MSNBC is reporting that there was a breach of Barack Obama’s passport file that led to two firings at the State Department and a suspension…
Download | Play 
Download | Play (h/t Heather)
Two contract employees of the State Department were fired and a third person was disciplined for accessing passport records of Sen. Barack Obama “without a need to do so,” State Department officials confirmed to NBC News…
A monitoring system was tripped when an employee accessed the records of a high-profile individual,” a department official told NBC News. “When the monitoring system is tripped, we immediately seek an explanation for the records access. If the explanation is not satisfactory, the supervisor is notified.”
Does this surprise anyone of us that has followed the Bush administration for all these years?
Statement from Obama campaign:
“This is an outrageous breach of security and privacy, even from an Administration that has shown little regard for either over the last eight years. Our government’s duty is to protect the private information of the American people, not use it for political purposes. This is a serious matter that merits a complete investigation, and we demand to know who looked at Senator Obama’s passport file, for what purpose, and why it took so long for them to reveal this security breach.
Update from Will Bunch:
A State Department official who carried out the two-day search of passport files for information about Gov. Bill Clinton said today that he had resigned, just 48 hours before Federal investigators are expected to issue a report criticizing the search.
The official, Steven M. Moheban, was a top aide to Elizabeth M. Tamposi, the Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs who was dismissed last week by President Bush for her role in the search of files on Mr. Clinton, his mother, Virginia Kelley, and Ross Perot, the independent Presidential candidate.
No Trackbacks To “Obama’s Passport file was breached! Two firings at the State Dept. UPDATED“
bastards! I’d be willing to bet this will be the tip of an iceberg that will sink the whole rotten BushCo ship.
America really needs to pay attention to this one.
The fact that they were fired,right away, instead of one of their phoney investigations, means this is BIG!
The Bush Administration knew long ago and did not notify Obama.
These were contract employees… we’ll probably find out that these fired contract employees were working for the Clintons.
What kind of information would be available to someone who accessed these files?
Well…it doesn’t surprise me! How will he play this? “I have nothing to hide but this is just another example of how corrupt our current administration has become!”
Now it is time for impeachment.
Could this be the smoking gun to bring down this adminstation? I friggin hope so!
condi must resign.
Okay, for the slow people like me…
What does a “breach of Obama’s passport file” mean?
That someone gained access to his personal data?
Wow……could this FINALLY be the straw that broke this corrupt, pompous administration’s back?
In addition to this story, Drudge is running a picture of Rev Wright and Pres Bill Clinton.
Benjamin @ 5:
Are you sure? i thought one was a contract employee who was not fired, but disciplined. This is all fresh, facts are most likely a bit fuzzy yet.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 4:
Browsing the records was a crime. Not reporting it to the victim immediately was a bigger crime.
the bread crumbs will lead right to clinton
As, likely, have all of our passport files. Why the F do you think we’ve been decrying the FISA travesties all of this time!
Sven @ 11:
Yes, and confidential. Also i thought i heard they interviewed consulates.
Holy crap. Americans shouldn’t be afraid of terrorists. They should be afraid of what is loose in Washington. I knew the last couple days was way too quiet.
Frank @ 16:
That may be a stretch, remembering that Bill Clinton was a victim of the same stunt during Bush the First.
Frank @ 16:
You are right!
She has secretly been President since 2000!
tsk tsk tsk
Frank @ 16:
You must be kidding! It’s possible, but much more likely that you are just another paranoid Obamazoid.
I’ll bet anyone $100 condi, bush and cheney all knew about this
Someone was looking for dirt on Obama. There are several comments here hoping that this is the smoking gun that will sink the rethug crime syndicate. Let’s all hope that this is the case.
The first thing came to mind were Hannity and Fox
So does this mean the Rev. Wright story now moves to Page Six?
This is huge. Watch Oberman! At least we know he’ll report it and not bury it.
Rico @ 27:
It moves to page 76.
Holy shit!
Here is what this boils down to: The possible Democratic Nominiee for the President of the United States has been illegally investigated by employees of the State Department, two were fired one was disciplined. Obama was not informed until today although the Bush Administration was aware of this since at least January.
Rico @ 20:
Sorry i got caught up in the moment and imagined Billary looking into his confidential data…..
Rico @ 27:
It more likely means that the GOPers are going to try to smear Obama (again), then compile a list of his alleged offenses. Rev. Wright will still be part of the list.
Goodbye, Rev. Wright.
Hello, you lyin, schemein rightwing, motherf**kers.
Buuuuussssssssshhhhhhh!!!!
Jan 9, Feb 21 and March 14 when records were accessed by 3 different people
Frank @ 16:
Indeed, since Clinton is still in office, it must be them.
It is secretly 1998 still, keep it quiet.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 30:
Chalk this up as another scandal for the Bush administration.
I say it’s Bushco looking for dirt on Obama.
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are working on a retroactive immunity deal for this, no doubt.
Gee looks like all the crap they have pulled on the Clintons is coming to light now that they are trying it on obama. Wonder if we would have ever known they were messing with Bill and Hillary’s passports if obama’s passport hadn’t been done also. Just goes to show what this country has done to the Clintons and are now trying it on obama.
Lies will come out that will implicate Obama as an extreme Muslim, those lies will fly around the internet just like the emails that claimed Obama was a Muslim. This will sink Obama. Maybe this is what Clinton was waiting for and why she stayed in the race. This breech happened last January, about the time that everything was going south for Clinton. I hope Obama rises above this and finally buries Clinton.
Remember that this happened back in January 2008. Back then Hillary was the defacto nominee and so she would have been the only one with motive to get rid of Obama.
If 1,000 FBI files didn’t bring down the Clinton administration, why would this bring down the Bush administration? Honestly, too many of you think with your hearts instead of your brains.
The story is about 2 minutes old and you’re calling for impeachment? Get real. Bush is a dick…and he’s almost gone. If dems don’t focus on the next race we will be stuck with another republican president. Bush is yesterday’s news.
RHM
Earth Abides @ 41:
LOL, they were just screaming that he had a crazy, racist pastor. It would be a bit tough to now turn around and declare him an extremist Muslim.
Just another reflection on our horrible and corrupt government as run by the Bush crime family.
Wright was Invited to the White House:
http://www.democraticundergrou.....15;5179322
Benjamin @ 42:
I have extra tin foil hats if you would like one.
Can’t tell you how I know this but low level government workers sometimes browse celebrity records. Most get caught and are promptly disciplined or fired. This could be such an event. Time will tell.
The real issue is that the victim (Obama) was not notified sooner by the government. Now, THAT’S the real story. Hope it’s not missed.
What kind of information can they get from this???
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 47:
No thanks, I belive it’s needed inorder to read CrooksAndLiars ;).
Olbermann reporting three separate incidents, the latest being on 3/14. It is unthinkable that Rice was unaware of the security breaches and that investigations weren’t launched. That Obama was not notified tells me it wasn’t the Clintons, more likely Rovians from the RNC.
Benjamin @ 42:
Plus, she was the President of the US with appointees in all of the government positions. Or, she could turn herself into electricity and sneak in through the electrical outlets undetected.
I forget which one it actually is.
No, they’d never do that!!
Rico @ 48:
I doubt it will be, we won’t let it not be asked.
OH golly gee whiz jumping yhminy Hillary Clinton is president and has done all this ….then why in the hell are we having this campaign somebody should have told us…oh maybe frank 16 knows something we don’t …..what’s going on…but then of course no matter what happens Hillary Clinton will be blamed for it by obama’s supporters.
This was a republican tactic, hillary has no access through anyone at the state dept, anyone thinking otherwise is delusional.
Rico @ 48: