FBI Explains Seizure of Journalist Phone Records–It Was a “Miscommunication”

Robert Mueller, the director of the FBI, has defended the seizure of reporters’ phone records in 2004, saying it was the result of a “miscommunication” rather than abuse, and has apologized to the New York Times and the Washington Post. Another FBI official, Valerie Caproni, has offered further explanation. She said that although what the FBI meant to do was to request a subpoena through proper channels, the result was an “exigent letter”, via the terrorism unit. Read more in this AP story in the San Jose Mercury News. Here’s background from the Times from 2007 and an update from August 9, 2008.