04/08/05

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales recently assured the Senate Judiciary Committee the Justice Department 'has no interest in rummaging through the library records or the medical records of Americans.' This is pretty much the extent of the limits imposed by the USA PATRIOT Act on the FBI's ability to peruse your personal records: It can do so only if it wants to. But if the FBI should one day take an interest in such potentially sensitive matters as your reading habits, health, finances, travel, gambling, Internet activity, firearm purchases, or pay-per-view orders, there is little in the PATRIOT Act to stop it from satisfying its curiosity. Regardless of how many times the privacy of innocent people has been compromised so far—a hard question to answer, given the secrecy that shrouds the government's use of the anti-terrorism law's snooping provisions—the potential for abuse remains a serious concern...

http://www.reason.com/sullum/040805.shtml

from Reason, by Jacob Sullum


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

by Dave Lindorff

CounterPunch

04/05/05

As Congress begins the critical discussion about renewing the horrendous USA PATRIOT Act, that dangerous assault on the Bill of Rights drawn up by former Attorney General John Ashcroft and now Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, it's a good time to point out how this wretched law is viewed out there in mainstream America. According to records maintained by an organization called the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, as of April of this year, 372 towns, cities and counties, and five of the 50 states, have passed laws in one way or another declaring themselves to be 'Patriot Act free zones...

http://www.counterpunch.org/lindorff04052005.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

04/02/05

Montana lawmakers overwhelmingly passed what its sponsor called the nation's most strongly worded criticism of the federal Patriot Act on Friday, uniting politicians of all stripes. The resolution, which already galloped through the Senate and passed the House 88-12 Friday, must survive a final vote before it officially passes. Senate Joint Resolution 19, sponsored by Sen. Jim Elliott, D-Trout Creek, says that while the 2005 Legislature supports the federal government's fight against terrorism, the so-called Patriot Act of 2001 granted authorities sweeping powers that violate citizens' rights enshrined in both the U.S. and Montanan constitutions. ... Elliott, a Democrat and rancher from northwestern Montana, sponsored the resolution, but it garnered support from Republicans on the far right of the political spectrum. ... Twelve representatives -- all Republicans -- voted against the measure...

http://tinyurl.com/5huj8


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

New York Times

03/23/05

Battle lines were drawn Tuesday in the debate over the government's counterterrorism powers, as an unlikely coalition of liberal civil-rights advocates, conservative libertarians, gun-rights supporters and medical privacy advocates voiced their objections to crucial parts of the law that expanded those powers after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Keeping the law intact 'will do great and irreparable harm' to the Constitution by allowing the government to investigate people's reading habits, search their homes without notice and pry into their personal lives, said Bob Barr, a former Republican congressman who is leading the coalition. Mr. Barr voted for the law, known as the USA Patriot Act, in the House just weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks but has become one of its leading critics, a shift that reflects the growing unease among some conservative libertarians over the expansion of the government's powers in fighting terrorism... [Editor's note: see Second Amendment Foundation endorses call to review Patriot Act - MLS]

http://tinyurl.com/4e42f


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE LEGISLATURE HEARINGS: REJECT USA PATRIOT ACT

http://www.newswithviews.com/BreakingNews/breaking32.htm

by ERIC LICHTBLAU

February 15, 2005

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 - President Bush on Monday urged the nation to stay the course in its "urgent mission" to fight terrorism, and he called on Congress to move quickly to extend sweeping law enforcement powers under the USA Patriot Act.

"We must not allow the passage of time or the illusion of safety to weaken our resolve in this new war," Mr. Bush said in a speech at the Justice Department. "To protect the American people, Congress must promptly renew all provisions of the Patriot Act this year."

The president's remarks came at the formal swearing-in of his friend and longtime adviser, Alberto R. Gonzales, as the nation's 80th attorney general. Mr. Gonzales won Senate confirmation 11 days ago by a vote of 60 to 36 after a sharp debate that focused on the administration's terrorism policies and their impact on the treatment of prisoners.

Mr. Bush built his re-election campaign last year around the assertion that he was the candidate best able to defend the country against another terrorist attack. In taking on the subject of the Patriot Act once again, he showed no signs of backing away from that approach.

A number of measures in the act that expand the government's ability to conduct secret surveillance and use other law enforcement powers will expire at the end of the year unless Congress extends them. Many Democrats and some Republicans have voiced skepticism or outright opposition to an extension, and some lawmakers have offered competing proposals that would restrict the ability of federal agents to demand records from libraries and use other powers granted by the act.

Mr. Bush's renewed call for an extension met with skepticism from the American Civil Liberties Union, which called on "cooler heads" in Congress to scrutinize and fine-tune the law to meet civil liberties concerns.

"The president and the attorney general must realize that security and liberty are not - and cannot be - mutually exclusive," the group said in a statement.

The White House, however, has signaled that it will veto any effort by Congress to rein in counterterrorism powers.

Mr. Bush, speaking at the Justice Department's Great Hall before an audience of visiting officials and Justice Department employees, said that Mr. Gonzales was joining them in "an urgent mission - to protect the United States from another terrorist attack."

