THE USA PATRIOT ACTBy: Nick Pollio

PATRIOT “one who loves his or her country and supports its authority and interests”Question:Is the USA PATRIOT Act “patriotic”?Is it in our interests?

USA PATRIOT ACT Stands for:“Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism”

USA PATRIOT ACT What is the purpose of the act?

PATRIOT FACTS Signed into law on October 26, 2001

(45 days after 9/11/2001)

Overwhelmingly passed and bi-partisan

(98 to 1 in Senate (357 to 66 in House)

342 pages long

PATRIOT FACTS Changes a dozen laws

Reads like a computer manual

“Wrong bill” (changed before the vote)

No conference report

PATRIOT BENEFITS• sharing of information between

government agencies • including FBI• CIA, local law enforcement• and immigration

PATRIOT BENEFITS Easier to “connect

the dots”

information about potential terrorist threats

PATRIOT BENEFITS Increases funding to

patrol and secure… Northern border of the

United States

PATRIOT BENEFITS Permits rewards to

combat terrorism provides funding for

training of firefighters

and for other first responders

PATRIOT BENEFITS Increases ability

to intercept terror plans

PATRIOT FEARS Gives access to…

PATRIOT FEARS… like buying a book from Amazon.com?

PATRIOT FEARSMust have "A significant purpose”

PATRIOT FEARS Intended for use in non-terrorist

crimes. Against American citizens

PATRIOT FEARS• Forbids librarians and business

owners• Also employees from informing

people• That their records have been

seized

PATRIOT FEARSAllows…

PATRIOT FEARSPermits (“sneak and peak warrants”)

PATRIOT FEARSPermits…

PATRIOT FEARSAllows…

PATRIOT FEARSCreates “domestic terrorism”

PATRIOT REALITIES No one outside of Justice Dept.

knows how it is really being used

Vigorously defended by Attorney General

PATRIOT REALITIES Website claims great successes

(www.lifeandliberty.gov)

Justice Dept. report provides some evidence (July 2004 -- Report from the Field: The USA PATRIOT Act at Work)

http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/usapatriot/doj_report.pdf

PATRIOT REALITIES Being used for non-terrorist crimes againstAmericans

Settle down!

PATRIOT REALITIES Law enforcement mislead FISA

Court at least 75 times

Law enforcement visiting libraries

Law enforcement monitoring, spying on, infiltrating peace groups

PATRIOT BACKLASH 389 towns and counties and 7

states passed resolutions to modify law (62 million Americans)

National League of Cities passed resolution to modify law (245 million Americans)

PATRIOT BACKLASH House voted 309-118 to

withdraw funding for “sneak and peak” warrants (9-4 in NC)

Sanders-Paul-Conyers-Otter-Nadler Amendment to 2005 spending bill defeated in tie (210-210)***

*** original vote was 219-201 to pass bill

PATRIOT BACKLASH SAFE Act supported by a

diverse group of liberal and conservative groups (ACLU, ACU, ALA, GOA)

Major conservatives against law (Bob Barr, Dick Armey, Pat Buchanan, Newt Gingrich)

PATRIOT BACKLASH 95% of criminal justice experts

say law passed too quickly

74% say law threatens civil liberties

68% believe that existing laws could be leveraged to protect the nation from terrorism

PATRIOT BACKLASH Federal Judge Audrey Collins

declared Section 805 unconstitutional (Jan. 23, 2004)

Federal Judge Victor Marrero declared Section 505 unconstitutional (Sept. 29, 2004)

PATRIOT BACKLASH Federal Judge Audrey Collins

declared Section 805 unconstitutional again! (Jul. 29, 2005)

Judge Janet Hall lifted a gag order that had been imposed on a librarian by the FBI under the USA PATRIOT Act. (September 9, 2005)

US Chamber of Commerce wrote letter to Senate Judiciary Committee to revise Sections 215 and 505 (October 4, 2005)

A FINAL THOUGHT …“They that can give up essential liberty

to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety”