Bush administration to appeal Patriot Act ruling in Oregon case

[sabra]

Source: AP

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Bush administration has appealed a ruling by a federal judge in Oregon striking down key portions of the USA Patriot Act as unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken ruled last month the act cannot be used to authorize secret searches and wiretapping to gather criminal evidence - instead of intelligence gathering - without violating the Fourth Amendment ban on unreasonable searches and seizures.

The ruling came in a challenge to the act by Brandon Mayfield, a Portland lawyer whose home and office were secretly searched and bugged after the FBI misidentified a fingerprint in the Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people in 2004.

The FBI apologized to Mayfield for the mistake and the federal government settled his lawsuit for $2 million.

Read more: http://www.komotv.com/news/local/10420342.html

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Color me surprised! NOT eom

[CrispyQ]

2. OUR lives must be an open book.

THEIRS, however are closed to scrutiny.

[rodeodance]

3. .....The Justice Department, in a statement released after the ruling, said "we are concerned

.......The Justice Department, in a statement released after the ruling, said "we are concerned that if its reasoning were adopted and extended by other courts, it could have a significant impact on our ability to effectively share information in terrorism and other national security investigations."

The notice of appeal was filed Tuesday with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.