GAO Tells Markey the FBI Had Dealt With Carrier Security Officers, and Neither the FBI Nor Industry Had Studied Wiretap Alternatives
- A General Accounting Office letter dated July 17, 1992 answered a request from Rep. Edward Markey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce telecommunications subcommittee, who “asked us to evaluate” the technological alternatives available to the FBI for wiretapping voice and data communications.
- GAO wrote that, “since 1986, the FBI has become increasingly aware of the potential loss of wiretapping capability” because of new technologies.
- On how the FBI had dealt with carriers, GAO wrote that these security officers “were the designated company contacts” for the FBI’s wiretapping needs, meaning the telephone companies’ security officers, according to the FBI and industry officials.
Research Gaps
- The GAO original could not be fetched from gao.gov; the text above is the copy reprinted in the 1994 joint-hearing record, read from OCR.
- The GAO letter’s own findings on alternatives are classified at the FBI’s request, per the letter.
Sources & Citations
[1]
Digital Telephony and Law Enforcement Access to Advanced Telecommunications Technologies and Services: Joint Hearings, 103d Cong., 2d Sess., S. Hrg. 103-1022 (Mar. 18 and Aug. 11, 1994), reprinting GAO letter B-249358 to Rep. Edward J. Markey, July 17, 1992, pp. 217-219
— U.S. Government Printing Office (Internet Archive full-text scan); original GAO report not retrievable (gao.gov returned 403)
· Jul 17, 1992
Tier 1
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Tier 4 opinion or single-source.
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Cite this entry
The Cascade Ledger. “GAO Tells Markey the FBI Had Dealt With Carrier Security Officers, and Neither the FBI Nor Industry Had Studied Wiretap Alternatives.” The Capture Cascade Timeline, July 17, 1992. https://capturecascade.org/event/1992-07-17--gao-letter-markey-fbi-wiretap-proposals-carrier-security-officers/