Herald; Dubuque, Iowa – 9 plead not guilty in Obama records case
9 plead not guilty in Obama records case
0 Comments | Telegraph – Herald; Dubuque, Iowa, May 25, 2010 | by Michael J Crumb
DAVENPORT – Nine people charged with illegally accessing President Barack Obama’s student loan records while employed for a Department of Education contractor in Iowa pleaded not guilty Monday in federal court.
The former employees of Vangent Inc. are accused of gaining access to a computer at the contractor’s office in Coralville between July 2007 and March 2009 and getting into Obama’s records while he was either a candidate for president, president-elect or president.
They appeared in U.S. District Court in Davenport, where they were read the charges against them and one by one entered their pleas.
U.S District Court Judge Celeste F. Bremer scheduled a trial for July 6 and released the defendants on promises to appear. Bremer told them not to leave the state and to stay employed or seek jobs. They can’t have guns or possess other weapons, and they’re under pretrial supervision.
Those charged are Gary Grenell, 58; Andrew J. Lage, 54, Patrick E. Roan, 51, Sandra Teague, 54, and Mercedes Costoyas, 53, all of Iowa City; Lisa Torney, 49, of Coralville; Anne C. Rhodes, 32, of Ainsworth; Julie L. Kline, 38, of West Branch; and John P. Phommivong, 29, of North Liberty.
All but Rhodes face one count of exceeding authorized computer access. Rhodes faces two counts because she allegedly went into Obama’s records twice
barack obama student loans