In an effort to find out how a controversial act by the U.S. Congress is used by law enforcement, The New York Times has sued the federal government, ZD Net reported today.
The suit comes after the government declined a series of Freedom of Information requests that may have shown a secret way in which law enforcement interprets the USA Patriot Act.
The suit stems from a report in May by reporter Charlie Savage, when two senators “referenced secret elements to the Patriot Act and offered an amendment to make public the details that had previously been withheld,” a report by Politico explained. “In other words, the senators said, there was one version of the anti-terrorism measure presented to the public, and another withheld by the government. They proposed making the 'secret' version public.”
The act, which has expanded the FBI's powers, was first signed into law in 2001 under the Bush administration, and was renewed in 2009 under the Obama administration.
The suit comes after the government declined a series of Freedom of Information requests that may have shown a secret way in which law enforcement interprets the USA Patriot Act.
The suit stems from a report in May by reporter Charlie Savage, when two senators “referenced secret elements to the Patriot Act and offered an amendment to make public the details that had previously been withheld,” a report by Politico explained. “In other words, the senators said, there was one version of the anti-terrorism measure presented to the public, and another withheld by the government. They proposed making the 'secret' version public.”
The act, which has expanded the FBI's powers, was first signed into law in 2001 under the Bush administration, and was renewed in 2009 under the Obama administration.
Image: UNC.edu
Under the guise of fighting terrorism, the Patriot Act was adopted WITHOUT public approval or vote just weeks at 9/11. These unconstitutional laws should be abolished seeing as they violate human rights and due process not to mention the mere 3 criminal charges a year attributed to this act. The laws are simply means to spy on our own citizens and to detain and torture dissidents without trial or a right to council. You can read much more about living in this Orwellian society of fear and see my artist’s response to these measures on my artist’s blog at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/09/living-in-society-of-fear-ten-years.html
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