Free Republic

It was reported in the Washington Post on Monday that the civil liberties board, whose main goal is to make sure individual rights are not trampled upon during our so-called "War on Terror," has yet to meet and is under-funded by the Bush administration. Created by Congress last year, the board consists of five members nominated by the president to act as an independent watchdog against potential abuses of the Patriot Act. President Bush took six months to appoint five members to the panel as reported in the Washington Post. In his proposed budget for fiscal year 2006, he allocated...

By JESSE J. HOLLAND Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON -- The White House won't say it, the Justice Department denies it and opponents salivate at every opportunity to use it. ''The USA Patriot Act'' is a phrase that Bush administration officials shun when questioned about the new anti-terrorism powers the president is asking lawmakers to give police and prosecutors. Among the measures President Bush is seeking are expanded use of the federal death penalty, tougher bail restrictions and FBI power to subpoena records and witnesses without having to go to a judge or grand jury. The new authority would be in...

Attorney General John Ashcroft began his recent "victory" tour at the American Enterprise Institute where he disingenuously justified his campaign-like appearance as necessary, lest those lacking his unique dedication to the war against terrorism succeed in "repealing" the USA Patriot Act. He then took his show on the road, speaking primarily before closed meetings of law enforcement officials assembled to applaud and nod as he not only defended the vast investigative powers he and they have acquired since Sept. 11 but argued that more were needed. Meanwhile, his spokespeople were hinting publicly that anyone who even dares question the need...

<p>A key plank of President Bush's antiterrorism legislation that gives government agents subpoena power is facing scrutiny in the House.</p> <p>The bill would allow "administrative subpoenas" to question witnesses and collect files and electronic data without court oversight.</p> <p>Rep. Tom Feeney, Florida Republican and the bill's author, said there is "no question" his proposal will face "a lot of controversy."</p>

If you thought the federal government couldn't possibly create legislation more draconian and reprehensible than the PATRIOT Act, RAVE Act, CLEAN-UP Act, or Ecstasy Awareness Act, you thought wrong -- really, really wrong. Late last month ABC News shagged a copy of a proposed bill quietly making the Capitol rounds, and reportedly slated for introduction this fall, that would create the crime of "narcoterrorism" -- making it possible for the feds to redefine any and all drug crimes as acts of terrorism. "This bill would treat drug possession as a 'terrorist offense' and drug dealers as 'narcoterrorist kingpins,'" a Democratic...

On Aug. 6, reporter James Gordon Meek of the New York Daily News scooped a story revealing that Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, plans to introduce legislation in September to further expand federal police powers. The Hatch bill, entitled the VICTORY Act (Vital Interdiction of Criminal Terrorist Organizations Act), is seen by some to be a substitute for the earlier proposed so-called Patriot Act II -- the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003 -- which was leaked and caused a furor in Congress as well as among liberal and conservative civil liberties groups. A draft copy of the Victory Act, dated...

Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003 The second Patriot Act is much worse than the first...and they didn't want you to know about It until after they had sprung an attack. Click here to read the full document that John Ashcroft publicly stated didn't exist Go here for complete text in PDF format. http://www.prisonplanet.com/victory_act.pdf

What’s In a Name There is a rather common acronym in use of late that seems to make the phrase resulting from the acronym rather meaningless. Another such acronym is entering the news and again I can’t find the expected connection between the phrase and the acronym. I had not considered it was an acronym when I first heard of the USA Patriot Act of 2001. I took it be the title of some welcomed piece of legislation. Perhaps to allow government to cover its butt on things it had overlooked before 9/11/01, or perhaps to fund some unconstitutional endeavor...

Posted on Tue, Aug. 26, 2003 Victory Act no triumph for freedom lovers The replacement for Patriot Act II would increase federal powers CHARLES LEVENDOSKY Casper Star-Tribune Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, reportedly plans to introduce legislation in September to further expand federal police powers. The Hatch bill, entitled the Victory Act (Vital Interdiction of Criminal Terrorist Organizations Act), is seen by some to be a substitute for the so-called Patriot Act II -- the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003 -- which was leaked and caused a furor in Congress as well as among liberal and conservative civil liberties groups....

As Attorney General John Ashcroft begins a barnstorming tour of the country to bolster support for existing antiterrorism laws, Senate Republicans are discussing legislation that would expand the Justice Department's powers to investigate terrorists and drug criminals. Recent drafts of the "Victory Act," which carry the names of Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and four other Senate Republicans, would provide extra penalties for drug dealers allegedly connected to terrorist groups and would dramatically expand the government's power to seize records and conduct wiretaps in connection with "narcoterrorism" investigations. The proposal also targets alleged "interstate currency couriers" by making it a crime...

Beware of VICTORY Act, Privacy Group Warns By Susan Jones CNSNews.com Morning Editor August 18, 2003 (CNSNews.com) - A consumer watchdog group is sounding an alarm over legislation that hasn't even been introduced yet. The National Consumer Coalition's Privacy Group recently read a draft copy of the VICTORY Act, which "has some chilling implications for consumer privacy," the group said. VICTORY stands for Vital Interdiction of Criminal Terrorist Organizations Act of 2003. Attorney General John Ashcroft plans to promote both the VICTORY Act and the USA PATRIOT Act on his ten-day, 20-stop tour of America, which begins on Tuesday, Aug....

Ashcroft tour to plug terror bill WASHINGTON - Attorney General John Ashcroft is hitting the road to rally support for the Victory Act, which would further expand his powers to go after Al Qaeda and narcoterrorists, the Daily News has learned. Ashcroft will starting pushing the Vital Interdiction of Criminal Terrorist Organizations Act later this month in a 10-day, 20-state Victory tour that includes a stop in New York. But the nation's top cop is facing tough opposition from critics on both the right and left, who fear Ashcroft is eroding civil rights. The Justice Department's reach was vastly increased...