Herr Ashcroft resolute in his defense of the Patriot Act

[eauclaireliberal]

Ashcroft is resolute in his defense of the Patriot Act

By REBECCA CARR
COX NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON -- Mounting opposition to the anti-terrorism legislation passed in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has put Attorney General John Ashcroft on the defensive.

A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation last week that would gut major provisions of the Patriot Act, including one that allows federal investigators to delay notifying terror suspects about search warrants.

The House effectively voted to do the same thing to the "sneak and peek" provision, in an amendment attached to an appropriations bill in July.

Critics applauded the cuts, saying Ashcroft has used the act to push a conservative agenda, politicize the office and curtail civil liberties. They see Ashcroft as the very embodiment of the Patriot Act.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Funny, isn't it

that this so-called Patriot Act, which was supposed to help law enforcement find terrorists, has found so few. What it has done is curtailed many people from flying (myself among them; heard too many horror stories of political activists being detained for no reason, Middle Easterners harrassed because of their background, etc, etc), made librarians mad, and caused many towns and at least one state to enact resolutions against it.

[teryang]

2. Headline should be "assinine" rather than resolute

As someone pointed out yesterday, (I think it was Jack Rabbit), Herr Asscraft maintains that he hasn't been using the provisions of the act to Congress while at the same time insisting that it's unconstitutional provisions need to be maintained and expanded to protect us from terrorists.

The chief inquisitor is full of s..t.

[tlb]

3. Diane Feinstein and Joe Biden were yesterday defending the Patriot Act

saying most criticism was ill-informed. If they can do it, Ashcroft will.