182 QuickLinks

Saturday, November 29, 2008
India's Formula for Judging US Intelligence
(2 comments) Few Americans have heard of the 35=10 rule. The formula isn't based on fact, or science but is instead based on a popular novel. It could be a lesson in what Indian executives have learned from observing American officials and corporate execs.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Should Obama Have Trademark His Name? Should You?
Last year Barack Obama's campaign tried and failed to take over a MySpace page created by a once ardent supporter. In this article Stephanie Paul explains how celebrities and ordinary people can easily and legally protect your name from "cyber squatters".

Friday, August 8, 2008
5 Things Every Homeowner Should Know About the Hope for Homeowners Act
Much more than a simple bill to help economically disadvantaged homeowners. The massive program punishes predatory lenders, slashes mortgage debt and reduces property taxes for people with homes valued as high as $625,000 ... But only if you act quickly!

Sunday, June 1, 2008
Say Cheese - Government plans to ban your camera
Government looks for ways to ban local citizens from using digital cameras inside courthouses while selling citizen's digital images in bulk to international corporations . . . MUST READ for anyone who values civil rights and the public record.

Friday, April 18, 2008
Sheriff Ran Sex-Slave Operation from Jail
Mike Burgess, the Sheriff of Custer County Oklahoma resigned shortly before state prosecutors filed 35 felony charges against him for running a sex-slave operation out of the county jail. If convicted, the once-popular sheriff could face 467 years in prison on charges that include 14 counts of second-degree rape, seven counts of forcible oral sodomy and five counts of bribery by a public official.

Friday, October 26, 2007
Texas Officials Caught With Fake Degrees, Illegal Diplomas
It sounds incredible: trusted Texas officials with phony, even illegal diplomas. But it is true... Incredible investigative video report

Sunday, October 14, 2007
Identity Thief Takes Victim's Place in Grave
Annie Hayes was still mourning the death of her son when a veteran's cemetery told her another man with her son's name, social security number and military credentials had been in her son's grave since 2003... Video report

Sunday, August 5, 2007
California Bars Voting Machines - US Considers
California's top election official on Friday decertified systems produced by Hart Intercivic, Diebold Election Systems and Sequoia Voting Systems effectively barring their use... US Congress will consider similar action in September...

Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Government Blames Technology for Expunged Record Breaches
Online breaches of expunged case information could leave hundreds of counties nationwide facing lawsuits from people who have lost jobs, reputation, licenses or otherwise been hurt by the release of information that was supposed to have been erased. But officials say it isn't their fault.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Is The IPhone Worth the Hype?
Steven Levy, the technology columnist at Newsweek, is a big fan of Apple's iPhone, but Brian Cooley of CNET.com thinks it's a bust. The two discuss its features in this video interview.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Petition Site Protests County Auditors Arrest
The charge against the public official stems from a $1 million contract which was renewed under his authority without the consent of the Commissioners Court. The Former District Attorney called the auditors arrest an 'obscene political move'.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Border Sheriffs: 'We Were Screwed!'
Running for re-election, Texas Gov. Rick Perry repeatedly applauded border-county sheriffs for being "on the front lines" of a violent battle to keep criminals out of Texas. Perry's ads boasted 'If the US won't protect our borders, Texas will'. But a year later, those on the front line say they were "screwed"...

Monday, July 9, 2007
Congress braces for fight over long-abandoned Fairness Doctrine
After conservative radio talk show hosts helped bury an immigration bill, Republican Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott complained that "talk radio is running America"...

Sunday, July 8, 2007
Commisioner Pleads Guilty to Bribery / Corruption Charges
Former El Paso County Commissioner Betti Flores pleaded guilty to six counts of conspiracy to commit mail or wire fraud by trading her votes for money, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton Friday. Flores could face 20 years in Federal prison and a $250,000 fine for each count.

Sunday, July 8, 2007
Constable Resigns Amid Gay Sex Scandal
A day after Michael Dupree's 27-year career ended, the former Dallas County Constable talked exclusively to CBS 11. The county cop resigned amid embarrassing allegations of sexual misconduct.

Saturday, July 7, 2007
State Treasurer Denies Drug Charges
(1 comments) South Carolina State Treasurer Thomas Ravenel and his alleged dealer pleaded not guilty Friday on a federal cocaine charge. Ravenel will be free on bail .. will face 20 years in prison and $1Mil fine...

Saturday, July 7, 2007
McWorker McSpits in Sheriffs McSoda Triggers McSuit
A San Bernardino Deputy Sheriff says he will sue McDonalds after a worker spit in his soda. The deputy's claim is backed up by surveillance video and DNA evidence.

Saturday, July 7, 2007
Pennsylvania Government Shutdown
Have a 16-year-old hoping to get her first driver's license next week? Planning a getaway at a state park? Need a birth certificate or a passport for a summer cruise? Better reschedule...

Friday, July 6, 2007
Feds Say Quarterback's Property Used For Dog Fights
Federal agents say that property owned by quarterback Michael Vick was used to house and train hundreds of pit bulls where hundreds of dogs met cruel deaths...

Friday, July 6, 2007
11-year-old Drunk Driver Leads Police on High Speed Chase
(1 comments) CAUGHT ON TAPE: An eleven-year-old girl took her mother's car and led Alabama police on a high-speed chase. Police say she had been drinking. Watch video

Thursday, July 5, 2007
Getting Out Of The ARM Trap
When Enej Dreca took out an adjustable-rate subprime mortgage in 2005, he knew the interest rate was likely to rise in two years. But he wasn't prepared for how high it would go...

Thursday, July 5, 2007
Al Gore's Son Arrested
Police arrested former vice president and current environmental activist Al Gore's son, also named Albert Gore, after finding marijuana and narcotics in his low-emissions car, authorities said Wednesday.

Thursday, July 5, 2007
Information War Escalates
It used to be that the mainstream media had a monopoly on publishing and they took advantage of their First Amendment rights to do so. The Internet has changed all that and now the shoe is on the other foot. Last month, the Sandusky Register published a list of nearly 2,700 gun owners..In response, the Buckeye Firearms Association...

