May 17, 2006

Verizon Denies Helping NSA

The USA Today phone database story takes another hit. Verizon denies helping the NSA:

"One of the most glaring and repeated falsehoods in the media reporting," the statement said, "is the assertion that, in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Verizon was approached by NSA and entered into an arrangement to provide the NSA with data from its customers' domestic calls. This is false."

Last Thursday, USA TODAY reported that the NSA has been secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans, using data provided by AT&T, BellSouth and Verizon, citing people with direct knowledge of the program.

Here's an extended portion of Verizon's statement:

One of the most glaring and repeated falsehoods in the media reporting is the assertion that, in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Verizon was approached by NSA and entered into an arrangement to provide the NSA with data from its customers’ domestic calls.

This is false. From the time of the 9/11 attacks until just four months ago, Verizon had three major businesses – its wireline phone business, its wireless company and its directory publishing business. It also had its own Internet Service Provider and long-distance businesses. Contrary to the media reports, Verizon was not asked by NSA to provide, nor did Verizon provide, customer phone records from any of these businesses, or any call data from those records. None of these companies – wireless or wireline – provided customer records or call data.

Another error is the claim that data on local calls is being turned over to NSA and that simple "calls across town" are being "tracked." In fact, phone companies do not even make records of local calls in most cases because the vast majority of customers are not billed per call for local calls. In any event, the claim is just wrong. As stated above, Verizon’s wireless and wireline companies did not provide to NSA customer records or call data, local or otherwise.

I can understand the administration neither admitting nor denying the existence of the program. They don't want to tip off the enemy to what the government is or isn't doing.

Verizon and BellSouth both say they weren't even asked for phone records. But Qwest was and refused to turn them over. Is it possible the NSA talked to Qwest first then gave up asking the other Baby Bells for help after Qwest's refusal? That would fit with what ex-Qwest CEO Joe Nacchio has stated along with BellSouth's and Verizon's comments. Did the NSA go the long distance route by working with AT&T (before being bought by SBC) and MCI (before being bought by Verizon)? Was the story a set-up to out leakers in the intel community?

Chad Evans has a couple questions:

So just like the story on the CIA having so-called “secret prisons” accross Europe that there is no evidence of, is this leak to the press yet another attempt by a leaker to attack the Bush Administration aided by poor reporting? Or is this some plot hatched by the CIA to pass off bogus information to reduce the credibility of leaked sources?

Brian at Iowa Voice writes:

Aren't anonymous sources great? You can say pretty much anything you want in a news article, claim an "anonymous source" told you, and then when it falls apart, pull the old Dan Rather defense....that until such information is proven false, they will report it as being true.

Josh Marshall just thinks Verizon is "lying."

CBS's Public Eye has it right: "Given the administration’s refusal to confirm or deny the report, the company denials and the anonymous sources, it may be time to ask how we’ll ever get the truth out of this story."

It's interesting Jim Drinkard wrote this latest story. Leslie Cauley who broke the story last week merely contributed to this one. What's also interesting is USA Today's PR person talked instead of Cauley. She broke the story. She should be the one doing the explaining.

On a humorous note NewsBusters Gaggle comic strip takes a shot at the paper.

"Verizon Says it isn't Giving Call Records to NSA"