Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Constitutional Issues Big brother is watching

A short time ago I witnessed a curious incident. I had walked up front about 11:45 am (Central) to check on some irrigation, when I observed a WFEC truck with boom bucket back up to their utility pole in front of my neighbors. The driver and his assistant were the only ones in the truck. The driver got into the bucket, which was raised up to the transformer, and I saw him remove something from it. When the bucket was lowered to the ground, the driver and his helper then made a big production about something. They had a new transformer, which was thinner and longer than the one on the pole, and I watched them raise it with the bucket. I figured that they were “upgrading” transformers, but I was mistaken. They installed this new transformer on the same pole to service the mobile home across the street, which had been serviced by the existing transformer. However, they didn’t remove the existing one. I was surprised that the utility hadn’t installed an additional transformer when they first ran an electric line to the new mobile home a few months back. At any rate, there’s now two transformers serving both residences. Also, my neighbors’ dogs weren’t around as usual to bark at the utility workers and their truck. Well, it’s about time that WFEC supplied better service to their customers by installing another transformer. I’m surprised that they hadn’t done so earlier.

I still haven’t received a reply to my Jacksonville FBI complaint or FOIA. It’s easy to substantiate my charges, just check the FDLE’s and area Sheriff Departments’ serial numbered inventory for unaccounted bugs and tracking devices. However, “they” make it difficult to prove. For example, I took Bill (I have a loofah and I’m not afraid to use it) O’Reilly’s challenge regarding if you were subject to privacy abuse. Bill was bloviating (sp?) through his O’Tuckus when he said that he didn’t have one case of such abuse. At any rate, Bill took my call, said that “we’ve got one,” cut me off while I was trying to say that there were “no checks and balances,” and connected me to one of his producers, who took my phone number and email address. Realize that I had not sent any evidence of my charges to O’Reilly. When I didn’t hear from his producer after two weeks, I figured that they killed the story.

O’Reilly is not only smart, but very smart. Some of his “librul” critics are calling him “nuts.” He’s not “nuts,” but probably does have some reason to be paranoid. I don’t listen to him regularly, so one day I was amused to hear him admit that he had “ONLY ONE” such surveillance abuse victim, but that the victim was a “REAL LOSER” and in “LITIGATION.” If O’Reilly was referring to me, I’ll concede the “LOSER” point, but disagree with the in litigation one. They don’t let you litigate these things. Incidentally, the power was cut to the residence a short time ago- about 1:20 p.m.- and then shortly came back on. Hmmm, I wonder what that was about? My only question is- if Bill was referring to me: Why are all these "winners" so interested in surveilling a loser?

Joe

The USPS verified delivery of my 11-20-07 FOIPA Request (EB 390622106 US) on 11-21-07 addressed to the Special Agent in Charge FBI Jacksonville Field Office. Because of contradictory and inconsistent instructions, I filed two earlier FOIPA Requests: one with FBI HQ (Request No.: 1091663-000) and one with the Jacksonville FBI Field Office (Request No.: 1095794-000). In response to my FBI HQ FOIPA Request, David M. Hardy, FBI HQ Section Chief, wrote in his 9-21-07 letter: “To promptly respond to requests, we concentrate on identifying main files in the central records system at FBI Headquarters. No records responsive to your FOIPA requests were located by a search of the automated and manual indices. If you desire a search of the Field Office files, you must contact the appropriate Field Office.” Incidentally, the FBI tells you to contact the Field Office for a search of their files, which I did.

As stated above, I filed a FOIPA Request with the Jacksonville Field Office at the same time that I filed one with FBI HQ. Since I hadn’t received a reply to my Jacksonville FOIPA, I phoned the Jacksonville Special Agent In Charge regarding its status. The secretary transferred me to the person who handles these requests. He said that he had handled them up until some one else who handled them but left the FBI and he’s handling them again. He told me that he would look for my letter and get back to me. On 11-5-07, he got back to me and said that he forwarded my letter to FBI HQ and FBI HQ would reply and that he doesn’t have a clue as to what’s going on. When FBI HQ didn’t reply within an additional 20 working days (up and above the time my FOIPA already sat in Jacksonville, FL), I filed an appeal on 10-24-07 with the DOJ based on the fact that the FBI Jacksonville Field Office didn’t reply to my request within the statutory period.
On 11-19-07, I received a reply from David M. Hardy, Section Chief, FBI HQ to my Jacksonville FOIPA (remember earlier when Mr. Hardy instructed me to contact Jacksonville?) who wrote in 11-7-07 letter: To promptly respond to requests, we concentrate on identifying main files in the central records system at the Jacksonville Field Office. No records responsive to your FOIPA request were located by a search of the automated and manual indices.

