Rumor: White House Warns Staff They Could Get 2 Years in Jail for Using BlackBerrys During Govt. Shutdown

If you haven’t heard, Congressional Republicans are threatening to shut down the government at midnight today if Democrats don’t bow down to their budgetary demands, and since some of them entail things like eradicating funding for Planned Parenthood, it’s a safe bet that that won’t happen.

What’s that got to do with tech? Well, according to the National Journal, White House staffers have been harshly warned not to use their government-issued BlackBerrys during a potential government shutdown. Apparently, they “face the threat of up to two years in jail”  if they don’t comply.

“People are VERY clear on not using BlackBerries [if they’re nonexempted] after a shutdown,” one source said, speaking on condition of anonymity in discussing an internal White House matter with the press. “Same with nonexempted [employees] using their personal BlackBerries [for government work]. Total nonstarter.”

Well, at least there aren’t any good apps to tempt them.

(via National Journal. h/t @gabrielsnyder)

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Robert Quigley