ACLU files FOIA to discover what's behind Obama administration's "secret law"

[Bluebear]

Each time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope... --RFK

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Last week, during the debate on renewal of three expiring provisions of the PATRIOT Act, Senators Ron Wyden and Mark Udall participated in a colloquy in which they discussed an interpretation of the PATRIOT Act by the Obama administration that they said was illegal, calling the administration's overreach a "secret law."

Wyden said that the executive branch had developed a legal theory unknown to the public that outlined what kind of information it could collect under at least one of the provisions the lawmakers were opposing. He said that the executive branch reading amounted to "secret law" that didn't jibe with a straightforward reading of the text of the legislation.

"I want to deliver a warning this afternoon," Wyden said. "When the American people find out how their government has secretly interpreted the Patriot Act, they will be stunned and they will be angry."

In response, the ACLU has filed a Freedom of Information Act request "demanding that the Justice Department release information about the government's use and interpretation of Section 215" of the PATRIOT Act.

We anticipate litigating the request. Those of you who have followed the Patriot Act debate since 2001 will know that this isn't the first time we've sought information about the government's use of this provision. Back in 2002, we filed litigation under the Freedom of Information Act that eventually resulted in the release of a few hundred documents — including this, this, and this. But now the FBI is using Section 215 much more aggressively. It's using it more often. And statements by Obama administration officials raise the distinct possibility that the government is using the provision to support entire surveillance programs.

Section 215 allows the F.B.I. to obtain things like "driver’s license records, hotel records, car-rental records, apartment-leasing records, credit card records, and the like" about individuals, and potentially much more, including potentially cell phone records and geolocation information gleaned from cell phone data. There's some reason for alarm.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/06/02/981458/-ACLU-files-FOIA-to-discover-whats-behind-DOJs-secret-surveillance-law

[The Northerner]

1. K&R nt

[FLAprogressive]

2. And yet the traitors in congress voted for it -- "You'll find out what's in it after we pass it!"

[Rageneau]

3. If the Congress are traitors, what does that make Obama?

[frebrd]

6. Exactly! eom

[slipslidingaway]

4. knr nt

[leftstreet]

5. K&R

[trueblue2007]

7. way to go SENATOR WYDEN!!

this is why we vote for you

[Bluebear]

9. +

[FiveGoodMen]

8. Secret Law

Two words that should never, never, NEVER appear together.

Fuck ANYONE who adheres to them.

Yes, that's who I meant.

[gratuitous]

10. What's the problem here?

Under our new legal standard of "close enough," we endorse all government actions that make us feel good. I mean, if we can summarily execute an unarmed man and dump his body at sea - so long as everybody agrees that the man was very, very bad - what do we need with all these "laws" and "due process" and so-called "Fourth Amendment rights"? If they're not good enough for people we don't like they're not good enough for us.

Why don't you trust your government? "Reason for alarm"! As if.

[Bluebear]

11. +

[Bluebear]

12. k

[Starry Messenger]

13. recommend.

[sabrina 1]

14. I think we misunderstood what they meant by 'change'!

So, now that neither party is willing to give up the powers Bush gave himself, what do we do next?

Good for Wyden and Udall btw.

[Bluebear]

15. indeed

Wyden and Udall are to be commended.

[Bluebear]

16. kick