What is your problem with that?
Posted on 01/18/2006 8:10:29 AM PST by Perlstein
Leading Conservatives Call for Extensive Hearings on NSA Surveillance; Checks on Invasive Federal Powers Essential
1/17/2006 6:36:00 PM
To: National Desk
Contact: Laura Brinker, 202-715-1540, for Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances, laura.brinker@dittus.com
WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances (PRCB) today called upon Congress to hold open, substantive oversight hearings examining the President's authorization of the National Security Agency (NSA) to violate domestic surveillance requirements outlined in the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
Former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr, chairman of PRCB, was joined by fellow conservatives Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR); David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union; Paul Weyrich, chairman and CEO of the Free Congress Foundation and Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, in urging lawmakers to use NSA hearings to establish a solid foundation for restoring much needed constitutional checks and balances to intelligence law.
"When the Patriot Act was passed shortly after 9-11, the federal government was granted expanded access to Americans' private information," said Barr. "However, federal law still clearly states that intelligence agents must have a court order to conduct electronic surveillance of Americans on these shores. Yet the federal government overstepped the protections of the Constitution and the plain language of FISA to eavesdrop on Americans' private communication without any judicial checks and without proof that they are involved in terrorism."
The following can be attributed to PRCB members:
"I believe that our executive branch cannot continue to operate without the checks of the other branches. However, I stand behind the President in encouraging Congress to operate cautiously during the hearings so that sensitive government intelligence is not given to our enemies." -- Paul Weyrich, chairman and CEO, Free Congress Foundation
"Public hearings on this issue are essential to addressing the serious concerns raised by alarming revelations of NSA electronic eavesdropping." -- Grover Norquist, president, Americans for Tax Reform
"The need to reform surveillance laws and practices adopted since 9/11 is more apparent now than ever. No one would deny the government the power it needs to protect us all, but when that power poses a threat to the basic rights that make our nation unique, its exercise must be carefully monitored by Congress and the courts. This is not a partisan issue; it is an issue of safeguarding the fundamental freedoms of all Americans so that future administrations do not interpret our laws in ways that pose constitutional concerns." -- David Keene, chairman, American Conservative Union
"If the law is not reformed, ordinary Americans' personal information could be swept into all-encompassing federal databases encroaching upon every aspect of their private lives. This is of particular concern to gun owners, whose rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment are currently being infringed upon under the Patriot Act's controversial record search provisions." -- Alan Gottlieb, founder, Second Amendment Foundation
Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances is an organization dedicated to protecting Americans' fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment and ensuring that all provisions of the Patriot Act are in line with the Constitution. For more information, visit the Web site at http://www.checksbalances.org.
http://www.usnewswire.com/
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/© 2006 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
I'm not.
"This is a good example of how the MSM makes things happen."
The story has been changed from illegal leaks of a Special Access Program during a time of war to abuse of presidential power.
They had the Dems dead to rights had there been arrests around Christmas. Weak response as usual.
What is your problem with that?
I don't think you're correct. Newswire prints press releases from anyone who subscribes to their service.
Regain power WHERE? There aint NO way he will get elected to anything in Georgia again. Maybe he can turn gay and move to Atlanta {yeah thats the ticket!}
Bob does get that the DEMS paid him back for impeachment. Then he kisses up to them. What is wrong with these people?
I'm with ya. I'm against Fourth Amendment rights for enemy combatants and thier domestic agents.
That they did; they threw their 'lot' in with them -- and now the words of Al Gore calling for Bush's impeachment hang on THEIR NECKS.
SOBs.
Gottlieb was part of something connected to Gun Grabber Gore?
When will they ever learn that lefties do NOT donate $$ to anything.
The freepers who want to ignore constitutional checks and balances, in the name of "security," will get a bite in the ass in Hillary becomes president and starts using the unchecked powers they have been so willing to grant to the executive branch.
Not yet. The tax guys are lower on the priority list than the 2nd amendment goons.
I can well understand why Grover al-Norquist might have a problem with this, and it has nothing to do with being a "conservative."
Problem is, until somebody's convicted, he or she is a "suspected" criminal. That could include anybody who got in the sites of the investigators. If you're for taking away the constitutional rights of suspects - then you're not a conservative. Because conservatives honor, and want to conserve, the constitution. Because they fear how unchecked federal power could be used if the wrong folks got into power - like Hillary. Power without restraint is a Marxist, Soviet concept. Constitutional restraints - including the 4th Amendment - is a conservative concept.
The only place these "conservatives" are leading us is over a cliff.
Absolutely. As is Bob Barr -- hell, he was suppose to INTRODUCE Gore's speech on MOnday!
Yeah really, these "true conservatives" such as bob barr joining with al agore and moveon.org and singing Kumbya over the evil Bush is the ticket(eyes rolling).
I can well understand how real conservatives would have a problem with the executive branch performing warrantless searches. It's against the spirit of the constitution, and it puts us in danger if and when Hillary is in the White House.
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