Lois Lerner emails (wtf?)

[y4m]

I think this is new from the hearing today...

"I was cautioning folks about email and how we have had several occasions where Congress has asked for emails and there has been an electronic search for responsive emails -- so we need to be cautious about what we say in emails."

She writes this in the context of asking someone in IT whether their internal chat system is also discoverable by congress.

feedly.com/k/U4Saq1

1. Is there some non-damning way to read this I'm just missing?

2. What kind of dumbass writes "I've been cautioning people to avoid email because it's discoverable by congress" OVER EMAIL??!?

[lasagnasshole]

This is why I make all my inappropriate jokes at work in person.

#kidding #notreally

[Deleted]

Is #2 that bad? Like everything in my company includes written cautions that it is legally discoverable (IM archiving, recordings on web meetings, emails)

[Deleted]

I have started to move my gossiping to the phone and in person since IM is really not safe now.

[Deleted]

Work email is not a safe place! Some of my coworkers found out that university emails that mention a student by name are subject to a FERPA request last semester. We don't talk about issues with students via email anymore.

[orangeblossom]

Who works for the government and doesn't realize that. I mean come on.

I've worked public sector jobs my whole career, and haven't done anything shady or anything to hide, and I am very selective with what I put in email. Not so much because I'm saying or doing something wrong, but you never know what people on the receiving end will do.

Plus FOIA is a pain in the butt to deal with.

[NewOrleans]

I am having trouble with the link, but educators are always cautioned about putting things in email because public school email can be FOIA'ed. Doesn't seem heinous to me to point this out. Getting to read people's email-- now that seems heinous to me, lol.

[vanillacourage]

gigaom.com/2014/01/08/confide-an-app-for-execs-who-want-sensitive-messages-to-vanish-snapchat-style/

[greeneggs]

I worked in an area of claims with a high litigation rate so I never put anything in an email, text, or even in my notepad I kept for taking notes of phone calls that I would not want opposing counsel to see. We saved our terrible jokes about claimants and their employers for in person conversations only.

[y4m]

I get not putting sensitive info in emails. But what are IRS staffers writing in email that would be problematic if it were discoverable by congress?

[ttt]

Jul 9, 2014 20:55:51 GMT -5 y4m said:

I get not putting sensitive info in emails. But what are IRS staffers writing in email that would be problematic if it were discoverable by congress?

Pictures of their penises?

Oh wait that's Congress.

[Deleted]

Jul 9, 2014 20:42:53 GMT -5 vanillacourage said:

gigaom.com/2014/01/08/confide-an-app-for-execs-who-want-sensitive-messages-to-vanish-snapchat-style/

Except snap chat doesn't really disappear!

[ESF]

As someone who has seen some "lets not discuss this over email" documents that were produced to me by evil defendants, I will say three things:

1. I see them, and assume the worst.

2. So does everyone else.

3. These assumptions are usually correct.

Sooooo I'd say this isn't good for Ms. Lerner.

[IIOY]

The best that can be said is that this shows a terrible disregard for optics, and the fact that this exchange occurred in April, 2013, when it was known trouble was brewing, is almost cartoonish. Then again, at this point it is clear that Lois Lerner has no shame.

[Velar Fricative]

Yeah, this all sounds totally innocent...

NOT.