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Category Archives: Patriot Act

Hearings on Telecom Customer Data and Domestic Surveillance Cancelled

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Follow-up to postings on the government phone surveillance program, USAToday.com reported that Senate Judicary Chair Arlen Specter cancelled hearings that would have scrutinized the extent to which phone companies provided customer records to the NSA. Related Congressional news: CNN reported on growing tensions between Specter and Cheney which produced a formal written complaint by the… Continue Reading

Connecticut Librarians Challenging Constitutionality of Patriot Act Gag Speak Out

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Following up on previous postings about Connecticut librarians gagged by the FBI’s use of the National Security Letter provision of the Patriot Act, news from an ACLU press conference on the identity of the librarians and their respective statements as follows: Barbara Bailey Peter Chase George Christian Janet Nocek Continue Reading

DOJ Investigation into Domestic Surveillance Program Blocked On Security Grounds

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Justice Department Probe Foiled, by Shane Harris and Murray Waas, National Journal: “An internal Justice Department inquiry into whether department officials — including Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and then-Attorney General John Ashcroft — acted properly in approving and overseeing the Bush administration’s domestic eavesdropping program was stymied because investigators were denied security clearances to do… Continue Reading

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 2006

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Press release, May 24, 2006: “U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) today introduced legislation (22 pages, PDF) that would reaffirm that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is the exclusive means by which our government can conduct electronic surveillance of U.S. persons on U.S. soil for foreign intelligence purposes.” Continue Reading

CIA Director Nominee Contends Domestic Surveillance Legal

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Senate Intelligence Committee Open Hearing: Confirmation Hearing of General Michael V. Hayden to be the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, May 18, 2006. Opening Statement by Michael V. Hayden, Unclassified (5 pages, PDF) Via FAS, full transcript of the Hayden confirmation hearing (171 pages, PDF), and the same transcript via DNI AP: Hayden Insists… Continue Reading

Hearing on FBI Oversight

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Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing on FBI Oversight, May 2, 2006. From the Statement of Senator Patrick Leahy: “The FBI’s participation in domestic spying — at the expense of the privacy and civil liberties interests of our citizens — is also evident in a recent report on the Bureau’s surveillance activities. According to a… Continue Reading

Authorized Wiretap Intercepts Increase 4 Percent in 2005

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Follow-up to April 28, 2006 posting, FBI Used NSLs to Collect Info on Thousands of Americans, the following related documents from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts: News release, May 1, 2006: Authorized Wiretap Intercepts Increase 4 Percent in 2005 – “The number of orders authorizing or approving the interception of wire, oral or… Continue Reading

Expansion of Presidential Powers Concerns Scholars and Congress

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Boston Globe: Bush challenges hundreds of laws:”President Bush has quietly claimed the authority to disobey more than 750 laws enacted since he took office, asserting that he has the power to set aside any statute passed by Congress when it conflicts with his interpretation of the Constitution.” VT Sen. Patrick Leahy: Bush is abusing power… Continue Reading