Did I miss something?

[CrispyQ]

Why did Sensenbrenner shut down the debate? Or is it simply another example of the shameful hypocrisy of the GOP?

The quotes below are from this page at the ACLU site, “Conservative Voices Against the USA Patriot Act” here:

http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=12632&c=206

and “Conservative Voices Against the USA Patriot Act II” here:

http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=12634&c=206
=======

Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Chair of the House Judiciary Committee ("J. Edgar Hoover Is Back" Washington Times, 6/10/2002)

"The Justice Department has gone too far. … without throwing respect for civil liberties into the trash heap. We don't have to go back to the bad old days when the FBI was spying on people like Martin Luther King."
===

Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Chair of the House Judiciary Committee ("Key Republican Not Sure on Patriot Act," Associated Press, 4/16/2003)



"I can’t answer that because the Justice Department has classified as top-secret most of what it’s doing under the Patriot Act. The burden will be on the Justice Department and whomever is attorney general at that time to convince Congress and the president to extend the Patriot Act or modify it. But because of the fact that everything has been classified as top-secret, the public debate is centering on (the act's) onerousness."
===

Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Chair of the House Judiciary Committee ("Sensenbrenner vows to uphold sunset of added police powers," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/18/2003)



"That will be done over my dead body."

"If they want the sunset to be repealed, they're going to have to show that Patriot Act One is constitutional and has done good things."
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Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Chair of the House Judiciary Committee (Statement of Chairman Sensenbrenner at House Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing on the Department of Justice, 6/05/2003)

"As I stressed during legislative consideration of the PATRIOT Act, my support for this legislation is neither perpetual or unconditional. I believe the Department of Justice and Congress must be vigilant toward short-term gains which ultimately may cause long-term harm to the spirit of liberty and equality which animate the American character. We must maintain a fundamental commitment to ensure the protection of Americans while defending the beliefs that make us American. To my mind, the purpose of the PATRIOT Act is to secure our liberties, not undermine them."
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Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Chair of the House Judiciary Committee ("Sensenbrenner not eager to expand subpoena powers," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/16/2003)

:

"I don’t see an urgency involved in any of these things. It will be subject to extensive hearings…Is the judiciary committee going to drop everything on its schedule to do this? The answer is no."

:

Sensenbrenner said he was "particularly troubled" by the subpoena power requested by the administration.

"You can’t in one breath defend (the) Patriot Act, saying (intelligence) warrants are reviewed by a judge, then in the second breath say we'll have administrative subpoenas."
===

[LightningFlash]

1. Like Conyers said.....

Sensenbrenner used to be a reasonable citizen with true government oversight....I fear he was poisoned to death by the cabal and faux news hate speech, to the point where all he can do is the evil stoogework of this corruption. Cheney probably brainwashed him so badly he can't function.

I shudder to think of what else is happening...

[SharonRB]

2. I watched the replay last night

It seemed pretty arbitrary to me. He asked Conyers how much more time was needed and Conyers said four minutes, a minute each for four speakers. Then Sensenbrenner launched into a speech about how all the talk about Gitmo and Abu Ghraib wasn't pertinent to what they were there to talk about, blah, blah, blah. Then he gaveled the meeting closed. Everyone talked at once then, they didn't know what hit them. The mikes were turned off, but they kept going for five or ten more minutes after he left the room. The C-Span mikes must have picked up the sound because I could pretty much hear everything.

It was quite a sight to see and yet another example of their continual abuse of power.

[acmejack]

3. You don't think he was playing to a script?

I really got the impression he was.

[rodeodance]

5. well, he definately had an agenda walking in---Conyers implied it was

a hostile tone.

[knowbody0]

7. i think it was brain freeze

the Muslim women in the audience were a haunting presence, he sees them as evil doers unworthy of civil rights.

[ohio_liberal]

15. Seems that way to me

He made those nasty comments in the beginning and let it go on for almost two hours before banging the gavel. It doesn't make any sense.

[rodeodance]

6. The meeting coincided with Bush's last two days of speeches--sound

bites on how the war on terror is being adided by the Patriot act etc etc.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. I watched it too

and I wondered if Sensenbrenner's remarks were longer than 4 minutes. Seemed like it. Did anyone time him?

[rodeodance]

4. yesterday Sen. said that most people were using the Patrot Act as a

tool to criticize--'in a broad swoop" the bush administration policies and at the end of the meeting he repeated this accusation.

He said that most of the testimy he heard today in the meeting verify's his claim---that what they said/claimed of abuses --do NOT pertain to the Patriot Act (except for the librarians).

He also repeated a few times in the meeting---how the committee has had 9 previous meetings on the Patriot act and no abuses were found.

He asked at the end of the meeting for the Chips.... to submit to the committee the names of librianans who had been unlawfully asked to submit business records---

He and other Repugs on the committee are of the mentality that there are no abuses.

[rodeodance]

8. to answer your question-based on your post--Sen. does seem to have

a change of heart from a few years ago.

Recall that he is the author of the Real ID Act that will come into play soon (? when). He also pushes for strict immigration policies.

Maybe he is making a deal with Bush??

[rodeodance]

9. has anyone seen any response from Sheila Jackson Lee?

[rodeodance]

10. in the previous 9 meetings only witnesses that supported the PA were

invited. see this thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=post&forum=104&topic_id=3834892&mesg_id=3835392

[Viva_La_Revolution]

13. oiy. bad link my friend. nt

[CrispyQ]

14. The BFEE must have a seriously

astounding database of dirt on people. Thanks for your responses.

[bpilgrim]

11. because the PATRIOT ACT is up for EXPIRATION and ENABLING

every station is PROMOTING IT right now, even NPR, that 'it's a worthy goal (keep us safe) and hey look, no ones EVER complained' cept for some kooky tinfoilers, teehee

peace

[Patty Diana]

12. Sensenbrenner Couldn't Handle The Truth!!!

IE Patriot Act Authorized Torture