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Feingold Joins Call Against FBI 'Surveillance' Proposal
WASHINGTON - Sen. Russ Feingold was among four U.S. senators to voice concern Wednesday about proposed guidelines for FBI investigations that may infringe on the rights of innocent American citizens.
In a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, the senators contend that the guidelines will allow the FBI to use "intrusive investigative techniques ... without any basis for suspicion" when conducting criminal, security and intelligence investigations.
The senators expressed concern that the proposed guidelines would permit FBI officials to subject innocent citizens to "intrusive surveillance" based on someone's race, ethnicity, nationality or religion.
"As you know, attorney general guidelines were first implemented in the wake of FBI abuses of the 1960s and 1970s and serve as one of the bulwarks against future abuses," the senators wrote.
The senators contend Mukasey told them they would be given adequate time to review the proposed guidelines so they could offer appropriate recommendations to the Department of Justice regarding the issue. According to the letter, Mukasey plans to finalize and sign the guidelines next week without any further input from members of Congress.
The senators ask Mukasey to delay giving his final approval to the guidelines until national security and civil liberties experts, the public and members of Congress have had the opportunity to fully analyze the proposed changes, ask questions and offer suggestions to the Department of Justice.
In addition to Feingold, the letter was signed by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.; and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. All four are members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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12 Comments so far
Show All"The senators ask Mukasey to delay giving his final approval to the guidelines until national security and civil liberties experts, the public and members of Congress have had the opportunity to fully analyze the proposed changes, ask questions and offer suggestions to the Department of Justice."
Will someone please explain why it is necessary for anyone to "need to analyze or ask questions about these "guidelines"? The nation's Founders already did that when they wrote the US Constitution--specifically the Fourth Amendment that bars unreasonable searches and seizures.
You don't think Mukasey really cares whats fair or just do you?
"The only thing required for evil to flourish is that good men do nothing."
And we slide even further down that slippery slope to the Police State that America has been morphing into these last 7 years...
Mendo Chuck
Another political appointee does what he/she pleases with the blessing of the President. Don't worry the Democrats are with us all the way guys . . . .
The Fourth Amendment was written 200 plus years go and does not pertain to today.
Ask Cheney . . . He'll explain.
I love Sen. Russ Feingold---He's absolutely the best senator in America!
I wonder if Barack Obama or another speaker at the Denver convention will address this issue. It ought to be a campaign talking point that will not go away.
Poet
Given Obama's gutting of the Fourth Amendment with his FISA vote, giving telecom companies carte blanche for illegal U.S. wiretaps and Internet samplings, I'd say Obama's already weighed in on this matter. ;)
I'm not "hopeful" that Obama will charge right into this issue. If he does, it won't be on the side of the Constitution and the people.
Can't we all just agree beforehand that those who break the people's compact should not be supported?
-TIA
Let's not forget about Obama's support for the Military Commissions Act that, according to the ACLU, tosses habeas corpus out the window, gives the president authority to randomly designate anybody an enemy combatant and lets him make up his own definition of torture. As someone writing on CD a few weeks ago so elegantly phrased it, these are "chains we can believe in."
Article sez: "... the proposed guidelines would permit FBI officials to subject innocent citizens to "intrusive surveillance" based on someone's race, ethnicity, nationality or religion."
***
... or political affiliation, or activism, or failure to swear an oath of fealty, commenting on liberal blogs, shopping somewhere besides Wal-Mart ...
But, hey, you've got four senators. That's gotta be worth something. Right?
Goebbels:
Eric Lichtbau noted in yesterday's NY Times that, although the new plan "would allow agents to open a national security or criminal investigation against someone without any clear basis for suspicion," such investigations would not be undertaken on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality or religion.
Instead, he reports, Mukasey recently said reassuringly that the FBI would still need a "valid purpose" for an investigation. I guess that would be The War on Terror or the even more vague The War on Crime, both of which can be used to justify any constitutional infringement under the current administration.
The administration seems to be trying to shove through a lot of dangerous and unconstitutional crap during its waning days. Thanks, Four Hero Senators, for being vigilant.
Thank you, four senators. Where do the rest stand? I can think of some likely supporters like Byrd, Sanders and Leahy.
Meanwhile, all critics of war, Muslims, and well heck, everybody, needs to buy the Slomin shield or leave a couple of pit bulls in the house - to fight crime you know.
Obama and McCain are both acting Senators right now, and could certainly add their voices to any cause influenced by that body, or institute their own actions...odd that they essentially abandon their jobs as Senators when campaigning as Presidential candidates, which of course, requires YEARS...how one leaves work to gallavant around the country and world speaking of what one would do, rather than doing what one currently has the incredible power to actually do, is beyond me...they all swear to uphold the Constitution...does anyone ever call them on it? I know, it's just a piece of paper...
I regrettably admit to a growing feeling of paranoia at expressing my views on this or any other website...the recent changes here have certainly raised my eyebrows and left me wondering...where is the sanity of decency and reasonableness?