Conyers: FBI's Patriot abuses 'potentially without limit'

Michael Roston
Friday March 9, 2007

Democratic leaders in Congress speedily announced this morning that they would conduct thorough oversight on reports that the Federal Bureau of Investigation overstepped the boundaries of its authority under the Patriot Act. The head of the House Judiciary Committee warned that the potential for misconduct by the FBI "is almost without limit."

In a statement sent to RAW STORY, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, a Michigan Democrat, warned that the Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation had severely abused their already expansive powers under the Patriot Act by misusing National Security Letters to gain warrants for surveillance, as reported in multiple news sources today.

"Many of us have been saying that the potential for abuse of the Patriot Act's National Security Letter authority is almost without limit. This report demonstrates how that potential has now become a reality," the Judiciary chairman said. "The Justice Department's total lack of internal control and cavalier attitude toward the few legal restrictions that exist in the Act have possibly resulted in the illegal seizure of American citizens' private information."

Pointing to the FBI's potentially illegal use of the National Security Letters, as well as poor record-keeping and inaccurate reporting by the agency, Conyers promised oversight and legislative change.

I may be in the minority here, but I'm beginning to be very suspicious and doubtful when I see/hear the Democrats rattle their sabers in this way. I want to see some ACTION. They should be yelling by now "we have only begun to fight to bring our nation back from the brink of Constitutional disaster." I've yet to see much of anything (except lip service) out of their ranks that warrent the trust and confidence we gave to them when we elected them in November.

But I'm not the only one thinking this way:



(same link.)

I believe Conyers is serious, but is being held back by the high and mighty Dem leaders.

As you said, this isn't what we voted for.

Now more than ever we should become card carrying members of the ACLU. They want to reform the Patriot Act before it becomes a free pass for authoritarianism. They are on this case as well and fighting the FBI.
http://www.aclu.org/

March 10, 2007, 12:52AM
FBI director admits abuse of the Patriot Act
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/4618210.html


Seems Meuller wants to take the blame. Awww what a nice guy. Wants to be the next "Scooter" clone and absolve those responsible.

Here's an article that states the FBI were abusing their authority with the patriot act in 2005, so there is a long history of abuses. This is not new!
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2 ... f_t_1.html

This group of geeks are stating that there was an audit done that proves they were knowingly abusing their authority.
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/03/09/1915256
"

Section 1984 of Chapter 15 of the US Code states that a government official is personally financially responsible for double damages if they violate the civil rights of a citizen. Wonder if there are any traceable damages and what kind of double payment the citizen is entitled to? Double the scrutiny? Sheesh- the law really is an ass. It rewards wrongdoers on the right side of the law more often than not.

This is one of the comments that sums up the penalty part. Since the boss is ready to take the blame, the chances are slim that he will be punished, perhaps he will be fired and promoted elsewhere. Failing upward is the M.O. of this admin as their friends get rewarded for loyalty to powerto the point of verging on treason.

What does Jesse say about this?

As per usual, you can respond to his blog at- http://tvnewslies.org/blog