Report: Feds serve search warrant on suspected Palin e-mail hacker
posted at 6:04 pm on September 21, 2008 by Allahpundit
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As “rubico” himself so memorably said, “if this sh*t ever got to the FBI I was f***ed.” With today’s news, I think we can safely say that the sh*t has indeed gotten to the FBI.
Worst party evah:
A person who identified himself as a witness tells 10 News that agents with the FBI served a federal search warrant at the Fort Sanders residence of David Kernell early Sunday morning. Kernell lives in the Commons apartment complex at 1115 Highland Ave…
A Department of Justice spokesperson confirmed there has been “investigatory activity” in Knoxville regarding the Palin case, but she said there are no publicly available search warrants, and no charges have been filed.
A separate law enforcement source confirmed to 10 News that a search warrant was served on Kernell’s apartment.
According to the witness, several agents arrived at The Commons of Knoxville around midnight.
They presented their badges upon entering Kernell’s apartment, where several students were having a party, and took down their names.
The witness tells us they asked him and those who did not live in the unit to go outside. He believes the investigators took about 1.5 to 2 hours taking pictures of everything inside the apartment.
What were they doing serving a search warrant circa 1 a.m. on Sunday morning? Just maximizing the embarrassment by crashing this kid’s party, a sort of buzzkill di tutti buzzkills? Kind of jerky — yet kind of awesome.
Needless to say, continue to exercise caution; just because they think he might have evidence doesn’t necessarily means he’s the suspect. But as the Jawas point out, if this is all a coincidence or a case of mistaken identity, it’s a pretty spectacular one. Exit quotation: “David Kernell excelled at chess while at Germantown High School and won the 2004 Tennessee Open Scholastic Chess Championship. Internet searches show someone uses the handle rubico on chess Web sites. In addition, an inactive blog, with one post dated May 2004, included rubico as a username. Its author identified himself as a chess player from Memphis named David.”
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Someone needs to print up this T-shirt:
“I hacked Sarah Palin’s email and all I got was a lousy FBI search warrant.”
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on September 21, 2008 at 8:48 PM
Let’s keep a little perspective here. The punk, if guilty, needs to be charged but it isn’t “crime of the century” material. It’s akin to the Wisconsin Dem offspring who spent election eve slashing tires on GOP leased vehicles.
That being said, let’s take a riff from the left and question what in the hell is Mike Kernell doing in public office instead of staying at home and raising his children. This punk clearly needs more parental attention than he’s getting while daddy is in public office.
highhopes on September 21, 2008 at 8:53 PM
There are federal sentencing guidelines. Federal courts are a lot toughter on sentencing than a lot of state ocurts. The problem for the kid and his father is that there is so much publicity, and a “slap on the wrist” could create more of a stink.
The kid might get lucky with a Clinton appointee, but federal judges are appointed for life. They’re not that concerned with local politics. If they were, we wouldn’t have crooked politicians in Philadelphia getting hit with federal bribery trials and tough sentences.
As I noted above, a local news anchor is facing federal jailtime for hacking into his co-anchor’s personal email and leaking some private matters to the local paper. High-priced lawyer and lots of “remorse” don’t cut it with a federal judge.
Wethal on September 21, 2008 at 8:53 PM
I hope this needle finds out what mercy is at the hands of the First Dude and the First Soldier of Alaska.
Let the Barracuda eat some more Barack Hussein!
HotAirJosef on September 21, 2008 at 8:54 PM
Excellent,from a Clint Eastwood movie.
The E-mail hacker,”Hang’em High”!(Kidding of course)!
canopfor on September 21, 2008 at 9:01 PM
Alternate t-shirt:
“This sh*t got to the FBI . . . and I got f***ed.”
seanrobins on September 21, 2008 at 9:02 PM
I’m just guessing mind you, but a certain youngster named David is probably about to learn how to make a whole bunch of licence plates…
Zorro on September 21, 2008 at 9:03 PM
But compare the case of local Philadelphia (ex)news anchor, Larry Mendte, who hacked into his former (female) co-workers e-mail in an attempt to destroy her career, and did so hundreds of times, over an extended period of time.
Larry ended pleading guilty, and though he has yet to be sentenced, the agreement was that he plea to a single count, and get very little jail time.
Ah, (sweet?) justice???
seanrobins on September 21, 2008 at 9:05 PM
If this is the punk responsible for hacking Gov Palin’s email I hope he gets enough punishment to deter other hack punks.
We spend billions because of A-holes who think its lots of fun to screw up our lives, catch them all and hang them up by their toes, in public.
Speakup on September 21, 2008 at 9:07 PM
My guess: The Feds got the warrant either Friday night or Saturday morning, but Kernell had made himself scarce since the first time he was contacted. The Feds were tipped by a reliable source (perhaps an outraged conservative student?) that he was definitely in the apartment at the time.
