Shocker: ACLU actually supports Joe the Plumber … now
posted at 6:35 pm on November 17, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Credit where credit’s due, even in small amounts. When the state of Ohio’s partisan officeholders started investigating Joe Wurzelbacher for having the temerity to ask Barack Obama a question, many of wondered when we would hear from the privacy activists at the ACLU. They finally managed to speak up last Friday after several weeks of sitting on the sidelines:
The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio recently called on Gov. Ted Strickland and other officials to enact regulations protecting private information kept in state databases.
The ACLU first pressed for reform after it was revealed officials at Ohio’s Department of Job & Family Services conducted a search of private information on Joseph Wurzelbacher, also known as “Joe the Plumber,” and that such searches of those in news headlines were common protocol for the office.
They did? If so, they called for reform very, very quietly. The earliest comment made by the ACLU in Ohio came on October 29th, and hardly was a ringing call for reform. Chris Link, the executive director, did ask why the state of Ohio seemed to “be picking on this fellow”, but didn’t demand any answers, investigations, or reform until a few days ago. Given their heated rhetoric over the detention of terrorists in Guantanamo, this seems like very, very weak tea indeed.
Of course, reacting then may have impacted how the public saw this abuse. Now that the election’s over, it’s much safer for the ACLU to actually protect the civil rights of Joe the Plumber from the Democratic government in Ohio. I guess they finally found their courage in the Age of Obama.
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How fsrking convenient.
*eats*
Grue in the Attic on November 17, 2008 at 6:37 PM
Pussies. Pure cowardly pussies.
If they stood for anything, and weren’t terrified of Obama bringing the hammer, they’d have done this weeks ago.
MadisonConservative on November 17, 2008 at 6:41 PM
You missed the follow-up letter from Link on Halloween:
http://blog.cleveland.com/letters/2008/10/government_snoops_have_no_righ.html
I’d say that at least is pretty condemning of the “inquiry into his records”.
Abby Adams on November 17, 2008 at 6:43 PM
ACLU actually representing a White Guy!
Ok I am shocked.. but not enough to say bravo.
upinak on November 17, 2008 at 6:49 PM
I disagree with the ACLU quite often, but they are on the right side sometimes. Even Bob Barr worked for the ACLU. Sure, I know what you’re thinking, but Bob Barr is probably the most agreeable Libertarian candidate in a long time.
Glenn Jericho on November 17, 2008 at 6:51 PM
And if McCain had won? MmmmHmmm.
Christien on November 17, 2008 at 6:59 PM
UMMM, can we stop there. You do realize that most of the WBC have also worked with ACLU.
not much of a accomplishment, if you ask me.
upinak on November 17, 2008 at 7:00 PM
There must be a problem with the link. I couldn’t find the part where the ACLU called for accountability of the state of Ohio and public officials (elected and civil service).
highhopes on November 17, 2008 at 7:08 PM
Well, it’s nice to see the ACLU supporting someone who is not a terrorist or child molestor for a change.
SoulGlo on November 17, 2008 at 7:09 PM
Abby,
That isn’t a follow-up letter just because it is written by the Executive Director. The ACLU isn’t on the record saying that stuff, their director said it in an op-ed. And still with all that no calls for investigating these public offiicals just a review of standards
highhopes on November 17, 2008 at 7:13 PM
Hahaha! No mention that the violation of privacy was perpetrated on a conservative and by a democrat political machine.
csdeven on November 17, 2008 at 7:17 PM
So what I’m hearing is that apparently the ACLU doesn’t help normal people. And when they do, they just don’t do it enough.
I think a lot of people misunderstand the ACLU. They have probably won more cases on behalf of Christians than any legal group in the country. Including the right for Christians to protest gay rights.
ACLU Fights for Christians
But like any organization, they have limited resources, and can’t investigate every single report of civil rights violations the day after its reported.
justfinethanks on November 17, 2008 at 7:22 PM
I can see it now………….. Right after Mr. Obama, President Elect, the Offic of is sworn into office, the MSM is going to say…………
Seven Percent Solution on November 17, 2008 at 7:23 PM
I meant “follow-up” because it came around the next day.
Well, that’s true. Not really sure what that has to do with personal privacy being intruded upon by the government, though. Do they routinely make a habit of mentioning intrusions being done on liberals by Republican machines? (Honest question… I don’t care enough about what the ACLU has to say on most issues to know in depth.)
Abby Adams on November 17, 2008 at 7:25 PM
Interesting. The local paper, Toledo Blade, has made no mention of the ACLU saying anything, but it has made much mention that JTP’s “real” name is Samuel.
rbj on November 17, 2008 at 7:26 PM
Probably the last we’ll hear from them until 2012.
