ACLU Reveals Secret Suit Over FBI Powers

Pale_Rider

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-28-04 07:56 PM
Original message

ACLU Reveals Secret Suit Over FBI Powers

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1896&u=/nm/20040428/us_nm/security_suit_dc_1&printer=1

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites) disclosed on Wednesday it had secretly sued the government over a provision of the Patriot Act that allows the FBI (news - web sites) to demand customer records from businesses without court approval.

The ACLU said it initially filed the civil lawsuit under seal on April 6 because it could have been prosecuted for violating a gag order contained within the Patriot Act. It said it chose to make the case public after the government agreed on Wednesday it would not seek a penalty against the ACLU.

But many details of the case, filed in Manhattan federal court, must remain secret.

The defendants include Attorney General John Ashcroft (news - web sites) and FBI Director Robert Mueller. A spokesman for the Manhattan U.S. attorney's office had no comment.

At issue is the power the FBI has to execute what is known as a "National Security Letter," a form of administrative subpoena used to demand confidential financial records from companies as part of terrorism investigations.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

bobbieinok

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-28-04 07:58 PM
Response to Original message

1. secret suit - secret contents........!?!?!?!!?

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

hang a left

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-28-04 08:02 PM
Response to Original message

2. What is all the hush hush about? Anyone know anything about

the gag order they are talking about?

They also do not identify that this is a provision of the Patriot Act II snuck into a senate appropriations bill. Also as I remember now, they was no provision that absolutely identified terrorism as a cause for their consumer curiosity.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

DUreader

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-28-04 08:25 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. I remember some of this

from the early analyses of the USAPA

I'm fuzzy on the details

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

aquart

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-28-04 08:36 PM
Response to Original message

4. WTF????

The government could penalize the ACLU for suing to protest a clause in the Patriot Act????????????

SUNSET THE PATRIOT ACT!!!!!!

My god, was anything more destructive ever enacted in this nation????

Oh, and hang Ashcroft.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

hang a left

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-28-04 08:40 PM
Response to Reply #4

5. This is Patriot Act II aquart.

I am not sure that these provisions can be sunsetted (sp). They were hidden inside Senate appropriations bills just before the end of last year, I think. Or the beginning of this year.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

htuttle

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-28-04 08:41 PM
Response to Original message

6. My guess

I bet that the ACLU is suing on behalf of a business that the FBI demanded business records from without court approval. Or perhaps a library?

Both of those provisions of the patriot Act put the 'demandee' (ie., the victim) under a gag order about the demand.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

hang a left

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-28-04 08:44 PM
Response to Reply #6

7. Hey, htuttle, thanks for that.

Yes that makes sense.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

DU AdBot (1000+ posts)

Tue May 07th 2024, 12:52 AM
Response to Original message

Advertisements [?]

Top

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.