Mr. Gonzales echoed that theme, pledging that department employees would "work together tirelessly to address terrorism and other threats to our nation, and to confront injustice with integrity and devotion to our highest ideals."

Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company


Informant: mr_tjsmith


From: ufpj-news

The government will revamp the wording of future federal contracts with the aim of countering U.S. powers, granted under anti-terrorism laws, to tap into personal information about Canadians.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/01/30/915085-cp.html
http://tinyurl.com/6ou2n


From Information Clearing House

*****BORDC-TACOMA****ACTIVIST UPDATE*******

*****WIDEST DISSEMINATION PLEASE*******

Hello everyone,

We have a piece of legislation up before the Washington State 2005
Regular Session. If you agree with this you should help us by
contacting your legislator and asking for their support and
endorsement. You should also contact the sponsors below and offer
your support.

Both Rep Flannigan and Reps Darneille are behind this and many of
you helped them make this choice. This Joint memorial is not as
strong as we would have liked, however, it is moving forward and
brings the issue to the surface at the State level.

I am also asking for you to post this on your various group lists
and ask for their endorsements. We need the Peace Community, the
progressives, socialists, anarchists, unionists etc to sign on.

The house version of the Bill of Rights Resolution just got filed and
has been referred to the House Judiciary committee. The text follows

H-0566.1 HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 4006
State of Washington 59th Legislature 2005 Regular Session
By Representatives Moeller, Chase, Tom, Dunshee, Hunter, Jarrett,
Darneille, Upthegrove, McDermott, Hunt, Appleton, Kirby, Flannigan
and Nixon

Read first time . Referred to .
TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of
the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled,
respectfully represent and petition as follows:

WHEREAS, The state of Washington's highly utilized waterways, large active ports, major international airports, multiple bridges, access to military bases, dispatch and transport of hazardous waste into Hanford, and sharing a border with Canada make the state uniquely vulnerable to terrorism; and

WHEREAS, Washington has a diverse population whose contributions to the state are vital to its economy, culture, and civic character; and

WHEREAS, Washington denounces terrorism and acknowledges that federal, state, and local governments have a responsibility to protect the public from terrorist attacks and should ensure that any new security measures enhance public safety without unconstitutionally impairing civil rights or civil liberties; and

p. 1 HJM 4006

WHEREAS, Washington is proud of its tradition of protecting the civil rights and civil liberties of all its residents and affirming the
fundamental rights of all people; and

WHEREAS, Congress passed the USA PATRIOT Act (P.L. 107-56) on October 26, 2001, following the horrific attacks on America of September 11, 2001; and

WHEREAS, The Washington legislature believes that there is no inherent conflict between national security and the preservation of constitutional rights and liberties; and

WHEREAS, The Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Rights of the Constitution of the state of Washington guarantee freedom of speech, assembly, and privacy, equality before the law, the presumption of innocence, access to counsel and due process in judicial proceedings, and protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, for all people living in Washington; and

WHEREAS, The preservation of civil rights and civil liberties is a pillar of American society and is essential to the well-being of any democracy; and

WHEREAS, The Washington legislature believes that residents of this state and this nation can be both safe and free;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington legislature:

(1) Affirms its abhorrence of and opposition to global terrorism; and

(2) Affirms its commitment to protecting the civil rights and civil liberties of all Washington residents and oppose any measures that unconstitutionally infringe upon those civil rights and civil liberties; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Washington legislature calls on Congress to adopt S. 1709, the SAFE Act, which is sponsored by a bipartisan group of senators and which would amend and clarify several provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act including:

(a) Codifying the pre-USA PATRIOT Act standards for delayed notice or "sneak and peek" warrants to allow these warrants if notice of the warrant would: Endanger someone's life or physical safety; result in flight from prosecution; or result in destruction or tampering with evidence; and

(b) Requiring requests for roving wiretaps to identify either the HJM 4006 p. 2 person or place to be wiretapped and that the suspect is present at the place to be wiretapped, before collecting information; and

(c) Reinstating the pre-USA PATRIOT Act standard for seizing business and library records by requiring the Federal Bureau of Investigation to demonstrate it has reason to believe that the person to whom the records are related is a suspected terrorist or spy. The SAFE Act also exempts libraries from the section of the USA PATRIOT Act that allows access to electronic communications on the strength of an administrative subpoena rather than a court order; and

(d) Sunsetting the provisions allowing for: Nationwide search warrants, requiring Congress to review and reauthorize it; delayed notice or "sneak and peak" warrants; application of pen registers and trap and trace devices to electronic communications; and national security letter authority; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

--- END ---

p. 3 HJM 4006


The next meeting will be on February 9, 2005 from noon to 1 pm. If you will be joining us in person we're located at the corner of 2nd and Cherry on the 3rd floor of the Hoge building, Seattle Wa. If you will be joining us via phone you can call 1-800-416-8128. When prompted for a passcode please dial 309980. Our next meeting will include an endorsement and legislative update and consider strategies to move this bill forward.

Yours in Liberty,

Tim Smith


From ufpj-news