Gov. Ed Rendell to hold press conference on Homeland Security tracking anti-Marcellus Shale activists

Gov. Ed Rendell will hold a press conference today at 6 p.m. in his office at the capitol to address Pennsylvania Office of Homeland Security activity related to Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling.
The Patriot-News reported this morning that leaked intelligence bulletins from the PA Office of Homeland Security show that the office - through a private contractor in Philadelphia - has been tracking the Internet activity of anti-drilling activists to determine the public meetings they are planning to attend - including public screenings of the film “Gasland.”


Homeland Security has then distributed this information to law enforcement officials, emergency responders and the gas industry.
Officials in both Homeland Security and the Governor’s Office said there had been five to ten recent acts of vandalism to Marcellus sites around the state and that the information on anti-drilling activists was being supplied to local officials and the operators of such sites as a means of public protection.

Now THIS is scary stuff to me. Our own tax dollars are being spent to track lawful gatherings, the suppression of free speech, and the welfare of corporations over the average citizen. All because of "five to ten" acts of vandalism? Wow, most small towns have more than that every month and it doesn't create a press conference from Harrisburg!