Here is some news you might have missed..
We got coverage on Milwaukee's TMJ4 on the ACLU's opposition to an effort by lawmakers to bar public disclosure of 911 calls. "The public deserves to get all the information with very limited exceptions," said Christopher Ahmuty of the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin. "Those exceptions should be done on the basis of a balancing test that's in the current law now."
Senator Glenn Grothman was a bit hit in the blogosphere when he said in a Cap Times interview that he didn't approve of the comprehensive sex ed bill that's headed to the Governor's desk on Wednesday. It might have been his comments about how teasing feminine boys was normal at his high school that even got the attention of Perez Hilton. Note to all Wisconsin state legislators: bullying or discriminating against gay youth is NOT okay. (But it is okay to give the ACLU a shout out in Glee!)
Did you see the coverage of the medical marijuana advocacy event in Berlin, WI? Central Wisconsin folks asked if their medicine was legal yet. Another lobby day is scheduled at the Capitol on Wednesday. Contact IMMLY for details.
Madison city council alders are considering a parental responsibility law. The proposal is being pushed by the same folks who tried to keep kids inside earlier at last year's curfew ordinance that the ACLU of Wisconsin helped to defeat. If you are a single mom who works three jobs to scrape by and your youngster gets a ticket for disorderly conduct at the bus transfer point, will you have time to go to court to deal with the fine in your name?
Speaking of Madisonians with limited income, we've been observing the housing issue around Shorewood Hills and the proposal to replace the nearly vacant Pyare Square building. Some residents of the affluent neighborhood complained about a large apartment complex that housed limited-income families, but developers tried to quell their fears by making the complex for seniors. Finally the whole project was scrapped due to the height of the building design. Whenever there are concerns about building affordable housing, our ears prick up mostly because of fights like what happened in South Milwaukee with the Lake Point Apartments.
Remember the dust up over anti-Hmong comments by a UW law professor? The dust hasn't completely settled. Madison Hmong community leader is still asking questions about the Hmong studies program that was promised to be added to the university offerings.
The news broke that Homeland Security was working with Middleton police last year to spy on anti-abortion activists who were planning a big rally that would no doubt overwhelm the police resources. The news said that DHS investigated both prochoice and anti-abortion activists, but we haven't heard from prochoicers about alleged probes. We're a prochoice organization, but DHS can't spy on activists. Period. Only when there is probable cause (i.e. evidence that's more than a hunch that a crime will be committed) can an investigation legally be started. The feds admitted wrongly investigating the activists, but Middleton police aren't turning over records and feds say they deleted copies of the assessment. Sorry Michele Malkin, we do care when government spies on First Amendment protected activity.
The ACLU's Bill of Rights Celebration is tomorrow! Twitter fan? @ACLUofWisconsin and @ACLUMadison will be live tweeting at the #BORC event! Follow us to hear more from blogger journalist @anamariecox!
Showing posts with label domestic spying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label domestic spying. Show all posts
Friday, February 19, 2010
Friday, March 20, 2009
News update: detention for immigrants an affront to justice, government spying and secrets update, and more
Voting Rights
Remember – you have until Monday to update your registration with the Statewide Voter Registration Database. With one of the biggest voter turnouts in recent history in November, this might not apply to you. But if you’ve moved since the last time you voted, contact your city clerk to make sure you’re ready to vote in the spring elections.
Immigration update: the other detainees
A recent AP article was written after a Freedom of Information Act letter was filed with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to get a snapshot of who was being detained in US immigrant jails.
The article points out that:
- the US has 32,000 people in detention for civil (not criminal) immigration violations
- 18,690 of those people have no other criminal conviction record; 400 of these people have been behind bars for more than a year. No convictions. Detained for over a year.
- 10,000 had been behind bars for over 31 days. Could you imagine being jailed for speeding and being behind bars for a month?
- 58% of immigrants went through their immigration hearings without an attorney
- electronic monitoring is cheaper than detention
- electronic monitoring is as effective as detention for people to show up to their hearings: 95-99%
The government is imprisoning immigrants without many of the rights criminals receive: no court-appointed attorney for indigent defendants, no standard habeas corpus, no protection from double jeopardy, no guarantee of a speedy trial. Anti-immigrant rhetoric says they are being detained because they broke the law. The bottom line is that we don’t even treat our citizen criminals this badly. On US soil, our laws and the Constitution should be for everyone. Read more about the ACLU's work on immigrant rights.
Prisoner’s Rights and Rachel Maddow
Did anyone notice that Rachel Maddow’s speech at the ACLU of Wisconsin’s Bill of Rights Celebration got a shout out on the national ACLU Blog of Rights? Her story about her work with the ACLU and human rights in the prison system was just one of the fun tidbits she shared at the event. See the full video of her speech on the ACLU of Wisconsin You Tube channel.
Safe and Free: Rolling back the Ashcroft Doctrine and the Patriot Act
For those who are exhausted with frustration over how often the Bush administration said “no comment” when asked about their policies regarding torture, Guantanamo detainees and other human rights issues in the past eight years, the “Ashcroft Doctrine” may finally be challenged. Congress has introduced a state’s secrets bill that would restore appropriate limits to what the federal government can say is to be kept under wraps. Keeping America both safe and free requires a balance between power and transparency in our government: the Ashcroft Doctrine put that out of balance. Take action to thank Wisconsin Rep. Petri for his leadership on this bill.
While you’re at it, you can give a “boo” to Rep. Sensenbrenner for his support to renew the Patriot Act. The ACLU continues to fight to roll back or reform the Patriot Act which has allowed greater government interference in individual privacy rights.
Death Penalty
Thanks Senator Russ Feingold for reintroducing the bill to abolish the federal death penalty. The ACLU has been involved in fighting the death penalty in Wisconsin and across the country due to its ineffectiveness and disproportionate racial impact.
Remember – you have until Monday to update your registration with the Statewide Voter Registration Database. With one of the biggest voter turnouts in recent history in November, this might not apply to you. But if you’ve moved since the last time you voted, contact your city clerk to make sure you’re ready to vote in the spring elections.
Immigration update: the other detainees
A recent AP article was written after a Freedom of Information Act letter was filed with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to get a snapshot of who was being detained in US immigrant jails.
The article points out that:
- the US has 32,000 people in detention for civil (not criminal) immigration violations
- 18,690 of those people have no other criminal conviction record; 400 of these people have been behind bars for more than a year. No convictions. Detained for over a year.
- 10,000 had been behind bars for over 31 days. Could you imagine being jailed for speeding and being behind bars for a month?
- 58% of immigrants went through their immigration hearings without an attorney
- electronic monitoring is cheaper than detention
- electronic monitoring is as effective as detention for people to show up to their hearings: 95-99%
The government is imprisoning immigrants without many of the rights criminals receive: no court-appointed attorney for indigent defendants, no standard habeas corpus, no protection from double jeopardy, no guarantee of a speedy trial. Anti-immigrant rhetoric says they are being detained because they broke the law. The bottom line is that we don’t even treat our citizen criminals this badly. On US soil, our laws and the Constitution should be for everyone. Read more about the ACLU's work on immigrant rights.
Prisoner’s Rights and Rachel Maddow
Did anyone notice that Rachel Maddow’s speech at the ACLU of Wisconsin’s Bill of Rights Celebration got a shout out on the national ACLU Blog of Rights? Her story about her work with the ACLU and human rights in the prison system was just one of the fun tidbits she shared at the event. See the full video of her speech on the ACLU of Wisconsin You Tube channel.
Safe and Free: Rolling back the Ashcroft Doctrine and the Patriot Act
For those who are exhausted with frustration over how often the Bush administration said “no comment” when asked about their policies regarding torture, Guantanamo detainees and other human rights issues in the past eight years, the “Ashcroft Doctrine” may finally be challenged. Congress has introduced a state’s secrets bill that would restore appropriate limits to what the federal government can say is to be kept under wraps. Keeping America both safe and free requires a balance between power and transparency in our government: the Ashcroft Doctrine put that out of balance. Take action to thank Wisconsin Rep. Petri for his leadership on this bill.
While you’re at it, you can give a “boo” to Rep. Sensenbrenner for his support to renew the Patriot Act. The ACLU continues to fight to roll back or reform the Patriot Act which has allowed greater government interference in individual privacy rights.
Death Penalty
Thanks Senator Russ Feingold for reintroducing the bill to abolish the federal death penalty. The ACLU has been involved in fighting the death penalty in Wisconsin and across the country due to its ineffectiveness and disproportionate racial impact.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Updates on domestic spying and data mining, abortion service proposal at UW Health under attack
Domestic Spying
So it’s pretty official that the Bush administration spied on all of us with the willing help of telecommunications corporations. This whistleblower and former NSA analyst talks about how, under the auspices of keeping non-threatening people safe and separate from terrorists, journalists were spied on full-time. In the meantime, President Obama has nominated former law professor and noted Bush spying critic David Kris for the Assistant Attorney General position at the National Security Agency.
Wired says the data mining extended to other personal information including credit cards. Under the guise of protection, how are citizens guaranteed that these anti-terrorism dragnets aren’t leaving everyone exposed to hackers and identity thieves?
Reproductive Rights
Internationally, Obama overturned the global gag rule which would end the ban on international aid programs that go to family planning programs that include abortion in their education or service programs.
Women might not get such benefits in Wisconsin if anti-choice legislators and doctors get their way. Protests this weekend in front of local UW Health facilities brought a proposal to offer second trimester abortion services back into the headlines. UW Health is clear on its rules that abortion services would be paid for by insurance (or out of the pockets of service patients) and that doctors and nurses have the right to opt out if they hold their own personal objections. Ultimately it isn't the right of anti-abortion doctors or legislators to decide for women who need an abortion which is only one of a spectrum of reproductive services that are vital to women's equality, health care and self-determination.
Non-Profits
Did you hear that nonprofit organizations are hoping to get some of the federal stimulus funds? It’s a good idea to put some fuel into organizations that build houses and help with disaster relief. The ACLU, however, never accepts government funding. Our only stimulus comes from the generous support of our donors and members. Don’t forget to renew your membership! Our members are the lifeblood of our organization and we thank all of our many supporters who are keeping Team ACLU going strong. Join today on the ACLU of Wisconsin website.
