'The Root': A history of government surveillance

February 17, 2015

Staff

WRITER

Watch 'The Root: The Birth of Big Brother' and all of 'The Root' episodes HERE

Read Segment 1's research HERE

Read Segment 2' research HERE

Segment 3: SIGABA; Sarnoff; codes lead to Japanese internment

SIGABA

Glenn continued going through history in this segment, showing the ongoing pattern of government surveillance and partnerships between government and private communications corporations. Thanks to Hollywood’s Imitation Game, you’ve probably heard of the German ENIGMA cipher machine. It was extremely difficult and crucial to crack its coding, but Alan Turing and his team managed to do it. William Friedman and his team, however, receives far less attention but deserves just as much, because he pioneered the SIGABA cipher machine. To this day it has never been cracked, deciphered, or broken.

While SIGABA was critical to the Allied success in World War II, technology like it also played a role in a darker part of America’s past: Japanese Internment. Code named ‘Magic’, Friedman’s signals team managed to crack nearly every Japanese code in the build up to war. We were monitoring every diplomatic and civilian message going to and fro Japan. As messages came in, intelligence officials began painting a picture. One that put all Japanese Americans squarely in the line of fire.

Sarnoff

One month before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the President of RCA David Sarnoff visited Hawaii. Naval District Intelligence officer Captain Irving Mayfield seized the opportunity and requested a meeting.

Mayfield had a problem. The Japanese command and control code JN-25 wasn’t broken yet. If the Japanese decided to attack, the U.S. would have little to no warning. RCA’s commercial lines were responsible for most communications going into and out of Hawaii. That included the Japanese Embassy. Captain Mayfield pleaded with Sarnoff to allow the government to listen in on RCA’s lines. Both Japanese and U.S. citizens were being spied upon. Similar to Herbert Yardley’s deal with Western Union, Mayfield’s deal with RCA and David Sarnoff had crossed the line. The deal was in complete violation of both the 4th Amendment and section 605 of the Federal Communications Act of 1934. Spying on Americans was against federal law but in a time of war the government asked and Sarnoff allowed it.

David Sarnoff re-enabled activities that should have been forever decommissioned with the closure of Yardley’s Black Chamber. Sarnoff’s cooperation with the government would expand. He would serve on Eisenhower’s communications staff and would pioneer the broadcasts of both Radio Free America and Voice of America. He would even be commissioned as an officer in the Army and given the rank of Brigadier General. All the while being the head of the largest private communications company of the time.

Under Sarnoff’s leadership RCA would become THE communications company after WW2. Having a hand in establishing both NBC and ABC. The pioneer communications companies of the United States were born during this era. Snowden’s leak that the NSA gets information from companies such as Verizon, Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Yahoo may be a new revelation, but it is not a new practice. These companies were simply continuing an illegal tradition that began after WW1, was improved during WW2, and has now been perfected.

Japanese Internment

In 1940 William Friedman and SIS were frantically at work trying to break Japan’s newest code. The code was named PURPLE and was encrypted using a version of Germany’s ENIGMA cypher machine.

While the British worked on ENIGMA in Europe Friedman and SIS worked on PURPLE. The British and Alan Turing had a distinct advantage. They had a stolen ENIGMA machine and parts of the code already having been deciphered by Polish cryptanalysts. SIS had none of that. Remarkably the Americans were able to reverse engineer a PURPLE cypher machine without ever having seen one in person. Based off of pure theory Friedman and SIS built a fully functioning PURPLE cypher and broke the code.

Communications at first were random and not of much strategic value. Primarily dealing with the Japanese effort at attempting diplomatic rapprochement or enabling various propaganda campaigns. That all changed on January 30th 1941. PURPLE traffic had been intercepted from Tokyo to the Japanese Embassy in Washington D.C. It would immediately be logged as MAGIC message #44.

The contents of which described a dramatic shift in Japanese intelligence. Tokyo was ordering the activation of intelligence assets already in country under cover and mapping out an aggressive collection program.

What really disturbed Washington was a part of the message that used the term “Nisei”. Tokyo specifically called on the Japanese intelligence agents to reach out and activate the Nisei. Translated into English this meant “Second Generations”.

The Japanese considered people that were born in Japan but lived out of the country as first generations (Issei). Their children were called Nisei (second generations). Regardless of wherever they lived in the world both the Issei and Nisei were considered full citizens of Japan. They enjoyed all the rights of a native Japanese citizen, and it was emphatically believed they would be loyal to the Emperor.

This alarmed the Director of Naval Intelligence. He immediately sent a message to the Chief of Naval Operations urging him to report this activity directly to the President (reference Navy letter 2.12.41). Notice they didn’t reference the Magic program in the letter. To do so would reveal the existence of SIS and their program. The fact that they had broken PURPLE was highly classified. They list the source as a “highly confidential and reliable source by the Domestic Intelligence Branch”.

