Sean Spicer targets own staff in leak crackdown (1 Viewer)

[Saintaholic]

Press Secretary Sean Spicer is cracking down on leaks coming out of the West Wing, with increased security measures including phone checks for White House staffers overseen by White House attorneys.

Last week, after Spicer became aware that information had leaked out of a planning meeting with about a dozen of his communications staffers, he reconvened the group in his office to express his frustration over the number of private conversations and meetings that were showing up in unflattering news stories, according to sources in the room.

Upon entering Spicer’s second floor office, staffers were told to dump their phones on a table for a “phone check," to prove they had nothing to hide.

Sean Spicer targets own staff in leak crackdown - POLITICO

 

[SaintJ]

In new Soviet Russia, phone checks you.

 

[TXSAINTFAN]

It's something new every day with this bunch.

Now there's a leak about the meeting concerning the leaks. I find that ironically humorous.

 

[Grandadmiral]

Just when you think they couldn't pull anything crazier out of their hats... voila.

 

[lades]

They are eating their own.

 

[V Chip]

Upon entering Spicer’s second floor office, staffers were told to dump their phones on a table for a “phone check," to prove they had nothing to hide.

That's ironic right there.

"In an effort to prove the WH has things to hide, Spicer told staff to dump their phones on a table to prove the staffers have nothing to hide."

 

[DaveXA]

Eating their own is nothing new in politics. What's different here is it's happening a month into the administration.

 

[Galbreath34]

This was about the super soakers leak.

 

[mt15]

Can an employer confiscate and look through your personal cell phone? I suppose they could say it was "for cause" but just to have certain apps installed in your personal cell phone doesn't really prove anything.

 

[Saintaholic]

Can an employer confiscate and look through your personal cell phone? I suppose they could say it was "for cause" but just to have certain apps installed in your personal cell phone doesn't really prove anything.

I'd imagine this is doable if it is a company-issued phone. Personal cell phone seems like an invasion of privacy. I wouldn't put anything past these guys though; they don't seem to care about rules or morals.

 

[mt15]

The article says they made staff hand over any phone they had with them at the meeting and they looked through both WH issued and personal cell phones. I just wondered about the legality of searching a personal cell phone.

 

[Galbreath34]

The only way legality would come up is if they refused.

 

[mt15]

And good luck keeping your job if you refuse, right?

 

[Galbreath34]

That's the idea, and where legal stuff would have their start. I'm sure there are legal protections that are aimed to prevent retaliatory firing for refusing a search, especially with a Federal job. Still, I wouldn't imagine staffers at this level would put it to the test, especially since they know more than we do how little Bannon cares for the rule of law.

 

[dtc]

They signed confidentiality agreements as part of their original employment docs and remember that Trump is notorious for suing people. He probably made them sign the right to exhume their parents at his discretion, but I can't wait till the really good stuff comes out.

 

[SimpleSaint]

Why does everyone have to turn over their phones when the NSA can just peep inside in the quickness.