Friday, January 01, 2010

TSA harasses bloggers

I am puzzled by this story. The NY Times reports:
Agency Drops Bloggers’ Subpoenas

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Transportation Security Administration on Thursday dropped the subpoenas it had issued to two Internet writers in its effort to learn who leaked an airline security directive.

The agency said the investigation was “nearing a successful conclusion, and the subpoenas are no longer in effect.” ...

One subpoena went to an Internet travel writer, Chris Elliott of Winter Springs, Fla., who did not immediately comply. ...

The other blogger, Steven Frischling of Connecticut, said he had been forced to hand over his computer to agents.
It appears that the TSA got what it wanted. The story says the agency "dropped the subpoenas", as if it backed down in the face of Free Speech challenges. But the rest of the story says the opposite, and suggests that the bloggers were forced to give up the info.

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