New Jersey Mayor and Son Arrested For Nuking Recall Website 180
phaedrus5001 writes "The mayor of West New York, New Jersey was arrested by the FBI after he and his son illegally took down a website that was calling for the recall of mayor Felix Roque (the site is currently down).
From the article: 'According to the account of FBI Special Agent Ignace Ertilus, Felix and Joseph Roque took a keen interest in the recall site as early as February. In an attempt to learn the identity of the person behind the site, the younger Roque set up an e-mail account under a fictitious name and contacted an address listed on the website. He offered some "very good leads" if the person would agree to meet him. When the requests were repeatedly rebuffed, Joseph Rogue allegedly tried another route. He pointed his browser to Google and typed the search strings "hacking a Go Daddy Site," "recallroque log-in," and "html hacking tutorial."'"
Re:So easy to get search terms from google (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:So easy to get search terms from google (Score:5, Insightful)
Where do you think the term "warrantles searches" came from? Judge Napolitano can't stop talking about them.
The U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act gave the FBI the power to write their own permission to enter a premise, or demand data, without a judge issued warrant. CISPA will make it even easier. No need for paperwork at all.
Minor? (Score:5, Insightful)
Suppression of free political speech and intimidation by an elected official is a "minor case"? If so, it shouldn't be.
That said, I have to wonder if this wasn't a corruption investigation by the FBI in the first place, though you'd think if it was, they'd jump at the opportunity to "meet".
Re:So easy to get search terms from google (Score:5, Insightful)
Let's see...
A politician who performs an obviously illegal act in full violation of the First Amendment of the US Constitution - check.
A politician who tries nuking a website/server that is parked somewhere across state lines - check.
Yep. I can see a good warrant coming off of this one. And given the interstate angle, it's not odd at all.
More importantly...Don't phone "Victim 1" after. (Score:5, Insightful)
This article indicates that Roque the Younger called "Victim 1" to 'say that the page had been taken down by “high government officials and that everyone would pay for getting involved against Mayor Roque.” '
Now that is poor hacking skills!
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0512/76723.html [politico.com]
Re:Should have used Duck Duck Go (Score:4, Insightful)
Remind me again why he was lambasted for that?
Re:Party afiliation not important (Score:5, Insightful)
Democrats attack their own when they do stupid shit like this. Republicans attack their own when they do something as unbelievable as suggesting that, hey, maybe gay marriage won't destroy the nation, or that maybe taxing the people who have all the money isn't socialism.
--Jeremy
Re:Should have used Duck Duck Go (Score:4, Insightful)
Or just use TOR. And don't say "tor can be compromised". That's only true if they are already monitoring you.
...unless you happen to pass through an FBI-run exit node.
Why the surprise? (Score:2, Insightful)
I looked him up expecting to see he was an R and was quite surprised
That doesn't make any sense.
If you look over the last few years, consistently it's been Democrats doing things like stuffing freezers full of cash, sexting women inappropriately, sending guns to Mexican drug lords.
It's been liberal Occupy protestors pillaging SF, setting fire to Oakland, pooping on cars.
So when you hear about politicians caught in some illegal act, recent history teaches us it's really far likely to be Democrats, who for years now have shown they believe themselves to be above the law - because after all they are there to help you, and if laws get in the way of control over you well then guess which has to go?