Source:
Raw StoryIf you enter or leave the United States carrying a laptop, flash drive or cell phone, the government can collect and store a massive amount of personal information without first obtaining a warrant, having probable cause or even suspecting you of anything.
During a subcommittee hearing Wednesday, Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) said the government needs to institute safeguards to protect Americans’ privacy rights, and he accused the Department of Homeland Security of ducking from scrutiny of its overreach in searching electronics. DHS refused to send a representative to the hearing and secretary Michael Chertoff did not answer written questions from Feingold.
“Once again, this administration has demonstrated its perverse belief that it is entitled to keep anything and everything secret from the public it serves and their elected representatives, while Americans are not allowed to keep any secrets from their government,” he said. “That’s exactly backwards.”
Witnesses before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on the Constitution represented privacy advocates and lawyers defending the searches along with civil rights activists alleging that customs agents discriminated against Muslim Americans.
Full article by Raw's Nick Juliano available at the link:
Read more:
http://rawstory.com/news08/2008/06/25/feingold-bush-admin-secrecy-cant-outweigh-travelers-privacy/
Can anyone tell me, why didn't Feingold run for office? President, that is.
-Diane
diane@rawstory.com