Bush NSL spy tool struck down
pp2pnet news | Freedom:- No matter what US president George W. Bush may wish, internet spying is against the law, a US judge has ruled.
Declaring controversial portions of the USA Patriot Act unconstitutional, US district judge Victor Marrero HAS ordered the FBI to, “stop its wide use of a warrantless tactic for obtaining e-mail and telephone data from private companies for counterterrorism investigations,” says the Washington Post.
The ruling applies to FBI’s use of secret “national security letters” (NSLs).
Using them to demand information, “violates the First Amendment and constitutional provisions on the separation of powers, because the FBI can impose indefinite gag orders on the companies and the courts have little opportunity to review the letters,” says the story.
“In its hunt for domestic terrorists, the FBI has near-total power to sort through personal records in secrecy,” says the San Francisco Chronicle. “Surely, though, this feature isn’t widely used or tapped only sparing in the worst cases? After all, this is a country built on due process and judicial review.”
In place since 1986, NSLs were little used. But then along came the Bush administration which, “ramped up its features,” says the article, continuing:
In 2005, the FBI sent out 19,000 letters seeking some 47,000 pieces of information and a total of 143,000 such requests from 2003 to 2005. Judges were largely powerless to interfere.
Until now. In a suit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, a federal judge last week moved to stop this wholesale invasion of basic rights. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero wasn’t nice about it. He called the tactic “the legislative equivalent of breaking and entering, with an ominous free pass to the hijacking of constitutional values.”
His ruling, together with the “overdue departure of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales” offer hope that America, “might pause to consider the magnitude of the liberties and values it has been sacrificing in the name of security,” adds the San Francisco Chronicle.
Also See:
Washington Post – iTunes Ringtones: Making You Pay Again For Music You Already Own, September 9, 2007
San Francisco Chronicle – A brake on the Patriot Act, September 10, 2007
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September 10th, 2007 at 9:42 am
It isn’t America that has been choosing to sacrifice their liberties to protect against “terrorism.” It has been America’s leaders. I take this moment to remind you that our current leadership was elected under a rigged vote that still only came out to 51% of the country wanting him. Meaning 4 years ago he only represented, at best, 1/2 of the country. The latest survey I heard was that 80% of the country now wishes that Bush was no longer the president. Bush will probably just end up using his executive power to do as he wishes anyway when it comes to NSLs. http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1223/p09s01-cods.html . Anyway, I don’t know why judges bother trying to “put in check” what our government does anymore because the system of “checks and balances” was thrown under the bus long ago.
I love that picture,
Liam
September 12th, 2007 at 10:37 am
“rigged vote” blah blah blah *yawn*
September 12th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
BUSH IS A REINCARNATION OF ADOLF HITLER.
CAN’T YOU SEE HE WANTS TO BUILD CONCENTRATION CAMPS FOR ALL ENEMIES SUCH AS ARABS, THEN HE WANTS TO COMMIT GENUCIDE/UGENICS, THEN HE WANTS TO CONTROL US ALL AND CREATE A PERFECT RICH RACE WHILE THE POOR AND COLOR PEOPLE SUFFER AND BE A SLAVE FOR THE RICH AND POWERFUL.
BUSH WANTS THE NAZIS TO CONTROL US.
September 13th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Wow. We all think he’s bad, let’s not make us all sound like idiots however by writing the above Bullshit which is obviously not true. Being stupid and a puppet isn’t equal to being Hitler. He knew what he was doing
Thanks.
September 13th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
“rigged vote” blah blah blah *yawn*
Ummm… Try reading then opening your mouth:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/voting.shtml