Hacker breaks into Bush family email
HOUSTON (AP) - A hacker apparently accessed private photos and emails sent between members of the Bush family, including both former presidents, and a spokesman for George H.W. Bush said a criminal investigation is under way.
The Smoking Gun website said the hacker, who went by the online moniker "Guccifer," gained access to emails, photos, private telephone numbers and addresses of Bush family members and friends.
The website displayed photos it said came from the hacker, including one that purported to show the elder Bush during his recent near-two-month stay in a Houston hospital where the 88-year-old was treated for complications arising from a bronchial infection.
The authenticity of the photos and other details on the website could not immediately be confirmed. A spokesman for former President George H.W. Bush declined to comment on the reports.
"There's a criminal investigation and, as such, there's nothing else we can say," Jim McGrath told The Associated Press Friday.
The FBI in Houston, where Bush lives, was similarly tight-lipped.
"We do not confirm or deny the existence of any investigation," Houston FBI spokeswoman Shauna Dunlap said.
Freddy Ford, a spokesman for former President George W. Bush, who has a home in Dallas, also said Friday he "won't be commenting."
The FBI in Dallas referred calls to the Secret Service, which did not immediately return a message left Friday morning.
The word "Guccifer" is plastered across the photos published on the Smoking Gun website in translucent, neon blue print. The website quotes "Guccifer" as describing himself as a veteran hacker who has long been in the government's sights.
The Smoking Gun website said the hacker, who went by the online moniker "Guccifer," gained access to emails, photos, private telephone numbers and addresses of Bush family members and friends.
The website displayed photos it said came from the hacker, including one that purported to show the elder Bush during his recent near-two-month stay in a Houston hospital where the 88-year-old was treated for complications arising from a bronchial infection.
The authenticity of the photos and other details on the website could not immediately be confirmed. A spokesman for former President George H.W. Bush declined to comment on the reports.
"There's a criminal investigation and, as such, there's nothing else we can say," Jim McGrath told The Associated Press Friday.
The FBI in Houston, where Bush lives, was similarly tight-lipped.
"We do not confirm or deny the existence of any investigation," Houston FBI spokeswoman Shauna Dunlap said.
Freddy Ford, a spokesman for former President George W. Bush, who has a home in Dallas, also said Friday he "won't be commenting."
The FBI in Dallas referred calls to the Secret Service, which did not immediately return a message left Friday morning.
The word "Guccifer" is plastered across the photos published on the Smoking Gun website in translucent, neon blue print. The website quotes "Guccifer" as describing himself as a veteran hacker who has long been in the government's sights.
Maybe it was hacked by obama's people. Â He may be needing some new things in which to blame Bush. Â The old ones have become stale and the only people who believe them are the puppets who voted for him. Â Can you be impeached for hacking into an ex-president's e-mail? Â Maybe we'll find out.
More than a little ironic that this happened to the creator of the USA Patriot Act. But then if you are one who cheers this invasion of privacy, be for warned it can happen to any one of you.
Bush's fault!
Good, any payback to those utterly evil Bushes is AWESOME. Â Keep it up!!
 @P R Severe Sounds like you suffer from dick envy.
Why? To try and get more dirt for the "Bush's Fault" (mental defective) crowd?
Â
So will hackers be going after Obama's private stuff, ever? Not bloody likely.
 @TimBurr Obama's not a psycho lying Pube coward, that's why.
 @P R Severe amen.  Bush was one wack job.
 @P R Severe He's one of the biggest pathological liars around.Â
 @P R Severe  @TimBurr That will be your little secret.
Isn't the Secret Service responsible for securing presidents & former-presidents email accounts?