I’m sure they’ve never heard of ‘card check’ or ‘the fairness doctrine’.
Has Joe gotten a lawyer yet? He’ll own Ohio.
GarandFan on November 17, 2008 at 7:27 PM
Joe the Plumber meets ACLU, the plumber’s Helper.
profitsbeard on November 17, 2008 at 7:35 PM
I suspect the ACLU will actually do something to help protect Joe’s rights when he is no longer Republican, straight and white. In other words: never.
snaggletoothie on November 17, 2008 at 7:59 PM
Occasionally they will come to the defense of a token individual victimized by government tyranny, just to try to maintain a thin veneer of credibility. But they are fooling no one. They advance a left-wing agenda.
whitetop on November 17, 2008 at 8:22 PM
I actually got a job offer from the ACLU out of law school, and declined it, even though it was another three months until I was able to get a new job. I know that sounds stupid, but I just couldn’t bring myself to work for such a partisan organization.
All the better, I suspect I would have been fired for wearing my American Flag pin and McCain buttons to work. Or at least had my records revealed :)
Sir Corky on November 17, 2008 at 8:36 PM
It’s depressing the lack of integrity in this country.
Hog Wild on November 17, 2008 at 8:47 PM
What MadisonConservative said. Hrmph. And anyway, that’s a pretty half-assed effort on their part. The ACLU sent a hella threatening letter to our local recreation park pool people when they tried to deny some local socialite the use of it for a Farenheight 9-11 party. Scared the bejeasus out of the local officials. They caved. Party happened. So. I know they can do better than that miserable excuse for a response.
BrideOfRove on November 17, 2008 at 9:10 PM
Image is still hoarked.
spmat on November 17, 2008 at 9:10 PM
SCREW the ACLU.
cannonball on November 17, 2008 at 9:14 PM
I actually am shocked! Late or not, I didn’t think it would happen at all.
I still have zero respect for the organization.
4shoes on November 17, 2008 at 9:20 PM
I understand enough to know that they should have come to Joe Wurzelbacher’s defense immediately. This was a clear case of trying to stifle speech through intimidation. But of course, it just might have reflected badly on Obama. Can’t have that until the election’s safely over.
ddrintn on November 17, 2008 at 9:28 PM
And so the tut-tut (giggle) era in faux-caring about Civil Liberties begins.
MSM to follow suit once they figure out where they left their pants in the drunken run-up.
Gilda on November 17, 2008 at 9:49 PM
ACLU Letter to the editor.
“It is appalling that government officials believe they may access a person’s private information simply for being in a newspaper headline.”
Yes ACLU it is appalling to access 1 as in singular person and put their info on the web.
Now ACLU what is it to access, search EVERY person in the state of Ohio who’s last name is Wurzelbacher, or something close to that.
Question for the ACLU, why is it okay for all of us to know Robert Lee Wurzelbacher voting record, bankruptcy and home address.
He is not related to JTP!
Sorry ACLU but a letter to the editor just doesn’t cut it!
http://whoisplumberjoe.wordpress.com/2008/10/16/who-is-plumber-joe-wurzelbacher/
“The only near match is a Robert Lee Wurzelbacher. Neither he nor “Joe” have a listing in the Yellow Pages. A better question might be: why is Robert Wurzelbacher filing for bankruptcy?”
Question if your last name could possibly be spelled something like “Wurzelbacher” your files were searched and given to the press.
Why should they just accept that? ACLU?
DSchoen on November 17, 2008 at 9:55 PM
csdeven
“Hahaha! No mention that the violation of privacy was perpetrated on a conservative and by a democrat political machine.”
Csdeven, dude your clueless, the “violation of privacy” was on anyone and everyone in the state of Ohio who’s last name MIGHT be something like “Wurzelbacher”
DSchoen on November 17, 2008 at 10:01 PM
WE WANNA SEE OBAMA’s BIRTH CERTIFICATE!!
AND WE MEAN THE GENUINE ARTICLE!!
RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
PS
Totally not whining there when I said AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
TheMightyQuinn on November 17, 2008 at 10:27 PM
Typical of the liberals: more regulations. I would bet a lot of money that there are already ethics laws on the books. How about instead of more regulations, Ohio state enforce the ones that they already have.
Mallard T. Drake on November 17, 2008 at 10:57 PM
The ACLU is all about Democrat Party, brie-eating, NPR-listening, champagne-sipping liberalism first, country second.
indythinker on November 18, 2008 at 12:13 AM
Last friday Bill O’Reilly casually referred the the ACLU as ‘partisan hacks’ for ignoring ‘Joe the plumber’ and today the ACLU tries to pretend they are not. Not exactly a transparent exercise on the part of the ACLU.