Message traffic continued to come in. We opened up the program to monitor multiple locations across the U.S. Soon we were getting a flood of deciphered messages referencing the activation of Japanese intelligence programs in California and as far North as Seattle.

The program was growing rapidly. By June Tokyo was already appropriating additional funds to continue its growth.

The appearance from intercepted message traffic was that a huge Japanese intelligence net was being woven all up and down the west coast. The way the Japanese described the loyalty of their “second generations” the threat was perceived to be everywhere. It didn’t help matters when Japanese citizens that were perceived to be trusted were found out to be spies. In one Magic intercept the name of a Japanese spy was revealed in a message ordering one of his bribe payoffs. Toraichi Kono was to be paid 25,000 to provide false testimony in a court case involving another spy. Kono was the personal confidant, assistant and chauffeur to one of the most famous people in the world - Charlie Chaplin.

By late November the paranoia had reached a boiling point. The FBI drafted a letter suggesting the “Custodial Detention” of Japanese, German and Italian aliens in case of war.

This letter was sent on December 4th 1941. War would come to Pearl Harbor just 3 days later.

2 months later on February 19th 1942 President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066. This authorized the forced relocation and incarceration of up to 120,000 Japanese. Of all the Germans, Italians and Japanese put into camps only the Japanese were incarcerated purely on their racial background. We were reacting on intelligence that made it seem that the threat could come from anywhere. Somehow that became justification enough to round up an entire race of men, women and children of our own citizens and put them in internment camps.

The Deep State's NEW plan to backstab Trump

Brandon Bell / Staff | Getty Images

We cannot make the same mistake we made in 2016 — celebrating victory while the deep state plots its next move.

In 2016, Donald Trump shocked the world by defeating Hillary Clinton. Conservatives cheered, believing we’d taken back the reins of our country. But we missed the bigger battle. We failed to recognize the extent of the damage caused by eight years of Barack Obama and decades of progressive entrenchment. The real war isn’t won at the ballot box. It’s being waged against an insidious force embedded deep within our institutions: the administrative state, or the “deep state.”

This isn’t a new problem. America’s founders foresaw it, though they didn’t have a term for “deep state” back in the 1700s. James Madison, in Federalist 48, warned us that combining legislative, executive, and judicial powers in the same hands is “the very definition of tyranny.” Yet today, that’s exactly where we stand. Unelected bureaucrats in agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Justice hold more power than the officials we vote for. They control the levers of government with impunity, dictating policies and stifling change.

This is the fight for the soul of our nation. The founders’ vision of a constitutional republic is under siege.

We’ve felt the consequences of this growing tyranny firsthand. During COVID-19, so-called experts ran our lives, crushing civil liberties under the guise of public safety. Our intelligence agencies and justice system turned into weapons of political warfare, targeting a sitting president and his supporters. Meanwhile, actual criminals were given a pass, turning American cities into lawless war zones.

Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1816 that “the functionaries of every government have propensities to command at will the liberty and property of their constituents.” Today, we see Jefferson’s prophecy fulfilled. The deep state exercises unchecked power over our freedoms, and information itself is controlled by the fourth branch of government: the legacy media.

Even when we win elections, the deep state doesn’t concede defeat. It switches to survival mode. Trump’s first term proved this. Despite a historic mandate to dismantle the bureaucracy, the deep state fought back with everything it had: leaks, investigations, court rulings, and obstruction at every turn. And now, with the possibility of Trump returning to office, the deep state is preparing to do it again.

Progressives are laying out their attack plan — and they’re not even hiding it.

U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.) recently boasted about forming a “shadow cabinet” to govern alongside the deep state, regardless of who’s in the White House. Nickel called it “democracy’s insurance policy.” Let’s be clear: This isn’t insurance. It’s sabotage.

They’ll employ a “top down, bottom up, inside out” strategy to overwhelm and collapse any effort to reform the system. From the top, federal judges and shadow officials will block Trump’s every move. Governors in blue states like California and New York are gearing up to resist federal authority. During Trump’s first term, California filed over 100 lawsuits against his administration. Expect more of the same starting January 20.

From the bottom, progressive groups like the American Civil Liberties Union will flood the streets with protesters, much as they did to oppose Trump’s first-term immigration reforms. They’ve refined their tactics since 2016 and are prepared to unleash a wave of civil unrest. These aren’t spontaneous movements; they’re coordinated assaults designed to destabilize the administration.

Finally, from the inside, the deep state will continue its mission of self-preservation. Agencies will drag their feet, leak sensitive information, and undermine policies from within. Their goal is to make everything a chaotic mess, so the heart of their power — the bureaucratic core — remains untouched and grows stronger.

