American Bar Assn: Parts of Patriot Act are "Offensive"

[katinmn]

"The ABA position is that some of these provisions are so invasive of individual liberties that there has to be a sunset provision. They're offensive, I think, to democracy."
-- Michael Greco, American Bar Association

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0809-03.htm
Published on Tuesday, August 9, 2005 by Reuters
Parts of Patriot Act are Offensive, American Bar Association Says
By Andrew Stern

The president-elect of the nation's largest lawyers group on Monday said some of the federal government's investigative powers included in the anti-terrorism Patriot Act are a threat to constitutional rights.

The ABA position is that some of these provisions are so invasive of individual liberties that there has to be a sunset provision. They're offensive, I think, to democracy.

"We support the (Bush) administration in its efforts to secure the nation but we have taken policy positions, four or five of them, where we think due process has not been followed," Greco said in an interview with Reuters.

He criticized exceptions the law makes to the constitution's privacy protections that give law enforcement the power to search a home without the homeowner's knowledge and without a judge-approved search warrant.

--more--

[halobeam]

1. Where the hell where they before?

Why didn't they know this earlier, and if they did, why didn't they say anything? What's the freakin' point of saying anything now... I don't get it.

[katinmn]

2. It's safer to speak up after the votes have been taken.

[halobeam]

3. damn... that's happening way too many times.