under a Tom Wolf administration is a fool. Would the gas industry plant its own unexploded explosives in order to prompt the state police to deploy such repressive strategies like paying visits to citizens--effectively criminalizing the exercise of first amendment rights? Goddamn right they would. Next: FOIA request at the Pennsylvania State Police--Ill let you know. thewrenchphilosleft.blogspot/2014/02/when-gas-industry-uses-state-police-to.html
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 14:21:12 +0000
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