Now the Drug Enforcement Administration wants that same kind of
power, starting with access to an Oregon database containing the private
medical data of more than a million people.
The DEA has claimed for years that under federal law it has the
authority to access the state’s Prescription Drug Monitor Program
database using only an “administrative subpoena.” These are unilaterally issued orders that do not require a showing of probable cause before a court, like what’s required to obtain a warrant.
In 2012 Oregon sued the DEA to prevent it from enforcing the
subpoenas to snoop around its drug registry. Two years ago a U.S.
District Court found in favor of the state, ruling that prescription
data is covered by the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unlawful
search and seizure.
But the DEA didn’t stop there. It appealed the ruling to the U.S.
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco and has been fighting
tooth and nail ever since to access Oregon’s files on its own terms.
"Hey, we have warrants(they just don't have to actually go before a judge to be sworn to and all that), so what's the problem?"
Other than you wanting to ignore the Constitution? Oh, I can think of a couple of others, you bastards.
1 comment:
Wouldn't this have a high chance of running afoul of HIPAA regulations as well? Clearly, the DEA is bored and needs something to do (or they need to clear out some folks).
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