Napolitano Confronts Drudge Report over ‘Orwellian…Big Sis’ View

By Jason Ryan, ABC News

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Matt Drudge is “just wrong” for dubbing her “Big Sis” on his Drudge Report website, and defended DHS’s efforts to respect people’s civil liberties while protecting against terrorist attacks.

“I don’t think he means it kindly,” Napolitano said, when asked about the nickname today during an event sponsored by Politico. “I think that what he means is that we are watching too much; kind of an Orwellian view. And he’s just wrong.”

Although Homeland Security does have a vast intelligence architecture at Customs and Border Protection, TSA, Immigration Customs Enforcement, the Coast Guard and Secret Service, Napolitano dismissed any privacy concerns.

“We’re always striking that balance,” between security and liberty, Napolitano said.

While programs such as US-VISIT collect biometric fingerprint information and pictures of certain international travelers and DHS runs airline passenger name and booking information (Passenger name Records) through watch lists and other databases, Napolitano said, “We don’t do anything without running it through our own civil rights and privacy office.”

To read more, visit:  http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/09/napolitano-confronts-drudge-report-over-orwellian-big-sis-view/

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