We cannot make the same mistake we made in 2016 — celebrating victory while the deep state plots its next move. Progressives never see themselves as losing. When they’re out of power, they simply shift tactics, pumping more blood into their bureaucratic heart. We may win elections, but the war against the deep state will only intensify. As George Washington warned in his Farewell Address, “Government is not reason, it is not eloquence — it is force; and force, like fire, is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.”

This is the fight for the soul of our nation. The founders’ vision of a constitutional republic is under siege. The deep state has shown us its plan: to govern from the shadows, circumventing the will of the people. But now that the shadows have been exposed, we have a choice. Will we accept this silent tyranny, or will we demand accountability and reclaim our nation’s heart?

The battle is just beginning. We can’t afford to lose.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Drone mystery exposes GLARING government incompetence

Gary Hershorn / Contributor | Getty Images

The drone issue is getting way out of hand.

Earlier this month, Glenn first reported on the mysterious drones stalking the night sky over New Jersey, but the situation is increasingly concerning as the sightings have escalated. Not only have drones been seen across the Northeast Coast, including over New York City, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, but recently, they have been spotted over the night skies of San Diego and other parts of Southern California.

It doesn't take an expert to identify the potential dangers and risks that dozens of undetectable, unidentified six-foot or larger drones pose to national security. Yet, our government's response has been one of unimaginable incompetence, leaving us to speculate on the origin and intention of these drones and wonder in astonishment at the government's ineptitude. Here are three examples of the government's lackluster response to the mystery drones:

Iranian Mothership and Missing Nuclear Warheads

- / Stringer | Getty Images

After several weeks of hubbub, New Jersey Representative, Jeff Van Drew gave an interview on Fox News where he claimed that the drones originated from an Iranian "mothership" off the East Coast of the United States. This theory has since been disproven by satellite images, which show that all Iranian drone carriers are far from U.S. shores. Another theory suggests that drones may be equipped with sensors capable of detecting nuclear material and that they are looking for a nuclear warhead that recently went missing! With these apocalyptic theories gaining traction in the absence of any real answer from our government, one can't help but question the motive behind the silence.

Pentagon's Limp Wristed Response

Alex Wong / Staff | Getty Images

In a recent press conference, national security spokesman John Kirby responded to reporters demanding answers about the government's lack of transparency, which has caused increasing public anxiety. He insisted that the drones did not pose a threat and were not assets of a foreign power, such as from Iran or China--even though he is still uncertain about their identity and origin. He also claimed that many of the sightings were simply misidentifications of normal aircraft.

This lackluster answer has only further inflamed national anxieties and raised even more questions. If the government is unsure of the identity of the drones, how do they know if they are a threat or if they aren't foreign assets? If they aren't foreign, does that mean they are U.S. assets? If so, why not just say so?

The Pentagon has also stated that they are leaving it up to local law enforcement to spearhead the investigation after concluding that these drones pose no threat to any military installation. This has left many feeling like the federal government has turned a blind eye to a serious issue that many Americans are very concerned about.

Where's Pete Buttigieg?

Chip Somodevilla / Staff | Getty Images

We are in the closing weeks of the Biden administration, and with the finish line in sight, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg probably figured nothing else could go wrong on his watch—but boy was he wrong. As Secretary of Transportation, Buttigieg is in charge of the FAA, the agency responsible for managing all air traffic across the nation. One would think that mysterious, 6-foot-long, seemingly intractable drones are invisible on radar and flying above major cities would pose a serious threat to the myriad of legal aircraft that traverse our skies. Yet, Buttigieg has been silent on the issue, adding another failure to his resume which includes: malfunctioning airplanes, the train derailment in Ohio, and the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse, just to name a few.

Glenn: How Alvin Bragg turned hero Daniel Penny into a villain

Michael M. Santiago / Staff | Getty Images

We cannot allow corrupt institutions to punish those who act to protect life and liberty.

America no longer has a single, shared understanding of justice. Two Americas now exist, each applying justice differently depending on who you are and where you live. One America, ruled by common sense and individual courage, praises heroes who stand up to protect others. The other, driven by political agendas and corrupted institutions, punishes those same heroes for daring to act.

This stark division couldn’t be clearer than in the case of Daniel Penny, the Marine whose trial in New York City this week drew strong reactions from both sides across the divided line of justice.

If we let this slide, we accept a world in which heroes are treated as criminals and the law is a weapon for ideological warfare.

Penny was on a subway train last year when Jordan Neely — a man suffering from severe mental illness and reportedly high on drugs — began threatening passengers, saying, “I’m going to kill you all.” The fear on that subway car was palpable, but nobody moved. Nobody, that is, until Penny did what needed to be done. He took action to protect innocent lives.

In the America many of us used to believe in, Penny’s response would be heralded as heroic. His actions mirrored the courage of Todd Beamer on Flight 93, who, on September 11, 2001, rallied others with the words, “Let’s roll,” to prevent further tragedy. But in New York, courage doesn’t seem to count anymore. There, the system turns heroes into villains.

