Barr Statement on his website echoing and reinforcing Gore

[kpete]

Thank You Bob Barr!
by lowkell
Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 12:47:39 PM PDT

Unfortunately, technical difficulties prevented former Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA) from introducing Al Gore yesterday. Today, however, Barr has issued a statement on his website echoing and reinforcing what Gore said yesterday. The take-away message from Barr is that the "Federal government cannot continue to act without proper checks and balances."


NSA Lawsuit Sends Administration Strong Message to Uphold Constitution
Federal government cannot continue to act without proper checks and balances

Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 9:00 AM


Washington, DC (January 17, 2005) – "For weeks, controversy surrounding the President's authorization of the National Security Agency (NSA) to eavesdrop on the electronic communications of ordinary Americans has been making headlines. Today, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a fellow member of Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances (PRCB), took a stand for all Americans' Fourth Amendment right to privacy by filing suit against the NSA and the Department of Justice for violating federal law and our Constitution, specifically the Fourth Amendment.

"This lawsuit sends a clear message to the administration that American people from across the political spectrum will not stand by while the federal government violates its own laws in ways that severely undermine civil liberties. Although there are many issues on which the ACLU and I do not see eye to eye, I stand behind its efforts to see constitutional checks and balances restored to this nation's intelligence laws, especially the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) as amended by the USA Patriot Act. The fundamental freedoms of all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, remain in grave jeopardy as long as the federal government continues to operate above and beyond the law.

"Federal law clearly requires judicial oversight of all electronic surveillance of Americans living in the United States, including anti-terrorism investigations, under both the letter and spirit of the law. Allowing the government to continue to monitor the private phone calls and emails of ordinary Americans without so much as a warrant would set a disturbing precedent for administrations to come. Personal records of individuals not even suspected of wrongdoing could be swept into extensive federal databases for the government to use at will. This is certainly not what our forefathers intended when they guaranteed all Americans freedom from 'unreasonable searches and seizures.'

"I encourage Congress to hold substantive public oversight hearings on NSA surveillance, and to carefully consider the effect of the NSA’s actions on fundamental First and Fourth Amendment rights as revealed by the ACLU's lawsuit. Building a record demonstrating the need for additional oversight of expansive federal powers is an urgent priority. Finally, as Congress works to reauthorize the Patriot Act, the NSA surveillance case should serve as a reminder of the serious privacy concerns raised by overreaching federal power, underscoring the need for reforming the Patriot Act's controversial secret record search provisions."

http://www.bobbarr.org/default.asp?pt=newsdescr&RI=707
via:http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/1/17/144739/796

[0007]

1. How I disliked Bob Barr during impeachment hearings!

And now I indeed appreciate him now, more so, for standing up to the truth and against his party.