Simple and obvious question: Why is Mr. Hardy responding to my FBI Jacksonville Field Office FOIPA Request?

If you’ve been paying attention and following this, Mr. Hardy’s statement sounds silly, but I may be unduly cynical or harsh in my criticism. So I filed my 11-20-07 FOIPA Request (USPS# EB 390622106 US), which requested the following:

1) Any and all records and my communications and correspondence, including letters, faxes, telephone calls, and emails, to the FBI Jacksonville Field Office, the FBI Jacksonville Special Agent In Charge, and the FBI Jacksonville Civil Rights Supervisor regarding my letter (EXPRESS MAIL #EB 401574474 US) charging the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Holmes County Sheriff’s Department with illegal electronic surveillance and harassment.
2) I am requesting a copy of any Jacksonville FBI documents, notes, memos, and records attached or associated with my correspondence.
3) I am requesting a copy of any and all records including logs, daily activity/time sheets, memos, intake forms, notes, saved emails and recorded phone conversations, quality control records, and processing records pertaining to any and all of my communications and correspondence to the FBI Jacksonville Field Office regarding my charges of illegal electronic surveillance and harassment by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Department.
4) I am requesting a complete and thorough search of all the FBI Jacksonville Field Office’s, FBI Jacksonville Special Agent In Charge’s, and FBI Jacksonville Civil Rights Supervisor’s files, including personal files and records and any other files that may not appear in the central records systems at the Jacksonville Field Office, for any record, note, memo or reference to my complaint charging the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Holmes County Sheriff’s Department with illegal electronic surveillance and harassment.
5) I am requesting a copy of any records, notes, and memos of any Jacksonville FBI Field Office telephone calls or other communications to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and/or Holmes County Sheriff’s Department, and/or any other agency by Agent Chris (no last name provided) with whom I spoke on June 1, 2007 and/or any other Agent or FBI personnel to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and/or Holmes County Sheriff’s Department, and/or any other agency regarding my charges of illegal electronic surveillance and harassment by the FDLE and Holmes County Sheriff’s Department from the time period June 1, 2007 to November 20, 2007.
6) Copy of any records, notes, and/or memos of receipt, intake, and processing of my complaint charging the FDLE and Holmes County Sheriff’s Department with illegal electronic surveillance and harassment.
7) Copy of any records, notes, and/or memos of receipt, intake, and associating of my supplemental evidence envelope (EXPRESS MAIL #EB 032491235 US) with my complaint charging the FDLE and Holmes County Sheriff’s Department with illegal electronic surveillance and harassment.
8) Copy of FBI Agent’s case file regarding my charges of illegal electronic surveillance by the FDLE, Holmes County Sheriff’s Department, and/or any other agency, and the Agent’s Report of Investigation. If my case was not assigned for review or investigation, I am requesting any records, notes, and memos as to why my complaint was not assigned for investigation or if review is still pending.
9) Copy of FBI and FBI Jacksonville Field Office policies and manuals regarding receipt, intake, review, and any time period in which complaint must be reviewed, acceptance, rejection, and assignment or closure of a complaint charging police misconduct, abuse, and violation of civil rights.

According to my congresscritter, the Honorable Jeff Miller (MOC) the FBI may not even get back to me because of "privacy." Whose privacy? Mine? I think that like the rest of this Administration which he has consistently supported he's full of beans.

My simple question to the Jacksonville FBI Special Agent In Charge: What's the status of my complaint charging the FDLE and Holmes County Sheriff's Department with illegal electronic surveillance? Is there a basis to my charges or isn't there?

Subject: Joseph Michael Keegan

I received the USPS delivery record this past Friday and it shows that my 11-20-07 FOIPA Request was delivered on 11/21/2007 at 11:37 AM in JACKSONVILLE, FL 32211 to D MOODY. The scanned image of the recipient information revealed that a Darlene Moody signed for it. Presumably the Jacksonville FBI Special Agent In Charge Michael Folmar received my letter and took appropriate actions. I suspect that both state and local law enforcement have been apprised. There’s either a record of my complaint or there isn’t. If there is a record, then the FBI is required by law to supply the requested information or else claim an exemption.

Hopefully FL law enforcement doesn’t attempt to provoke any parties that they may have cut deals with or otherwise influenced in order to direct these parties’ fears and concerns towards me. FL LEO’s had done so in the past with their “star” witnesses (now doing “life”) who supplied statements and possibly affidavits to serve as a pretext to investigate under the color of law.

Numerous FL Public Record requests, however, to the FDLE General Counsel, Holmes County Sheriff’s Department, OAG, and SAO, revealed no records of any investigation related directly or indirectly to me. It’s not a question of if I can prove these “off-the-books” investigations, but rather if I would be allowed to prove them. I didn’t whine about the “warning shots” fired at me in the past or the bullets whizzing past my head. No one likes a crybaby. However, enough is enough, and I don’t want a repeat, especially by anyone who believes that they’ll be protected by the Powers That Be. State and local law enforcement for the most part isn't in the FBI's league. The FBI knows this. From now on, whatever happens is Jacksonville FBI Field Office Special Agent In Charge Michael Folmar's responsibility/

Subject: Joseph Michael Keegan

Around 8:50 a.m. this morning, a large WFEC bucket truck pulled up to the utility pole out front that they had mounted a second thinner transformer on Oct. 30, 2007. The driver and his helper lingered, which is unusal because WFEC employee do move it. At 9:00 a.m. a second WFEC utility arrived and pulled up to the utility pole. It looked like a truck crane with the hook at the end of the boom. I was surprised to see it also had outriggers, which stabilize cranes. As the second truck lowered its outriggers, the first truck raised its bucket to the transformers and the technician began disconnecting the wires connecting the two transformers to each other. I thought that they intended to replace the smaller thinner transformer with a larger one, but that wasn't the case. The second truck raised it boom with bucket and hook, but there was no new transformer. Instead they hooked onto the thin secondary transformer that they had installed on Oct. 30, 2007, and lowered it to the ground. There was no replacement. The driver and helper from the first bucket truck finished up and left first. The second crane/bucket truck left shortly after the employees raised and secured the outriggers and transformers. Usually just one truck performs this operation, but I guess that they either had an extra truck or were on a tight schedule. Both trucks had left by 9:15 a.m. As I said, WFEC employees are efficient. Fortunately my neighbors dogs weren't around to get in the way. Finally, I can't help but wonder why they put that new additional one up in the first place only to take it down in December?

what are you doin' to bring this on yourself, joe? you piss off a moderator or somethin'?

Stootch,

Bad Karma, just kidding. Personality flaw: I'm not the type to just roll over and take whatever crap some anus with teeth, a cheap tie, and an overly developed sense of self esteem throws at me. Former Gov. Jeb Bush asked me the same question. I told him, "They burnt an AUSA." He didn't pursue it any further. It's a long story, but...when an AUSA appeared about ready to do the right thing in a matter that I was involved in long ago and far away, "they" got some local cops to arrest the AUSA's son on trumped up charges to keep the AUSA quiet. It worked. As I moved south of the Mason Dixon line the cops became increasingly involved not even knowing why other than they might benefit somehow and the whole thing took on a life of its own which had nothing to do with how it began. By time Florida law enforcement realized that they had been used, they had their own scandals to cover-up. As I said, it's a long story, but that's it in a nutshell.

Joe

The USPS verified delivery of my letter(Receipt Number: EB39 0615 975U S)to FBI Director Robert Mueller.According to USPS Track & Confirm:"Your item was delivered at 3:07 AM on December 14, 2007 in WASHINGTON, DC 20535 to FBI 20535 PU . The item was signed for by M SIMON." I also enclosed with my letter a copy of the same VHS video-tape that I sent to FL State Attorney Steve Meadows, who refused to admitt whether or not he viewed it. This uppity peasant (er,...um- I mean, American citizen with "rights")presummed to request an investigation and a copy of the report of the investigation (ROI). I also asked Director Mueller to explain the Honorable Jeff Miller's comments that because of "privacy" the FBI may not even get back to me.

Did we really need the Patriot Acts to make this kind of stuff legal? Do you really believe that they couldn't do this sort of surveillance to a suspected terrorists if they wanted? So what does this mean to the average American? Not much, unless you get on some agency's list for some reason, and it's taking less and less to get on someone's list.

