ACLU Wants FBI antiterrorist Surveillance Curbed

NewsMax.com ^ | 7/06/02 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

California's three ACLU chapters have demanded that Attorney General Bill Lockyer prevent the FBI from conducting surveillance of so-called "political dissidents."

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the ACLU is up in arms over the Bush administration's loosening of restrictions on FBI surveillance in the wake of 9-11, which they say violates the state's constitutional right to privacy, adopted by the voters in 1972.

When the new provision in the state constitution was challenged in 1975, the California state Supreme Court found that an alleged program of undercover police surveillance in classes and political meetings at UCLA was "government snooping in the extreme" and grounds for a lawsuit.

"California has drawn a line with respect to privacy, political and associational rights that government must not cross even with the best of intentions," the ACLU letter said. "Yet, some of the intelligence practices now openly encouraged by the new federal guidelines cross that long-standing state line."

The ACLU asked Lockyer to tell state and local police agencies that they were bound by California's strict privacy law even when working with federal agents. They also told the state's attorney general that he "should at least strongly encourage" federal agents to abide by California privacy rights when gathering intelligence in the state, even though the FBI is immune from state laws.

The ACLU also urged Lockyer that if the FBI fails to go along, that he take any evidence FBI agents produce with a grain of salt because it might may be tainted and inadmissible in court.

The Chronicle reported that Lockyer's office promised a prompt reply, and said it was complying with state law in its post-Sept. 11 anti-terrorism projects, including the establishment of an information-sharing central database accessible to local, state and federal law enforcement.

"We have no intention of trampling Californians' privacy," spokeswoman Hallye Jordan told Chronicle reporter Bob Egelko. "We were addressing their concerns when we were setting up our terrorism unit and will continue to do so."

He added that the new database, called the California Anti-Terrorism Information Center, includes only the names of people who are suspected of terrorism-related crimes, or are being investigated for involvement in such crimes, based on specific evidence.

The center is being overseen by a 14-member group appointed by Gov. Gray Davis and composed of state officials and local sheriffs and police chiefs. It was established Sept. 25 in response to Ashcroft's request for states to create counterterrorism task forces.

In the letter the ultra-liberal ACLU cited last month's Chronicle disclosure that the FBI had spied on student activists at the University of California in the 1960s and campaigned to remove UC President Clark Kerr.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, (D-Cal), later referred to the Chronicle investigation in a letter to FBI Director Robert Mueller asking for assurances that agents would not use the new guidelines to go after political dissidents.

Unfortunately, in the ACLU's eyes, terrorists andtheir left-wing defenders probably fall under the category of "political dissidents."

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

George W. Bush

[Tennessee_Bob]

Maybe we should start keeping a much better eye on the ACLU instead...

[Conservative Chicagoan]

Is anybody suprised that the American Communist Liberties Union is siding with the terrorists.

[Conservative Chicagoan]

I agree with you.

[LiteKeeper]

The ACLU is revealing its Communist party roots. They have NEVER been pro-America. And now there true colors are being exposed!

[dirtboy]

Considering the FBI's history in this matter, there is nothing wrong with some oversight of their expanded powers. Considering that the government has a history of using new powers in a manner not originally intended (RICO comes to mind), we should be wary of mission creep with these powers. And, considering that the FBI basically had a lot of information regarding the 9/11 terrorists prior to the attack, IMO what the FBI needs, more than expanded survelliance powers, is an expanded ability to process and analyze the information they are already obtaining. However, having said, that, the close of this column is dead-on:

Unfortunately, in the ACLU's eyes, terrorists andtheir left-wing defenders probably fall under the category of "political dissidents."

[Lokibob]

If the FBI backs off, I'd feel very uncomfortable living in California. Also, bet the terrorists flock to California. This is like putting a sign in your yard saying " GUN FREE HOME".

[Sir Clancelot]

Now that the ACLU has the Federal Appeals Court in San Fransisco doing their work for them by eliminating the "under God" phrase in the Pledge of Allegiance, they can get to the important issues that will make the US a safe place for civil liberties all over, they can speak on behalf of the San Fransisco Chapter of the Al-Queda, so that future John Lindh's can continue their indoctrination and US-hate unobstructed by the FBI. The ACLU representing terrorists, remember when the ACLU used to only represent groups like NAMBLA, now they've really stooped low.

[doryfunk]

I despise the ACLU. It is a communist organisation. However, I also despise the unconstitutional and misnamed 'USA Patriot Act'. The spying powers endorsed by it are unconstitutional and I oppose them.

[cardinal4]

They spell organization with an "S" in GA?

[doryfunk]

Yep, they sure do. And the spell colour with a u and sabre re instead of er.

[cardinal4]

No offence,just having fun...are you originally from the Isles or Down Under?

[old school]

I?ve been a life-long resident of California and I ?feel very uncomfortable living in California,? for a whole host of reasons! Not the least of which have been all the freaks and commies who have settled here and turned my state into the festering boil that it is now!

[Paulie]

"Is anybody suprised that the American Communist Liberties Union is siding with the terrorists."

Nope. The aclu never met an America-hater they didn't sympathize with.

[doryfunk]

No. Im from Polk County, Georgia. My family has been here for nigh on 200 years, though considered part of Paulding Conty before it was called Polk and Cherokee County before it was split to form Paulding.

[zeugma]

While the ACLU is not what I would call myt favorite organization, I would support just about any efforts at this point to get FEDGOV to respect the limitations placed on them by the Constitution. FedGOV is out of control.

[archy]

Yep, they sure do. And the spell colour with a u and sabre re instead of er.

Oh lots of us do that, even old former Cobb County residents. But when they run their tyres into the kerb and have a puncture, might they find the spare in the boot?

-archy-/-

[swarthyguy]

Dunno what size boots you wear, but spare tires are usually kept in the dicky or as its sometimes known, the trunk.

[Conservative Chicagoan]

BUMP!

[Conservative Chicagoan]

BUMP