[agitator]

By the way, the financial sections of the PA do NOT sunset.

[Tempest]

So the club owner is a terrorist?! Ashcroft better drop this case if he doesn't want the patriot act to look like a total farce.

[razorback-bert]

Just wail until the dem-o-rats get use this power.

[Imal]

The FBI used the USA Patriot Act to obtain financial information about key figures in a political corruption probe centered on striptease club owner Michael Galardi, an agent said.

I feel safer already.

[WackyKat]

Hanky-panky in the champagne room supports terrorism.

[Legerdemain]

I remember after the patriot act was passed I used the analogy of the camel asking the Arab if he could stick his nose in the tent because he was cold. The Arab having room said yes..well to make a long story short, The camel eventually moved into the tent and the Arab was outside freezing..

The unpatriot act is the same creature....don't worry about it, it is only for terrorist, it will not be used against citizens of the United States.

Less than 2 years later, it is being used against citizens to gain information in all sorts of investigations.

People, we need to take back control of the situation, Stop thinking, well, I do not have anything to hide, so why should I worry. Our Constitution is being stripped and the war on terror has made it easier to do.

[stylin19a]

It seems they would be better off using RICO...which has been used for purposes it wasn't intended..in this case, it seems The Racketeering Act applies...

[freeeee]

The Patriot Act is being used for things other than terrorism???

But, but how can this be? They said it was for terrorism! Our government would never lie and use a tragedy for a power grab - they're above that because, because we're Americans, dammit!

Who could have known? Who could have seen such a thing coming? I don't think anyone raised this issue when the Patriot Act was passed.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

I'm not surprised the Feds are using the PA's back door for non-terrorism prosecutions. I am surprised it took them this long to do so.

[TigersEye]

The PA is being used against normal everyday American criminals? I'm shocked!!!

The question no one is bothering to ask is 'what is the "threshold" for obtaining the warrant under the new lowered standard?' They obviously didn't go after an innocent citizen here.

[mansion]

Come on, who didn't see this coming?

If the last administration had come up with the "Patriot" act, it would have been met with much suspicion, then rejected by FReepers, with good cause. But since a Republican adminstration, and a Republican-led congress did it, it's okay.

I predict that in a few short years, the "Patriot" Act will be used almost exclusively against U.S. citizens, rather than the terrorists that are the act's alleged targets.

"It's to protect us from terrorists!" has become the GOP's version of "It's for the children!"

If any other FReepers read this and have doubts about the Patriot act, feel free to contact me, it is a very important topic!