I can imagine that the fear at the moment was that alcohol consumption might get the party goers in trouble. When it turned out to be the FBI, there must have been more involuntary elimination than at your usual college bash.
L.N. Smithee on September 21, 2008 at 9:14 PM
“It’s akin to the Wisconsin Dem offspring who spent election eve slashing tires on GOP leased vehicles. ”
It’s akin to walking over to your neighbor’s house, stealing the mail from their mailbox and going through it just to see if there might be anything “interesting” that you might use to publicly embarrass them. Pretty low.
crosspatch on September 21, 2008 at 9:38 PM
Sadly I don’t think he will. Beisdes, hackers won’t care. They have teenage mentalities and think they are invincible. It won’t deter a thing.
cannonball on September 21, 2008 at 9:39 PM
Hackers are often scared of real authority. Give ‘em the screws, FBI!
bryan2369 on September 21, 2008 at 9:40 PM
“What were they doing serving a search warrant circa 1 a.m. on Sunday morning?”
The best evidence of his intrusion is probably on the hard drive of his computer–if the hard drive is still there and intact.
My guess is that they were able to convince the Federal Magistrate to allow special night time service of the search warrant based upon the exigency that Kernell might destroy the hard drive or what is on it at any time. Obviously he knows he’s a suspect and has access to his own computer
CalFed on September 21, 2008 at 9:41 PM
I aint!
TheSitRep on September 21, 2008 at 9:51 PM
WODR, it’s not that trivial.
Presuming Kernell is “rubico10″ and that he is the one who posted the details on the /b/ board, he made it pretty plain that his intention was to ruin Governor Palin (bold mine):
The opinion of the tipster who wrote to Michelle Malkin and cut-and-pasted rubico’s confession is that in addition to intending to post all the contents of the account on Rapidshare.com, rubico’s intent in posted the changed password to 4chan’s /b/ board was to allow the in/famous Anonymous pranksters to “do what thou wilt” to Palin’s account, and reputation:
If Malkin’s tipster has it right, if not for that one crowbar-throwing “White Knight F*cker” Palin potentially might have been sullied as a distaff Bernie Ward for at least 48 hours. We’ve continued to observe how the MSM moves like Usain Bolt to negate charges that might knock Barack’s halo askew
L.N. Smithee on September 21, 2008 at 10:10 PM
With the role that computer records and transactions play in today’s world, hackers should be doing hard time with violent offenders. They should be considered as dangerous as armed robbers. Think it’s too harsh, ask someone whose ID has been stolen what they think.
Also, is this case of hacking an attempt to tamper with an election? I know it’s a stretch, but you know the motivation was to get rid of Palin as a contender.
TugboatPhil on September 21, 2008 at 10:13 PM
That’s my guess about the outcome. Maximum penalty possible.
The federal building where I work in had an idiot who “responded” with vague death threats over an adverse performance appraisal. He was stupid enough to name the five individuals he was going to take out in an e-mail. This was essentially an empty threat and everybody knew it BUT the feds swooped in and charged him with the maximum specifically to send a message.
I think the same thing is going to happen here. The hacking has such public audience now that the punk will be punished for publishing his findings.
highhopes on September 21, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Good analogy except you left out the part where there was nothing embarrassing so you announce in public that you were suprised that you didn’t find anything to nail your neighbor with.
highhopes on September 21, 2008 at 10:18 PM
The little turd “rubico” said his goal was to find dirt on troopergate to use against her and ruin her career. He needs some serious biatchslapping.
Big John on September 21, 2008 at 10:27 PM
“you left out the part where there was nothing embarrassing so you announce in public that you were suprised that you didn’t find anything to nail your neighbor with”
7|-|@ \/\/0ULD b3 jU$7 pL41|\| $7UP1D
crosspatch on September 21, 2008 at 10:27 PM
I’m sure more than one Anonymous told this tripfag that the point of anonymity is so that they can’t identify you.
apollyonbob on September 21, 2008 at 10:33 PM
But what if it doesn’t stop at the kid? What if? Really who does the kid kibitz with? I would think the FBI, might be interested in who he had in his address book, and who he was communicating with about this awesome idea he had, to hack into a Vice Presidential Candidates private email (conspiracy). I wonder if there will be any incriminating tracks to lead the FBI to other search warrants? Just because the folks wipe their hard drives clean, doesn’t mean their tracks are cleared or their messages are not on a cyber server in cyber land for days if not months. Once on the Internet always on the Internet. Sloppy or just Arrogant? tuff call probably both.
Dr Evil on September 21, 2008 at 10:56 PM
He used a tripcode? Epic Fail
Ars Moriendi on September 21, 2008 at 11:13 PM
I already know he’s an idiot. But if the hard drive is still in his computer, then I’ve drastically overestimated his intelligence.
Jaibones on September 21, 2008 at 11:15 PM
That said, I hope they crucify the little dickeater. But they won’t.
