Editor: In his commentary published Tuesday in the Tracy Press regarding the privacy of City Council member Suzanne Tucker’s email related to the proposed bio-lab at Site 300, Tim Michael Case makes some important points, most notably the onus on the city to provide computers and email addresses to those doing business for the city.
However, when expressing fascination at the fact that those ‘clamoring’ for release of emails related to city business are the same individuals complaining about warrant-less interception of private communication, Mr. Case fails to recognize and/or discuss the notable difference that in only one of these cases, due process is followed.
There is no due process with warrant-less ‘wire-tapping’, gagged retrieval of library, phone and internet records, or opening our mail – one of the latest bogus claims of authority by the Bush Administration in their attempts to circumvent the authority of the Judicial Branch, bypass the Constitution with regard to unreasonable search and seizure and dismantle our civil liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.
In the case of the Press’s attempt to further transparency of government, no one is hacking into Ms. Tucker’s computer or email account to illegally retrieve the information. Rather, due process is being followed.
Daniel Wells, Tracy