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# Government gone wild III
- URL: https://www.chrismessina.me/blog/government-gone-wild-iii/
- Published: 2006-05-02T18:19:50.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-25T03:43:23.000Z
- Author: Chris Messina
- Tags: Civil liberties, Society & economy

[](http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/att/?ref=chrismessina.me)What's that line in Syriana? "You're not guilty until you're investigated"? Something like that. And speaks volumes that, which seems terribly apropos, given that, without admitting any malfeasance, the government has decided to [intervene](http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2006%5F04.php?ref=chrismessina.me#004613) in a *civil case* [filed by the EFF against AT&T](http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/att/?ref=chrismessina.me) for their role in aiding the government [spy on US Citizens](http://www.wired.com/news/technology/security/0,70785-0.html?tw=rss.technology&ref=chrismessina.me). You don't see this often, folks, but yes, the government has decided to call up [designated hitter](http://wiredblogs.tripod.com/27BStroke6/index.blog?entry%5Fid=1468765&ref=chrismessina.me) "[State Secrets Privilege](http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,68894-0.html?ref=chrismessina.me)". Which basically reads "Ok ok, the jig's up, you figured us out, game's over. But now that you know, drop it. Don't fuck with the government, or we'll fuck with you." (*No really, I looked it up!*). Anyway, the case isn't cold yet owing to a potentially independent-thinking judge -- which is basically the Kryponite of this administration. Anyway, food for thought from Gmail's Quote of the Day: Henry Ward Beecher - "The worst thing in this world, next to anarchy, is government."