So it’s pretty official that the Bush administration spied on all of us with the willing help of telecommunications corporations. This whistleblower and former NSA analyst talks about how, under the auspices of keeping non-threatening people safe and separate from terrorists, journalists were spied on full-time. In the meantime, President Obama has nominated former law professor and noted Bush spying critic David Kris for the Assistant Attorney General position at the National Security Agency.
Wired says the data mining extended to other personal information including credit cards. Under the guise of protection, how are citizens guaranteed that these anti-terrorism dragnets aren’t leaving everyone exposed to hackers and identity thieves?
Reproductive Rights
Internationally, Obama overturned the global gag rule which would end the ban on international aid programs that go to family planning programs that include abortion in their education or service programs.
Women might not get such benefits in Wisconsin if anti-choice legislators and doctors get their way. Protests this weekend in front of local UW Health facilities brought a proposal to offer second trimester abortion services back into the headlines. UW Health is clear on its rules that abortion services would be paid for by insurance (or out of the pockets of service patients) and that doctors and nurses have the right to opt out if they hold their own personal objections. Ultimately it isn't the right of anti-abortion doctors or legislators to decide for women who need an abortion which is only one of a spectrum of reproductive services that are vital to women's equality, health care and self-determination.
Non-Profits
Did you hear that nonprofit organizations are hoping to get some of the federal stimulus funds? It’s a good idea to put some fuel into organizations that build houses and help with disaster relief. The ACLU, however, never accepts government funding. Our only stimulus comes from the generous support of our donors and members. Don’t forget to renew your membership! Our members are the lifeblood of our organization and we thank all of our many supporters who are keeping Team ACLU going strong. Join today on the ACLU of Wisconsin website.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Top ten to-do list for President Obama
Tuesday marks an officially new federal administration and the ACLU has a few ideas on how we can restore civil rights and liberties. We even have a top ten list.
A local radio station WORT's news reporter, Craig McComb, visited the ACLU of Wisconsin's statewide activist conference last year where he first heard about the ACLU's transition plan for the new administration. Craig then gathered responses from local and state activists to address the critical need for immediate action to restore the rule of law.
Each segment is around five minutes long. Listen in and then send your own letter to President Obama to ask him to close Guantanamo, end the abuses of federal power, and take our country back to basic, Constitutional rights.
A local radio station WORT's news reporter, Craig McComb, visited the ACLU of Wisconsin's statewide activist conference last year where he first heard about the ACLU's transition plan for the new administration. Craig then gathered responses from local and state activists to address the critical need for immediate action to restore the rule of law.
Each segment is around five minutes long. Listen in and then send your own letter to President Obama to ask him to close Guantanamo, end the abuses of federal power, and take our country back to basic, Constitutional rights.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Madison's police cameras, terror watch list failures, DNC/RNC protests and more
News roundup!
Domestic Spying
More evidence that casting a wider net to spy on or track Americans doesn’t work – the terror watch list has become so big and poorly maintained that it is rife with search problems. Check out this editorial from the NYT on why the watch list is failing both our privacy and our security. Whether the databases work or not, the watch list frenzy will snag all kinds of people, even would-be gun owners.
In related news, here’s a good story about evolving technology use and ethics with police work. It looks at Madison/Dane County cameras and microphones in squad cars and how they can be both a benefit to protecting both officers and civilians from abuse (when they are actually turned on) and also underscores the need for everyone to know that you don’t have to be read your Miranda rights for anything you say to be possibly used against you in court.
Protest Rights
An article in The Nation illustrates the motivations behind many of the protesters who are demonstrating at the DNC and at the RNC. Check back with CapCityLiberty for updates on our legal observation support at the RNC next week.
Reproductive Rights
A St. Petersburg Times opinion writer who was also a former head of two ACLU affiliates wrote a good editorial about what is at stake for Roe v. Wade in the next election.
Voting Rights
A recent New York Times article details the slowdown on federal certification for electronic voting machines and includes information on how the national trend impacts Wisconsin.
Misc.
If you haven’t heard the news already, Air America radio talk show host Rachel Maddow will make a big move to MSNBC. She’s slated to be the featured guest at the ACLU of Wisconsin’s annual Bill of Rights dinner event in February 2009.p
Domestic Spying
More evidence that casting a wider net to spy on or track Americans doesn’t work – the terror watch list has become so big and poorly maintained that it is rife with search problems. Check out this editorial from the NYT on why the watch list is failing both our privacy and our security. Whether the databases work or not, the watch list frenzy will snag all kinds of people, even would-be gun owners.
In related news, here’s a good story about evolving technology use and ethics with police work. It looks at Madison/Dane County cameras and microphones in squad cars and how they can be both a benefit to protecting both officers and civilians from abuse (when they are actually turned on) and also underscores the need for everyone to know that you don’t have to be read your Miranda rights for anything you say to be possibly used against you in court.
Protest Rights
An article in The Nation illustrates the motivations behind many of the protesters who are demonstrating at the DNC and at the RNC. Check back with CapCityLiberty for updates on our legal observation support at the RNC next week.
Reproductive Rights
A St. Petersburg Times opinion writer who was also a former head of two ACLU affiliates wrote a good editorial about what is at stake for Roe v. Wade in the next election.
Voting Rights
A recent New York Times article details the slowdown on federal certification for electronic voting machines and includes information on how the national trend impacts Wisconsin.
Misc.
If you haven’t heard the news already, Air America radio talk show host Rachel Maddow will make a big move to MSNBC. She’s slated to be the featured guest at the ACLU of Wisconsin’s annual Bill of Rights dinner event in February 2009.p
Friday, August 22, 2008
Big Brother, Oh Brother!
Lots of news in the domestic spying world...
The US Justice Department has issued a proposal for new rules on domestic spying that would roll back privacy and oversight provisions put in place after Watergate. This “track ‘em all – just in case” system includes data fusion centers in which intelligence about citizens would be stored in databases shared among law enforcement agencies across jurisdiction lines.
According to this McClatchy release on the proposed regs, “Michael German, a former veteran FBI agent who is now policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, said if Mukasey moves ahead with the new rules as he describes them, he'll be weakening restrictions originally put in place after the Watergate scandal to rein in the FBI's domestic Counter Intelligence Program, or COINTELPRO. At the time, the FBI spied on American political leaders and organizations deemed to be subversive throughout the late 1950s and into the 1960s.”
The concerns about data fusion centers are at the heart of the treatment of protesters at the Democratic National Convention in Denver where peaceful protesters can be lumped together with “terrorists.” In a recent column, Amy Goodman writes about the overbroad definitions of suspicious activity which can land non-violent protesters in federal databases.
Goodman’s column also expressed concern with the literal “caging of dissent” in which arrestees will be taken to a large, temporary detainment facility without bathrooms or running water. The ACLU of Colorado is involved in talks with city law enforcement about attorney access and conditions of detainees.
CapCityLiberty has been sharing information about searches of electronics at the border, but now with the advent of the passport-light card with the radio frequency chip, citizens crossing back and forth into Canada or Mexico will have their travels recorded in a database for up to 15 years.
These data fusion centers are worse than watch lists – and event the watch lists are snagging children now. Here's a recent action alert from the national ACLU:
Why is 7-year-old John Anderson from Minneapolis on the national Terrorist Watch List?
1. He pushed Tommy too hard on the playground.
2. His July 4th birthday means he distracts other Americans from celebrating their country.
3. John didn’t pick up the blocks during playtime.
The truth is that we don’t know how he got on the Terrorist Watch List. Or if he can get off it. It took an Act of Congress to get Nelson Mandela, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, off the list.
This ever-growing and ineffective Watch List demonstrates what's wrong with the U.S. government’s current approach to security: it’s unfair and a waste of resources. And when our government wastes time and money like this, we are all put in more danger -- not less.
Take our national security quiz to learn about other frightening national security “tools.”
The questions above might be light hearted, but the problems Americans face everyday due to overzealous security measures are real.
According to USA Today:
John Anderson of Minneapolis, [now 7] was first stopped at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in 2004, when his family took him for his first airplane ride to Disney World. "We checked in at the ticket counter, and the woman said in a stern voice, 'Who is John Anderson?' " says his mother, Christine Anderson. "I pointed to my stroller."
Her son is allowed to fly. But because his name is flagged, his family cannot print out a boarding pass for him online and he must check in at the ticket counter so an airline official can see that he's a child.
Take Action!
To find out more about how to fight the "bigger monster with weaker chains" of government surveillance, come to the statewide ACLU of Wisconsin 2008 Activist Conference (Saturday, September 27, Monona Terrace in Madison) where we will feature the ACLU's national expert on domestic spying, Barry Steinhardt. Registration is $30 for members, $10 for students and NEW members can get in the conference and get a new membership for $50. For more information, contact the Madison Area Office at (608) 469-5540.
The US Justice Department has issued a proposal for new rules on domestic spying that would roll back privacy and oversight provisions put in place after Watergate. This “track ‘em all – just in case” system includes data fusion centers in which intelligence about citizens would be stored in databases shared among law enforcement agencies across jurisdiction lines.
According to this McClatchy release on the proposed regs, “Michael German, a former veteran FBI agent who is now policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, said if Mukasey moves ahead with the new rules as he describes them, he'll be weakening restrictions originally put in place after the Watergate scandal to rein in the FBI's domestic Counter Intelligence Program, or COINTELPRO. At the time, the FBI spied on American political leaders and organizations deemed to be subversive throughout the late 1950s and into the 1960s.”
The concerns about data fusion centers are at the heart of the treatment of protesters at the Democratic National Convention in Denver where peaceful protesters can be lumped together with “terrorists.” In a recent column, Amy Goodman writes about the overbroad definitions of suspicious activity which can land non-violent protesters in federal databases.
Goodman’s column also expressed concern with the literal “caging of dissent” in which arrestees will be taken to a large, temporary detainment facility without bathrooms or running water. The ACLU of Colorado is involved in talks with city law enforcement about attorney access and conditions of detainees.
CapCityLiberty has been sharing information about searches of electronics at the border, but now with the advent of the passport-light card with the radio frequency chip, citizens crossing back and forth into Canada or Mexico will have their travels recorded in a database for up to 15 years.
These data fusion centers are worse than watch lists – and event the watch lists are snagging children now. Here's a recent action alert from the national ACLU:
Why is 7-year-old John Anderson from Minneapolis on the national Terrorist Watch List?
1. He pushed Tommy too hard on the playground.
2. His July 4th birthday means he distracts other Americans from celebrating their country.
3. John didn’t pick up the blocks during playtime.
The truth is that we don’t know how he got on the Terrorist Watch List. Or if he can get off it. It took an Act of Congress to get Nelson Mandela, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, off the list.
This ever-growing and ineffective Watch List demonstrates what's wrong with the U.S. government’s current approach to security: it’s unfair and a waste of resources. And when our government wastes time and money like this, we are all put in more danger -- not less.
Take our national security quiz to learn about other frightening national security “tools.”
The questions above might be light hearted, but the problems Americans face everyday due to overzealous security measures are real.
According to USA Today:
John Anderson of Minneapolis, [now 7] was first stopped at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in 2004, when his family took him for his first airplane ride to Disney World. "We checked in at the ticket counter, and the woman said in a stern voice, 'Who is John Anderson?' " says his mother, Christine Anderson. "I pointed to my stroller."
Her son is allowed to fly. But because his name is flagged, his family cannot print out a boarding pass for him online and he must check in at the ticket counter so an airline official can see that he's a child.
Take Action!
To find out more about how to fight the "bigger monster with weaker chains" of government surveillance, come to the statewide ACLU of Wisconsin 2008 Activist Conference (Saturday, September 27, Monona Terrace in Madison) where we will feature the ACLU's national expert on domestic spying, Barry Steinhardt. Registration is $30 for members, $10 for students and NEW members can get in the conference and get a new membership for $50. For more information, contact the Madison Area Office at (608) 469-5540.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Sexism leads to broken bones, what's wrong with data fusion centers
Women's Rights
Discrimination against female football player? Check out this story about a student crying foul about treatment by her football coach. What would you do if your kid wanted to play but was locked out of her locker room where her safety equipment was stored, only to break her clavicle during the practice? Seems like at Evansville High, the only thing behind the athletic glass ceiling are shoulder pads and a fair chance to play. And much like this recent editorial in the Cap Times on updates to federal Fair Pay rules, the best evidence of the state of sexism in America is not in the news but in the forum postings. If we ever needed fair pay or Title IX, it apparently is now.
ACLU reports: Fusion Centers Part of Incipient Domestic Intelligence System
Read the report here!
The nation’s growing network of “fusion centers” is part of an incipient domestic intelligence system, according to the ACLU. The ACLU released a report detailing spying on Maryland peace demonstrators, a mysterious domestic-spying scandal at a California military base and other recent incidents, confirming that its warnings about fusion centers were coming true.
In November 2007, the ACLU released a report, “What’s Wrong With Fusion Centers,” warning about the potential dangers of these new institutions, including ambiguous lines of authority, excessive secrecy, troubling private-sector and military roles, and an apparent bend toward collection of information about innocent activities and data mining. Our recent addendum to the report explains how new developments have only confirmed the urgency of these warnings.
“Congress and state officials need to learn more about fusion centers, engage in some very pointed inquiry about the effectiveness and the precise role of these centers, and at a minimum put in place strong checks and balances,” said Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. “Too often, we’ve given our government new powers to fight terrorists, only to have them used against peace activists and other innocent Americans. This can’t be the future of law enforcement. Congress needs to end private-sector participation and military involvement in law enforcement. We need to learn from our mistakes, not repeat them.”
Discrimination against female football player? Check out this story about a student crying foul about treatment by her football coach. What would you do if your kid wanted to play but was locked out of her locker room where her safety equipment was stored, only to break her clavicle during the practice? Seems like at Evansville High, the only thing behind the athletic glass ceiling are shoulder pads and a fair chance to play. And much like this recent editorial in the Cap Times on updates to federal Fair Pay rules, the best evidence of the state of sexism in America is not in the news but in the forum postings. If we ever needed fair pay or Title IX, it apparently is now.
ACLU reports: Fusion Centers Part of Incipient Domestic Intelligence System
Read the report here!
The nation’s growing network of “fusion centers” is part of an incipient domestic intelligence system, according to the ACLU. The ACLU released a report detailing spying on Maryland peace demonstrators, a mysterious domestic-spying scandal at a California military base and other recent incidents, confirming that its warnings about fusion centers were coming true.
In November 2007, the ACLU released a report, “What’s Wrong With Fusion Centers,” warning about the potential dangers of these new institutions, including ambiguous lines of authority, excessive secrecy, troubling private-sector and military roles, and an apparent bend toward collection of information about innocent activities and data mining. Our recent addendum to the report explains how new developments have only confirmed the urgency of these warnings.
“Congress and state officials need to learn more about fusion centers, engage in some very pointed inquiry about the effectiveness and the precise role of these centers, and at a minimum put in place strong checks and balances,” said Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. “Too often, we’ve given our government new powers to fight terrorists, only to have them used against peace activists and other innocent Americans. This can’t be the future of law enforcement. Congress needs to end private-sector participation and military involvement in law enforcement. We need to learn from our mistakes, not repeat them.”
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Data collection on WI voting admin, new FISA law as 4th amendment insult and ACLU on The Mic
Here are a couple of tidbits for today...
In a direct critique of Senator Obama's FISA vote, Truthout's Director Marc Ash writes, "The problem is that what was at stake in the FISA legislation vote was more than a political ideal; it was the rule of law. You ratified an unconstitutional and egregious degradation of the Fourth Amendment. That won't go away easily. The United States's Constitution is not merely the security blanket for 'civil liberties groups.' It is the birthright of all Americans. It is our national treasure... The alternative to the rule of law is the law of rule."
Did you know that of about 9000 election clerks nationwide, about 2000 are in Wisconsin? Our highly decentralized voting administration system is great for localized registration and voting, yet a challenge to get a clear picture of whether or not we have uniformity in the system. Check out this story about data that will be collected this fall on how we do elections.
And check out the Madison Area ACLU Community Advocate Stacy Harbaugh on the progressive radio morning show yesterday morning:
In a direct critique of Senator Obama's FISA vote, Truthout's Director Marc Ash writes, "The problem is that what was at stake in the FISA legislation vote was more than a political ideal; it was the rule of law. You ratified an unconstitutional and egregious degradation of the Fourth Amendment. That won't go away easily. The United States's Constitution is not merely the security blanket for 'civil liberties groups.' It is the birthright of all Americans. It is our national treasure... The alternative to the rule of law is the law of rule."
Did you know that of about 9000 election clerks nationwide, about 2000 are in Wisconsin? Our highly decentralized voting administration system is great for localized registration and voting, yet a challenge to get a clear picture of whether or not we have uniformity in the system. Check out this story about data that will be collected this fall on how we do elections.
And check out the Madison Area ACLU Community Advocate Stacy Harbaugh on the progressive radio morning show yesterday morning:
Thursday, July 10, 2008
They failed democracy, so we're suing
From the national ACLU on the FISA vote:
Yesterday, elected officials in Washington sold out the Constitution -- again.
Cowed by the Bush administration’s pre-election scare tactics, the Senate passed freedom-stealing FISA legislation undermining your Fourth Amendment rights.
This is not a “compromise,” as some in Congress would have us believe. The only thing they compromised is your freedom. Become an ACLU monthly donor, and stand up for your rights.
The FISA Amendments Act allows for mass, untargeted and warrantless surveillance of all communications coming into and out of the United States. And to top it off, it hands immunity to telecom companies for their role in domestic spying. This means your phone calls can be tapped and emails read with virtually no proof of threat, and there's no chance to learn how the telecoms invaded your privacy.
It’s outrageous, unconstitutional and un-American. That’s why the ACLU is prepared to challenge this unconstitutional law the moment President Bush signs it.
Now is an especially important time for you to act. Not only can you help fund essential work fighting this unconstitutional legislation but your decision to make a monthly pledge can move us a giant step closer to our target of 2,000 new monthly supporters this month. If we reach that goal by July 31st, the ACLU will earn a $100,000 Matching Gift further strengthening our efforts to stand up for freedom as no other organization in America can.
As a Guardian of Liberty, you can join tens of thousands of your fellow citizens in donating a small amount each month to help the ACLU’s critical work in defense of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Donate now to help the ACLU fight for freedom and move closer to our $100,000 Matching Gift goal.
In one fell swoop, Congress has not only legalized the Bush administration’s secret NSA spying program, it has given the government even more power to listen to our phone calls and read our emails than even the Bush administration illegally claimed for itself under its secret program. And, by granting telecoms immunity, it has greatly harmed the chances of ever learning the extent of the administration’s lawless actions.
While politicians lack resolve, the ACLU and its supporters do not. Stand with the ACLU by becoming a monthly supporter of the ACLU today.
In defense of freedom,
Anthony D. Romero
Executive Director
ACLU
And in other news...
We are all getting really used to showing our ID for everything these days, yes? Now people buying alcohol near the UW campus will be asked to scan their drivers licenses for authenticity verification. Getting fake IDs off the street is a great thing, but using drivers licenses for non-driving purposes is on the rise.
Want the update on where Wisconsin legislators stand on reproductive rights issues? NARAL just issued their scorecard.
Yesterday, elected officials in Washington sold out the Constitution -- again.
Cowed by the Bush administration’s pre-election scare tactics, the Senate passed freedom-stealing FISA legislation undermining your Fourth Amendment rights.
This is not a “compromise,” as some in Congress would have us believe. The only thing they compromised is your freedom. Become an ACLU monthly donor, and stand up for your rights.
The FISA Amendments Act allows for mass, untargeted and warrantless surveillance of all communications coming into and out of the United States. And to top it off, it hands immunity to telecom companies for their role in domestic spying. This means your phone calls can be tapped and emails read with virtually no proof of threat, and there's no chance to learn how the telecoms invaded your privacy.
It’s outrageous, unconstitutional and un-American. That’s why the ACLU is prepared to challenge this unconstitutional law the moment President Bush signs it.
Now is an especially important time for you to act. Not only can you help fund essential work fighting this unconstitutional legislation but your decision to make a monthly pledge can move us a giant step closer to our target of 2,000 new monthly supporters this month. If we reach that goal by July 31st, the ACLU will earn a $100,000 Matching Gift further strengthening our efforts to stand up for freedom as no other organization in America can.
As a Guardian of Liberty, you can join tens of thousands of your fellow citizens in donating a small amount each month to help the ACLU’s critical work in defense of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Donate now to help the ACLU fight for freedom and move closer to our $100,000 Matching Gift goal.
