Press release: “The United States has faced an unprecedented rise in government secrecy over the last six years, according to a report released today by OpenTheGovernment.org and People For the American Way Foundation. Government Secrecy: Decisions Without Democracy 2007 (52 pages, PDF) documents how executive power has dramatically expanded while executive accountability has diminished.” Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Patriot Act
Federal Appeals Court Dismisses Challenge to Domestic Surveillance Program
Follow up to previous postings on domestic surveillance programs, news today that 6th Circuit found none of the plaintiff’s had standing against the NSA with regard to the Terrorist Surveillance Program (TSP). See the ACLU press release: “In a 2-1 decision, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals today dismissed a legal challenge to the Bush… Continue Reading
Reverberations in Case Involving FBI NSLs and Connecticut Librarians
Follow up to previous postings on Connecticut librarians and FBI NSL gag order, via Wired Blog, Librarians Describe Life Under An FBI Gag Order: “Two Connecticut librarians on Sunday [at the 2007 ALA Annual Conference in Washington, DC] described what it was like to be slapped with an FBI national security letter and accompanying gag… Continue Reading
Washington Post Launches Blog Series on "Most Influential and Power Man Ever to Hold Office of Vice President"
WashingtonPost.com: “Over the past six years, Cheney has shaped his times as no vice president has before. This…four-part series…explores his methods and impact, drawing on interviews with more than 200 men and women who worked for, with or in opposition to Cheney’s office. Many of those interviewed recounted events that have not been made public… Continue Reading
Privacy and Civil Liberties Board Delivers First Report to Congress
Press release: “The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA), which created the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (Board), requires that “[n]ot less frequently than annually, the Board shall prepare a report to Congress, unclassified to the greatest extent possible…on the Board’s major activities during the preceding period.” This report discusses the… Continue Reading
PBS Reports on Security versus Liberty: America at a Crossroads
“Following 9/11, the U.S. government adopted some controversial new tactics intended to prevent future terrorist attacks, including warrantless eavesdropping on Americans’ phone calls, secret demands for records under the Patriot Act, and FBI sting operations against people thought to be potential terrorists. The Bush Administration contends these tactics have helped to save American lives, but… Continue Reading
Senate Hearing on Use of NSLs Includes Testimony From Former Library Connection "John Doe"
Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights, hearing – Responding to The Inspector General’s Findings of Improper Use of National Security Letters by the FBI, April 11, 2007. Via American Library Association Washington Office Newsline: “George Christian, Executive Director of the Library Connection and former plaintiff in John Doe v. Gonzales,… Continue Reading
Commentary on Politicizing National Security
Politicizing National Security, by Aziz Huq, April 4, 2007: “Aziz Huq directs the Liberty and National Security Project at the Brennan Center for Justice. He is co-author of Unchecked and Unbalanced: Presidential Power in Times of Terror, and recipient of a 2006 Carnegie Scholars Fellowship.” Mr. Huq focuses on three recent issues to highlight his… Continue Reading
Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, March 28, 2007 Statement of Robert S. Mueller, III Director Federal Bureau of Investigation: “Last week, the Committee heard testimony from Glenn Fine, the Inspector General of the Department of Justice regarding a recent report issued by his office on the FBI’s use of… Continue Reading
Google Announces Change in Privacy Policy on Storage of Server Logs
Taking steps to further improve our privacy practices: Posted by Peter Fleischer, Privacy Counsel-Europe, and Nicole Wong, Deputy General Counsel: “When you search on Google, we collect information about your search, such as the query itself, IP addresses and cookie details. Previously, we kept this data for as long as it was useful. Today we’re… Continue Reading
Senate Moves to Declassify CIA Report on 9/11
Press release: “U.S. Senate legislation to implement unfinished recommendations of the 9/11 commission includes a bipartisan amendment to declassify the Executive Summary of the CIA Inspector Generals Report on 9/11. The CIA report is the only major 9/11 government review that has not been made public, a fact that the Vice Chairman of the U.S.… Continue Reading
ACLU Refutes FBIs Claims of Unintentional Patriot Act Abuses
Follow-up to March 8, 2007 posting, DOJ OIG Report Documents FBI Underreporting Use of National Security Letter, this from the ACLU: “Claims that the FBIs reported Patriot Act abuses were the “unintentional” result of outmoded computer systems and human error are not credible, the American Civil Liberties Union said today, citing evidence that agents contracted… Continue Reading
