Didn't Cheney say that?
http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/32307.html
Dana
Judge rules against government in Patriot Act case involving library
patrons print <http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/32307.html#> |
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story
By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN | Associated Press
September 9, 2005
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - A federal judge lifted a gag order Friday that shielded
the identity of librarians who received an FBI demand for records about
library patrons under the Patriot Act.
U.S. District Court Judge Janet Hall ruled in favor of the American Civil
Liberties Union, which argued that the gag order prevented their client from
participating in a debate over whether Congress should reauthorize the
Patriot Act.
"It's fabulous," said ACLU Associate Legal Director Ann Beeson. "Clearly the
judge recognized it was profoundly undemocratic to gag a librarian from
participating in the Patriot Act debate."
The ruling would allow the ACLU and its client to identify who received the
request for records, but Hall stayed her decision until Sept. 20 to give the
government a chance to appeal. Prosecutors said they were reviewing the
decision.
Prosecutors argue that the gag order blocked the release of the client's
identity, not the client's ability to speak about the Patriot Act. They said
revealing the client's identity could tip off suspects and jeopardize a
federal investigation into terrorism or spying.
Hall rejected the argument that the gag order didn't silence the client.
"The government may intend the non-disclosure provision to serve some
purpose other than the suppression of speech," Hall wrote. "Nevertheless, it
has the practical effect of silencing individuals with a constitutionally
protected interest in speech and whose voices are particularly important in
an ongoing national debate about the intrusion of governmental authority
into individual lives."
The Patriot Act, passed shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, allowed
expanded surveillance of terror suspects, increased use of material witness
warrants to hold suspects incommunicado and secret proceedings in
immigration cases.
More than a dozen provisions of the act are set to expire at the end of this
year. Liberals and libertarian-oriented conservatives have pressed for
changes, citing privacy and civil liberties concerns.
--
....as scenes of horror that seemed to be coming from some third world
country flashed before us, official Washington was like a dog watching
television. It saw the lights and images but did not seem to comprehend
their meaning or see any link to reality - Bob Schieffer, Face the Nation,
9/4/2005
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