In one fell swoop, Congress has not only legalized the Bush administration’s secret NSA spying program, it has given the government even more power to listen to our phone calls and read our emails than even the Bush administration illegally claimed for itself under its secret program. And, by granting telecoms immunity, it has greatly harmed the chances of ever learning the extent of the administration’s lawless actions.
While politicians lack resolve, the ACLU and its supporters do not. Stand with the ACLU by becoming a monthly supporter of the ACLU today.
In defense of freedom,
Anthony D. Romero
Executive Director
ACLU
And in other news...
We are all getting really used to showing our ID for everything these days, yes? Now people buying alcohol near the UW campus will be asked to scan their drivers licenses for authenticity verification. Getting fake IDs off the street is a great thing, but using drivers licenses for non-driving purposes is on the rise.
Want the update on where Wisconsin legislators stand on reproductive rights issues? NARAL just issued their scorecard.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
FISA votes fail, WI state GOP resignation letter cites civil liberties concerns, ACLU LGBT event
In the news...
Wisconsin State Rep. Jeff Wood's GOP party resignation letter could be a call to action on civil liberties protections.
Watch the headlines for the results of the FISA bill vote in the US Senate - while Senator Kohl didn't support Feingold's amendment that would have stripped retroactive immunity for telecoms for handing over phone records, both Wisconsin Senators voted yes on the failed Bingaman's amendment that would have held off suits until an Inspector General's report on the President's warrantless wiretapping program was completed. Today, the US Senate failed the American public in the effort to protect privacy and transparency in our government. For more updates on the FISA issue, visit the national ACLU website.
And for our Milwaukee area readers...
Wisconsin State Rep. Jeff Wood's GOP party resignation letter could be a call to action on civil liberties protections.
Watch the headlines for the results of the FISA bill vote in the US Senate - while Senator Kohl didn't support Feingold's amendment that would have stripped retroactive immunity for telecoms for handing over phone records, both Wisconsin Senators voted yes on the failed Bingaman's amendment that would have held off suits until an Inspector General's report on the President's warrantless wiretapping program was completed. Today, the US Senate failed the American public in the effort to protect privacy and transparency in our government. For more updates on the FISA issue, visit the national ACLU website.
And for our Milwaukee area readers...
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
WORT today! National ACLU Legislative Director talks about taking action on FISA
Need the update on issues regarding domestic spying, telecom immunity and what we can do to clean up the FISA mess? Tune into WORT-FM community radio today (Tuesday) at noon to get the scoop from Caroline Fredrickson, National ACLU Legislative Director.
Chris Dols will host this episode of A Public Affair with Fredrickson to ask her more about the FISA Amendments Act, which the US Senate will more than likely be passing today and sending to Bush to sign into law. The bill guts the oversight authority of the FISA Court which was set up to limit the government's spying in the aftermath of the FBI's Counter Intelligence Programs (COINTELPRO) and Watergate.
Madison folks can tune into 89.9 on their dials or anyone can stream the show live at noon, central time. Please call in with your questions.
Today, Fredrickson grilled the Washington Post about their support for the flawed FISA bill.
p.s. Reading this blog post too late? You can still hear the interview over the next two weeks on WORT's archive. Look for June 8th's A Public Affair show for download or listen.
Chris Dols will host this episode of A Public Affair with Fredrickson to ask her more about the FISA Amendments Act, which the US Senate will more than likely be passing today and sending to Bush to sign into law. The bill guts the oversight authority of the FISA Court which was set up to limit the government's spying in the aftermath of the FBI's Counter Intelligence Programs (COINTELPRO) and Watergate.
Madison folks can tune into 89.9 on their dials or anyone can stream the show live at noon, central time. Please call in with your questions.
Today, Fredrickson grilled the Washington Post about their support for the flawed FISA bill.
p.s. Reading this blog post too late? You can still hear the interview over the next two weeks on WORT's archive. Look for June 8th's A Public Affair show for download or listen.
Monday, July 7, 2008
FISA action alert, news on privacy, voting rights
Privacy
Viacom goes after illegal posts to YouTube, but judge orders Google/YouTube to turn over ALL user IDs and IP addresses. If a judge demanded all of the names of people who had checked out any video in our public library, citizens would be mad as hell. Google acquired YouTube at the end of 2006.
Voting Rights
Curious about how redistricting impacts voters decisions? Not a fancy Sociologist? Population numbers give you a headache? Don't fear! Our friends at the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign passed along a link to the new Brennan Center's Citizen's Guide to Redistricting. You can download the PDF for the primer on how lines are drawn, how they impact an election and suggestions for reform that emphasize equality and transparency. You can also check out what the ACLU has done on this issue and more on voting rights in an episode of the first season of the Freedom Files.
Another article about the myth of voter fraud. This one points out the idea that "fighting voter fraud" is code for "not letting black people vote." While I agree that the perpetuation of myths around so-called voter fraud has consequences in our continued discussion about politics and race, it is always a shame when the simple, Constitutionally-granted right to vote is made into a partisan issue. All citizens have the right to vote. Period.
Domestic Spying
Here is an article from the Denver Post on a trend of local eyes doing federal domestic spying work. Wisconsin has also deployed "Terrorism Liaison Officers" to be trained to spot suspicious behavior. Civil liberties and privacy concerns are obvious - legal behavior of citizens could be misinterpreted as criminal or pre-criminal acts and ensnare innocent people in this domestic spy game.
And a word from the national ACLU on FISA:
On Tuesday, July 8th, the Senate will consider an unconstitutional FISA bill that lets lawbreaking phone companies off the hook.
It is vital you contact your senators today and ask them to vote against this bill. Demand they protect your privacy and the rule of law.
This July 8, senators will make a crucial decision: whether or not to eviscerate our treasured right to privacy in our own homes and let lawbreaking telecom companies off the hook for handing over private information without a warrant.
The bottom line is that no president should have the power to monitor the phones and emails of Americans without getting a warrant. And no president should be given the power to pardon companies that broke the law.
Contact your senators today. Tell them what the 4th of July means to you and ask them to defend your freedom by opposing the unconstitutional FISA bill.
Sincerely,
Caroline Fredrickson, Director
ACLU Washington Legislative Office
P.S. Some senators, like Chris Dodd and Russ Feingold, are trying to improve this horrible legislation. And while we greatly appreciate these valiant efforts, these efforts should not -- and will not -- provide political cover for any senator who votes ‘yes’ on a final bill with warrantless wiretapping or immunity for telecommunications companies that broke the law. Let your senators know the bottom line: no bill with warrantless wiretapping or telecom immunity.
Check out a commentary from Amy Goodman on what Dodd and Feingold are doing and how other Senators' distancing themselves from controversial issues won't work in the long run.
As always, to get the scoop on national issues like restoring real FISA protections and Habeus Corpus, closing Guantanamo and stopping rendition and torture, visit the national ACLU website.
Viacom goes after illegal posts to YouTube, but judge orders Google/YouTube to turn over ALL user IDs and IP addresses. If a judge demanded all of the names of people who had checked out any video in our public library, citizens would be mad as hell. Google acquired YouTube at the end of 2006.
Voting Rights
Curious about how redistricting impacts voters decisions? Not a fancy Sociologist? Population numbers give you a headache? Don't fear! Our friends at the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign passed along a link to the new Brennan Center's Citizen's Guide to Redistricting. You can download the PDF for the primer on how lines are drawn, how they impact an election and suggestions for reform that emphasize equality and transparency. You can also check out what the ACLU has done on this issue and more on voting rights in an episode of the first season of the Freedom Files.
Another article about the myth of voter fraud. This one points out the idea that "fighting voter fraud" is code for "not letting black people vote." While I agree that the perpetuation of myths around so-called voter fraud has consequences in our continued discussion about politics and race, it is always a shame when the simple, Constitutionally-granted right to vote is made into a partisan issue. All citizens have the right to vote. Period.
Domestic Spying
Here is an article from the Denver Post on a trend of local eyes doing federal domestic spying work. Wisconsin has also deployed "Terrorism Liaison Officers" to be trained to spot suspicious behavior. Civil liberties and privacy concerns are obvious - legal behavior of citizens could be misinterpreted as criminal or pre-criminal acts and ensnare innocent people in this domestic spy game.
And a word from the national ACLU on FISA:
On Tuesday, July 8th, the Senate will consider an unconstitutional FISA bill that lets lawbreaking phone companies off the hook.
It is vital you contact your senators today and ask them to vote against this bill. Demand they protect your privacy and the rule of law.
This July 8, senators will make a crucial decision: whether or not to eviscerate our treasured right to privacy in our own homes and let lawbreaking telecom companies off the hook for handing over private information without a warrant.
The bottom line is that no president should have the power to monitor the phones and emails of Americans without getting a warrant. And no president should be given the power to pardon companies that broke the law.
Contact your senators today. Tell them what the 4th of July means to you and ask them to defend your freedom by opposing the unconstitutional FISA bill.
Sincerely,
Caroline Fredrickson, Director
ACLU Washington Legislative Office
P.S. Some senators, like Chris Dodd and Russ Feingold, are trying to improve this horrible legislation. And while we greatly appreciate these valiant efforts, these efforts should not -- and will not -- provide political cover for any senator who votes ‘yes’ on a final bill with warrantless wiretapping or immunity for telecommunications companies that broke the law. Let your senators know the bottom line: no bill with warrantless wiretapping or telecom immunity.
Check out a commentary from Amy Goodman on what Dodd and Feingold are doing and how other Senators' distancing themselves from controversial issues won't work in the long run.
As always, to get the scoop on national issues like restoring real FISA protections and Habeus Corpus, closing Guantanamo and stopping rendition and torture, visit the national ACLU website.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Humanitarian immigration policy, legislative review, FISA and FOIA
news roundup!
Immigration
Cap Times opinion says that communities should set humanitarian standards on local law enforcement and immigration.
State legislature
"Do nothing" legislature recap of inaction in last legislative cycle.
Domestic Spying
On the face of his argument, I disagree with the LA Times opinion writer. Ultimately Bush's political opponents and dissenters are "ordinary Americans." Read on for a short history of wiretapping gone unethical, even beyond Watergate.
Freedom of Information Act
Want to check if you are on that homeland security watch list? Maybe want to look at your FBI file? Despite Bush's promise to decrease the backlog of FOIA bureaucracy, unanswered requests haven't gone down under his watch. Do we really have freedom of information access if the line is years long?
