RSSCongress Asks HP Execs to Testify
By Ed Oswald | Published September 15, 2006, 3:11 PM
The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Friday expanded its probe into the Hewlett-Packard press leak scandal by asking several people involved to testify at a hearing on the matter scheduled for September 28. Among those asked to testify are chairwoman Patricia Dunn and general counsel Ann Baskins, as well as two people outside of HP.
All four have been asked to appear at the hearing, and the testimony would be part of a larger seven-month investigation into "pretexting," or the process of impersonating a person to gain access to information that is not available without the victims consent.
The hearing appears to be solely focused on HP's own actions, as the committee has titled it "Hewlett-Packard's Pretexting Scandal." It would be chaired by Kentucky Republican Rep. Ed Whitfield, who is the head of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
At this time, appearance is voluntary, although Congress has subpoena power if it wishes to force those involved to testify. Such action seems unlikely, however, as HP has indicated that it would cooperate fully with all investigations.
Friday's news follows several other developments in the matter. Late last week, the California attorney general's office indicated it was investigating the matter after media reports said the company had hired an outside broker to peer into the phone records of both HP directors, as well as at least nine journalists.
On Monday, the DOJ announced it was launching its own investigation into the matter, and the resulting fallout from the legal inquires cost chairwoman Patricia Dunn her job on Tuesday. Later that night on PBS' NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, California Attorney General Bill Lockyer indicated he had sufficient evidence to charge HP executives and their outside contractors.
In addition to the investigations discussed above, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the FBI have also launched their own inquiries into the matter. HP has declined to say whether it would push Dunn and Baskins to testify at the hearing, although it repeated it is cooperating fully with the authorities.
I'm not too amazed at this and here is why.
(Albeit "obscure" for some of you I suppose)
Boston Herald, Page 18, lower left hand corner.
HP story was told with reference to Michael Chricton, author. The 1st book of his that came to mind - Jurassic Park.
If you don't remember, the movie (about dinosaurs) took place, south of the USA border, off the coast of South America.
What's this got to do with HP?
Simple,
I've got a relative whom told me during the mid nineteen nineties she work(s) (then) for HP and probably still does to this day.
Now as for south of the American border, that same relative nowadays works with Anti-Nuke X-Ray along with Anti-Sniper tracking technology, some out of Los Alamos and some out of Kentucky (with a home in Hyannisport, MA). She, along with her husband are current members of the Office Of Science & Technology, White House.
*I* recently ordered an HP Pavillion, not due (according to Tech Depot) until October 4, 2006 - earliest yet received word two days ago it had been shipped.
Remember, the location in the Boston Herald I wrote of? Lower left hand corner - that would be the same position as Southern California - Arizona & New Mexico, along the Mexican border.
That border according to "Rick Johnson" of (of all places) Patriots-Politics-Playmates of Yahoogroups.com (and who knows where else) posted twice that Al-Queda has successfully brought nuclear armaments into mainland USA - via Mexico within the last two years.
Would you be "listening" to an HP conversation too? Was it a real member of HP? This *I* don't know, no word from a relative - yet.
*For the record, Mr. Johnson is quite aware of his words and the fact that the subject might not have taken place as of yet, it is in "planning stages" meaning not across the border yet, this current storm off the coast of Mexico is the perfect breeding ground, just like New Orleans, LA. (so said President Bush about terrorists getting into the USA shortly after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita).
More in detail at http://www.mahlers.com
William K. Mahler
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|Now, if someone would investigate HP's almost total lack of product support, that would be worthwhile. This is meaningless.
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|This is an opportunity for good old fashion re-election campaign payola. ;-)
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|How many separate govt organizations does it take to gather evidence and come to a conclusion on a single incident?
FBI...
DOJ...
SEC...
House Energy and Commerce Committee...
California attorney general.
Who is next? The US attorney general hasn't even gotten involved yet.
Yikes, what I gigantic waste of taxpayers money that these organizations can't collaborate.
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|I agree. I don't understand why separate investigations have to occur; or why do government organizations have to be involved if a single organization is handling the matter?
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|...
"I don't understand
why separate
investigations have
to occur; or why do
government organizations
have to be involved if
a single organization
is handling the matter?"
...
The reason is really very simple:
The California authorities and the FBI are ~both~
investigating because state laws are not the same
as federal laws.
As for the FBI and the DOJ ...the former is just
the investigative arm of the latter. So no overlap
there.
As for the SEC, they're looking into civil violations
...whereas the FBI/DOJ is mainly examining criminal
violations.
Here ends your civics lesson.
...
The Computer Rodent
...
"Share a file /
Be forced to go
out on a date with
Cindy Sheehan !"
...
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