Ex-Virginia GOP chief accused of eavesdropping

Associated Press ^ | Posted on Thu, Jan. 23, 2003

[OneLoyalAmerican]

RICHMOND, Va. - The former executive director of Virginia's Republican Party was indicted Thursday on federal charges he eavesdropped on conference calls among Democratic legislators last year. Edmund A. Matricardi III, 34, was accused of using a telephone number and access codes to listen in on the teleconferences. He was charged with five counts involving the interception of electronic communications. Each count carries up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Matricardi resigned over the scandal but was later hired as operations director of the South Carolina Republican Party. On Thursday, after he was indicted, he resigned that post, too. "Without disclosing he was on the line, he secretly listened for approximately 2 1/2 hours and recorded the call on a tape recorder," U.S. Attorney Paul McNulty said. The indictment said Matricardi disclosed the contents of the call the next day to an official in the office of Republican Attorney General Jerry Kilgore, who alerted the Virginia State Police.

[OneLoyalAmerican]

Nice to see Virginia GOP'ers will not tolerate criminal behavior. Makes me comfortable with my new home for political ideology. Hello, Illinois?

[xsmommy]

dang it, the dems do this kind of crap constantly and NEVER get caught. one repub acts up and gets caught.

[KC_Conspirator]

Remember Iowa? If I am not mistaken one of Tom Harkin or Tom Vilsack's guys was guilty of a simlar thing. I can't recall if he was charged or not?

[xsmommy]

yes i think it was Harkin, now that you mention it, but i don't recall hearing what came of that.

[Bogey78O]

It's nice to see the law followed through.

But back in the early 90s the Democrats did about the same thing to Newt and not one of them went to court for it.

Not to mention they stole a disk 2 years back about the GOP strategy.

They never face up to their criminality. Which is what made me switch.

[xsmommy]

But back in the early 90s the Democrats did about the same thing to Newt and not one of them went to court for it

exactly!

[Bogey78O]

yea, technically it's legal to intercept publicly transmitted radio waves but it's illegal to tape record a conversation without the permission of at least one of the parties in almost every state. Some ban the recording altogether.

[CPOSharky]

So how did the pubbie get the number and pass code? Did some demoncrat give it to him to set him up?

[drjimmy]

In the Harkin case, it was a meeting that was secretly recorded by one of the participants. Despicable as it was, there was no federal law broken because it wasn't something done over the telephone, and no state laws were broken because Iowa law allows a party to a conversation to record it, even if done secretly.

[xsmommy]

now there is a thought. it fits with the image of hapless Pubbie, foiled by the wily Dem. and boy does that irk the crap out of me.

[Darnright]

>>So how did the pubbie get the number and pass code? Did some demoncrat give it to him to set him up?<<

A little bird told me a disgruntled Warner staffer (who had been fired) gave him the number. You call it and you are able to listen in to the conversation.

Of course, we don't see a word about discipline for the fired 'Rat.

[OneLoyalAmerican]

Greetings CPOSharky, FReepers, et al:
You're right, I didn't post the entire article.

Former Democratic Party field director Jacquelyn Daniel has told reporters that she gave Matricardi the phone number and access codes after losing her party job during a reorganization.

[Sam Cree]

He didn't exactly get caught, the Republican to whom he gave the contents of the call was honorable and turned him in. Hard to imagine a Democrat doing that.

[xsmommy]

you're right, of course. no honor among thieves.

[putupon]

U.S. Attorney Paul McNulty

Where were the Feds when Democrat Chuck Robb was taping Democrat Doug Wilder's phone, or vice versa? I can't exactly remember right now who was taping whom.

Why did they wait a year until the legislature was in session to bring the charges? This is an obvious Democrat use of Federal law enforcement to embarass the GOP when it will do the most good.

The activist Fed judges will set a trial date so it will coincide with the elections and bring out more negative media, just wait and see.

[Protagoras]

Hello, Illinois?

If you were looking for a place where politicions are not criminals, you looked in the wrong place. The current rage is Republican criminals, but neither party is anywhere close to clean.

[OneLoyalAmerican]

Greetings ThomasJefferson:
I've heard Illinois has two honest politicians, Senator Peter Fitzgerald is still looking for the other one.

[Sam Cree]

You're right, I've thought the exact thing about Democrats.
The phrase "thieves banding together to protect their own interests" comes to my mind when I think about those idiots.

[Maedhros]

This isn't really breaking news in Richmond, because this guy was already charged in state court months ago. The charges were then dropped on the understanding that he would be indicted in federal court pending a federal investigation.