GOPwinger Lies/Distortions/Omissions/Perversions of Truth Message Board

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Politics : GOPwinger Lies/Distortions/Omissions/Perversions of Truth

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From: Norrin Radd	4/13/2007 4:45:47 PM
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AFTER STUNNING INTERNAL REPORT, CONGRESS MOVES TO ACT ON FBI PATRIOT ABUSES Since the Justice Department revealed serious FBI abuses of the Patriot Act's "National Security Letter" (NSL) provisions, momentum has been building in Congress for real oversight and a full overhaul of the NSL rules. Congresswoman Jane Harman of California, Chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence, has introduced legislation to rein in the National Security Letter authority expanded by the Patriot Act. Her move follows a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing where members grilled government witnesses on the recent revelations that the FBI abused the NSL authority. Many members of the Intelligence hearing, Democratic and Republican alike, believe the law regarding NSLs should be changed. The Patriot Act includes dangerous expansions to the government's "National Security Letter" authority, which allows the FBI to demand records without prior court approval. Anyone who receives an NSL is forbidden, or "gagged," from telling anyone about the record demand. Since the Patriot Act was authorized in 2001, there has been an astronomical increase in NSL demands. While reports previously indicated a hundred-fold increase to 30,000 NSLs issued annually, an extraordinary March 2007 report from the Justice Department's own Inspector General puts the actual number at over 143,000 NSLs issued between 2003 and 2005. The same investigation also found serious FBI abuses of regulations and numerous potential violations of the law. Harman's legislation would require a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Judge or designated United States Magistrate Judge to approve the issuance of an NSL. It would also require the attorney general to submit semiannual reports on NSLs to Congress. "The IG's findings are clear evidence that the FBI's leadership turned a blind eye to a pattern of willful indifference to the law and Congress needs to put proper checks and balances into the vast NSL power. The Constitution and our laws are not merely advisory, but this administration has treated them as such."

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