![]() ![]() That could have been lifted from what Attorney General John Ashcroft said a few years later: "The Internet is perhaps the most pernicious medium for obscenity. ![]() "Prosecution of cases involving relatively small distributors can have a deterrent effect." ![]() "Investigation and prosecution of Internet obscenity is particularly suitable for federal resources," Holder wrote in a memo. In 1998, Holder talked about using federal obscenity law to crack down on porn Web sites featuring consenting adult performers. In terms of free speech and pornography, Holder's views also previewed, in some ways, what Bush's attorneys general would later propose. In others, the former deputy attorney general seems to have gone further than his colleagues in advocating more powers for police. In some cases, Holder's statements echoed the position of Justice Department staff members or political appointees, many of whom clashed with civil liberties groups. He also called for new powers for federal prosecutors, some of which became law under President Bush as part of the USA Patriot Act. His remarks indicate support for laws mandating Internet traceability, limits on domestic use of encryption, and more restrictions on free speech online. This story was written by CNET's Declan McCullagh.Įric Holder, President-elect Barack Obama's pick for attorney general, drew applause from liberal Democrats earlier this year when he denounced the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program.Ī review of Holder's public statements, speeches, and testimony when he was a top Justice Department official in the Clinton administration, however, reveals a more nuanced record on privacy. ![]()
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