Jaibones on September 21, 2008 at 11:16 PM
I think he let himself be used as a proxy (like a pawn), for someone else to get into the account.. (he said it was only 1 proxy, that may be true.. one proxy “which” he was, maybe the other people are the real ones to blame.. Obama’s campaign)
for this kid to hot be able to Secure his IP, better than that, though more than one? and… then to post the full screen shot? he was wanting to get caught!
Chakra Hammer on September 21, 2008 at 11:19 PM
I wonder what took the FBI so long on this? I imagine the kid had plenty of time to destroy the evidence.
t.ferg on September 21, 2008 at 11:47 PM
I guess. Don’t know what me and my buds would have done if raided by the Feds, no less, in the middle of a bong party.
Can you imagine? “Put down the bong and stand against the wall!” Well, shit. So much for first semester.
BacaDog on September 22, 2008 at 12:01 AM
I actually feel this might be the one thing the FBI has done that well connect with this kids brain. He will see that as totally uncool. Somewhere down the line he will connect it with being publicly embarrassed by an invasion of his privacy, though this one is legal. Hopefully he will understand the irony of it and appreciate the enormity of what he has done wrong it was now that he has become a victim as well.
I think it would be best to let him contemplate that for about two to five years in a federal pen. Then maybe he will get it.
Hawthorne on September 22, 2008 at 12:23 AM
As punishment he can scoop poop for the Palin’s team of dogsled dogs.
Mojave Mark on September 22, 2008 at 12:45 AM
Hopefully.
Or better yet, the alleged FEMA camps they’ve built up in Alaska.
I wonder about the father’s role: What did he know, and when did he know it?
Tommygun on September 22, 2008 at 2:04 AM
Yeah I agree. Something feels not right, too easy. Time will tell.
artchick on September 22, 2008 at 3:14 AM
The Tennessee papers are reporting that the FBI served several subpoenas on his friends — which is probably the best explanation for the late-night party-time visit. Catching all the little cockroaches in one place at the same time has a cool efficiency about it — and with no media around to sensationalize and misreport, even better.
Nichevo on September 22, 2008 at 5:27 AM
Ain’t no party
like a kernell party
c’os a kernell party
gets raided by the FBI at 1 AM
soundingboard on September 22, 2008 at 5:49 AM
New York Post headline:
Kernell Gets Popped.
soundingboard on September 22, 2008 at 5:54 AM
I have friends who’ve had their identities stolen.
The death penalty for hackers sounds about right to me.
MarkTheGreat on September 22, 2008 at 7:11 AM
Can you imagine the lawyer fees for pretty-boy-hacker and his associates? (I can’t). Even if the kid walks, the finances of his parents and the parents of his weasel friends will be hammered. A lesson in itself, but I’d like to see jail time.
brushman on September 22, 2008 at 8:13 AM
If Obama wins, and then is impeached for dirty tricks, that would make Biden president. Then he dies from an aneuryism before a new VP can be named and appointed.
That would make Nancy Pelosi president.
MarkTheGreat on September 22, 2008 at 8:58 AM
How different is this from the Plumbers in 1978? They broke in looking for anything ‘interesting’. Result was jail time and resignation by Nixon for covering up the situation AFTER he bacame aware of it (and keeping it quiet before the election) even though he was not directly involved in the actual ‘breakin’/hacking.
jerseyman on September 22, 2008 at 1:44 PM
I concur, the penalties for hackers are far to light, especially for the grief they cause.
Cr4sh Dummy on September 22, 2008 at 2:10 PM
I think it’s much more serious than the mailbox analogy. There’s no effort or planning involved in accessing someone’s mailbox.
It’s akin to spending 45 minutes picking the lock to the front door of the residence of someone powerful who works in your dad’s company and whom you know your dad doesn’t like, gaining access to that person’s house, rifling through all of that person’s private documents to try to find something that you hope will kill their reputation, and then distributing those personal items to thousands of that person’s enemies.
I found dear old dad’s statement to be interesting.
I had nothing to do with it, I had no knowledge or anything,” Mike Kernell told the AP. “I was not a party to anything of this nature at all,” he added. “I wasn’t in on this — and I wouldn’t know how to do anything like that.”
Rep. Mike Kernell, a Memphis Democrat and chairman of Tennessee’s House Government Operations Committee, “doth protest too much, methinks.”
Y-not on September 22, 2008 at 2:22 PM
The sad part of this is that over at Network World, filled with readers who should know better, 36% label this as “justified, given the circumstances” and 13% label this as “we don’t know enough yet”.
That’s scary, when 49% of supposed professionals are either agnostic or actively in support of a private hacker breaking into another person’s account.
unclesmrgol on September 22, 2008 at 4:54 PM
There’s this from ComputerWorld.
unclesmrgol on September 22, 2008 at 6:40 PM
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