Ashcroft to Release Data Showing # times Government Sought Library Records

[demdave]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The federal government will disclose how many times the FBI has sought records from libraries and businesses under the Patriot Act anti-terrorism law, Attorney General John Ashcroft said Wednesday.
Ashcroft told the president of the American Library Association, Carla Hayden, in a telephone call that he was removing the veil of secrecy on one of the most contentious provisions of the law, which was passed following the Sept 11 attacks.

"We're very gratified that the American public is now going to know what is happening in public libraries," said Emily Sheketoff, executive director of the library association's Washington office. "This has given people pause, a sense of concern."

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA3PA4QPKD.html

Headline edited for length and clarity

[bif]

1. Oh sure they'll release them

Once they clean them up. I don't trust that asshole at all. How do we know he's telling the truth?

[indepat]

4. Cause he's a fine Christian,

right?

[tom_paine]

7. He's not

As a follwer of the AntiChrist, we can expect him to lie habitually in the service of his Masters.

(and I'm only half-joking here)

[bpilgrim]

2. unless it is 0 this ain't gonna help his PR campaign for PAII - n/t

peace

[prolesunited]

5. Here's what I heard from an insider

There was some sort of memo within the Justice Department that they were to lay low on pursuing things until the got the Patriot Act secured permanently — it has a sunset provision of 2005 — and PAII got passed. They don't want to alarm people prematurely. The person who told me this was a highly placed lawyer in one of the organizations fighting this. She would have no reason to lie to me.

So, I wouldn't be surprised if the figure is zero or some other miniscule number. After all, if it was truly damaging they wouldn't agree to release it.

[gratuitous]

3. Won't that be a violation of the Patriot Act?

Is Crisco Johnny compromising our national security for the sake of soothing public concerns? Doesn't he know that by revealing this information, member of Al Qaeda could discern how the Justice Department is gathering information and, with a quick consultation of their Magic 8 Ball, launch another attack on America?

Looks like Crisco Johnny should save a cage at Guantanamo for himself.

[FlemingsGhost]

6. Once is too much, Johnny.

Get a dictionary and look up the word "Precedent," you miserable excuse for a human being.

[saigon68]

8. Asscroft = Coward

What a lying little weasel, he needs to go to a library to find Osama or Sadaam. Maybe he should grow up.

[LearnedHand]

10. He IS grown up!

That's why he's so dangerous: when adults play war, they HURT people -- REAL people. :grr:

[hunter]

9. There's got to be a few items that won't be on the list...

What will happen to any librarian who speaks out about this and monkeywrenches some important investigation?

Oh yeah, I forgot... Ashcroft isn't paid to investigate anything but simple perverts and people who sell bongs on the internet.

Carry on, John...

[MasonJar]

11. Asscrass in Ky

Tomorrow the worst of all horrors is descending on my poor city and state. Asscroft, who undoubtedly will not fly commercial, will be in Louisville to promote the "you know what." For all I know he may go to Lexington too. "Are the halls of Pemberly to be so polluted?" I called the mayor"s office and told them flat out that we should not be admitting the cat hater to our hometown, but should instead be declaring our city and state a free Patriot Act Zone.

[Gin]

12. First.....Diebold will scan the records.f........HA!.....and we all know

the numbers will be low.

[Sinistrous]

13. The problem is not how many times they did it.

The problem is that this peversion of law GIVES THEM THE RIGHT TO DO IT. If the number is zero, the law is still WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!

[ibegurpard]

14. If this administration releases ANYTHING

then I have NO confidence that it hasn't been "sanitized."

[rocktivity]

15. That guaranteed good press is getting a little hard to come by

I think this sudden concession on his part has something to with this:
Ashcroft Mocks Librarians and Others Who Oppose Parts of Counterterrorism

and this:
Bush Names Cheney as linking 9/11 to Saddam

and this:
Oil services firm paid Cheney as VP

and this:
US soldiers kill teenager, wound four in flashpoint Iraqi town

and this:
Rumsfeld cautions against pulling back military when "nose bloodied"

and this!
Bush "in over his head," Democrats poll finds

GET THEE BEYOND ME, ASHCROFT!
UNCLEAN! UNCLEAN!

rocknation

[Skip Intro]

16. "would you believe us if we wrote down our lies?" n/t