FBI Violated Law, Citizens Abused: Told You So

The headline is no surprise: Justice report accuses FBI of abuse in Patriot Act use

A blistering Justice Department report accuses the FBI of underreporting its use of the Patriot Act to force businesses to turn over customer information in terrorism cases, according to officials familiar with its findings...

...

The letters require telephone companies, Internet service providers, banks, credit bureaus and other businesses to produce highly personal records about their customers or subscribers.

It was unclear late yesterday whether the omissions could be considered a criminal offense.

Every citizen has the right to know the identity of the businesses who turned over the records and if they were on the lists.

In another story it is noted that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said:

There is no excuse for the mistakes that have been made, and we are going to make things right as quickly as possible.

I suspect there will be no remedy for the millions of Americans who were violated by this government sanctioned transgression.

Senator Feingold and the ACLU get it:

Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., another member on the panel that oversees the FBI, said the report "proves that 'trust us' doesn't cut it."

The American Civil Liberties Union said the audit proves Congress must amend the Patriot Act to require judicial approval anytime the FBI wants access to sensitive personal information. "The Attorney General and the FBI are part of the problem and they cannot be trusted to be part of the solution," said Anthony D. Romero, the ACLU's executive director.

Republican Arlen Specter, once again wrings his hands and offers no solution:

The FBI appears to have "badly misused national security letters." The senator said, "This is, regrettably, part of an ongoing process where the federal authorities are not really sensitive to privacy and go far beyond what we have authorized."

My guess is that these illegal authorizations lead to the White House and Dick Cheney.

Comments

[nonheroicvet]

Ever notice that whenever there is dust up regarding questionable government intrusion in our personal affairs, Arlen Specter is always lurking in the shadows.

[Kent Mueller]

Chickens, home to roost. For a long time since 9 11, the outrages against civil liberties were coming so fast and thick that civil libertarians could barely catch their breath to rage against it. all. It was hard to keep track. Now everything is coming back at this administration ( a ugly combination of the worst aspects of the Nixon and Harding administrations that only a mother of Satan could love) at the same rapid rate.

It's been said, half as a joke, that if you had a powerful enough telescope you could look at the back of your own head. That's this administration, but facing Cheney with a shot gun. I'ts come full circle and now they're shooting themselves in the back, with rock salt intended for the neighbor kids on the lawn.

Between Cheney's desire for an imperial, all-powerful presidency and Bush's general frat-boy indifference, mastery of delegation and seeming lack of curiosity, lies our civil liberties, for the next 22 months at least. Hopefully they understand on some basic level that running a police state is high-maintenance, worse even than dating a debutante. Trouble is, no one knows what these creatures might do if cornered. Their main job has been to make their buddies rich, but if their very political survival is at stake they might shed that willing task and shred the nation.