Mr. Blumenthal, you are a Senator now

Even though Richard Blumenthal is now Senator-elect for Connecticut, he is apparently continuing his “job creation through litigation” program.  Here are the facts behind his newest venture.

For quite some time, Google has been collecting data that it has used to create its on-line mapping service.  Earlier this year, however, it was revealed that Google has also scanned for wireless networks, but in so doing, it had inadvertently “collected personal information such as email addresses and passwords”.

Google has been working with federal authorities on this, and,

The Federal Communications Commission said last month it was probing whether Google broke federal law in collecting consumer data via Wi-Fi networks. Another agency, the Federal Trade Commission, previously ended its probe and said Google had taken sufficient steps to prevent a recurrence.

In spite of that, Attorney General Blumenthal issued a “subpoena” to Google asking Google to turn over the personal data collected by Google’s Street View vehicles.  When Google failed to comply, on Friday Mr. Blumenthal said he may begin legal action against Google, saying,

[a]ccess to information Google improperly collected from unsecured wireless computer networks may be needed to prevent a repeat.
I don’t know about you, but, if the FTC has already found that Google has taken steps to prevent this from happening in the future, why is Connecticut seemingly wasting taxpayer’s money doing the same thing?  And, perhaps more to the point, if Mr. Blumenthal is simply trying to make sure that this never happens again, why does he need the personal data collected by Google?  
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SoundOffSister

The Sound Off Sister was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and special trial attorney for the Department of Justice, Criminal Division; a partner in the Florida law firm of Shutts & Bowen, and an adjunct professor at the University of Miami, School of Law. The Sound Off Sister offers frequent commentary concerning legislation making its way through Congress, including the health reform legislation passed in early 2010.

15 Comments

  1. Gary J on December 18, 2010 at 3:02 pm

    Oh I believe Mr Blumenthal should give up his Senate seat to Linda and stay in ct as it;s new public relations officer. With his record he would bring in new businesses here hand over fist. I want my grand kids to go to the same schools  Blumenthal went to he's our hero.



  2. Lynn on December 19, 2010 at 1:48 am

    Oh Good, Maybe Blumenthal can share the personal data Google collected with Ms. Bysiewicz before  she leaves office. She can use it to find donors for her next election. Susan for Senate, anyone?



  3. Plainvillian on December 19, 2010 at 4:13 am

    One last spasm of our home grown camera whore before the media.  Soon Mr. Blumenthal will be a junior member of a chamber full of established camera whores who will no doubt upstage him regularly.  The good news for Little Dicky the Vietnam vet is he will be senator for life and will eventually be among the preeminent camera whores.  He waited to be senator, he'll wait patiently (makeup case in hand).  Disgusting.



  4. GdavidH on December 19, 2010 at 4:37 am

    "[a]ccess to information Google improperly collected from unsecured wireless computer networks may be needed to prevent a repeat."

    I'm sorry but that's the lamest excuse for gathering info on the people I have ever heard. He is not even trying that hard to deceive us anymore. He must think we are all really stupid. I can't wait for the constant feed of Blumy soundbites from the Senate.



  5. joe_m on December 19, 2010 at 7:23 am

    " He must think we are all really stupid."

    He knows "we" are, he got elected didn't he?

    As long as most of the people believe the BS politicians like him spew and elect / re-elect them, nothing will change.

    At least, some of the country is starting to get it. They must put something in the water here in the Northeast, because we keep putting socialist in office.



  6. sammy22 on December 19, 2010 at 10:52 am

    I don't believe neither the FCC nor the FTC are going to protect my best interests. Good for Blumenthal!



  7. weregettinghosed on December 19, 2010 at 2:07 pm

    One would not be so naive to believe that Google would hand over all the data in original form without keeping a record of it, now would we? Blumenthal is neither saving or preventing any negative action, he is in fact the negative action in this matter.