Thursday, July 5, 2007
Voter Rights Turnabout
Columnist John Fund recounts the shakeup over white voter rights in Mississippi after a federal judge ruled black politicians violated the rights of white voters and called Noxubee County Democratic Party leader Ike Brown's scheme the worst case of voter discrimination in 40 years...Video

Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Immigrant Convicted in Campaign Funding ID Theft Scheme
A jury in Multnomah County Oregon says a Ukrainian immigrant forged signatures and stole identities to help his candidates take hundreds of thousands of dollars from the public campaign finance system...

Wednesday, July 4, 2007
US - No Haven For Human Rights Violators
A Salvadoran army lieutenant accused of murdering six Jesuit priests, a Sierra Leone Prince suspected of crimes against humanity, an alleged mass murderer from Peru and an Argentinean accused of torture and murder are joining hundreds of alleged human rights violators from 26 countries to be expelled from the U.S.

Monday, July 2, 2007
Cities, Counties May Take Control of Illegal Immigration Battle
(1 comments) The collapse of congressional efforts to overhaul the nation's immigration laws is expected to dramatically accelerate an effort by state and local governments to take matters into their own hands to deal with the nation's 12 million illegal aliens...

Monday, July 2, 2007
Fourteen Counties Sue Drug Companies For Meth Ingredient Sales
Class action lawsuit against makers of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine claiming the companies knowingly sold far more ingredients for use in methamphetamine production as cold remedies...

Monday, July 2, 2007
Woman Pleads Not Guilty Over Registering Dog To Vote
The Seattle Grandmother who registered her dog to vote pleads not guilty to making false statements on voter registration form...The dog is still on roll...

Sunday, July 1, 2007
Judge Rulles Property Tax Assessments Unconstitutional
A judge has declared that the way in which property taxes are assessed is unconstitutional. Case could lead to similar decisions affecting all homeowners in all counties... Watch video report

Sunday, July 1, 2007
City Provides Open-Air Urinals For Drunken Bar Patrons
The City of Edmonton plans to put freestanding open-air public urinals near bars at night to give drunken revelers a place to relieve themselves along a popular nightclub stretch...

Saturday, June 30, 2007
Judge Sends Ex-Governor to Prison
Former Democrat Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman was sentenced to more than seven years and co-conspirator former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy also got nearly seven years in federal prison in a bribery and corruption case...

Friday, June 29, 2007
Nation's Sheriff's Stretched to Limit
County Sheriffs are America's first line of defense against terrorism, violent crimes, and drug trafficking but illegal aliens, epidemic methamphetamine abuse, increasing numbers of inmates with deadly diseases, an alarming number of foreclosure auctions and 75% funding cuts may be overwhelming our elected law enforcement officials...

Friday, June 29, 2007
Butts Charged With Stealing Toilet Paper From Courthouse
(2 comments) Suzanee Butts from Marshalltown Iowa is accused of stealing toilet paper from the Marshall County Courthouse and could find herself facing years behind bars.

Friday, June 29, 2007
Mason County Falls Vicitm To Black Market Tree Killers
The crimes occur far back in the woods, off a dead-end gravel road where no will hear the fatal cut or see the victim fall or in well-kept yards while the residents are away...

Friday, June 29, 2007
Lawsuit Blames County Sprawl For Global Warming
The suit, filed by California Attorney General Jerry Brown represents an unprecedented legal effort to hold state counties and cities accountable for how poorly planned suburban sprawl can lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions...

Thursday, June 28, 2007
Illegal Aliens Cost Illinois Citizens $3.5 Billion Annually
(2 comments) While some politicians, including Gov. Rod Blagojevich, work to increase the benefits and services the state provides to illegal aliens, a new study finds...

Thursday, June 28, 2007
Wife Seeking Divorce From Anti-Christ Still Says He's Devine
Self-proclaimed Messiah turned anti-Christ Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda is in the middle of a nasty divorce, but despite this his future ex-wife says he is devine. . .

Thursday, June 28, 2007
Illegal Alien Questions Police Tactics
Following the mysterious death of an illegal alien this past spring, another illegal immigrant is claiming Mount Kisco officers picked him up outside a bar following a fight in 2005 and drove him out of town . . .

Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Deputies Search Car - Find Nobel Prize
Salt Lake County Sheriff Deputies arrested Russell Gillett, 24, after what they describe as a series of strange events.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Illegal Aliens Set Fires That Threaten National Forests, Agents
Using Molotov cocktails and other incendiary devices, illegal aliens and those who smuggle them are setting fires that threaten U.S. Border Patrol agents, national forests

Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Sheriff Sets Up Foreclosure Hotline To Help Homeowners
Foreclosure rates in the U.S. are reaching record numbers with millions of people losing their homes. But in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, the Sheriff's office has set up a hotline to help people on the verge of losing their homes... Video report

Sunday, June 24, 2007
Biopits Turn Animal Waste Into Treasure for Millions of Families in Rural China
(1 comments) Methane pits are turning straw and animal waste into treasure for millions of rural Chinese families. Each biogas pit produces clean and convenient fuel for a family of four and is used for cooking, heating and even lighting. . .

Sunday, June 24, 2007
Red Light Cameras Cross Secret Line To Take Your Money
(1 comments) How do you know if you've run a red light? Throw out the driver's handbook. There's a new rule in town. When it comes to red light cameras there's a special line that motorists can't cross. Where is it? Here's a clue: it's imaginary. Watch this CBS Investigative Report

Sunday, June 24, 2007
Texas Lawmakers Honor Registered Sex Offender
The lawmakers who honored Dr. Nilon Tallant as their Doctor of the Day have been left red-faced to learn from a CBS 11 investigation that Dr. Tallant is a registered sex offender previously indicted on 19 counts of sex with a child. . .

Saturday, June 23, 2007
GAO Recognizes ID Theft Problem
The Feds have finally realized just how serious a problem identity theft through online public records is, AND that government has been the biggest contributor to the epidemic.

Friday, June 22, 2007
Head-Liver Mistakenly Delivered To Horrified Michigan Couple
An errant shipment of human body parts from China wound up on the dorstep of a horrified Michigan couple

Friday, June 22, 2007
Website lets public monitor Darfur violence using satellite images
Website allows internet users to monitor most violent areas on earth with high resolution satellite images.

Friday, June 22, 2007
Satellite images show reef being polluted
Australian scientists have obtained the first visual confirmation of the theory that river sediment plumes travel to the Great Barrier Reef and beyond. You can use the same technology to uncover pollution in your hometown for free

Friday, June 22, 2007
Politics may have played a role in voter fraud allegations in Missouri
A voter fraud case brought in Kansas City, Mo., just five days before last year's pivotal congressional elections was rejected by a Missouri prosecutor as being too weak and as inappropriate to pursue so close to the elections . . .

Thursday, June 21, 2007
Former NFL Star Indicted In Mortgage Fraud Scheme
Former NFL defensive end Dwight Sean Jones and four other men have been indicted on charges they allegedly collaborated in a multi- million dollar mortgage fraud scheme. . .

Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Lawsuit Alleges Deputies Needlessly Killed Pets
A lawsuit has been filed and is seeking class action status claiming sheriff's deputies wantonly killed pets . . .

Sunday, June 17, 2007
Online Records Put To The Test
. . . After Ed Rybczynski shared his results with the state they immediately issued a warning that the government website should not be used . . .

Saturday, June 16, 2007
Red Light Camera Pose Legal Hazard For Officials
(1 comments) Running red lights is risky business. Profiting from the controversial cameras may be even riskier. Billions of dollars and your civil rights are at stake in class action suits and criminal charges filed against city official's and government contractors who profit from red light cameras in the U.S. and Canada.

Thursday, June 14, 2007
Do You Have Campaign Gap Or Bulge?
Let's start with the obvious: Candidates hate to raise money. They understand that it's a necessity if they want to win, but they still hate doing it. As a result, they tend to favor the fundraising tools with which they are most comfortable.

Thursday, June 14, 2007
Government Website Posted Private Medical Information Online
Officials acknowledged today that the personal information of 12-hundred Lynchburg people was posted on the city's website. Similar blunders put thousands at risk of a particularly dangerous type of identity theft known as medical identity theft.

Thursday, June 14, 2007
DEA Investigation Nets International Arms Dealer Tied To Terrorists
Defendant's "global munitions empire" included deals with factions in Iraq, Bosnia,Somalia, Nicaragua, Brazil, Cyprus, Bosnia, Croatia, and Iran targeting AMericans

Monday, June 11, 2007
Camera Cops Face Bribery Charges
Cops taking bribes may be nothing new but cops taking bribes for setting up red light cameras?

Sunday, June 10, 2007
Jeffs Polygamists Move to Texas
Residents and officials of this small Texas community are concerned about the declining population experienced since the 1980 but even more concerned about the effect polygamist Samuel Fischer's family will have on their community.

Saturday, June 9, 2007
Foreclosure! Ten Ways to Save Your Home
Thanks to ferocious competition among lenders, a dizzying array of mortgage options, and government policies to encourage home buyers, more people than ever are at risk of losing their homes. Here are ten ways to keep yours. . .

Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Virginia Watchdog Takes A Bite Out of Ohio
For those of you who don't know Betty "BJ" Ostergren, she is the founder of The Virginia Watchdog. Her goal is to keep the public records, which sometimes contain sensitive personal information, off of the Internet. She began her battle in 2002 when her home county in Virginia began providing its records online. Her latest target seems to be Ohio.

Thursday, May 24, 2007
Lieberman - Withdrawal Would Be Catastrophic
(4 comments) . . . The fact of the matter is, you cannot claim to be tough on terrorism while demanding that our military withdraw from Iraq, because it is the terrorists - particular Al Qaeda - that our military is fighting in Iraq. . .

Wednesday, May 23, 2007
AG Sues County Over Global Warming
California Attorney General Jerry Brown brought a lawsuit against San Bernardino County last month accusing the county of not properly considering the impact of rapid growth on global warming. This is the first time the State of California has sued a public agency for not taking global warming into account. . .

Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Officials Warn of Deed Scam - but some helping scammers
County officials across the country are warning property owners not to fall for a company offering an expensive copy of their deed. Unfortunately, some counties may be unknowingly helping the scammers to identify potential victims. . .

Sunday, May 20, 2007
The WalMart Courthouse
The aging courthouse was cramped, unsecured and difficult to work in and the county couldn't afford to renovate the historical structure. That's when County Judge Ernie Houdashell had an idea and turned to Wal-Mart . . .

Sunday, May 20, 2007
America's Lonliest Counties
(1 comments) Steeped in history and rich in tradition, these counties are the least populated and most isolated places in America according to the latest United States Census Bureau estimates. People who live in these isolated areas enjoy a lifestyle and individual freedoms that many thought had long since vanished in the United States. . . Their stories may be some of America's best kept and most fascinating secrets. . .

Friday, May 18, 2007
Colorado's Best Kept Secret
Nestled high in a valley in the Heart of the San Juan mountains, San Juan County is America's ninth least populated county, with a population of just 578. The county is home and hideaway for residents and visitors who seeking a simpler way of life.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007
US Marshal Indicted For Unauthorized Data Access
Jose Magallan, a Deputy United States Marshal stationed in McAllen, Texas, was indicted on two counts of exceeding his authorized access to and providing information from the computers of the United States Marshal Service for private financial gain.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Officials Furious Over "Gun Giveaway"
(4 comments) A gun-rights organization is planning to hold a "gun-giveaway" on Thursday at the Mason District Government Center in Annandale, Virginia to protest New York City Mayor Bloomberg's efforts to crack down on allegedly illegal gun sales in Virginia.

Monday, May 14, 2007
Grand Jury Charges Judge With Attempted Murder
LOCKNEY -- Floyd County Grand Jurors returned an indictment Tuesday of Attempted Murder and Aggravated Assault against Lockney Justice of the Peace Michelle Araujo.

Sunday, May 13, 2007
Kalawao County -- No Children Allowed, not even to visit
Kalawao County can be reached by sea or by mule train but if you intend to visit, leave your children behind. State law prohibits anyone under sixteen from living in or visiting the second least populated county in America. Even adults have to get special permission to visit. . .

Sunday, May 13, 2007
Trailer Stealin' Sherriff Convicted
... Taylor was the only full-time law enforcement officer the county's 1,654 square miles when he took an 18-foot custom trailer from Dennis Carmony's backyard, hid it at an abandoned homestead and then pretended to investigate its disappearance...

Sunday, May 13, 2007
Special Agent's Notes Sold On Ebay $2,804.06
The diaries of FBI Special Agent Max H. Roder who covered narcotics investigations throughout the entirety of his 34-year career were sold Saturday night on eBay for a winning bid of $2,804.06. The journals fill 28 notebooks with daily notes, informant lists and fugitive warrants.

Saturday, May 12, 2007
No Lawyers or Libertarians Here
"Well, goodness," Loving County Sheriff Billy Hopper explained, "if you've got to have rattlesnakes or lawyers, which one would you have?"

Saturday, May 12, 2007
The Baled Hay Church and the Tiniest Courthouse in America
(1 comments) The Pilgrim Holiness Church, located in Arthur, was built in 1928 of baled rye straw. Baled hay or straw proved an alternative to lumber or sod as a building material and was used throughout the Sand Hills. The structure is the only known church built of baled straw. . .

Sunday, May 6, 2007
IRS Proposal Could Impact Millions of Internet Users
(2 comments) The U.S. Treasury Department -- in an effort to track down unreported small business income -- is seeking legislation requiring brokers of personal property, such as auction houses and consignment stores, to collect personal data on their customers and share it with the Internal Revenue Service.

Sunday, May 6, 2007
MySpace Returns Page To Hapless Obama Supporter
Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign organization reportedly took over a MySpace page created by a once ardent California supporter and refused to pay Joe Anthony for the time and effort he invested in developing the successful page.

Sunday, May 6, 2007
Six Steps To Electronic Identity Theft Prevention
Electronic identity theft is rampant but there are some important steps that every consumer can take to safeguard their identity. News for Public Officials (NFPO) collected the six things top experts say everyone should do, or at least know about, to protect themselves and their family from becoming a victim of identity theft.

Saturday, May 5, 2007
Illegal Alien Issue Trumps Deep Pockets Of Opponents
Proving once again that issues matter more to voters than campaign ads, an election that many considered a de facto referendum on the city's Illegal Alien Immigration Relief Ordinance resulted in proponents of Carpentersville's ordinance handily defeated opponents with deeper pockets. . .

Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Cyber Assasination
Internet Bloggers maliciously publicizing personal identity information including the victim's Social Security number is emerging as a major political problem, and the information is often culled from online public records.

Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Is the Media Really Biased? I Don’t Think So.
(3 comments) If you don't have the stomach to handle a slaughterhouse, then you might not want to read this Hot Tip because I'm about to slaughter one of the conservative movement's most sacred cows.

Sunday, April 29, 2007
Quality or Quantity - Which is best for your campaign
Every campaign at every level must constantly choose between quantity and quality when it comes to campaign communication. Unfortunately, what looks like the right choice often turns into a vote-costing nightmare for many campaigns.

Sunday, April 29, 2007
State's Bloated Database Causes Voter Registration Delays
"This is a statewide problem, and an inexcusable one at that, because the system we had before worked perfectly," Marlowe said. . . Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams said "The truth is that TEAM isn't worth a darn." . . .

Saturday, April 28, 2007
Lawsuit Alleges Commissioners Leaked Information to Favored Vendor
PENNSYLVANIA -- A lawsuit filed in federal court contains an allegation that two Republican County Commissioners leaked information to a favored vendor during contract bidding process.

Saturday, April 28, 2007
Mexico's Top Crime Family Trafficking in US Identities
Maybe you've never heard of the Castorena family but they make it their business to know plenty about you. The Castorena Family Organization is Mexico's top crime family and they have made a fortune selling US identities.

Saturday, April 28, 2007
How Your Good Name Became a Worldwide Commodity
Public records traditionally kept in paper form at the courthouse have become commodities openly traded on the Internet in digital form.

Friday, April 27, 2007
Clerk and Deputy Sheriff Sentenced for Children's ID Theft
A former city employee and a deputy sheriff have been sentenced for a tax fraud conspiracy scheme involving the theft of children's identity.

Friday, April 27, 2007
Online Counties Blew CIA Cover
Crewsdon states, "The Chicago Tribune computer searches that produced the identities, workplaces, post office box addresses and telephone numbers of hundreds of CIA employees here and abroad relied entirely on public records, not private data. The data the Tribune used were derived from telephone listings, real estate transactions, voting records, legal judgments, property tax records, bankruptcies . . .

Saturday, April 21, 2007
TN Moves to Allow Guns In Public Buildings
(1 comments) NASHVILLE - In a surprise move, a House panel voted today to repeal a state law that forbids the carrying of handguns on property and buildings owned by county and state agencies. . .

Friday, April 20, 2007
Governor Perry's Collosal Abuse of Power
(1 comments) Turns out Texas Governor Rick Perry may have had ulterior motives when declaring social security numbers were no longer confidential. Less than a month later we learn of his super-collection of data on fellow Texans, data that isn't guarded by proper security, but housed in the governor's own office...

Friday, April 20, 2007
Two Lessons Candidates Should Learn from Imus
Regardless of how you feel about the whole Don Imus controversy, there are a few important lessons every candidate could learn from what happened. Not surprisingly, both lessons deal with how you communicate to voters...

Saturday, April 14, 2007
What WIll A Data Breach Cost The Taxpayers?
Security breaches can cost elected officials dearly when it comes to a marred public image and loss in voter confidence but the financial costs to the taxpayer can be staggering. Now one company is providing a free online tool to calculate the risk and another offers a million dollar guarantee to anyone who was compromised by the breach.

Saturday, April 14, 2007
The Governor's Database
Texas is amassing an unprecedented amount of information on its citizens Piece by piece, Republican Gov. Rick Perry's homeland security office is gathering massive amounts of information about Texas residents and merging it to create the most exhaustive centralized database in state history. Warehoused far from Texas on servers housed at a private company in Louisville, Kentucky . . .

