Posted on 11/26/2002 2:29:50 PM PST by Sparta
WASHINGTON The government agreed to tell the American Civil Liberties Union by Jan. 15 which documents it would release about increased surveillance in the United States under a law passed in response to the terrorist attacks.
In response to a suit brought by the ACLU and other groups, the Justice Department also said it would supply a list of documents that it would keep confidential, citing national security concerns. The ACLU could challenge the decision to withhold any documents.
The agreement was reached Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle, who is hearing the case growing out of an Aug. 21 request filed under the Freedom of Information Act.
The civil liberties group wants to know how the government is carrying out the USA PATRIOT Act, passed in response to Sept. 11. The new law gives the government new powers to obtain personal information about U.S. citizens in an attempt to stop future terrorist attacks.
ACLU lawyer Jameel Jaffer asked for a specific date for the Justice Department to provide the information, saying that another federal judge set a deadline for the Energy Department to release documents and e-mails concerning Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force. "It's reasonable to ask for a fixed date," he said.
Justice Department lawyer Anthony J. Coppolino said the government needed until mid-January because the ACLU request was being reviewed by several agencies. He said the government had produced 163 pages of information, but needed to check with the various agencies, including the Immigration and Naturalization Service, intelligence and the criminal division to see if the information could be released.
Huvelle said the government was working toward meeting the ACLU's request.
"This is a matter of great public interest," Huvelle said. "I am not unimpressed by the efforts of the government to comply. The government is moving heaven and earth to get what you want."
The ACLU asked the Justice Department for the number of times it has asked libraries or bookstores for lists of purchases or for the identities of those who have bought certain books; how many times law enforcement officials have entered people's homes without letting them know until later; how many times they have approved phone traces of people not accused of any crimes; and how many times they have investigated Americans for writing letters to newspapers, attending rallies or other First Amendment-protected activities.
Of course, the Homeland Security Act explicitly BANS the creation of a National ID Card.
No wonder you hate that Act so much...
A conversion on the road to Damascus (or possibly Bagdad)? Don't knock it, it's happened before.
Stay Safe !
LOL...hey, wait...my collection of bin Laden photos dissappeared off my HD yesterday...
Oh that's right: I deleted them.
OK...so Barr voted for it because there were many things he agreed with. Probably like the standardization of background checks for HAZMAT licenses, and regs on massive currency transfers.
Why is a man who voted for, and who ADMITS voting for it, out there jumping all over it?? Kinda messes up his credibility level.
He's helping them.
He believes the act to be a threat to freedom, also.
He is not grovelling at the feet of Bush.
Well?????
And I'm the latest lottery winner, and can fly.
As for this PATRIOT Act... if the ACLU hates it, it can't be all bad. I have the pdf and keep intending to read it.... guess I'd better....
Yes, the Homeland Security Act arms pilots, and that's just one of the many reasons that the "pretend" conservatives (you know, the liberals who like to post on FR as if they are more conservative than Jesse Helms) hate it.
Another reason that the disruptors hate the HSA is that it explicitly BANS the creation of a National ID Card, one of their prime goals.
So you'll see and hear lots of rubbish from the disruptors about the Homeland Security Act, but all that does is expose the fakers from the true conservatives.
Oh well, this won't hurt.
And the facts will calm those with honest worries about this law.
I would suggest that instead of re-reading 1984, you read H.R. 5710, the actual text of the HSA, and point out the specific sections you find objectionable. Hint - a lot of stuff claimed by critics simply hasn't been in there upon closer scrutiny.
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