Immigration
Cap Times opinion says that communities should set humanitarian standards on local law enforcement and immigration.
State legislature
"Do nothing" legislature recap of inaction in last legislative cycle.
Domestic Spying
On the face of his argument, I disagree with the LA Times opinion writer. Ultimately Bush's political opponents and dissenters are "ordinary Americans." Read on for a short history of wiretapping gone unethical, even beyond Watergate.
Freedom of Information Act
Want to check if you are on that homeland security watch list? Maybe want to look at your FBI file? Despite Bush's promise to decrease the backlog of FOIA bureaucracy, unanswered requests haven't gone down under his watch. Do we really have freedom of information access if the line is years long?
Thursday, March 13, 2008
FBI uses blanket searches, ACLU members respond on FISA
news for today...
Domestic Spying
More on the Patriot Act's National Security Letters... This shows why FISA is so important. We need honest judges to approve warrants for wiretapping, not blanket searches by the FBI, to protect Americans' privacy. Do we trust the FBI to only go after terrorists when they can wiretap anybody? Peace activists? Politicians? Businesses?
The ACLU sent out a thank you email. They sent lots of petitions to legislative leaders who heard the need to stand up to the Bush Administration's fear mongering.
Read on for the message from Caroline Fredrickson.
"When we asked you to throw your support behind the ACLU and our FISA fight -- you didn’t just throw it -- you hurled it and then some! Your efforts helped get House leadership to reject Bush's fear mongering.
I last wrote to you after hearing that administration officials would use any means necessary to get Congress to pass Bush’s spying bill -- a bill that would give the president a free pass to spy on the emails and phone calls of Americans without a warrant and whitewash illegal spying.
But thanks to you, key members of the House have introduced compromise legislation on FISA. While we have concerns about aspects of the new bill, it is important to note that the House is standing up to the executive branch and its demands to engage in unchecked wiretapping on US soil -- and the House compromise legislation does not grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that facilitated years of illegal surveillance.
Even with administration officials issuing ominous warnings, the American people are prevailing. House leadership -- at least for now -- is finally standing up to Bush fear mongering.
Here are just a couple highlights of what we recently accomplished together:
- On Monday, we delivered our "Keep Standing Up to Fear Mongering" petition with more than 50,000 signatures to House Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer and representatives who stood up to President Bush.
- Last week, our Calling for Freedom campaign generated tens of thousands of phone calls to Congress.
- Congress still has not passed Bush’s spying bill and in fact, House leadership introduced a better bill. The president threatened to veto the compromise bill, but the House is planning to vote on it today anyway.
Nobody would have imagined that we could have held them off this long, and we truly could not have done it without you. That’s why we have to keep going now, more than ever. We’re making some progress but we can’t lose sight of our ultimate goal: We must throw Bush fear mongering out of our national conversation.
Don’t think for a second that Bush and his henchmen are going to give up on using fear to scare Congress into selling out the Constitution and our most fundamental rights. If Congress doesn't cave in now, we can be sure the spin machine will grow even louder. That's because the longer this fight goes on, the less likely it is that Congress will pass a spying bill that gives President Bush everything he wants.
We never could have accomplished so much without you. Thank you for your steadfast commitment, and for all you have done to protect our most fundamental rights.
We’ll keep you posted about our next steps very soon.
Sincerely,
Caroline Fredrickson, Director
ACLU Washington Legislative Office"
Domestic Spying
More on the Patriot Act's National Security Letters... This shows why FISA is so important. We need honest judges to approve warrants for wiretapping, not blanket searches by the FBI, to protect Americans' privacy. Do we trust the FBI to only go after terrorists when they can wiretap anybody? Peace activists? Politicians? Businesses?
The ACLU sent out a thank you email. They sent lots of petitions to legislative leaders who heard the need to stand up to the Bush Administration's fear mongering.
Read on for the message from Caroline Fredrickson.
"When we asked you to throw your support behind the ACLU and our FISA fight -- you didn’t just throw it -- you hurled it and then some! Your efforts helped get House leadership to reject Bush's fear mongering.
I last wrote to you after hearing that administration officials would use any means necessary to get Congress to pass Bush’s spying bill -- a bill that would give the president a free pass to spy on the emails and phone calls of Americans without a warrant and whitewash illegal spying.
But thanks to you, key members of the House have introduced compromise legislation on FISA. While we have concerns about aspects of the new bill, it is important to note that the House is standing up to the executive branch and its demands to engage in unchecked wiretapping on US soil -- and the House compromise legislation does not grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that facilitated years of illegal surveillance.
Even with administration officials issuing ominous warnings, the American people are prevailing. House leadership -- at least for now -- is finally standing up to Bush fear mongering.
Here are just a couple highlights of what we recently accomplished together:
- On Monday, we delivered our "Keep Standing Up to Fear Mongering" petition with more than 50,000 signatures to House Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer and representatives who stood up to President Bush.
- Last week, our Calling for Freedom campaign generated tens of thousands of phone calls to Congress.
- Congress still has not passed Bush’s spying bill and in fact, House leadership introduced a better bill. The president threatened to veto the compromise bill, but the House is planning to vote on it today anyway.
Nobody would have imagined that we could have held them off this long, and we truly could not have done it without you. That’s why we have to keep going now, more than ever. We’re making some progress but we can’t lose sight of our ultimate goal: We must throw Bush fear mongering out of our national conversation.
Don’t think for a second that Bush and his henchmen are going to give up on using fear to scare Congress into selling out the Constitution and our most fundamental rights. If Congress doesn't cave in now, we can be sure the spin machine will grow even louder. That's because the longer this fight goes on, the less likely it is that Congress will pass a spying bill that gives President Bush everything he wants.
We never could have accomplished so much without you. Thank you for your steadfast commitment, and for all you have done to protect our most fundamental rights.
We’ll keep you posted about our next steps very soon.
Sincerely,
Caroline Fredrickson, Director
ACLU Washington Legislative Office"
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
House resists telecom immunity, lunch with Lou Dobbs, pro-life ads in UW newspapers
News roundup for today...
Domestic Spying
The US House stands by their rejection of telecom immunity in FISA renewal. American Civil Liberties Union says the compromise is an improvement but concerns remain.
Immigration
Lunch with Lou Dobbs - an interesting editorial on how to convert anti-immigrant radicals.
Reproductive Rights
Pro-Life Wisconsin rails at the rejection of their ads in Wisconsin University newspapers and cries censorship. The UW Badger Herald quotes newspaper editors saying they haven't reached a final decision. The ACLU supports access to Emergency Contraception (the target of opposition in the ad) - you can find information on EC access on the ACLU website. In Wisconsin, Governor Doyle will sign the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims into law tomorrow (Thursday, March 13) to ensure that rape victims have access to FDA-approved pregnancy prevention in the Emergency Room.
Domestic Spying
The US House stands by their rejection of telecom immunity in FISA renewal. American Civil Liberties Union says the compromise is an improvement but concerns remain.
Immigration
Lunch with Lou Dobbs - an interesting editorial on how to convert anti-immigrant radicals.
Reproductive Rights
Pro-Life Wisconsin rails at the rejection of their ads in Wisconsin University newspapers and cries censorship. The UW Badger Herald quotes newspaper editors saying they haven't reached a final decision. The ACLU supports access to Emergency Contraception (the target of opposition in the ad) - you can find information on EC access on the ACLU website. In Wisconsin, Governor Doyle will sign the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims into law tomorrow (Thursday, March 13) to ensure that rape victims have access to FDA-approved pregnancy prevention in the Emergency Room.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
One in 100 Americans is behind bars, legislators spar over photo ID and more
News tidbits for today...
Criminal Justice
New York Times highlights a report that says that one in 100 Americans is behind bars.
Domestic Spying
FBI Chief confirms misuse of National Security Letters to search Americans' personal records. War on Terror politicians keep saying that Homeland Security needs greater powers to search for terrorists. But the abuse of power and the lack of transparency (even through judicial checks) is not about terrorism but about violating our privacy. Read the Washington Post article for details and a nod to the ACLU. Or find it on Truthout.
Confused by some of the legaleese that gets expressed during debates about the War on Terror? What does "material support" mean anyway? Eric Urmansky tries to stort out counterterrorism investigations and how even thin associations with or an expression of sympathy for controversial groups can be like committing a "pre-crime." Read on for a nod to the ACLU.
Voting Rights
Legislators sparred today over a proposed constitutional amendment on photo id at the polls. Senator Fitzgerald says that criminal activity at the polls needs to be addressed. If he is talking about the "crime" of felons who vote while they are still on paper (like Elizabeth Prude did in 2004), he should sign on in support of passing AB 390 to clean up our statewide voter list and restore the vote to those who are no longer behind bars. You can watch the whole press conference on WiscEye (you might find it under Recently Archived Video) or check out the WKOW coverage. This conflict is mostly over the end of last Thursday's Senate floor session when an effort to pull AB 645 to a floor vote was nixed by a a quick end to the session by Democratic leadership. The attempts to pull the bill continued today but without adequate support.
Public Schools
Update on the school board zoning decision.
Criminal Justice
New York Times highlights a report that says that one in 100 Americans is behind bars.
Domestic Spying
FBI Chief confirms misuse of National Security Letters to search Americans' personal records. War on Terror politicians keep saying that Homeland Security needs greater powers to search for terrorists. But the abuse of power and the lack of transparency (even through judicial checks) is not about terrorism but about violating our privacy. Read the Washington Post article for details and a nod to the ACLU. Or find it on Truthout.
Confused by some of the legaleese that gets expressed during debates about the War on Terror? What does "material support" mean anyway? Eric Urmansky tries to stort out counterterrorism investigations and how even thin associations with or an expression of sympathy for controversial groups can be like committing a "pre-crime." Read on for a nod to the ACLU.
Voting Rights
Legislators sparred today over a proposed constitutional amendment on photo id at the polls. Senator Fitzgerald says that criminal activity at the polls needs to be addressed. If he is talking about the "crime" of felons who vote while they are still on paper (like Elizabeth Prude did in 2004), he should sign on in support of passing AB 390 to clean up our statewide voter list and restore the vote to those who are no longer behind bars. You can watch the whole press conference on WiscEye (you might find it under Recently Archived Video) or check out the WKOW coverage. This conflict is mostly over the end of last Thursday's Senate floor session when an effort to pull AB 645 to a floor vote was nixed by a a quick end to the session by Democratic leadership. The attempts to pull the bill continued today but without adequate support.