Saturday, April 7, 2007
The Murder of Amy Boyer
(1 comments) Far too often as we grapple with the issue of balancing the privacy of Americans with the necessary and legitimate uses of Americans' personal information the debate centers on discussions of "data", but not the lives behind the "data". I'd like to begin by focusing on one life behind one set of data...

Wednesday, April 4, 2007
County Will Pay $587,500 To Settle Wrongful Drug Seizure Lawsuits
(1 comments) The settlement of three federal civil cases against the office of former Muskogee County District Attorney John David Luton will cost the county more than a half million dollars

Sunday, April 1, 2007
Politickin' Ain't Cheap
(1 comments) I've just read "Business, bureaucrats hope lawmakers trump Abbott's SSN rule" in Legal News Online and wonder if you noticed who was missing from that headline. How about the citizens of Texas? That noted, let's clear up a few things.

Sunday, April 1, 2007
GOP Calls For Veto of Clerks Amnesty Bill
(1 comments) Texas GOP Calls for Veto of Online Clerks' Amnesty Bill

Sunday, April 1, 2007
Indians Pose as Texans to Tutor NY Children
(1 comments) For the past year more than 2,000 New York children have been interacting with online tutors who claimed to be from Texas but were actually based in India.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007
CA SOS Moves to Protect People from Identity Theft
(1 comments) California Secretary of State Debra Bowen announced last Thursday the implementation of several new security measures that will protect the privacy of Californians and help them avoid becoming identity theft victims. Is it too little too late?

Saturday, March 24, 2007
Califonia Caught Selling Social Security numbers
(1 comments) Identity thieves from half way around the world are making peoples lives miserable while data aggregators and underground websites give international criminals everything they need to steal your good name. Now a California lawmaker is furious that the state of California has been selling peoples Social Security numbers online. . He bought several fo r $6 Each

Saturday, March 24, 2007
Credibility isn't what you think
(1 comments) Credibility is critical to your campaign. It's the single most important element of effective communication. You must be credible in the minds of normal people for them to even consider voting for you. That's common sense. What's not common sense – and what's often misunderstood by candidates – is what credibility really means to normal people.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007
I Know Who You Are
(1 comments) I know who you are. I know who you married and where you two live now and even where you used to live. I know which bank you used when you bought a home, the account number, how much you borrowed, and when your final payment is due. I can tell you the name of the person who prepared those documents and which lawyer closed the loan and where. And if you want proof, I can send your social security number...

Sunday, March 18, 2007
Don't Let Identity Theft Rob Your Election Campaign
(1 comments) Concerns about ID theft from online records swept candidates in and out of office in 2006. Voters sent a clear message that ignoring their need for security is dangerous for political futures. The message could be the key to the office you seek, or the lock that bars your re-election in 2008. The voters were talking. Was your candidate paying attention?

Thursday, March 15, 2007
Publishing Adresses Legal, but not right
(1 comments) How one newspaper used electronic 'public' records and put 135,000 people at risk. Brian Mosely's professional advice to journalists should be read by every citizen before their elected officials do even worse.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Texas counties illegally posting Social Security numbers online, AG says
(1 comments) Like dozens of county governments around the country, Fort Bend County in Texas has for the past several years been posting public records containing Social Security numbers on its Web site. The records are accessible to anyone in the world with an Internet connection and are routinely sold to list brokers, real estate companies and mortgage firms...From Computer World

Saturday, March 10, 2007
That's No Hooker! It's My Wife - City faces $10M Lawsuit for false identity
(1 comments) A Montgomery Alabama woman has filed a lawsuit against the city after police identified her as a prostitute based on false identification provided by a subject. The suit is seeking $10 million in damages from the city and individual city workers involved.

Wednesday, March 7, 2007
New bill will prohibit State and County agencies from displaying your private information
(1 comments) "It's time to do what we should have been doing for the last 17 years,"...would prohibit a state or local government entity from disclosing a Social Security number and other sensitive information ... . .

Sunday, March 4, 2007
A Matter of Magnitude Beyond Jurisdictional Control
(1 comments) For years, the Attorney General has warned citizens to safeguard personal information. Yet today government Websites allow anyone to search and seize our papers at the click of a mouse.

Monday, February 26, 2007
Expert Reports on How AG's Ruling Will Impact Your Privacy Rights
(1 comments) . . .clear example of how preventing the distribution of SSN's can affect the distribution of, or posting of medical records to the Internet by counties, cities, School districts, and private organizations the nation. . .

Sunday, February 25, 2007
I Know Who You Are.
(1 comments) I know who you are. I know who you married and where you two live now and even where you used to live. I know which bank you used when you bought a home, the account number, how much you borrowed, and when your final payment is due. I can tell you the name of the person who prepared those documents and which lawyer closed the loan and where. And if you want proof, I can send your social security number...

Sunday, February 25, 2007
Attention Shoppers: Texas Will Be Closing in Ten Minutes
(1 comments) If there had been time, that would have been an appropriate headline all over Texas today as word spread about the recent interpretation of privacy laws by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott . . .

Sunday, February 25, 2007
Think Your Social Security Number Is Secure? Think Again - New York Times
(1 comments) NY TIMES --It should come as little surprise that Social Security numbers are posted on the Internet . . . BUT "people are always astounded" to learn that theirs is one of them.

Saturday, February 24, 2007
Attorney General Says County Websites Could Land Officials In Jail
(1 comments) n a long awaited opinion released last Wednesday, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott clarified the responsibilities of public officials to protect confidential information contained in documents under the clerk's care. In particular, Abbott pointed out that under various state and federal laws Clerks are prohibited from displaying documents containing Social Security numbers over the Internet...

Saturday, February 24, 2007
Expert - Charges Could Be Filed Against Texas Official
(1 comments) The broadcasting of Fort Bend County citizens' public records containing sensitive information such as Social Security numbers was . . . The bottom line, said Bloys, is that Wilson "is in violation here. She never should have done it. She can take this (information) down, but she can't undo the damage she's already done."

