"Leaked documents indicate that the US Chamber of Commerce hired a private firm to gather information about the families and children of its progressive political opponents.

E-mails circulated by Aaron Barr, the CEO of HBGary Federal, illuminate highly personal data about critics of the Chamber, including detailed information about their their spouses and children, as well as their locations and professional links.

The e-mails were acquired and published by ThinkProgress, shortly after the liberal blog revealed that the Chamber hired lobbying and security firms to map strategies to discredit progressive opponents.

One e-mail by Barr includes personal information, apparently obtained by HBGary, about Brad Friedman, co-founder of The Brad Blog and other projects that have reported on the Chamber's lobbying."

Sahil Kapur reports for Raw Story February 15, 2011. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"ChamberLeaks: The Chamber’s Anti-Union Lawyers Solicited ‘Abhorrent’ Privacy Invasions " (Think Progress) [3]

"U.S. Chamber of Commerce Thugs Used 'Terror Tools' for Disinfo Scheme Targeting Me, My Family and Other Progressives" (Alternet) [4]

"Revealed: How Energy Firms Spy on  Environmental Activists" (Guardian) [5]

"Sexual Manipulation of Climate Activists Appears To Have Been a Deliberate Police Tactic" (Guardian) [6]