Public Schools
Update on the school board zoning decision.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Action alert: Make one call for freedom!
This week, the ACLU is launching Calling for Freedom, the boldest, most ambitious telephone advocacy program in our history. Working hand-in-hand with other organizations, we’re flooding the House of Representatives with thousands upon thousands of phone calls, urging key members to stand firm against Bush fear-mongering on FISA.
Please call your representative right now.
For more background about why these decisions are critical for Americans' privacy rights, visit the ACLU webpage on FISA.
The House could vote at any time. And there’s no guarantee that they will hold firm on their refusal to pass FISA legislation that defies the Constitution and overlooks telecom companies’ massive invasions of our privacy.
If we hold the line in the House, it will be for one reason: Because you and other ACLU activists across the country generated thousands and thousands of phone calls.
Every week that we prevent the House from passing legislation granting telecom immunity and excusing warrantless eavesdropping is a victory for the Constitution.
Please act now. Keep this dangerous legislation out of President Bush's hands.
Thanks so much for all that you do.
Sincerely,
Caroline Fredrickson, Director
ACLU Washington Legislative Office
Please call your representative right now.
For more background about why these decisions are critical for Americans' privacy rights, visit the ACLU webpage on FISA.
The House could vote at any time. And there’s no guarantee that they will hold firm on their refusal to pass FISA legislation that defies the Constitution and overlooks telecom companies’ massive invasions of our privacy.
If we hold the line in the House, it will be for one reason: Because you and other ACLU activists across the country generated thousands and thousands of phone calls.
Every week that we prevent the House from passing legislation granting telecom immunity and excusing warrantless eavesdropping is a victory for the Constitution.
Please act now. Keep this dangerous legislation out of President Bush's hands.
Thanks so much for all that you do.
Sincerely,
Caroline Fredrickson, Director
ACLU Washington Legislative Office
Friday, February 29, 2008
National news - Terrorist Watch List, FISA Fight Continues, and more
February 29, 2008
Congress Must Stand Up to Bush Fear-Mongering over FISA
Two weeks ago, leaders in the House finally stood up to President Bush’s fear-mongering and his dangerous demands, including presidential spying powers that defy the Constitution and retroactive immunity for telecom companies that turned over private information without a warrant.
There’s no predicting what happens next -- and no guaranteeing that House leaders will continue to hold the line. That’s why the ACLU is pulling out all the stops -- we ran an ad in USA Today on Tuesday to frame the debate, we’re gathering tens of thousands of signatures urging House leaders to stand their ground, and soon, we will be launching "Calling for Freedom," an all-out calling campaign aimed at flooding Congress with our message.
Click here to see the ad.
>> Take action: Tell Congress: "Keep Standing Up to Bush Fear Mongering".
>> Ask your friends to sign the petition.
Supreme Court Refuses to Review Warrantless Wiretapping Case
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the ACLU’s petition asking it to hear ACLU v. NSA, our case against the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretapping program. The ACLU filed this case two years ago to put an end to government spying on innocent Americans through National Security Agency surveillance.
From the start, the government’s argument has been that the case should be dismissed under the state secrets privilege, but that did not convince the district court in Michigan, which ruled that the NSA’s program is unconstitutional and should be stopped. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, however, asserted that our plaintiffs could not prove their communications had been tapped and dismissed the case.
"Although we are deeply disappointed with the Supreme Court’s refusal to review this case, it is worth noting that today’s action says nothing about the case’s merits and does not suggest in any way an endorsement of the lower court’s decision," said Steven R. Shapiro, Legal Director of the ACLU. "The court’s unwillingness to act makes it even more important that Congress insist on legislative safeguards that will protect civil liberties without jeopardizing national security."
>> Read more about unchecked government surveillance.
Government Again Downplays Widespread Racism Before U.N. Committee
Click here to learn about racial discrimination in your state.
Representatives from over 125 U.S.-based social justice organizations last week observed a session at the United Nations where an international panel of experts closely scrutinized the U.S. human rights record regarding racial discrimination.
High-ranking U.S. government officials had to answer very tough questions about racial discrimination in the United States. Yet, they continued to downplay the effects of widespread discrimination in this country during questioning before the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD).
Throughout the hearings, the CERD committee questioned the government delegation on several issues raised by the ACLU in its 2007 report, Race & Ethnicity in America: Turning a Blind Eye to Injustice. The ACLU’s report examines human rights violations, including events that took place in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, escalating police brutality and racial profiling, the dramatic increase in anti-immigrant acts and practices, the exploitation of migrant workers, and the “school to prison pipeline,” whereby the criminal justice system overzealously funnels students of color out of classrooms and on a path toward prison.
"It takes more than empty words and unenforced laws to claim high moral ground and leadership on human rights," said Jamil Dakwar, Advocacy Director of the ACLU Human Rights Program. "To be true to its ideals and to fulfill its treaty obligations, the U.S. must take vigorous and proactive measures against racial and ethnic inequality."
>> Read the ACLU’s report, Race & Ethnicity in America, and blog posts from ACLU staff who were in Geneva.
Terrorist Watch List Nears One Million
It wasn’t long after 9/11 that we began hearing from Americans who were having problems getting on airplanes because, they were told, their names were on terrorist watch lists. In typical Bush Administration style, these systems had been roughly thrown together with little thought for questions of guilt or innocence or fairness to those unfairly targeted.
In the years since, our nation's out-of-control watch lists have received a lot of terrible publicity, such as when famous people like Sen. Ted Kennedy or Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens) got trapped on them, or when 60 Minutes discovered that the list included the president of Bolivia, dead people, and dozens of common American names like Robert Johnson and John Williams. Despite all this publicity, and the problems faced by thousands or millions of frustrated innocent American citizens, the problem has not gotten better. In fact, it has gotten even worse.
Based on numbers contained in a report issued by the Inspector General of the Department of Justice, the watch list is growing by 20,000 records a month — and now exceeds 917,000 people. And it’s growing by the minute — a growth that you can view in real time on our new page, which displays a rolling, real-time counter showing how many names are on the list, according to that DOJ report.
>> Learn more about the ACLU Watch List Counter.
Order To Shut Down Wikileaks.org Violates First Amendment
The ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed a motion this week to intervene in a lawsuit that led a federal district judge to order the domain name Wikileaks.org shut down. The motion is on behalf of organizations and individuals that have accessed and used documents on the Wikileaks.org website in their work and want to continue to be able to do so.
The website was established to allow participants to anonymously disclose documents of public interest, including materials discussing such issues of national importance as U.S. Army operations at Guantánamo Bay, human rights abuses in China, and political corruption in Kenya.
Earlier this month, Judge Jeffrey White of the Northern District of California ordered domain registrar Dynadot, LLC to shut down the domain name Wikileaks.org based on allegations that a former employee of Swiss Bank Julius Baer posted documents on the website that highlighted the bank’s dealings in the Cayman Islands.
The permanent injunction has the effect of blocking access to all of the content contained on the website accessed through the domain name Wikileaks.org, even though the overwhelming majority of those documents and materials are unrelated to the Bank Julius Baer complaint and concern matters of significant public interest.
“The public has a right to receive information and ideas, especially ones concerning the public interest,” said Aden Fine, senior staff attorney with the ACLU. “This injunction ignores that vital First Amendment principle.”
The ACLU and EFF are seeking to intervene on behalf of themselves; the Project on Government Oversight, which works to investigate systemic waste, fraud, and abuse in all federal agencies; and Jordan McCorkle, a student at the University of Texas who uses the website on a regular basis.
>> Read the ACLU’s motion.
ACLU Sues to Protect Marriages Threatened by Recent Court Decision
The ACLU of Pennsylvania began a statewide challenge to a recent court decision that invalidates marriages presided over by a minister who doesn’t regularly serve in a physical church or house of worship.
The lawsuits were filed on behalf of three couples married in Pennsylvania by clergy who do not regularly preach in a church or to an established congregation. The couples seek judicial declarations that their marriages are valid under Pennsylvania law. The ruling potentially affects thousands of marriages, such as ACLU plaintiffs Peter Goldberger and Anna Durbin who were married in 1976.
"What we want is to fix a problem that never should have existed in the first place," said Mary Catherine Roper, staff attorney with the ACLU of Pennsylvania. "The state has no business invalidating marriages just because it doesn’t like the kind of minister who officiated them."
The issue arose in September 2007 when York County Judge Maria Musti Cook ruled that the marriage of Dorie Heyer and Jacob Hollerbush was invalid because it had been performed by a minister of the Universal Life Church who obtained his ordination over the Internet. In Heyer v. Hollerbush, the court held that the marriage never existed because the minister who solemnized it did not serve a congregation or preach in a physical house of worship.
>> Read more about this case.
Congress Must Stand Up to Bush Fear-Mongering over FISA
Two weeks ago, leaders in the House finally stood up to President Bush’s fear-mongering and his dangerous demands, including presidential spying powers that defy the Constitution and retroactive immunity for telecom companies that turned over private information without a warrant.
There’s no predicting what happens next -- and no guaranteeing that House leaders will continue to hold the line. That’s why the ACLU is pulling out all the stops -- we ran an ad in USA Today on Tuesday to frame the debate, we’re gathering tens of thousands of signatures urging House leaders to stand their ground, and soon, we will be launching "Calling for Freedom," an all-out calling campaign aimed at flooding Congress with our message.
Click here to see the ad.
>> Take action: Tell Congress: "Keep Standing Up to Bush Fear Mongering".
>> Ask your friends to sign the petition.
Supreme Court Refuses to Review Warrantless Wiretapping Case
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the ACLU’s petition asking it to hear ACLU v. NSA, our case against the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretapping program. The ACLU filed this case two years ago to put an end to government spying on innocent Americans through National Security Agency surveillance.
From the start, the government’s argument has been that the case should be dismissed under the state secrets privilege, but that did not convince the district court in Michigan, which ruled that the NSA’s program is unconstitutional and should be stopped. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, however, asserted that our plaintiffs could not prove their communications had been tapped and dismissed the case.