Saturday, February 24, 2007
County Clerk Slapped by AG Ruling
(1 comments) Fort Bend County Clerk Dianne Wilson may have violated criminal law by posting Social Security numbers among county documents on her office's Web site, according to an opinion released this week by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007
How Much Does Your Bank Owe You
(1 comments) Federal Judge says you may be due a refund of everything you've paid to live in your house for years. This could turn the tables on deceptive mortgage lenders.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Fugitive TX Official Captured In Mexico
(1 comments) Omar Guerrero is behind bars tonight after Mexican officials captured the Former Texas Hidalgo County District Clerk in Reynosa, Mexico. Guerrero fled to Mexico after he was charged with sexual assault on a 15 year old girl. . .

Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Libertarians Respond To Failed Plan To Take Over America's Loneliest County
(1 comments) In November of 2005 Texas Rangers notified Libertarian Larry Pendarvis that he and other Libertarians were wanted for 'knowingly making a false statement on a voter registration application'. The charges could be upgraded to conspiracy. Pendarvis responded with charges of his own...

Saturday, February 17, 2007
Ian Katz, Take a Deep Breath
(1 comments) Sun-Sentinel reporter Ian Katz advises everyone worried about ID theft to "Take a deep breath". Here's hoping Ian takes his own advice after learning it took less than sixty seconds to locate a home address, social security number, and a lot of personal history bearing his name.

Saturday, February 10, 2007
Iraq Vet Jailed for Crimes of Foreign Imposter
(1 comments) Alfredo Toscana was on his way to his niece's sixth birthday party when he was stopped for speeding in Claude, Texas. Minutes later, a bewildered Toscano was arrested and his car impounded for a crime he knew nothing about.

Sunday, February 4, 2007
The Government Is Trafficking in Your Security
(1 comments) The practices of commercial data brokers and government agencies can rob consumers of their privacy, threaten them with identity theft and profile them as dead beats or security risks, according to an investigative report in Consumer Reports...

Saturday, February 3, 2007
Your Sins Will Find You Out
(1 comments) That was a gentle moral warning my grandmother was fond of quoting, meaning no matter how clever, secret, or private you consider your misdeeds, at some point they will come to light. She was right. . . Read on. Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (ACS) is a worldwide data management company whose contracts include county clerk offices across America . . .

Saturday, February 3, 2007
I'm Not Drunk, and You're No Cop
(1 comments) The traffic cones diverting traffic into one lane of Highway1431 in Round Rock, Texas looked real enough. So did the flashing red and blue lights on the black and white cruiser. The unmarked car parked nearby looked official. The two men claiming to be police officers looked like cops...

Saturday, February 3, 2007
Save Our Land Records
(1 comments) We can't let greed filled folly, thievery, incompetence and lack of foresight destroy the land record system or the integrity of the real estate transaction. Please join us in sending a message...

Thursday, January 18, 2007
ID Theft Bill Targets Government Websites
(2 comments) Law enforcement agencies have known for years that criminals were using government websites to gather information on victims. Senator Dianne Feinstein's new legislation could cut criminals off from this rich source of sensitive data.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Home Stolen - Twice!
(2 comments) A Kentucky couple's home was stolen twice before they even knew about it. Until the retired couple began receiving mail for a man they'd never heard of, there was no indication anything was amiss. Then their bank called.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Newly Elected Clerk Moves Quickly To Protect Citizens
(2 comments) Less than a week after taking office, newly elected Oneida County Clerk Sandra DePerno made good on her campaign promise to pull the plug on sensitive records that her predecessor had posted online.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007
A Trillion Little Pieces
(2 comments) FindMyID Senior Analyst Jan Forster traces the circular path your most private information takes on the way to becoming a commodity for trade by international data traffickers. Follow Jan as she tracks your sensitive information through the expressways and back alleys of the Internet.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007
America's Most Wanted Criminals Aren't Americans
(14 comments) 49% of the most wanted violent criminals in America are foreign nationals.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007
E-Vote Testing Lab Suspended for NOT Testing
(2 comments) We can't prove anything, so neither can the Feds The leading certifier of US electronic voting systems, Colorado outfit Ciber, Inc., is no longer permitted to issue certifications, after federal investigators discovered appallingly haphazard testing regimes, the New York Times reports. . .

Friday, January 5, 2007
Business groups claim ID law an invasion of privacy
(3 comments) A finance industry trade group has sued Connecticut over an imminent deadline to force state contractors to disclose the identities of spouses and children of executives and managers. The law was passed a year ago and spearheaded by Christopher Caruso, a state representative from Bridgeport who is co-chairman of the Legislature's Government Administration and Elections Committee. Lawmakers intended the campaign finance act.

Friday, January 5, 2007
State urges taxpayers to watch for identity theft in wake of misprint
(3 comments) MILWAUKEE The state Department of Revenue today is urging taxpayers to contact credit bureaus to guard against identity theft after acknowledging late last week that Social Security numbers for 171-thousand taxpayers inadvertently ended up on mailing labels.

Friday, January 5, 2007
Grand Jury questions county workers' tuition program
(3 comments) Cops chasing law degrees. Court clerks deconstructing the Old Testament. A firefighter studying medicine offshore and acupuncture in California. When it comes to the educational dreams of Miami-Dade County employees, there is no limit to what taxpayers are required to finance...

Friday, January 5, 2007
Privacy May Be Casualty Of New Photo Search Software
(3 comments) A Swedish startup is combining software and humans to help make photos and other images more easily searchable online, raising privacy concerns as the technology eases the tracking of people across Web sites...

Thursday, January 4, 2007
Counties work to hide personal data
(3 comments) Jaikumar Vijayan with Computerworld interviewed several county officials and public records experts to learn first hand what local county officials across the country are doing and not doing to protect their citizens.

Thursday, December 28, 2006
Homeland Security Investigates Courthouse Workers
(3 comments) It happened in February 2006 when county officials discovered that more than half of the workers in the courthouse at night had Social Security numbers that were false, belonged to someone else or belonged to someone who had died.

