Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: Jonathan Story Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: BC Politician's Cellular Calls Taped; Big Mess Ensues Message-ID: <10741@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 11 Aug 90 23:20:27 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: TELECOM Digest Lines: 45 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 562, Message 3 of 6 Concerning the affairs of former British Columbia Attorney General Bud Smith and the recordings of his phone calls: In article <10708@accuvax.nwu.edu> mc@sickkids.toronto.edu (Ms Mary Corey) writes: X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 559, Message 4 of 12 >I've read several articles about this case, but none of them have >stated information about the quality and duration of these recordings. The excerpts that went out over radio and TV were of poor quality, and other parts were apparently indecipherable. >However they do say that a scanner was used. My impression is that it >is not possible or very difficult to identify and deliberately record >a particular cellular subscribers phone conversations, nor is it >easy/possible to follow that conversation from cell to cell. Can this >be explained, is it legal, or is the cellular stuff just a smokescreen >to hide an (illegal) wiretap? This information might be wrong, but I seem to recall reading that the tapes were not recorded from cellular calls but rather conversations that the minister made through a mobile telephone that works something like marine radio ("AutoTel", I think). There are a small number of channels (six?) that are accessible throughout the province and I suppose Smith wanted to be able to stay in touch even when he was visiting some backwater whistlestop. As far as I know, the individual who admitted to making the tapes was nothing more than a news-gathering type creature who had a grudge, a scanner, and a recorder. The sins, if any, that the A-G committed are, in my opinion, exaggerated (although government drones have yet to speak.) To me, his most criminal act as a politician was using what amounted to a CB radio and thinking no one else would listen in. Incidentally, as part of the fallout, last I heard is that Smith is being sued by some lawyer who was maligned in a taped "private" conversation between the A-G and his deputy. My guess is that the suit will get laughed out of court; or have defamation cases been won elsewhere under such odd circumstances? jonathan@jspc.wimsey.bc.ca