Patriot Act II

[Vicsun]

Seems that the patriot act wasn't enough. Bush continiues walking on the same road.


Bush Seeks to Toughen Anti-Terror Law
Wed September 10, 2003 12:53 PM ET
By Randall Mikkelsen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Wednesday was to call for tougher anti-terrorism legislation to deny bail to terror suspects, expand the death penalty and let investigators bypass grand juries to issue subpoenas.

The initiative was a follow-up to hotly-debated "USA Patriot Act" legislation passed in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, which critics called an infringement on civil liberties. It was to be unveiled on the eve of the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

"Over the course of the last two years as we've been taking significant steps to combat terrorism at home, we've come across some areas where additional authority is needed," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters.

The proposals were quickly attacked by the American Civil Liberties Union. "Further erosions of judicial oversight and the basic checks and balances that protect us and our democracy from political abuses of power ... are the wrong path to take," said Laura W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office.

Bush was to announce the initiative in a speech at an FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, outside Washington, at 3:15 p.m. EDT.

McClellan played down suggestions the measures comprised a "Patriot II," package, supplementing the "USA Patriot Act," saying Bush was endorsing proposals already under consideration in Congress.

The original Patriot Act drew fire from civil liberties groups and their supporters in Congress, both liberal and conservative, who said it let the government abuse its ability to conduct surveillance and keep secret some search warrants.

ANTI-TERROR MEASURES

The Justice Department had reportedly been preparing a "Patriot II" package but met wide criticism earlier this year when the consideration was made public. A Senate Democratic source said Republicans have been seeking alternate ways to package new anti-terror measures.

Bush will urge Congress to pass three major measures, McClellan said. They are:

-- Allowing law enforcement authorities to bypass a judge or grand jury and issue "administrative subpoenas" in terrorism investigations where "time is of the essence." Such authority is available in other types of investigations such as drug probes, McClellan said.

-- Denying bail for terrorism suspects, to prevent them from fleeing. Bush was to cite as an example of the need for such legislation a case where a material witness in a terrorism case fled after being released on bail, McClellan said.

-- Imposing the federal death penalty for terror-related crimes, such as sabotage of a military or nuclear facility "in a way that takes innocent life."

"They are critical tools that our law enforcement officials need to combat terrorism," he said.

A Senate Democratic aide said he was unfamiliar with details of the legislation Bush is proposing, but said the action appears to violate a pledge by U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft.

"The attorney general has repeatedly promised to consult with Congress in drafting any sequel to the Patriot Act. To this point, that has not happened," said David Carle, spokesman for Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Ashcroft on Tuesday wrapped up a national tour aimed at bolstering support for the original Patriot Act legislation among wary law enforcement agencies and the public.

Here is the link. What do you think?

[Silur]

What I think? I'd better not say.

While we're on the subject, I found this link rather interesting.