- Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy
Thompson is considering a run for president in 2008, a move that should
spark alarm among those familiar with Thompson's calls for widespread RFID
chipping of Americans. The authors of "Spychips," Dr. Katherine
Albrecht and Liz McIntyre, who closely monitor the RFID industry, caution
that his position on the Board of the VeriChip Corporation and his stock
options in the company make Thompson one of the most dangerous figures
in American politics today.
-
- As head of Health of Health and Human Services, Thompson
oversaw the scandal-ridden FDA when it approved the VeriChip as a medical
device. Shortly after leaving his cabinet post, he joined the board of
the VeriChip Corporation and wasted no time in using his clout to promote
the company's glass encapsulated RFID tags. These tags are injected into
human flesh to uniquely number and identify people.
-
- In public appearances, Thompson has suggested implanting
the microchips into Americans to link to their electronic medical records.
"It's very beneficial and it's going to be extremely helpful and it's
a giant step forward to getting what we call an electronic medical record
for all Americans," he told CBS MarketWatch in July 2005. He also
suggested implanting military personnel with the chips to replace dog tags.
-
- Thompson's desire to run for president is not mere speculation.
Media outlets in his home state of Wisconsin, where he served four terms
as governor, have confirmed Thompson is laying the foundation for a presidential
bid. His wife Sue Ann has told reporters that the family has discussed
his candidacy and that "He should give it a try. He's got a lot of
good ideas." Thompson himself has stated, "There's no question
I'm interested."
-
- Thompson is considered a long-shot for the Republican
nomination, but his influence shouldn't be discounted, says McIntyre. "Despite
his folksy manner, he's a savvy politician whose Washington connections
run deep, and he's got a vested interest in chipping America." She
points out that Thompson has an option on more than 150,000 shares of VeriChip
stock.
-
- Right now those options aren't worth much. Security flaws
and public squeamishness have hurt the company's sales, resulting in losses
of millions of dollars.
-
- "It will take a considerable shift in public perception
to chip enough Americans to turn all that red ink to black," Albrecht
observes. "It concerns us that Thompson would have a financial interest
in having people roll up their sleeves while aiming for such an influential
office."
-
- Ironically, Thompson himself has not yet received a microchip
implant despite what must be extraordinary pressure from the VeriChip Corporation.
He made a promise to do so on national television over a year ago.
-
- "Given the unpopularity of the VeriChip and people's
concern it could be abused, Thompson has been wise to avoid getting chipped
himself," says Albrecht. "Getting chipped would would be political
suicide for any politician. Even if he remains chip-free as we hope, the
American people should still be wary of him."
-
-
- =========================================
-
- ABOUT CASPIAN
-
- CASPIAN (Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion
and Numbering) is a grass-roots consumer group fighting retail surveillance
schemes since 1999. With thousands of members in all 50 U.S. states and
over 30 countries worldwide, CASPIAN seeks to educate consumers about marketing
strategies that invade their privacy and encourage privacy-conscious shopping
habits across the retail spectrum.
-
- For more information, visit CASPIAN's RFID privacy website
at: http://www.spychips.com
-
- ABOUT THE BOOK
-
- "Spychips" is the winner of the 2006 Lysander
Spooner Award for Advancing the Literature of Liberty and has received
wide critical acclaim. Authored by recent Harvard graduate Dr. Katherine
Albrecht and former bank examiner Liz McIntyre, the book is meticulously
researched, drawing on patent documents, corporate source materials, conference
proceedings, and firsthand interviews to paint a convincing -- and frightening
-- picture of the threat posed by RFID.
-
- Despite its hundreds of footnotes and academic-level
accuracy, the book remains lively and readable according to critics, who
have called it a "techno-thriller" and "a masterpiece of
technocriticism."
-
- "Spychips" is now available in a newly-released
paperback version from Penguin/Plume (October 2006).
-
- "A chilling story about an emerging future in which
spychips run amok as Big Brother and Big Shopkeeper invade our privacy
in unprecedented ways." - Chicago Tribune
-
- "Paints a 1984-ish picture of how corporations would
like to use RFID tags to keep tabs on you." - The Associated Press
-
- FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO ARRANGE AN INTERVIEW, PLEASE
CONTACT:
-
- Katherine Albrecht (kma@spychips.com) 877-287-5854 ext.
1 Liz McIntyre (liz@spychips.com) 877-287-5854 ext. 2 Mary Pomponio, Plume
Senior Publicist (mary.pomponio@us.penguingroup.com) 212-366-2218
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