Penny subdued Neely using a chokehold, intending only to restrain him, not kill him. Tragically, Neely died. Penny, filled with remorse, told the police he never meant to hurt anyone. Yet, instead of being recognized for protecting others from a clear and present threat, Penny stood trial for criminally negligent homicide.

In Alvin Bragg’s New York, justice bends to ideology. The Manhattan district attorney has made a career of weaponizing the law, selectively prosecuting those who don’t fit his narrative. He’s the same prosecutor who twisted legal precedent to go after Donald Trump on business charges no one had ever faced before. Then, he turned his sights on Daniel Penny.

A jury may have acquitted Penny, but what happened in New York City this week isn’t justice. When the rule of law changes depending on the defendant’s identity or the prosecutor's political motives, we’re no longer living in a free country. We’re living in a state where justice is a game, and ordinary Americans are the pawns.

The system failed Jordan Neely

It’s worth asking: Where were activists like Alvin Bragg when Neely was suffering on the streets? Jordan Neely was a tragic figure — a man with a long history of mental illness and over 40 arrests, including violent assaults. The system failed him long before he stepped onto that subway train. Yet rather than confront that uncomfortable truth, Bragg’s office decided to target the man who stepped in to prevent a tragedy.

This isn’t about justice. It’s about power. It’s about advancing a narrative where race and identity matter more than truth and common sense.

It’s time to demand change

The Daniel Penny case — and others like it — is a wake-up call. We cannot allow corrupt institutions to punish those who act to protect life and liberty. Americans must demand an end to politically driven prosecutions, hold DAs like Alvin Bragg accountable, and stand up for the principle that true justice is blind, consistent, and fair.

If we let this slide, we accept a world in which heroes are treated as criminals and the law is a weapon for ideological warfare. It’s time to choose which America we want to live in.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

CEO Brian Thompson's killer reveals COWARDICE of the far-left death cult

Jeff Swensen / Stringer | Getty Images

Early on the chilly morning of Wednesday, December 4th, Brian Thompson, CEO of health insurance giant, UnitedHealthcare, was walking through Midtown Manhattan on his way to a company conference. Suddenly, a masked and hooded figure silently allegedly stepped onto the sidewalk behind Thompson, drew a 3-D printed, silenced pistol, and without warning fired multiple shots into Thompson's back before fleeing the scene on an electric bicycle. After a multiple-day manhunt, a 26-year-old lead suspect was arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania after being recognized by an employee.

This was not "vigilante justice." This was cold-blooded murder.

As horrific as the murder of a husband and father in broad daylight in the center of New York City is, the story only gets worse. Even before the murder suspect was arrested, left-wing extremists were already taking to X to call him a "hero" and a "vigilante" who "took matters into his own hands." Even the mainstream media joined in on the glorification, as Glenn pointed out on air recently, going out of the way to show how physically attractive the murder suspect was. This wave of revolting and nihilistic fanfare came in response to the findings of online investigators who surmised the murder suspect's motives to retaliate against healthcare companies for corruption and denied coverage. The murder suspect supposedly underwent a major back surgery that left him with back pain, and some of his internet fans apparently viewed his murder of Thompson as retribution for the mistreatment that he and many other Americans have suffered from healthcare companies.

me liking tweets celebrating the assassination of the united healthcare ceo pic.twitter.com/N41w51ZuZR
— 🔻 (@pegasustits) December 5, 2024

The murder suspect and his lackeys don't seem to understand that, other than depriving two children of their father right before Christmas, he accomplished nothing.

The murder suspect failed to achieve his goal because he was too cowardly to try.

If the murder suspect's goals were truly to "right the wrongs" of the U.S. healthcare system, he had every tool available to him to do so in a constructive and meaningful manner. He came from a wealthy and prominent family in the Baltimore area, became the valedictorian at a prestigious all-boys prep school, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a master's in engineering. Clearly, the murder suspect was intelligent and capable, and if he had put his talent into creating solutions for the healthcare industry, who knows what he could have accomplished?

This is the kind of behavior the far-left idolizes, like communists on college campuses who wear shirts that celebrate the brutal Cuban warlord, Che Guevara. Merchandise celebrating the UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect is already available, including shirts, hoodies, mugs, and even Christmas ornaments. Will they be sporting his face on their T-shirts too?

A liberal TikToker is selling a t-shirt that glorifies the recent assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in NYC.
“deny , defend, depose” was reported to have been on the shell casings. pic.twitter.com/IWpHYkx2lF
— SteveSant66 🇺🇸 (@SSant66) December 8, 2024

This macabre behavior does not breed creation, achievement, success, or life. It only brings death and risks more Americans falling into this dangerous paradigm. But we still have a chance to choose life. We just have to wake up and take it.

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