http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/05/cyber/articles/25capital.html May 25, 1999 Slip of the Tongue Lightens up Encryption Hearing By JERI CLAUSING WASHINGTON -– The Clinton Administration's point man on encryption policy silenced his Congressional critics –- momentarily, anyway -- with a slip of the tongue at a House hearing last week. "Never underestimate the stupidity of some of the people we have to deal with," William A. Reinsch, Under Secretary of Commerce for the Bureau of Export Administration, said while being grilled about whether terrorists and criminals would be naïve enough to use the technology being pushed by the Administration. The House International Relations subcommittee meeting fell silent and Reinsch turned bright red as he realized the double meaning of what he had said. As the silence turned to laughter, Reinsch tried to backtrack, blurting, "I didn't say that." But it was enough to silence Representative Bradley J. Sherman. Sherman promptly ended his grilling of Reinsch, who along with representatives of the National Security Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was testifying in defense of the Administration's encryption policy. The Administration has tied any loosening of export controls on strong encryption to the development of technology that would guarantee law enforcement easy access to criminals' communications. -o- Subscribe: mail majordomoat_private with "subscribe isn". Today's ISN Sponsor: OSAll [www.aviary-mag.com]
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