Feds Squelch Capitol Hill Blue

Feds Squelch Capitol Hill Blue


Originally published Mar 09, 2006


Willysnout tells you what Doug Thompson can't - Thompson and his crew
were under surveillance through his site (the aforementioned Capitol
Hill Blue), and forced him to change a column they didn't like.

Thompson is best known for "The Rant" - a regular online column which
has lately been highly critical of the current White House. (He's also
been critical of the Clinton White House - Thompson just has it out
for authority.)

Well, the current authority doesn't like that.

The offending article reported that Thompson, who also owns the
web hosting company that puts Capitol Hill Blue online, had received a
request under the USA Patriot Act from the FBI for information about
the publication, its contributors, its personnel and its readers. It
was only through his ownership of the hosting company that Thompson
was aware of the government's surveillance.

The FBI's request instructed Thompson not to reveal who had made
the information request or what law had authorized it. Thompson
refused to provide the information and revealed the letter and its
contents in Capitol Hill Blue. At that point, a U.S. attorney
threatened Thompson with jail unless he not only removed the
information, but revised the article discussing it.

To avoid going to jail, Thompson complied.


Think about it, folks. A publication has been not only censored,
but forced to submit new content acceptable to the government.


And now that the Patriot Act has just been signed to another contract
extension, we have more of this to look forward to.

Whoops. There's someone at the door. I'll be righ