9th Circuit Says Feds' Security Checks At JPL Go Too Far

coondoggie writes with an excerpt from Network World which explains that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals "this week ruled against the federal government and in favor of employees at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in their case which centers around background investigations known as Homeland Security Presidential Directive #12 (Nelson et al. vs NASA). The finding reaffirms the JPL employees claims' that the checks threaten their constitutional rights. The stink stems from HSPD #12 which is in part aimed at gathering information to develop a common identification standard that ensures that people are who they say they are, so government facilities and sensitive information stored in networks remains protected." At issue in particular: an employee's not agreeing to "an open ended background investigation, conducted by unknown investigators, in order to receive an identification badge that was compliant with HSPD#12" was grounds for dismissal.

HSPD #12

[HiggsBison]

Homeland Security Presidential Directive #12:
You do not talk about Homeland Security Presidential Directives.

...or something like that.

Re:HSPD #12

[Thing 1]

Heh. I had this thought earlier today: "The first rule of Pot Club is, ... you do not remember the first rule." At least, I think that was me...

Re:They're smoking that wacky weed again.

[dave420]

Yeah! If only they had this policy back in the 70s - Carl Sagan wouldn't have been allowed to work there. Fuckin' good-for-nothin' dope-smoking hippie.