Attorney general to defend renewal of Patriot Act to Congress

[Lars39]

Monday, April 4, 2005 Posted: 4:25 PM EDT

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/04/04/patriot.act.ap/index.html

WASHINGTON (AP) -- As Attorney General Alberto Gonzales prepares his defense of expiring provisions of the Patriot Act, the anti-terrorism law's opponents are hoping to persuade Congress not to extend what they say are intrusions into Americans' lives.

Gonzales is to testify Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee and go before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. FBI Director Robert Mueller, who also wants full reauthorization of the Patriot Act, will join Gonzales for his Senate appearance.

On the same day Gonzales will speak to the Senate committee, Sens. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, and Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, plan to reintroduce legislation designed to curb major parts of the Patriot Act that they say went too far.

"Cooler heads can now see that the Patriot Act went too far, too fast and that it must be brought back in line with the Constitution," said Gregory Nojeim, associate director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Washington legislative office.<snip>

More at:http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/04/04/patriot.act.ap/index.html

[Anakin Skywalker]

1. Good Luck, Albie.

Eh heh heh heh.

[Dave Reynolds]

2. It's what he was promoted for, was it not?

To be the best sock puppet he can be?

[Lars39]

3. .

[Algorem]

4. Patriot Act raises doubts in onetime supporters

Renewal debates focus on privacy, lack of oversight
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/111269281651600.xml
BY BRETT LIEBERMAN
Of The Patriot-News
WASHINGTON - Congress did something unusual after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks: It swiftly and nearly unanimously passed a major law with little debate.

The USA Patriot Act gave the government broad powers to combat terrorism. Despite overwhelming support at its initial passage, the legislation has stirred fears of Big Brother and concerns about lack of oversight.
With several key provisions due to expire this year, the Senate Judiciary Committee today begins considering whether or how to reauthorize the bill.

"I expect these national hearings to be very thorough and I'm certain there will be probing questions from Senators on both sides of the aisle," said U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., chairman of the committee...

[Moderator]

5. kick to combine

[ckramer]

6. Gonzales to Defend Patriot Act Renewal

Critics of the USA Patriot Act want the kind of real debate they were denied when the sweeping anti-terrorism law was passed 45 days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales says he's willing to accommodate them, but he wants all the law's expiring provisions to be renewed.

Gonzales was headed to Capitol Hill on Tuesday no less determined than his predecessor to defend the Patriot Act against arguments that it intrudes into people's lives. But Gonzales is employing a softer tone than John Ashcroft while making the point that the law has helped prevent another terrorist attack on U.S. soil.

"The attorney general has said before that if there are suggestions that can add to the government's ability to root out terrorists and aid us in the war on terror, he will certainly work with Congress to do that," Gonzales spokesman Kevin Madden said. "He looks forward to a healthy discussion about those provisions."

link

[UCLA Dem]

7. I'm stunned... really.

:sarcasm:

[vpigrad]

8. How can he defend the indefensible?

I don't just don't understand.

[saltpoint]

9. No surprise here, but I thank once again those Senators --

-- who nobly opposed this man's nomination.

And I also thank the many, many DUers who smelled a rat early on and opposed Alberto Torture-Is-Us Gonzalez well before anybody on the floor of the Senate did.

[bluedeminredstate]

10. They should wire him up

and hook some electrodes to his gonads so that everytime he lies - based on respiration, blood pressure, shifty eyes, facial muscles - he gets a big ole jolt in the genitals. Sounds fair, and if he doesn't lie then there won't be a problem. It would be much better viewing than the regular old boring hearings.

:popcorn:

[bobthedrummer]

11. Let's get real with this torture policymaking RW whackjob Dominionist

This is it.
Absolutely no fucking way.
I'm proud to say that I live in the State of Wisconsin-home of Senator Russell Feingold--the only Senator who voted against this monsterous PATRIOT ACT.

[bobthedrummer]

12. Kick.

This should be on Page 1.
:dem::kick: