Frist Senior Aide uses a "scrambling device" during Conference call...

[rndmprsn]

so i was reading this Hill article about how the fundie/dominionists are getting their panties in a wad becuase frist is taking too long to break the senate rules, and i came on this line...

"The call was considered sensitive enough that Frist’s staff used a scrambling device to prevent it from being recorded by participants"

can a public official, or even in this case an on the payroll senior aide of a public official do this legally...use a scrambling device to prevent being recorded and then presumably being shielded from being held accountable or responsible?

the article offered it so non-chalantly that on first reading i just accepted that it must be an accepted practice.

i remember some months ago scalia catching some hell for demanding a recording of him @ some kind of graduation or something...so anyhow one is lead to believe that these freaking conservatives think they can say anything > not be recorded > by whatever means > taking tapes or in this case > scrambling so no recording could be made in the first place > no recording no bad words...sounds eerily like the stalin line the neo-cons like so much...no man no problem...ugh, what has this country come too.

thoughts?

--

article...

Frist aides appeal for calm

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/051205/frist.html

Eric Ueland, Frist’s chief of staff, and Bill Wichterman, a senior Frist aide who handles outreach to outside groups, held a conference call with about 30 conservative activist leaders to tell them that the majority leader has moved slowly and deliberately in an effort to put Republicans in a strong position heading into a showdown with Democrats, according to participants.

The call was considered sensitive enough that Frist’s staff used a scrambling device to prevent it from being recorded by participants

Conservatives were told that Frist has held off on triggering a procedural tactic that would shield judicial nominees from filibusters to give the GOP leadership more time to explore a possible compromise with Democrats and to strengthen the support of Republican senators for the controversial move, known as the nuclear or constitutional option.

Conservatives on the call included James Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family, who hosts a daily radio program that reaches nearly 4 million people, making him one of the most influential conservatives in the country. Barrett Duke, vice president of the public-policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, also was on the call, as were representatives from the Judicial Confirmation Network, the American Center for Law & Justice, the Coalition for a Fair Judiciary and Concerned Women for America.

Conservative leaders had anticipated that Frist would trigger the option during the week before the May recess. Conservative activists were told in mid-April to ramp up their communication effort to peak the week of April 25.

[donsu]

1. kick - apparently the bushgang can do whatever they want

america is dead

[uncle ray]

2. what kind of device can do that?

if the person at the other end can hear to conversation, what can possibly stop them from recording it?

[rndmprsn]

3. anyone know if this is illegal?

[demwing]

4. Not illegal

Telephone scramblers are common. They are sold in pairs, and have an average range in price from $200 to $1000, depending on quality, I guess.

You can even pick up a set on ebay.