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More Power to Spy?
It’s no secret that the Bush administration is pressing Capitol Hill for more power to spy on suspected terrorists, saying a new threat is imminent.
But the American Civil Liberties Union is launching a lobbying blitz of its own, asking the crucial question: why so fast?
The ACLU says the administration’s appeal for change is an overreaction to a recent secret ruling from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court against a “basket warrant.” Typically, all requests for surveillance of terrorists are approved with a court warrant, according to FISA warrant records kept at the Justice Department.
“A campaign of fear and misinformation has spread on Capitol Hill that needs to be stopped,” said Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU.
“When a judge rules against the government, we shouldn’t just rush to change the law. We can’t allow an administration that breaks the laws to simply bully lawmakers into rewriting them. Congress must stop caving in and start standing up to this administration.”
The nation’s top spy chief, Mike McConnell, is lobbying for gutting of the 1978 law, which requires law enforcement officers to secure a warrant from the FISA court before conducting surveillance on suspected terrorists and covert agents.
A Republican bill proposes sweeping changes recommended by the White House that would include putting oversight in the hands of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. A Democratic proposal would also allow mass collection of Americans’ communications.
“This administration’s continued aversion to oversight and the rule of law shows a remarkable lack of respect for the American people,” said Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office.
To read the ACLU’s letter to Congressional leadership on FISA changes, go to: here
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