"Although we are deeply disappointed with the Supreme Court’s refusal to review this case, it is worth noting that today’s action says nothing about the case’s merits and does not suggest in any way an endorsement of the lower court’s decision," said Steven R. Shapiro, Legal Director of the ACLU. "The court’s unwillingness to act makes it even more important that Congress insist on legislative safeguards that will protect civil liberties without jeopardizing national security."
>> Read more about unchecked government surveillance.
Government Again Downplays Widespread Racism Before U.N. Committee
Click here to learn about racial discrimination in your state.
Representatives from over 125 U.S.-based social justice organizations last week observed a session at the United Nations where an international panel of experts closely scrutinized the U.S. human rights record regarding racial discrimination.
High-ranking U.S. government officials had to answer very tough questions about racial discrimination in the United States. Yet, they continued to downplay the effects of widespread discrimination in this country during questioning before the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD).
Throughout the hearings, the CERD committee questioned the government delegation on several issues raised by the ACLU in its 2007 report, Race & Ethnicity in America: Turning a Blind Eye to Injustice. The ACLU’s report examines human rights violations, including events that took place in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, escalating police brutality and racial profiling, the dramatic increase in anti-immigrant acts and practices, the exploitation of migrant workers, and the “school to prison pipeline,” whereby the criminal justice system overzealously funnels students of color out of classrooms and on a path toward prison.
"It takes more than empty words and unenforced laws to claim high moral ground and leadership on human rights," said Jamil Dakwar, Advocacy Director of the ACLU Human Rights Program. "To be true to its ideals and to fulfill its treaty obligations, the U.S. must take vigorous and proactive measures against racial and ethnic inequality."
>> Read the ACLU’s report, Race & Ethnicity in America, and blog posts from ACLU staff who were in Geneva.
Terrorist Watch List Nears One Million
It wasn’t long after 9/11 that we began hearing from Americans who were having problems getting on airplanes because, they were told, their names were on terrorist watch lists. In typical Bush Administration style, these systems had been roughly thrown together with little thought for questions of guilt or innocence or fairness to those unfairly targeted.
In the years since, our nation's out-of-control watch lists have received a lot of terrible publicity, such as when famous people like Sen. Ted Kennedy or Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens) got trapped on them, or when 60 Minutes discovered that the list included the president of Bolivia, dead people, and dozens of common American names like Robert Johnson and John Williams. Despite all this publicity, and the problems faced by thousands or millions of frustrated innocent American citizens, the problem has not gotten better. In fact, it has gotten even worse.
Based on numbers contained in a report issued by the Inspector General of the Department of Justice, the watch list is growing by 20,000 records a month — and now exceeds 917,000 people. And it’s growing by the minute — a growth that you can view in real time on our new page, which displays a rolling, real-time counter showing how many names are on the list, according to that DOJ report.
>> Learn more about the ACLU Watch List Counter.
Order To Shut Down Wikileaks.org Violates First Amendment
The ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed a motion this week to intervene in a lawsuit that led a federal district judge to order the domain name Wikileaks.org shut down. The motion is on behalf of organizations and individuals that have accessed and used documents on the Wikileaks.org website in their work and want to continue to be able to do so.
The website was established to allow participants to anonymously disclose documents of public interest, including materials discussing such issues of national importance as U.S. Army operations at Guantánamo Bay, human rights abuses in China, and political corruption in Kenya.
Earlier this month, Judge Jeffrey White of the Northern District of California ordered domain registrar Dynadot, LLC to shut down the domain name Wikileaks.org based on allegations that a former employee of Swiss Bank Julius Baer posted documents on the website that highlighted the bank’s dealings in the Cayman Islands.
The permanent injunction has the effect of blocking access to all of the content contained on the website accessed through the domain name Wikileaks.org, even though the overwhelming majority of those documents and materials are unrelated to the Bank Julius Baer complaint and concern matters of significant public interest.
“The public has a right to receive information and ideas, especially ones concerning the public interest,” said Aden Fine, senior staff attorney with the ACLU. “This injunction ignores that vital First Amendment principle.”
The ACLU and EFF are seeking to intervene on behalf of themselves; the Project on Government Oversight, which works to investigate systemic waste, fraud, and abuse in all federal agencies; and Jordan McCorkle, a student at the University of Texas who uses the website on a regular basis.
>> Read the ACLU’s motion.
ACLU Sues to Protect Marriages Threatened by Recent Court Decision
The ACLU of Pennsylvania began a statewide challenge to a recent court decision that invalidates marriages presided over by a minister who doesn’t regularly serve in a physical church or house of worship.
The lawsuits were filed on behalf of three couples married in Pennsylvania by clergy who do not regularly preach in a church or to an established congregation. The couples seek judicial declarations that their marriages are valid under Pennsylvania law. The ruling potentially affects thousands of marriages, such as ACLU plaintiffs Peter Goldberger and Anna Durbin who were married in 1976.
"What we want is to fix a problem that never should have existed in the first place," said Mary Catherine Roper, staff attorney with the ACLU of Pennsylvania. "The state has no business invalidating marriages just because it doesn’t like the kind of minister who officiated them."
The issue arose in September 2007 when York County Judge Maria Musti Cook ruled that the marriage of Dorie Heyer and Jacob Hollerbush was invalid because it had been performed by a minister of the Universal Life Church who obtained his ordination over the Internet. In Heyer v. Hollerbush, the court held that the marriage never existed because the minister who solemnized it did not serve a congregation or preach in a physical house of worship.
>> Read more about this case.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Action Alert from the ACLU on spying
Has fear-mongering run its course?
The battle in Congress over out-of-control government spying could be summed up like this: Bush administration strong-arming versus the will of the people. That's why we need your signature on the ACLU's "Keep Standing Up to Bush Fear-Mongering" petition.
The Bush administration is still trying with all its might to force Congress to grant the President broad spying powers and to give immunity to telecom companies that cooperated with illegal government eavesdropping.
We’ve extended our petition deadline to send the strongest message to Congress: “Keep Standing Up to Bush Fear-Mongering!” Sign the petition here.
Yesterday, thousands of ACLU supporters helped us run a powerful ad in USA Today. We praised House leaders for standing firm and letting the dangerous and poorly named Protect America Act expire. And we urged them to keep standing up to Bush’s scare tactics.
Now, something noteworthy is happening. Bush administration fear-mongering is falling flat, in spite of administration officials issuing ominous warnings. Republicans have even launched a deceptive TV ad in the sensationalist style of the television drama “24.” But, the American people aren’t falling for it. And so far, House leaders aren’t either.
With continued leadership from Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer, we must keep fear merchants on the run and insist that Congress pass domestic surveillance legislation that keeps us safe and free.
There’s no predicting what happens next and no guaranteeing that House leaders will continue to hold the line. That’s why the ACLU is pulling out all the stops. We ran the USA Today ad to frame the debate. We’re gathering tens of thousands of signatures urging House leaders to stand their ground. And soon, we will be launching “Calling for Freedom,” an all-out calling campaign aimed at flooding Congress with our message.
So please, sign our petition now and pay close attention to your ACLU emails in the crucial days ahead. Thanks for all you are doing.
Sincerely,
Caroline Fredrickson, Director
ACLU Washington Legislative Office
P.S. This is the time for outreach. Please forward this petition-signing request to as many people as possible.The more leaders in Congress hear from people like you, the better our chances of holding the line against spying without warrants and law-breaking without consequences.
Your voice is being heard. Let’s not stop now. Sign our petition today.
The battle in Congress over out-of-control government spying could be summed up like this: Bush administration strong-arming versus the will of the people. That's why we need your signature on the ACLU's "Keep Standing Up to Bush Fear-Mongering" petition.
The Bush administration is still trying with all its might to force Congress to grant the President broad spying powers and to give immunity to telecom companies that cooperated with illegal government eavesdropping.
We’ve extended our petition deadline to send the strongest message to Congress: “Keep Standing Up to Bush Fear-Mongering!” Sign the petition here.
Yesterday, thousands of ACLU supporters helped us run a powerful ad in USA Today. We praised House leaders for standing firm and letting the dangerous and poorly named Protect America Act expire. And we urged them to keep standing up to Bush’s scare tactics.
Now, something noteworthy is happening. Bush administration fear-mongering is falling flat, in spite of administration officials issuing ominous warnings. Republicans have even launched a deceptive TV ad in the sensationalist style of the television drama “24.” But, the American people aren’t falling for it. And so far, House leaders aren’t either.
With continued leadership from Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer, we must keep fear merchants on the run and insist that Congress pass domestic surveillance legislation that keeps us safe and free.
There’s no predicting what happens next and no guaranteeing that House leaders will continue to hold the line. That’s why the ACLU is pulling out all the stops. We ran the USA Today ad to frame the debate. We’re gathering tens of thousands of signatures urging House leaders to stand their ground. And soon, we will be launching “Calling for Freedom,” an all-out calling campaign aimed at flooding Congress with our message.
So please, sign our petition now and pay close attention to your ACLU emails in the crucial days ahead. Thanks for all you are doing.
Sincerely,
Caroline Fredrickson, Director
ACLU Washington Legislative Office
P.S. This is the time for outreach. Please forward this petition-signing request to as many people as possible.The more leaders in Congress hear from people like you, the better our chances of holding the line against spying without warrants and law-breaking without consequences.
Your voice is being heard. Let’s not stop now. Sign our petition today.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
ACLU Online update - national news
February 1 , 2008
Congress Must Stand Up to Bush's Protect America Act
Tell Congress: Stand Up to Bush's Scare Tactics!
With the deadline for renewing the FISA-gutting “Protect America Act” looming, President Bush once again resorted to fear-mongering during Monday's State of the Union address when he claimed that the "flow of vital intelligence" would be disrupted without an extension. Congress, in turn, extended the Protect America Act through Friday, February 15.
Is this 15-day extension a victory for civil liberties? If Congress uses the extension wisely, it gives more time to make real changes that protect the rule of law and bring spying in line with the Constitution. It could also be a prelude to another Congressional cave-in, but not if we have anything to say about it.
On Monday and Tuesday, the Senate will be finalizing and voting on its spying bill. The ACLU, its hundreds of thousands of members and millions of Americans who believe in the rule of law and want their privacy protected are calling on the Senate to stand up to President Bush's fear-mongering.
The ACLU will remain unwavering in our demands. Tell the Senate to stand up to President Bush on telecom immunity and reject massive, untargeted surveillance without a warrant.
>> Take action: Tell your senators to oppose any bill with telecom immunity or warrantless spying on Americans.
