[Dewayne-Net] SF reviews contracts with AT&T over domestic spying

[Dewayne Hendricks]

AP NewsBreak: SF reviews contracts with AT&T over domestic spying
- By SCOTT LINDLAW, Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, July 11, 2006

(07-11) 14:02 PDT San Francisco (AP) --

City officials are investigating AT&T's alleged cooperation with the
National Security Agency and considering possible "consequences" the
company could face in its extensive municipal contracts here if it is
violating civil liberties, Mayor Gavin Newsom said Tuesday.

"If what I'm reading is true, I've got some serious problems as a San
Franciscan, as a taxpayer and as mayor," Newsom said in interview
with The Associated Press. "And I don't like it."

A federal lawsuit filed by Internet privacy advocate Electronic
Frontier Foundation accuses the telecommunications giant of illegally
cooperating with the NSA to make communications on AT&T networks
available to the spy agency without warrants. According to the
lawsuit, AT&T allowed the NSA to install data.m.ining equipment in
secret rooms at AT&T offices in San Francisco and a handful of other
cities.

Last month, the government urged a federal judge to dismiss the suit,
saying it threatens to reveal state secrets. The judge's decision is
pending.

Newsom said he has asked City Attorney Dennis Herrera to conduct
"fact-finding" on the matter. But the mayor also said he has
completed his own compilation of "all of our current business
relationships the city has with AT&T."

That review, which includes expiration dates and other obligations,
"may be suggestive that if we conclude that this is sincerely
problematic, there may be a desire to not just make a symbolic
statement of opposition, but to make a substantive one."

The mayor said he did not know the value of AT&T's contracts with San
Francisco. Nor would he provide a timetable for completion of the
city attorney's probe.

"I recognize the ability, (from) a local perspective, to perhaps have
a little more influence because we do have a strong relationship with
AT&T and I'd like to continue that," he said.

"But I also think it's a two-way street," Newsom said. "If you're
going do business with us, and San Francisco always has, we say,
please help represent the values of the people that are actually
purchasing those goods and services, meaning the taxpayers of this
city."

The city attorney probably has the power to subpoena, Newsom said,
adding that he did not know for sure. If true, that would mean the
city might have the power to learn details of the program that have
not been publicly disclosed.

[snip]

URL: <http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2006/07/11/
financial/f140225D55.DTL>

Weblog at: <http://weblog.warpspeed.com>

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