Post by unlawflcombatnt on Apr 12, 2007 16:37:48 GMT -6
Below are excerpts from another excellent article from the site "naked capitalism," titled Wal-Mart: Continuing to Behave Badly?. The article chronicles Wal-Mart's increasingly Gestapo-like spying activities.
"Readers may recall that we commented, in "Wal-Mart Behaves Badly, Again," on an April 4 Wall Street Journal article that described the activities of its Threat Research and Analysis Group. This story came to light because the Bentonville company fired Bruce Gabbard, one of the unit's members, because he intercepted a reporter's phone calls while monitoring pager frequencies (something he admits he was not specifically authorized to do). The Journal piece described practices that were extreme, bordering on illegal. Not only does Wal-Mart use military-grade technology to relentlessly monitor employee communications (employees may not bring personal cell phone on the premises) and vendor use of its network, but it also investigates parties that propose shareholder resolutions, like the New York City Comptroller's office, and views employee e-mails, even when sent from private accounts....
The embarrassment worsened on April 9 when the Wall Street Journal ran a page one story, "Wal-Mart's Firing Of a Security Aide Bites the Firm Back." It turns out the same Bruce Gabbard was also responsible for security relative to a top secret "Project Red" to boost Wal-Mart's stock price, possibly by spinning off Sam's Club. The company was so paranoid that it engaged two McKinsey teams and divided responsibilities so that in theory neither knew the nature of the assignment....
In January, an outside attorney for Wal-Mart questioned Mr. Gabbard and some colleagues about unauthorized taping of phone calls between a Times reporter and Mona Williams, Wal-Mart vice president of corporate communications. Mr. Gabbard says he was asked what gave him the right to eavesdrop on a vice president's conversation. He says he replied: "I'm the guy listening to the board of directors when Lee Scott is excused from the room," referring to the Wal-Mart chief executive. He says the lawyer dropped the topic.
It is completely outside the pale to have an outside party listening in on board meetings. It is a serious breach of confidentiality....
And the latest Wal-Mart development, recounted in Wednesday's Journal, is that the New York City Comptroller is calling for Federal and SEC investigations:
The New York City Comptroller asked the U.S. Attorney General's office and the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for what it called "ill-considered and possibly illegal surveillance operations" directed at shareholders who submitted proxy petitions.
In letters to both agencies, Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr., citing a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, said he was "particularly troubled by reports that Wal-Mart engaged in chilling and truly outrageous surveillance activities."...."
The entire article can be found at "naked capitalism" under
Wal-Mart: Continuing to Behave Badly?.
"Readers may recall that we commented, in "Wal-Mart Behaves Badly, Again," on an April 4 Wall Street Journal article that described the activities of its Threat Research and Analysis Group. This story came to light because the Bentonville company fired Bruce Gabbard, one of the unit's members, because he intercepted a reporter's phone calls while monitoring pager frequencies (something he admits he was not specifically authorized to do). The Journal piece described practices that were extreme, bordering on illegal. Not only does Wal-Mart use military-grade technology to relentlessly monitor employee communications (employees may not bring personal cell phone on the premises) and vendor use of its network, but it also investigates parties that propose shareholder resolutions, like the New York City Comptroller's office, and views employee e-mails, even when sent from private accounts....
The embarrassment worsened on April 9 when the Wall Street Journal ran a page one story, "Wal-Mart's Firing Of a Security Aide Bites the Firm Back." It turns out the same Bruce Gabbard was also responsible for security relative to a top secret "Project Red" to boost Wal-Mart's stock price, possibly by spinning off Sam's Club. The company was so paranoid that it engaged two McKinsey teams and divided responsibilities so that in theory neither knew the nature of the assignment....
In January, an outside attorney for Wal-Mart questioned Mr. Gabbard and some colleagues about unauthorized taping of phone calls between a Times reporter and Mona Williams, Wal-Mart vice president of corporate communications. Mr. Gabbard says he was asked what gave him the right to eavesdrop on a vice president's conversation. He says he replied: "I'm the guy listening to the board of directors when Lee Scott is excused from the room," referring to the Wal-Mart chief executive. He says the lawyer dropped the topic.
It is completely outside the pale to have an outside party listening in on board meetings. It is a serious breach of confidentiality....
And the latest Wal-Mart development, recounted in Wednesday's Journal, is that the New York City Comptroller is calling for Federal and SEC investigations:
The New York City Comptroller asked the U.S. Attorney General's office and the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for what it called "ill-considered and possibly illegal surveillance operations" directed at shareholders who submitted proxy petitions.
In letters to both agencies, Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr., citing a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, said he was "particularly troubled by reports that Wal-Mart engaged in chilling and truly outrageous surveillance activities."...."
The entire article can be found at "naked capitalism" under
Wal-Mart: Continuing to Behave Badly?.