Joe

Another public servant has disappointed me. FBI Director Mueller hasn't replied to my complaint, so I filed a FOIA/PA Request (USPS Delivery Confirmation #0307 0020 0004 6109 1009) requesting the following:

1) Any and all records of my communications and correspondence, including any VHS videotape, to FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III, regarding my letter, dated December 11, 2007, in which I charged violations of my civil rights and official police misconduct by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Holmes County Sheriff’s Department, and the West Florida Electric Cooperative Association. In my letter to FBI Director Mueller, I also requested an investigation and a report of the investigation;
2) I am requesting a copy of any FBI documents, notes, memos, and records attached or associated with my correspondence and/or case file, including logs, daily activity/time sheets, memos, intake forms, notes, quality control records, and processing records;
3) I am requesting a copy of any records, notes, and memos of any FBI DC Headquarters telephone calls or other communications to any other office or agency regarding my charges and request for an investigation; and,
4) Copy of FBI Agent’s case file regarding my charges of illegal electronic surveillance by the FDLE, Holmes County Sheriff’s Department, and/or any other agency, and the Agent’s Report of Investigation. If my case was not assigned for review or investigation, I am requesting any records, notes, and memos as to why my complaint was not assigned for investigation or if review is still pending.

The USPS verified delivery of the above FOIA as well as my Freedom of Information Appeal (USPS #0307 0020 0004 6109 1016)regarding my FOIA/PA to the FBI Jacksonville Special Agent In Charge. I treated the Jacksonville FBI Field Office's failure to make an initial determination whether to comply with my FOIA within the statory period as a denial of my request and appealed their decision.

I called the Jacksonville FBI Field Office on 12-28-07 regarding the status of my request and spoke to the Duty Agent that day. Since my last call when I spoke to "Chris," they've tightened up security and even stopped giving their first names, so I'll refer to this public servant as Duty Agent #2. DA#2 said that he'd get back to me and later that day he left a message that my FOIA's in the system, but he can't find it. At any rate, I never received a letter notifying me of whether or not they intend to comply with my request, so I appealed their failure to reply as a denial.

Joe

The DOJ replied to my Jacksonville FBI FOI Appeal that the FBI denied receiving my second Jacksonville FOIPA Request and that they referred it (I include a copy with my appeals) to the FBI. However, a FBI employee signed for it. And, the 12-28-07 Jacksonville FBI Duty Agent left a message on the TAD that he found my request in the system, but couldn’t locate a physical copy. Simply put: The FBI lied, and probably placed it in a ‘special’ file. I also treated the FBI’s failure to make an initial determination regarding my FOIPA Request to FBI DC HQ requesting a copy of my complaint and evidence that I sent to FBI Director Mueller as a denial and appealed. This time, however, I included a copy of the USPS delivery confirmation of my FOIPA Request with my appeal, which I sent via PRIORITY MAIL on Feb. 11, 2008 from A FL P.O. However, when I checked USPS Track & Confirm on Saturday, Feb. 16, it still hadn’t been delivered. So I mailed another one PRIORITY MAIL later that morning from Enterprise, AL. Coincidentally, the USPS delivered my first one the next day on Sunday, Feb. 17. This second one coincidentally also took 5 days to reach DC, arriving on Feb. 21. PRIORITY MAIL takes 2-3 days to reach DC, even from rural AL. I guess they changed the delivery schedule.

So what’s the BFD that they’re still crapping on Joe out in the woods? The BFD is that they can easily do this you, despite what you may believe.

Joe

I appealed the FBI's failure to respond to my 11-20-07 FOIA. I sent my FOI Appeal PRIORITY MAIL- DELIVERY CONFIRMATION NUMBER 0307 1790 0001 6068 3078- this past Saturday, 3-08-08, from Bonifay, FL. The clerk said that it will arrive in DC in 2 or 3 days. I've pasted in part of the text from my FOI Appeal below.

"On November 20, 2007 I sent the Jacksonville FBI Field Office a letter via EXPRESS MAIL (#EB 390622106 US) requesting access under the FOIA to all records concerning my communications and correspondence to the FBI Jacksonville Field Office charging the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Holmes County Sheriff’s Department with illegal electronic surveillance and harassment. The USPS verified delivery of my FOIA request letter on November 21, 2007. I have enclosed a copy of the USPS’s receipt signed by a “xx” verifying delivery. On the morning of December 28, 2007, I telephoned the Jacksonville FBI Field Office regarding the status of my request letter. I spoke to the Duty Agent, who refused to identify himself for security reasons. He said that he would check and get back to me. Later that afternoon this same Duty Agent left a message on the answering machine that he found my request in the system, but the guy who processes them put it somewhere and he can not find it. I mailed a letter dated January 5, 2008 formally appealing agency’s failure to meet the FOIA’s deadlines. I received a letter dated January 30, 2008 (enclosed) from xxxx, Supervisory Administrative Specialist, who advised me that the FBI has no record of receiving my request and referred it to the FBI. Ms. xxxx wrote that I could appeal any future adverse determination made by the FBI. To date, I have received no letter advising me of whether your agency intends to comply with my November 20, 2007 FOIA request. "

Joseph Michael Keegan