Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern angered privacy activists late last year when he ignored their sentiment against purchasing a small unmanned aerial drone. San Jose city leaders are grappling with the potential use of drones, as is Berkeley. Bloomberg Businessweek… Read More ›
domestic drones
2013 Year In Lists: Top 5 East Bay Political News Stories
Replica of a drone sought by the Alameda County Sheriff in Feb. PHOTO/Shane Bond 1. Public privacy under siege>>> The potent issue of government infringement on public privacy through technology was barely on the national radar a year ago and non-existent… Read More ›
2013 Year In Lists: Top 5 East Bay Freshmen Politicians
Rob Bonta PHOTO/Steven Tavares 1. Rob Bonta>>> The first-term assemblymember from Oakland, Alameda and San Leandro may have set the mark for how to make an immediate splash in higher office. Bonta made the jump from the Alameda City Council… Read More ›
State Lawmakers Struggle With Domestic Drones And Privacy Safeguards
Drone replica displayed last February in Alameda County. PHOTO/Shane Bond ASSEMBLY//DRONES/PRIVACY | As two high-profile drone bills sit in Assemby, members of its Public Safety Committee continue to grapple with the rapidly changing growth and privacy implication that stems from the potential use… Read More ›
Swalwell Goes To Israel
Rep. Eric Swalwell CONGRESS 15 | Rep. Eric Swalwell already has his hands full closing the inherent East-West divide in the 15th Congressional District, but he thinks he can help the generations-long dispute between Israel and Palestine. The freshman congressman… Read More ›
ACLU: Oakland DAC Amounts To Warrantless Surveillance Of Residents
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL//PRIVACY | Oakland’s plan to link disparate video feeds across the city and port into one massive data center is drawing intense criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California. In a letter sent Wednesday to… Read More ›
After Major National Security Speech, Lee Still Has Concerns Over Use Of Drones
CONGRESS 13//DRONES | While some opponents of the Obama Administration’s use of military drones were placated by the president’s major national security speech Thursday, East Bay Rep. Barbara Lee, however, still has concerns. Preceding the president’s speech Thursday morning, Lee… Read More ›
Meet The East Bay’s Newest Progressive Patron Saint
ILLUSTRATION/Steven Tavares PHOTO/Matt Santos SUNDAY COLUMN | Linda Lye, the whip-smart attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union was ecstatic. Walking out the Alameda County Administration Building last Valentine’s Day, Lye had just tweeted her followers, “I heart Richard Valle.”… Read More ›
Corbett Shook Swalwell’s Hand; Bill Left Nadia At Home; East Bay Dems Gossiped
Prelude to 2014: Rep. Eric Swalwell and State Senate Majority Leader Ellen Corbett greet each other Mar. 21 at the Eden Area United Democratic Campaign St. Patrick’s Day dinner in Hayward. PHOTO/Shane Bond ALAMEDA COUNTY//DEMOCRATS | The Eden Area United… Read More ›
Swalwell Hosts First Town Hall Meetings
PHOTO/Joseph Geha CONGRESS | “It’s good to be home,” said Rep. Eric Swalwell, addressing nearly 100 residents in Hayward Saturday attending his first day of town hall meetings. “I grew up in this area, I know it really well, and I… Read More ›
Throw This Blue Dog A Drone: Swalwell Blows Up His Liberal Cred
THE SUNDAY COLUMN | Eventually young Rep. Eric Swalwell was going to have to face the fact more than half of the 15th Congressional District is far more liberal than his hometown in the Tri Valley. When the issue gun… Read More ›
Swalwell Supports Obama’s Use Of Drones; Hedges In Alameda County
Model of a Predator drone outside Alameda County Administrative Building, Feb. 14. CONGRESS | Rep. Eric Swalwell told The Citizen recently that he “trusts the president,” and “fully supports him and doesn’t want to take away authority from him,” when it… Read More ›
A Lack of Trust in Local Goverment Grows Amid Oblivious Elected Officials
PHOTO/Shane Bond ILLUSTRATION/Steven Tavares THE SUNDAY COLUMN | Oakland Civil Rights Attorney Michael Siegel stood before the Alameda County Board of Supervisors’ Public Protection Committee last Valentine’s Day and told them what he thought about a proposal by the Sheriff’s… Read More ›
Alameda County Hosts First Public Battle Over Use Of Domestic Drones
PHOTO/Shane Bond ALAMEDA COUNTY BOS//DRONES | After months of contention and concern, the residents of Alameda County were finally afforded a public hearing Thursday afternoon to discuss the potential purchase of aerial drones by the county sheriff’s department. Activists, many wearing neon… Read More ›
LiveTweet Highlights: #alcomtg
//storify.com/eastbaycitizen/ebc-livetweeting-of-alcomtg-on-domestic-drones-in.js[View the story “EBC LiveTweet of #alcomtg on domestic drones in Alameda County” on Storify] EBC LiveTweet of #alcomtg on domestic drones in Alameda County Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern’s plan to purchase drones to aid in search and rescue… Read More ›
Alameda County Sheriff Lays Out Guidelines For Possible Use Of Domestic Drones
ALAMEDA COUNTY | The Alameda County Sheriff’s Department says strict guidelines will be used to ensure the use of drones for law enforcement purposes will not be used to violate the privacy of county residents. The sheriff’s department laid out… Read More ›