Gonzales ignores critics, focuses on identity theft

Published 30 April 2007

Attorney General proposes a national information sharing system; presidential task force suggests national standards

Despite the fact that nobody other than his wife and George W. Bush have any confidence in his leadership abilities, let alone his core competence, Albert Gonzales is running full steam ahead with plans to create a National Identity Theft Law Enforcement Center. The initiative is the brainchild of the President’s Identity Theft Task Force, which in a recent-released report proposed a center that would allow government and private sector bodies “to consolidate, analyze and share identity theft information and practices,” FCW reports. Under the leadership of Gonzales’ Justice Department, participants will include representatives from the FBI, Secret Service, Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General, Federal Trade Commission, and U.S. Postal Service.

The Task Force’s report also contains thirty-one categories of specific recommendations, FCW reports, including:

BULLETS

* Reduce the use of Social Security numbers by federal agencies.

* Establish national standards for protecting personal data in the private sector.

* Create a broad awareness and outreach program to inform consumers.

* Boost identity theft and aggravated identity theft statutes, and attach a wider variety of crimes for which offenders would receive a 2-year mandatory jail sentence.

* Amend existing statutes to allow federal prosecutors to charge people who use malicious spyware and malware.