Thursday, December 28, 2006
Governor Furious After State Publishes Doctors' Private Information Online
(3 comments) At least several hundred Social Security numbers of health care providers were posted to the Internet in a Vermont contractor's mistake.

Thursday, December 28, 2006
Former Top Cop Plans to Teach Drug Dealers How to Avoid Detection
(3 comments) Barry Cooper used to be a drug-enforcement officer for police departments in Gladewater and Big Sandy, Texas, as well as for the Permian Basin Drug Task Force. He made over 800 drug arrests and confiscated over $500,000 in cash and assets. Now, he calls that career choice a mistake.

Thursday, December 21, 2006
How Criminals Steal Homes
(3 comments) Criminals have discovered how easy it is to get real estate with no money down: just steal it off the county website. According to convicted identity thief Christopher Scott, "It's the thing to do now".

Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Top Stories and Links for Public Officials in 2006
(3 comments) This year, News for Public Officials provided hundreds of investigative reports, expert opinion and how-to articles to thousands of public officials and concerned citizens across the country. NFPO writers and researchers provided source material for articles published in The New York Times, Computer World, U.S.A. Today and Bloomberg News.. This is what thousands of elected officials were reading in 2006.

Saturday, December 16, 2006
County Posts Personal Taxpayer Info Online
(3 comments) According to WRAL-News, Johnston County officials recently posted personal information for thousands of residents, including Social Security numbers, on the county Website. According to North Carolina officials, this breach was an accident but News for Public Officials has learned that counties across the country are knowingly posting your most private information on their websites.

Friday, December 15, 2006
Red Light Cameras Trigger Suit Against City
(3 comments) A lawsuit has been filed in Scott County District Court seeking class action status against the city of Davenport. The lawsuit claims traffic cameras violate Illinois state code and are only a moneymaker for the city. These lawsuits are popping up all across the country as more and more citizens fight back against cities' attempt to exploit the citizens in the name of safety. Article includes link to interested lawyers.

Friday, December 15, 2006
Motorist Moons City's Money Makers
(3 comments) Outraged motorists find creative ways to protest traffic cameras. News Video WARNING: Partial Nudity

Thursday, December 14, 2006
Redaction Failed - Travis County Puts Sensitive Records Back Online
(3 comments) Six months ago, Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir pulled the county's huge collection of digitized documents from the County Website. Last week the re-elected clerk exposed thousands of medical, financial, & personal records on her new "redacted" site.

Thursday, December 14, 2006
Take It Off -- Take It All Off!; America's newest battle cry against the identity theft crises
(3 comments) Americans across the nation are discovering the root of international identity theft is their own county website.

Thursday, November 23, 2006
Texas Draws Line in the Sand Against Drug, Human Smugglers
(3 comments) In a political advertisement, Texas Governor Rick Perry said, "If the federal government won't protect our borders, Texas will!" According to a recent report by the Department of Homeland Security, the lone star state is off to a good start.

Saturday, November 11, 2006
Hold the Pickles, Hold the Pot - Special seasoning upset cops
(6 comments) Police officers in Los Lunas New Mexico weren't asking, "Where's the beef, " when they stopped in last October to enjoy some late night burgers. What they found in their cheeseburgers landed three Burger King workers in jail and the fast food chain facing a lawsuit. The Isleta tribal officers thought they tasted something unusual . . .

Thursday, October 26, 2006
Elections Website Exposed Over 1 Million Voters to Identity Theft and Voter Fraud
(3 comments) Registering to vote could cost you your identity. A civic organization in Illinois recently showed officials how they found sensitive personal information including everything identity thieves and election fraudsters. Over 1 Million Illinois Voters are at Risk.

Thursday, October 19, 2006
Judge orders County Recorder to leave office
(3 comments) Calling it a "daunting and difficult decision" District Judge Doug Herndon has ordered Frances Deane to clean out her desk and leave the office of Clark County Recorder. The judge ruled she will lose her title before her term is up in November.

Thursday, October 19, 2006
Sheriff destroys wrong crop
(4 comments) Waltman was first puzzled, then outraged as he watched Sheriff George Payne and his crew destroy his $225,000 crop. The crop the deputies were cutting down wasn't marijuana...

Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Man sues sheriff over repeated mistaken identity arrests
(3 comments) A man whose name was used by another man as an alias in the early 1990s has filed a federal lawsuit against Collier County sheriff's officials. The suit accusing the officials of repeatedly arresting him on another man's warrant.

Friday, October 13, 2006
Who's Side Are We On?
(3 comments) More news from the second front: the battle for the border continues and our government is on the wrong side. Opinion Editorial from U.S. Representative Judge Ted Poe (TX-02)

Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Corruption Charges Move Forward Against Former County Recorder
(3 comments) LAS VEGAS -A judge has cleared the way for former Clark County Recorder Frances Deane to stand trial on corruption charges. Dean is charged with 19 felonies that alleged she sold data belonging to thousands of her constituents.

Wednesday, October 4, 2006
States face multiple lawsuits over vendor's ad inserts
(3 comments) Harvey Ressler of Kansas City, Missouri believes the state broke federal law when they partnered with a marketing service company to deliver unwanted ads in his mail. He intends to hold the state and their partner responsible for breaching Federal privacy protection. Motorists in New York, Ohio, Florida and Minnesota have filed similar suits. . .

Wednesday, October 4, 2006
Can Watchful Cybercitizens Curb ID Theft?
(3 comments) For a few hours a day, Steven Peisner calls strangers across the U.S. -- sometimes at night -- and reads to them their Social Security numbers and credit card data. Though many recipients immediately suspect he is an ID thief, Peisner's intent is just the opposite: He is a digital whistle-blower. . .

Thursday, September 28, 2006
Red Light Cameras Exposed Thousands To Identity Theft
(3 comments) If you've been caught on a red light camera lately, you may have more bad news on the way. Your private information may have been seen by identity thieves all over the world. That's what 8800 motorists who traveled through Savannah, Georgia learned last week. Identity thieves have had easy access to the sensitive personal information on motorists who tripped the city's red light camera since last February.

