ACLU Forums connection refused again

I've been having trouble with internet connections and email for sometime. However, I usually was at least allowed to access websites, although I had problems with some forums. Recently, I've experienced difficulty connecting to the ACLU website, but dismissed it as heavy traffic. However, I always eventually managed to access the ACLU website and even post to their forums messageboard. That changed recently. I've tried to access ACLU's "Forums" numerous times this morning and each time the following message appeared:

"The connection was refused when attempting to contact forums.aclu.org."

I realize, of course, that there are many logical reasonable explanations other than someone doesn't want me to access the forums or there's some "conspiracy" to deny me my First Amendment rights. I'll try again later this evening. If this problem persists for the next day or two,however, I will become suspicious. Who knows? Someone might be attempting to intercept my transmissions to this website.

WOW!!!

Wow! again, just a few minutes ago I had a first. Years ago when I lived in the Mid Atlantic electrical surges knocked out my computer (despite a three surge protector array) and even my transitor radio tuned to a rap station which I had taped to the window for the benefit of the laser bug. This incident wasn't as dramatic, but even as a non-techie it impressed me even more. Approximately around 8:20 a.m. Central the computer began acting strange and the ceiling lights flickered on and off. Discounting the paranormal, I watched in awe for about 10 seconds or so, but I didn't wait to see where this was going, so I pulled the phone line plug from the jack (dial up modem). I was checking the rbnlive website at the time. I've had a lot of weird stuff happen over the years, but what impressed me about this incident was its accuracy. Wow! It didn't effect any of the lights in the rest of the house or even the radio that was playing in the great room. Ghosts in the telephone line, perhaps?

Connections

According to the ISP's tech support, I visited a "corrupted" website, which in turn effected the computer's programs. It began with being disconnected every 10 minutes or so, then every 2 minutes, and finally I couldn't even get online. I had thought that the connection problems had something to do with the incessant scratchy background noise that I heard whenever I used the telephone. That noise began shortly after I called into a computer radio talk show, but stopped although connecting to the internet was still a problem. Fortunately, it’s been fixed sort of or at least good enough to get online for awhile.

In the interim, On Dec. 21, 2004, I did managed to post the following to the ACLU's Police Tactics thread:

Gov. Jeb Bush sent my petition (see Aug. 30 blog post) to FDLE Commissioner Tunnell. I want to thank the Governor. However, I'm disappointed with FDLE Comm. Guy Tunnell who still hasn't replied to it. Incidentally, a Public Records Request to FDLE General Counsel Mike Ramage revealed that Tunnel did forward an earlier letter to Executive Investigations. Unfortunately, then Director McLaughlin ignored it.

Comm. Tunnell is covering-up. But why is the FDLE refusing to investigate my verifiable complaint? Is it my charges of official misconduct, including illegal electronic surveillance, harassment, fraudulent investigations under the color of law intended to slander and defame, threatening witnesses, suspected tampering with lawyers, Jan. 17, 2001 FDLE helicopter incident, secret deal with my neighbors, or what? Yes, it's all those things and more. It's the something more, however, which is why the Commissioner is being so obdurate. After all, he’s the official that's ultimately responsible for insuring the integrity of his agency, yet the FDLE is going all out to keep the lid on this scandal.

The something more involves other related scandals. I mailed a certified letter to FL AG Crist (see June 8th blog post) on April 21 charging former Director McLaughlin, among others, with official misconduct. Coincidentally, Internal Affairs began an investigation on the Director on April 22 based on an anonymous tip. McLaughlin resigned suddenly and unexpectedly on April 23, coincidentally the same day USPS confirmed delivery of my letter to OAG.

IA's investigative report revealed that the dates covered by their investigation were from Oct. 1999 to April 22, 2004. However, General Counsel Ramage and Assistant Director Richard Lober advised the investigators, Special Agent Pritt and Chief Metz, on April 22 of the receipt of the anonymous allegation of potential sexual harassment. After their briefing (remember this was on April 22, the day after I mailed my letter to the AG), Pritt and Metaz conducted a preliminary fact-finding inquiry into an ongoing course of conduct "that could be considered a type of Sexual Harassment." They used Oct. 1999 as the start date of their investigation because that's when the Director and another EI employee began their consensual affair and April 22, 2004 as the end date. So FDLE began their investigation the same day Lober receives an anonymous allegation and McLaughlin resigns the next day, which is the day the USPS verified that the Attorney General received my complaint. No rational person would find that coincidental. But why go after the Director now? Could it be that this anonymous tip and sudden resignation served as a cover story for McLaughlin's role in the cover-up that I describe in my petition?

Another relevant issue is that there's been an inordinate number of bum drug arrests over the past year here in Holmes County. I suspect that the reason for all the drug arrests is that it is an FDLE manufactured problem orchestrated by the FDLE to rehabilitate the Sheriff's image and serve as a cover if I ever went public with the following. The Sheriff's well publicized crackdown on drugs began about 2 weeks after I notified someone that that FDLE offered my neighbor a deal if she'd implicate the Sheriff in her drug dealing. This was the first of two deals that the FDLE offered her and she declined it, preferring to do the time if necessary. The FDLE was in the awkward position of trying to nail the Sheriff on drugs while having to cooperate with him to cover up their involvement in the illegal surveillance and harassment. Apparently, there's more flexibility in the so-called "war on drugs" than is portrayed in the media. I've heard allegations of "cash register justice" explaining the botched cases, but I believe that my theory is correct one.

I don't know if the Sheriff was involved or not in drug dealing, but the FDLE believed that he was. The meth problem is no worse in Holmes County than any other rural community. The FDLE wanted to create a problem and then offer a solution. So the Sheriff made a lot of questionable arrests, resulting in a low conviction rate. They needed numbers in order to justify a problem, which would require state intervention. Law enforcement agencies know what cases prosecutors accept and won't accept. There's also a cost effectiveness factor. For the Sheriff to realize that after expending considerable resources that the County can't afford it is ludicrous. It provided the excuse to go to the state for help with a manufactured problem that is no worse than that of neighboring counties. The FDLE then got the print media to portray the Sheriff as hard on drugs and fluff up his image. Some state officials then presented the Sheriff with a commendation and remark that he "understands the drug problem." They should know, especially since they believed that he was part of it. Realize that the Sheriff's epiphany and subsequent apotheosis by the FDLE didn't manifest itself until only after I notified people about the FDLE's first deal. This is the scandal that concerns them.

So what can I expect? Yet another investigation in an unending series of investigations based on suborned statements? Another late night FDLE helicopter visit? A SWAT raid based on an anonymous tip? Realize that despite my heroic efforts, including numerous Public Records Requests, I still can't get even one copy of any investigation. Why?