[meyer]

"A Portland hotel where the family had stayed refused to provide credit card records that might have indicated which way the Kims had gone."

And this is bad because....

Careful what you wish for. While the credit records may have helped here, there are plenty of good reasons why such documents should NOT be freely given to the government.

[cajungirl]

I think you are splitting hairs.

The family was missing, LE was looking for them. A stand on principle was insane in this case.

[surfer]

Funny how the one thing you pick out is what you are most paranoid about.

You completely missed the real important facts in the article...

Read about the lodge owner - if that doesn't drive you through the roof nothing will.

I don't think the credit card records (except for credit card number) would have helped anyway.

I don't think anybody here is wishing for open access to our information - however I am sure the Kim family wishes they had provided it. It is all about the perspective that you have.

[Doctor Raoul]

credit card records that might have indicated which way the Kims had gone

I wonder how this would help?

[TheCrusader]

"While the credit records may have helped here, there are plenty of good reasons why such documents should NOT be freely given to the government."

Quite true. But there are also some good reasons why such documents should be given to authorities, under certain conditions. One of those reasons would be to save the credit card owner's life.

[tubebender]

Portland police should have been requested to go the hotel and talk to the manager. My guess is the invoice would have had a record of phone calls the Kims made on the hotel land lines?