Judge Rules Against Patriot Act Provision

Part of the Patriot Act, a central plank of the Bush Administration's war on terror, was ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge on Wednesday.


U.S. District Judge Victor Marreo ruled in favor of the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites), which challenged the power the FBI (news - web sites) has to demand confidential financial records from companies as part of terrorism investigations.
The ruling was the latest blow to the Bush administration's anti-terrorism policies.


In June, the U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites) ruled that terror suspects being held in places like Guantanamo Bay can use the American judicial system to challenge their confinement. That ruling was a defeat for the president's assertion of sweeping powers to hold "enemy combatants" indefinitely after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.


The ACLU sued the Department of Justice (news - web sites), arguing that part of the Patriot legislation violated the constitution because it authorizes the FBI to force disclosure of sensitive information without adequate safeguards.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=3&u=/nm/20040929/ts_nm/rights_patriot_dc

KICK

:kick:

The lone holdout to vote AGAINST the patriot act...has now been vindicated!!!!!!!!!

the parts of the Patriot Act ruled unconstitutional have to do with individual rights, not privacy rights of a corporation.

"...power the FBI has to demand confidential financial records from companies ...



:hippie:

The financial information was being required FROM companies, but ABOUT individual person's! I don't think the patriot act has a lot of effect on corporate rights.

I'd hate to see him get locked up for being a terrorist.

Fuck you Ashcroft!

:kick:

Don't forget to rate the story!

but a swell one for the rest of us!