Freddy on November 18, 2008 at 12:58 AM
The ACLU calls for “regulations” when there are already policies in place to fire state employees for this behavior.
This is just posturing that does not help anyone.
Right_of_Attila on November 18, 2008 at 6:07 AM
What next, AARP denouncing “ageist” remarks against McCain?….NOW getting upset over “sexist” comments about Palin?
Need more Wild Turkey on my Corn Flakes.
TugboatPhil on November 18, 2008 at 8:02 AM
Those ACLU tools actually claimed to believe the government’s lame excuse for digging dirt for the Obama campaign. There was no policy of reviewing individuals whose names appeared in headlines. That was a transparent lie.
philwynk on November 18, 2008 at 9:41 AM
The Plain Dealer reports that
Frankly, the ACLU’s reaction (”Governor, if there is no rule prohibiting this kind of abuse by your administrators, then maybe you should do your job and make some”) is totally reasonable.
And to those of you who say that the state director of the ACLU publicly condemning the treatment JTP received a week before the election, and then the national organization following up later is not enough — get a grip, get some perspective: it’s not like the guy had any actual harm done to him. He was persecuted, arrested, charged, fined, fired or anything. He didn’t ask for the ACLU’s help. So maybe the ACLU can be forgiven for volunteering a little less help than an indigent defendant about to be executed because his public defender slept through his trial.
You guys have a first amendment right to trash the ACLU, even as ACLU volunteers work hard to defend that first amendment right for you. But that doesn’t mean trashing the ACLU is moral, ethical or decent in any way.
factoid on November 18, 2008 at 9:58 AM
The Plain Dealer reports that
“Dennis Evans, a spokesman for the family services agency, acknowledged there is no written policy on checking people thrown into the public spotlight.”
Buckie, Dennis Evans statement is a response to the bogus claim
“Job & Family Services Director Helen Jones-Kelley stating that her office regularly conducts searches on peoples’ personal information if they appear in high-profile news stories”
There is no WRITTEN policy on checking people thrown into the public spotlight, because being in the “public spotlight” is not a valid reason to check.
Here’s some more
There is no WRITTEN policy on checking people born on Tuesdays after 1 PM
There is no WRITTEN policy on checking people that are over 6 FT tall
There is no WRITTEN policy on checking people that are under 6 FT tall
There is no WRITTEN policy on checking people who’s address is an Even number.
There is no WRITTEN policy on checking people who’s address is an Odd number.
There is no WRITTEN policy on checking people who sleep with their head facing north.
There is no WRITTEN policy on checking people who sleep with their head facing south, east or west.
There is no WRITTEN policy on checking these people because none of these are valid reasons to check.
DSchoen on November 18, 2008 at 6:14 PM
“Frankly, the ACLU’s reaction”
A letter to the editor of some “local news paper” and a post on some “blog”
(”Governor, if there is no rule prohibiting this kind of abuse by your administrators, then maybe you should do your job and make some”)
There are rules, Federal and state and the ACLU knows this.
“is totally reasonable”
Is totally lame, pathetic.
“And to those of you who say that the state director of the ACLU publicly condemning the treatment JTP received a week before the election, and then the national organization following up later is not enough —
get a grip, get some perspective: it’s not like the guy had any actual harm done to him”
Excuse me, define harm?
Because of this witchhunt starting DAYS before the Oct 15 debate the CO. he worked for is now out of business.
That means both Joe and his boss are now unemployed. That IS harm.
Hey, unemployed! I guess we all know now how Obama intends to reduce our “income taxes!
“He was persecuted, arrested, charged, fined, fired or anything. He didn’t ask for the ACLU’s help.”
Why would the ACLU need to have been ASKED for help?
The State of Ohio searched EVERYONE who/s name was or close to Wurzelbacher. And yes there is proof of this.
“So maybe the ACLU can be forgiven for volunteering a little less help than an indigent defendant about to be executed because his public defender slept through his trial”
And the name of this person who is about to be executed is? None, that’s a hypothetical. This violation is not a hypothetical, it is real.
Do you know the difference? Do you understand the difference?
“You guys have a first amendment right to trash the ACLU, even as ACLU volunteers work hard to defend that first amendment right for you.”
Does that first amendment right apply to people asking a pubic servant a question or does a American citizen have to fear their lives will be destroyed, investigate and trashed IF they DARE to ask a public servant a question.
As of right now the ACLU has failed miserably to protect that 1st amendment right.
“But that doesn’t mean trashing the ACLU is moral, ethical or decent in any way”
Try again.
DSchoen on November 18, 2008 at 8:34 PM
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