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FBI seeks expanded search powers
MSNBC ^ | April 5, 2005 | NBC and News Services

Posted on 04/05/2005 6:28:38 PM PDT by tomball

WASHINGTON - FBI Director Robert Mueller on Tuesday asked lawmakers to expand the bureau’s ability to obtain records without first asking a judge, and he joined Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in seeking that every temporary provision of the anti-terrorism Patriot Act be renewed.

He also asked Congress to expand the FBI’s administrative subpoena powers, which allow the bureau to obtain records without approval or a judge or grand jury.

"For many years, the FBI has had administrative subpoena authority for investigations of crimes ranging from drug trafficking to health care fraud to child exploitation," he stated. "Yet, when it comes to terrorism investigations, the FBI has no such authority."

 


(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: billofrights; donthinkso; fourthamendment; govwatch; homelandsecurity; no; nope; patriotact; privacy; unhunh
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To: eno_

how strong of a 4th amendment right do you want the liberal courts giving to terror suspects? every decision the judiciary makes is arbitrary, you folks act as if they are some supreme authority that is infallible. get a decent judge who makes an intelligent decision, and the system works fine. get a liberal kook on the bench who decides that protecting the rights of some domestic terror suspect regarding searches, wiretaps, etc, is the most important thing they can do - and planes start blowing up.

make your choice.


41 posted on 04/05/2005 7:22:43 PM PDT by oceanview
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To: tomball

Want more power...go to China and become one of their security troops..


42 posted on 04/05/2005 7:25:54 PM PDT by joesnuffy (The generation that survived the depression and won WW2 proved poverty does not cause crime)
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To: DoughtyOne

You are correct.. but for what you wish to happen,
we, as a nation, would have to think inside the box
I.E. we would address the original problem..
and then constitutionally expect that all would move forward from there... but the problem is that we have already been infiltrated/corrupted by electronics!


43 posted on 04/05/2005 7:26:40 PM PDT by acapesket (never had a vote count in all my years here)
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To: basil

Agree. The judges issue has lit a fuse.


44 posted on 04/05/2005 7:34:58 PM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: ErnBatavia

"Do either of you...in fact ANYBODY here on Free Republic...personally know any innocent American citizen who's had their civil rights impugned by the Patriot Act?"

How would you know when they can call you a terrorist and hold you incommunicado for as long as they like? Does this sound like America to you?


45 posted on 04/05/2005 7:35:30 PM PDT by dljordan
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To: tomball

This is creeping authoritarianism.

This has to stop.

Stop letting these whackos in the country, leave my rights alone.


46 posted on 04/05/2005 7:50:29 PM PDT by Finalapproach29er (America is gradually becoming the Godless,out-of-control golden-calf scene,in "The Ten Commandments")
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To: dljordan; ErnBatavia
"Do either of you...in fact ANYBODY here on Free Republic...personally know any innocent American citizen who's had their civil rights impugned by the Patriot Act?"

Think carefully before answering. Answering "yes" might be a violation.

47 posted on 04/05/2005 7:53:47 PM PDT by Oztrich Boy (No morality can be founded on authority., even if the authority were divine - Sir Alfred Jules Ayer)
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Comment #48 Removed by Moderator

To: oceanview

I agree with your previous post - vote the rascals out.

The legislature is closest to the people, and the legislature has the constitutional power to control the other two branches. It can write legislation to rein in and direct the executive and judiciary and it can also impeach. And most important, the legislature controls the purse strings.

If 10 or so Marxist/socialists can be voted out of the legislature each election cycle, we should see constitutional government making a comeback in about 20 years.


49 posted on 04/05/2005 8:21:40 PM PDT by sergeantdave (Smart growth is Marxist insects agitating for a collective hive.)
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To: All

For your edification:

http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.html


50 posted on 04/05/2005 8:24:21 PM PDT by Killborn (Liberals. The greatest threat to mankind, morality, civilization, cute puppies and fuzzy bunnies.)
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To: Finalapproach29er; oceanview; hellbilly; ErnBatavia

I think your labeling of 'creeping authoritarianism' could be accepted as an apt description. On the other hand I think the proposed provisions could in fact be the ones that prevent a terrorist from setting off a nuke in downtown Chicago. This issue obviously needs to be examined very carefully by Congress and this is a situation where they should nit-pick at each proposal.

Director Mueller stated, "For many years, the FBI has had administrative subpoena authority for investigations of crimes ranging from drug trafficking to health care fraud to child exploitation," he stated. "Yet, when it comes to terrorism investigations, the FBI has no such authority." IF this is the case, and I'm not privy to the existing laws, then I think he makes a good case to expand those powers to include terrorism.


51 posted on 04/05/2005 8:27:31 PM PDT by fiftymegaton
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To: fiftymegaton

and what is the definition of terrorism?

have you heard of these agency chiefs speak of "domestic terrorism"? you would be really surprised at who that includes - it aint just muslim extremists. it's whoever thy want it to be.


52 posted on 04/05/2005 9:03:53 PM PDT by sdpatriot (remember waco and ruby ridge)
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To: oceanview

I don't trust an FBI that is seeking to take away any powers of free speech you may have. For crying out loud, they don't even want you to have an attorney.


53 posted on 04/06/2005 2:59:47 AM PDT by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like what you say))
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To: oceanview

I want a real judge to hold every warrant request to the highest standards. No paid snitches with a financial interest in provding the "right" testimony. No warrants without corroboration. A skeptical view of every self-serving statement by LEOs. Make the witness swear an oath in front of the judge. Prosecute ALL bad witnesses in defective warrant cases for perjury. Getting a warrant should be an adversarial process, not a rubber stamp, which it is today.

This applies to all cases. If you want to make an exception for a handful of national security cases, fine. But only a handful, and no leakage into the protections for normal internal matters.


54 posted on 04/06/2005 4:47:48 AM PDT by eno_ (Freedom Lite - it's almost worth defending.)
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To: oceanview
if we can't trust anyone in our own government - we lose

Oh baloney. Make 'em earn it. They don't, and they don't care. They can all go to hell in a can of anthrax.

55 posted on 04/06/2005 4:49:27 AM PDT by eno_ (Freedom Lite - it's almost worth defending.)
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To: Dan from Michigan

"For many years, the FBI has had administrative subpoena authority..."

"Administrative subpoena authority" is the antithesis of a 3 branch republic. In an earlier age it was known as a "Writ of Assistance."

The ghost of King George is back.


56 posted on 05/26/2005 7:25:17 AM PDT by agitator (...And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark)
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