FCC Chief Calls for Probe of Phone Cos.

[kpete]

FCC Chief Calls for Probe of Phone Cos.
By DOUGLASS K. DANIEL, Associated Press Writer
Mon May 15, 8:48 PM ET

WASHINGTON - The Federal Communications Commission should investigate whether phone companies are violating federal communications law by providing calling records to the National Security Agency as part of an anti-terrorism program, an FCC commissioner said Monday.

"There is no doubt that protecting the security of the American people is our government's No. 1 responsibility," Commissioner Michael J. Copps, a Democrat, said in a statement. "But in a digital age where collecting, distributing and manipulating consumers' personal information is as easy as a click of a button, the privacy of our citizens must still matter."

USA Today reported last week that AT&T Corp., Verizon Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp. began turning over tens of millions of phone records to the NSA after the spy agency requested the records shortly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The paper reported that the NSA is building a massive call databank to analyze calling patterns.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060516/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/eavesdropping_fcc_1

[bigtree]

1. Chairman Kevin J. Martin nominated by Bush

He served on the Bush-Cheney Transition Team and was Deputy General Counsel for the Bush campaign.

Two Democrat commissioners:

Michael J. Copps
Commissioner

Jonathan S. Adelstein
Commissioner

One republican:

Deborah Taylor Tate
Commissioner


FCC Commissioners

The FCC is directed by five Commissioners appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for 5-year terms, except when filling an unexpired term. The President designates one of the Commissioners to serve as Chairperson. Only three Commissioners may be members of the same political party.