June 19, 2012

SandBoxBlogs: Watchdog.Org "IA: Secretary of State denies release of emails related to identity theft case"

Good for Iowa Sec of State Matt Shultz.  Who was exonerated from accusations of state ethics law violations.

This was the first case in the judicial history of the United States where law enforcement took charge of the outdated, vague and sorely lacking 'identity theft' laws when it comes to internet crime. 

Because Shultz is a public figure and not a  private citizen made the courage of law enforcement to take on now convicted Zach Edwards and the infamous 'Link Strategies' company he was associated with even more significant. 

Public figures have far less ability to protest attacks on their lives from false allegations or types of viral assaults such as Zach Edwards did.  Private citizens attacked in similar manner are protected more strongly by the 4th amendment.  Even though the act committed against both is the same.

Kudos to Matt Schultz for keeping hands on the reins and not letting media fester what is now a historic ruling that benefits all victims of internet crime and 'high-tech lynchings' by others.    

Sheena Dooley:
"DES MOINES – The Iowa Secretary of State’s Office is refusing to make public emails related to an identity-theft case involving its elected leader Republican Matt Schultz and a former Barack Obama presidential campaign staffer.

Iowa Watchdog asked the secretary of state’s office multiple times for emails related to the case. It also sought access to all documents associated with the former Obama staffer, Zachary Edwards, including written correspondence, emails, police reports, phone logs and written notes to staff......

.......Edwards, 29, committed identity theft when he sent at least one email saying Thomas Schultz received inappropriate payments from former GOP presidential nominee Rick Santorum, court documents show. He sent that email to Matt Schultz’s Secretary of State office from an email address that was almost identical to the secretary of state’s personal address.

Edwards was also behind a libelous blog post that prompted articles in The Salt Lake Tribune and
Politico.com accusing Thomas Schultz and his brother of engaging in unethical or illegal behavior, according to Thomas Schultz’s victim impact statement.

Around the same time, Matt Schultz, 33, faced an ethics complaint for using his office to issue a statement sharply criticizing Jon Huntsman for his failure to participate in the Iowa Caucuses. Matt Schultz received at least $12,500 in campaign contributions from a political action committee Santorum ran. Thomas Schultz was behind the Draft Santorum website urging his candidacy for president.

The Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board later tossed out the complaint, saying Matt Schultz didn’t violate state ethics laws......"  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetic pursuit and tracking of patterns within news others make since 2010"

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