    I for one would not want Blumenthal to have any information on me, just think what he could do with such information? When a man goes to great lengths gathering information in the name of doing a good deed you must have the foresight to realize there is no good coming from it. He is so full of himself to think no one shall notice plot, is a dangerous fool.

    I dare we were not stupid enough to vote for this man, we were not committed enough to stand up and do our duty to expose the corruption in the voting system in CT thereby we allowed him to be elected by mob rule. The majority wanted Linda, the minority wanted Blumenthal; corruption needed Blumenthal for their own purposes, created extra ballots for the minority, making the minority a majority. Sadly, so sadly, we stood by and allowed the mob to rule.



  8. SoundOffSister on December 19, 2010 at 3:36 pm

    Sammy,

    You don't seem to trust the federal government (i.e. the FTC and the FCC) to deal with this issue.  And yet, you seem to trust the same federal government to deal with with Obamacare?



  9. David R on December 19, 2010 at 3:57 pm

    What is wrong with Blumie? As a lame duck he ought to be relaxing someplace in the sun, his feet up, hoisting a pina colada, humming "The harder they come".  Instead he's driving to grimey old Hartford from the comfort of CT's gold coast to hassle corporate America. Just as we suspected, he's a  stiff who thinks being AG is fun. Anyway, who cares if Google know stuff about us we don't want them to know? 



  10. winnie888 on December 19, 2010 at 10:22 pm

    David R…actually I'm a wee bit more concerned about Obama's government having access to our medical records.  Bottom line is that in this crazy, hi-tech world, we really can't have any expectation of total privacy.  Why does Blumenthal want the names? Hmmmm?

    SOS:  Sammy trusts the government but doesn't trust THE government.  Does that make sense, now? 🙂



  11. sammy22 on December 20, 2010 at 3:44 am

    SOS, et al. Unless I have been on another planet, the health care system is (and still will be) in the hands of the health insurers. Your comments are a stretch. And besides, so far I have made my own decisions (and will keep on making them) about my health care. Don't you? Or is it that you distrust government, the Fed, the State, the municipality? I do not believe in conspiratorial theories.



  12. weregettinghosed on December 20, 2010 at 6:38 am

    Sammy, if you see our healthcare system as Obama wants it to be just and good, with the ability to control your own care; the light by which you see is not light but a reflection of socialism. The pages and pages of Obamacare clearly states you will give up your right to make ultimate decisions regarding your care for the pleasure of having your bills paid by the government.

    Large Governments are controlling engines, your destiny is designed for you, people are governed by the system, the system being voted in by a select group being part of the system, and it continues onward until the people break out of the system, tearing it down. We are within this system, there is no conspiracies, only those in denial of the system. Be not blind but see by the light of the true principles by which we were founded upon. The Government as it stands is not our friend, it is our controller.



  13. pauldow on December 20, 2010 at 6:48 am

    An item that doesn't seem to be addressed is that these WiFi transmitters were broadcasting unencrypted information that can be received by anyone. I believe except for analog cell phone frequencies, the law allows listening to any frequency. The cell phone thing was put in by cell company lobbyists because early phones just broadcast in the clear too. As Glenn Beck would have asked Richard Blumenthal: "What law did they break?"



  14. Dimsdale on December 21, 2010 at 4:25 am

    sammy: sometimes, collective corruption and stupidity has the same look and feel as a conspiracy.  If the end result is the same, who cares what it is called?  If Øbamacare were a carefully considered, debated and public bill, I doubt we would be having this conversation, but this travesty was rammed down our throats at political light speed.  I inherently distrust anything that is jammed through like that.  It indicates fraud.  You don't read a contract after you have signed it, but that is what our so called "representatives" have done.

     

    weregettinghosed is precisely correct: it is about control by the government.  Conspiracy or not, that is the goal.



  15. sammy22 on December 21, 2010 at 8:56 am

    Have it your way. I prefer to play the hand I have been dealt and not try hard to second guess other people's motives.



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