>> Get the Facts: Debunking Bush's Fear-Mongering
Federal Judge Orders CIA and Defense Department to Produce Torture Documents
As a result of an ACLU Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, a federal judge ordered the government to produce documents related to the treatment of prisoners in U.S. custody overseas to determine for himself if they should be made public.
“Given the evidence of widespread and systemic abuse of prisoners, it is entirely appropriate for the judge to view these documents for himself instead of taking the government's word for why they should be kept secret," said Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, staff attorney with the ACLU.
The documents the judge will view include:
- Department of Defense documents relating to the deaths of prisoners; allegations of prisoner abuse; and interrogations that deviate from those permitted by the current Army Field Manual;
- A September 17, 2001 CIA Presidential Directive setting up secret CIA detention centers abroad;
- CIA documents gathered by the agency's Inspector General in the course of investigations into unlawful and improper conduct by CIA personnel; and
- Documents discussing the CIA's secret detention and interrogation program.
The judge is still considering the ACLU's motion to hold the CIA in contempt of court for destroying thousands of hours of videotape depicting the abusive interrogations of two detainees in its custody. The ACLU charges that by destroying the tapes, the CIA violated a September 2004 court order requiring the agency to produce or identify records that fell within the scope of its FOIA request.
>> Read more about the ACLU's FOIA request.
ACLU Asks Federal Appeals Court to Lift Ban on Renowned Scholar
The ACLU recently appealed a ruling to challenge the government’s exclusion of Tariq Ramadan, a renowned Swiss scholar, from the U.S. The ACLU believes that the government’s stated reason for barring the scholar is a pretext and that Ramadan, a leading European academic, remains banned from the country because of his political viewpoints.
"The Bush administration has barred Professor Ramadan from the U.S. for more than three years now -- first by alleging without basis that he endorsed terrorism, then saying that it would take years to consider his visa application, and now pointing to charitable donations that were entirely legal at the time they were made,” said Jameel Jaffer, Director of the ACLU National Security Project.
The government originally revoked Ramadan’s visa in 2004 based on the so-called “ideological exclusion” provision of the Patriot Act, a provision that applies to individuals who have “endorsed or espoused” terrorism, because he made small donations to a Swiss charity that provides aid to the Palestinians. This revocation prevented Ramadan from taking up a tenured teaching post at the University of Notre Dame. The government later abandoned its claim when it could not produce any evidence that Ramadan had endorsed terrorism. On the contrary, Ramadan has been a consistent and vocal critic of terrorism and those who use it.
>> Read more about the Ramadan case, the history of ideological exclusion at: http://www.aclu.org/exclusion
Become a Guardian of Liberty Today—You Can Make the Difference
Every day all across the nation, the ACLU is called on to defend the freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Guardians of Liberty are dedicated ACLU members who have made the commitment to support all this critical work with a monthly contribution.
These monthly gifts help the ACLU meet the costs of increased litigation, expanded grassroots mobilization, and widespread public education that are needed for a vigorous and successful defense of liberty.
As a Guardian of Liberty you can help make sure that no challenge to any of these rights goes unanswered. A modest monthly contribution of $25, $20 or even $15 provides the vital support that the ACLU needs.
As a Guardian you will receive special monthly updates on our work, and your membership in the ACLU will automatically renew.
Keep Freedom’s Flame Alive. Become a Guardian of Liberty Today!
ACLU Asks Federal Court to Block Use of Unfair Voting Technology in Ohio
The ACLU filed a motion this week asking federal Judge Kathleen O'Malley of the Northern District of Ohio to prevent the Ohio Secretary of State and the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections from using balloting technology that does not give notice to voters of problems with their ballot. The motion follows a lawsuit filed by the ACLU on January 17 challenging the constitutionality of this technology.
"Every voter who goes to the polls must have the opportunity to verify his or her ballot is free from errors," said ACLU Voting Rights Project attorney Meredith Bell-Platts. "The evidence is overwhelming that when voters do not have access to technology that notifies them of ballot errors, many more ballots are left uncounted."
Recently, the Ohio Secretary of State Brunner and the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections opted to implement ballots that do not provide notice of problems with votes. Cuyahoga County, which contains Columbus and surrounding areas, is the only county in Ohio whose current process does not allow notice to voters of problems with their ballot.
On January 22, the Ohio Association of Election Officials, a non-partisan organization representing Ohio's elections officials, voted unanimously against the sweeping changes Brunner has proposed, particularly emphasizing that counties should not adopt any voting technology that prevents voters from verifying their ballots are filled out correctly.
>> Read about the case.
Sign up for ACLU Online updates
Visit the national website to get these updates sent to your inbox. Become a card-carrying member today!
Congress Must Stand Up to Bush's Protect America Act
Tell Congress: Stand Up to Bush's Scare Tactics!
With the deadline for renewing the FISA-gutting “Protect America Act” looming, President Bush once again resorted to fear-mongering during Monday's State of the Union address when he claimed that the "flow of vital intelligence" would be disrupted without an extension. Congress, in turn, extended the Protect America Act through Friday, February 15.
Is this 15-day extension a victory for civil liberties? If Congress uses the extension wisely, it gives more time to make real changes that protect the rule of law and bring spying in line with the Constitution. It could also be a prelude to another Congressional cave-in, but not if we have anything to say about it.
On Monday and Tuesday, the Senate will be finalizing and voting on its spying bill. The ACLU, its hundreds of thousands of members and millions of Americans who believe in the rule of law and want their privacy protected are calling on the Senate to stand up to President Bush's fear-mongering.
The ACLU will remain unwavering in our demands. Tell the Senate to stand up to President Bush on telecom immunity and reject massive, untargeted surveillance without a warrant.
>> Take action: Tell your senators to oppose any bill with telecom immunity or warrantless spying on Americans.
>> Get the Facts: Debunking Bush's Fear-Mongering
Federal Judge Orders CIA and Defense Department to Produce Torture Documents
As a result of an ACLU Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, a federal judge ordered the government to produce documents related to the treatment of prisoners in U.S. custody overseas to determine for himself if they should be made public.
“Given the evidence of widespread and systemic abuse of prisoners, it is entirely appropriate for the judge to view these documents for himself instead of taking the government's word for why they should be kept secret," said Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, staff attorney with the ACLU.
The documents the judge will view include:
- Department of Defense documents relating to the deaths of prisoners; allegations of prisoner abuse; and interrogations that deviate from those permitted by the current Army Field Manual;
- A September 17, 2001 CIA Presidential Directive setting up secret CIA detention centers abroad;
- CIA documents gathered by the agency's Inspector General in the course of investigations into unlawful and improper conduct by CIA personnel; and
- Documents discussing the CIA's secret detention and interrogation program.
The judge is still considering the ACLU's motion to hold the CIA in contempt of court for destroying thousands of hours of videotape depicting the abusive interrogations of two detainees in its custody. The ACLU charges that by destroying the tapes, the CIA violated a September 2004 court order requiring the agency to produce or identify records that fell within the scope of its FOIA request.
>> Read more about the ACLU's FOIA request.
ACLU Asks Federal Appeals Court to Lift Ban on Renowned Scholar
The ACLU recently appealed a ruling to challenge the government’s exclusion of Tariq Ramadan, a renowned Swiss scholar, from the U.S. The ACLU believes that the government’s stated reason for barring the scholar is a pretext and that Ramadan, a leading European academic, remains banned from the country because of his political viewpoints.
"The Bush administration has barred Professor Ramadan from the U.S. for more than three years now -- first by alleging without basis that he endorsed terrorism, then saying that it would take years to consider his visa application, and now pointing to charitable donations that were entirely legal at the time they were made,” said Jameel Jaffer, Director of the ACLU National Security Project.
The government originally revoked Ramadan’s visa in 2004 based on the so-called “ideological exclusion” provision of the Patriot Act, a provision that applies to individuals who have “endorsed or espoused” terrorism, because he made small donations to a Swiss charity that provides aid to the Palestinians. This revocation prevented Ramadan from taking up a tenured teaching post at the University of Notre Dame. The government later abandoned its claim when it could not produce any evidence that Ramadan had endorsed terrorism. On the contrary, Ramadan has been a consistent and vocal critic of terrorism and those who use it.
>> Read more about the Ramadan case, the history of ideological exclusion at: http://www.aclu.org/exclusion
Become a Guardian of Liberty Today—You Can Make the Difference
Every day all across the nation, the ACLU is called on to defend the freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Guardians of Liberty are dedicated ACLU members who have made the commitment to support all this critical work with a monthly contribution.
These monthly gifts help the ACLU meet the costs of increased litigation, expanded grassroots mobilization, and widespread public education that are needed for a vigorous and successful defense of liberty.
As a Guardian of Liberty you can help make sure that no challenge to any of these rights goes unanswered. A modest monthly contribution of $25, $20 or even $15 provides the vital support that the ACLU needs.
As a Guardian you will receive special monthly updates on our work, and your membership in the ACLU will automatically renew.
Keep Freedom’s Flame Alive. Become a Guardian of Liberty Today!
ACLU Asks Federal Court to Block Use of Unfair Voting Technology in Ohio
The ACLU filed a motion this week asking federal Judge Kathleen O'Malley of the Northern District of Ohio to prevent the Ohio Secretary of State and the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections from using balloting technology that does not give notice to voters of problems with their ballot. The motion follows a lawsuit filed by the ACLU on January 17 challenging the constitutionality of this technology.
"Every voter who goes to the polls must have the opportunity to verify his or her ballot is free from errors," said ACLU Voting Rights Project attorney Meredith Bell-Platts. "The evidence is overwhelming that when voters do not have access to technology that notifies them of ballot errors, many more ballots are left uncounted."
Recently, the Ohio Secretary of State Brunner and the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections opted to implement ballots that do not provide notice of problems with votes. Cuyahoga County, which contains Columbus and surrounding areas, is the only county in Ohio whose current process does not allow notice to voters of problems with their ballot.
On January 22, the Ohio Association of Election Officials, a non-partisan organization representing Ohio's elections officials, voted unanimously against the sweeping changes Brunner has proposed, particularly emphasizing that counties should not adopt any voting technology that prevents voters from verifying their ballots are filled out correctly.
>> Read about the case.
Sign up for ACLU Online updates
Visit the national website to get these updates sent to your inbox. Become a card-carrying member today!
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