Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Feds Invoke Secrets Privilege to Limit Qwest CEO Defenses in Civil Suit

Ryan Singel writes on Threat Level:

The nations' top intelligence official told a Denver court Monday that the nation's safety would be imperiled if Qwest employees are allowed to get classified documents about the telecom's secret contracts with the National Security Agency. The employees, who include former CEO Joseph Nacchio want the documents about NSA contracts to fight a civil suit filed against them by federal financial regulators, accusing them of defrauding shareholders in 2001.

In a 12-page affidavit, Directtor of National Intelligence Michael McConnell told a federal district court that turning over to the defense any information about classified and unclassified contracts, including dates of meetings between the telecom giant and the intelligence community "reasonably would cause damage to the national security." Nacchio - along with Robert Woodruff, Afshin Mohebbi, James Kozlowski and Frank Noyes - are being sued for millions in damages in civil court by the Security and Exchange Commission.

More here.

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