Mainstream Journalist Who Is An Outspoken Critic Of The Government Discovers Her Computer Is Hacked By The FBI

Sharyl Attkisson

This is a follow up to the article New Scandal Erupts Regarding The FBI And Justice Department Monitoring Calls Of AP Reporters Confirming Previous Site Claims regarding the Judiciary Report breaking the scandal on the FBI and DOJ spying on journalists.

The scandal continues, as mainstream journalist, Sharyl Attkisson, revealed this week her computer has been hacked. Attkisson spoke to the Politico website about the matter, which states, "Attkisson believes the possible infiltration of her computer began in Feb. 2011 during her reporting on Fast and Furious." The "Fast And Furious" scandal involves Attorney General, Eric Holder, who is head of the DOJ, which is the parent agency of the FBI. 

The FBI has a computer program known as CIPAV, which is a trojan they surreptitiously and secretly install on select people's computers to spy on and copy the contents of PCs and laptops. It and other FBI trojans have been installed without court permission on select people's computers.

Recently a judge declined the FBI's request to install one of their hidden computer trojans on a man's computer, to copy then contents thereof and take control of his webcam to visually spy on him in his home (Judge Tells FBI To Buzz Off Denying Request To Hack Into Person's Computer And Spy On Them Using Their Webcam). During the case, the FBI showed off that they really don't need a court order to do this anyway and have done so in the past without obtaining one.   

President Barack Obama (front), Attorney General Eric Holder (back left) and FBI Director Robert S. Mueller (right) 

News also broke that the FBI and DOJ fought to keep secret the fact it began spying on Fox News journalists, via illegally hacking their emails and unlawfully obtaining their phone communications in conduct that is unconstitutional. The Judiciary Report is no fan of Rupert Murdoch or News Corp, two entities the site broke the phone hacking scandal about online.

However, under the Constitution journalists are entitled to free press and free speech. It's one of the founding principles of America and a very smart one. Therefore, to abuse the law to spy on outspoken critics is completely illegal and represents a dangerous power grab.

The granddaddy of all newsgathering agencies, the Associated Press, was not exempt from its journalists being illegally spied on by the government, which sends a chilling message. If the Associated Press is not exempt from its rights being flagrantly violated, what does that mean for the little newspapers across America struggling to get the truth out to the public.

The administration is testing some terrible legal waters the Constitution says it is not supposed to in conduct that is very unbecoming. When you've got the FBI and DOJ actively hacking journalists computers and emails and passing the contents on to the White House, crimes are being committed and the Constitution trampled. The FBI and DOJ's conduct is making Nixon era tactics against journalists look tame by comparison.