Tuesday, September 12, 2006
DA files suit against sheriff
(3 comments) The first female district attorney in Sherman County, Oregon has filed a workplace harassment lawsuit against the sheriff she investigated last year for fatally shooting the County Treasurer's son.

Tuesday, September 5, 2006
County level security breaches aiding ID thieves, stalkers and terrorists
(3 comments) County Websites across the country contain millions of searchable records brimming with all the ingredients identity thieves, stalkers, and terrorists need to steal your identity, stalk your children, or target American infrastructure.

Tuesday, September 5, 2006
Texas District Clerk Speaks Out
(3 comments) Twenty-year veteran District Clerk Glory Hopkins speaks out on County Commissioners, the Conference of Urban Counties, "volunteer" committees, government vendors and a plan to take control of 80% of all the public records in Texas.

Friday, August 25, 2006
Voto Latino Launches First Cell Phone Voter Drive
(3 comments) Voto Latino, a nonprofit bi-partisan organization announced today that is launching the first mobile voter drive. The campaign will be powered by Mobile Voter's TxtVoter, a free nationwide text messaging voter registration service that any organization can use anytime and anywhere.

Friday, August 25, 2006
How Criminals Use Online County Websites
(3 comments) A common, often repeated myth among proponents of online records is that," Nobody has ever documented a single case of identity theft using the online records." Usually, the "expert" will end the statement with a disclaimer that says, "that I'm aware of." Warning to proponents of online records: If you want to remain an uninformed "expert", stop reading now!

Thursday, August 24, 2006
Think Your ID Is Secure? We Found It Online.
(3 comments) You'll never guess who put it there. All across America, county offices are succumbing to the demands of data brokers to sell their stash of community identities at wholesale prices. Using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), they take county registries of deeds and recorder offices to court - and often win. Or, they simply hand over enough cash to satiate your local registrar and walk away with your life history.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006
How Does Identity Theft Occur?
(3 comments) No matter how careful you think you are when it comes to who gets access to your personal information, your own county government and their corporate partners have been giving away your sensitive information. These lawyers will hold them accountable.

Monday, August 21, 2006
County Website Worries Officials
(3 comments) Information provided by county website and local officials may have aided criminals.

Saturday, August 19, 2006
The Pilfering of the Public Record by Pirates of Privacy
(3 comments) Shredding your documents and monitoring your credit does not protect you when state and local governments publish your private information on the Internet and sell it wholesale to databrokers.

Thursday, August 17, 2006
Government Website Exposed 202,000 Social Security Numbers
(3 comments) Access to the agents private information was caused during an upgrade to the Bureau's web-site feature that allows the public to look up agency and agent information. This on-line feature is specifically designed to allow consumers to check whether an agency or individual is licensed in Virginia.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Online records raise identity theft concerns
(3 comments) Counties weigh privacy issues against data brokers right to access data online

Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Ohio Supreme Court Overturns Eminent Domain Rulings
(3 comments) The court's decision stands in opposition to the United States Supreme Court's decision last year in Kelo v. New London that stated the seizure of private property for an economic development project to be completed by a private party is a valid use of the power of eminent domain under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Saturday, August 12, 2006
Class Action lawsuit filed against Boone County Board and Treasurer
(3 comments) Landowner claims Boone County Board members broke the law. The lawsuit claims the County Board held seven illegal special budget meetings.

Thursday, August 10, 2006
County for Sale - Investigative Report of the year
(3 comments) "A remarkable look at how a zealous county clerk has been selling public records and putting people's lives on the Internet, raising important issues about the balance between the public's right to know and the right to privacy,"

Thursday, August 10, 2006
Unregulated blogs promote wild political rumors
(3 comments) One candidate is a racist, another has a hard-partying daughter and a third is a gambling addict. So say anonymous bloggers. Unlike other campaign vehicles, such as mail pieces or TV ads, blogs aren't covered by campaign finance laws and regulations because they are considered media. Bloggers can spend what they want and get money from wherever they please without disclosing its origins.

Tuesday, August 8, 2006
The Campaign Tool Chest
(3 comments) One of our readers asked us to search the Internet for the best free or nearly free campaign tools and solutions we could find. We gathered advice from seasoned campaign professionals and experts from the marketing and technology fields.

Tuesday, August 8, 2006
Strategic News for Local Candidates Nationwide
(3 comments) Creative campaign tricks, strategies, and tactics used by local candidates nationwide. Compiled by News for Public Officials

Tuesday, August 8, 2006
Retired government employees asked to repay $28,000 each
(3 comments)

Tuesday, August 8, 2006
Federal Jury Awards Woman $351,000 In ID Theft Lawsuit
(3 comments)

Monday, August 7, 2006
The Role U.S. Counties May Be Playing in International Deed Fraud
(3 comments) Police reported the fraud as a new twist on identity theft where criminals used a copy of a signature and driver's license number to file a fraudulent deed. News for Public Officials found the information the criminals needed on the county website.

Monday, August 7, 2006
Identity Thief Used Stolen Identities of Children to Steal Homes
(3 comments) Identity theft isn't just for grownups. Across the country criminals are using children's identities as alliases to buy homes, apply for goverment loans, and more.

Monday, August 7, 2006
Federal Judge Orders County Imaging Software Destroyed
(3 comments) News for Public Officials learned the software contained a programmers back door that would allow access to sensitive information contained in the county documents.

Monday, August 7, 2006
Suffolk County Taxpayers Privacy Petition
(3 comments) Petition to stop Suffolk County government from publishing the private information of taxpayers online

Monday, August 7, 2006
TITLE ASSOCIATION WARNS AGAINST ONLINE PUBLIC RECORDS
(3 comments) The National Association of Land Title Examiners and Abstractors (NALTEA) expresses grave concerns and opposes the online publication of the public records due to the sensitive information the records often contain.

Tuesday, August 1, 2006
Suits, Charges Plague State Technology Vendors
(3 comments) Accusations include bribery, computer piracy, improper access by foreign entities, privacy breaches, inadequate customer service, questionable business practices, unjust enrichment, stock option backdating, and foreign ownership.

Saturday, July 29, 2006
Police fear being hunted down with realty records
(3 comments) County's Website poses threat to police and citizens.