FC: Groups write Congress to question new FBI surveillance rules

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

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Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 11:52:46 -0400
To: declan () well com
From: Marc Rotenberg <rotenberg () epic org>
Subject: IDOF Letters on AG Guidelines

Thanks for your help yesterday. Before you take off,
could you please post the following to your list?

A similar letter went to Leahy and Hatch. Both are
online at indefenseoffreedom.org

Regards,

Marc.


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IDOF Letter, June 2002 Attorney General Guidelines

June 4, 2002

Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on the Judiciary
2138 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC 20515

Representative John Conyers
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on the Judiciary
2138 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Sensenbrenner and Representative Conyers:

We write to you on behalf of a broad range of organizations across
the country about the decision of the Attorney General to loosen the
guidelines that restrict the surveillance of religious and political
organizations in the United States. This decision raises matters of
Constitutional authority that require immediate Congressional
attention. We do not believe that the Attorney General has the legal
authority to pursue domestic spying. We urge you to conduct
oversight hearings on the new guidelines.

We are particularly concerned about elements of the guidelines that
appear to give the FBI the authority to search through electronic
databases without satisfying any legal standard or requiring any
judicial review. Such an approach to police authority in the United
States is directly contrary to the First and Fourth Amendment and
the system of checks and balances established by our form of
government.

We are also concerned that the changes authorize unchecked
surveillance of lawful religious and political activity, and that
such surveillance will be targeted against Arab- Americans, Muslim
and immigrants among others.

We urge you to convene a public hearing with the Attorney General so
that the following issues may be addressed:

        - How will the changes proposed by the Attorney General impact
        the First Amendment freedoms of political and religious
        organizations in the United States?
        
        - What is the legal basis for the Attorney General's decision
        and how does this decision compare with his current authority?
        
        - What means of Congressional oversight will be created to
        prevent abuse and what means of public reporting will be
        established to ensure that the public is fully informed about
        these activities?
        
        - For what period of time does the Attorney General anticipate
        the FBI will operate with this authority?

We would be pleased to work with you and your staff on this
important matter.

Sincerely,

Marc Rotenberg
Executive Director
Electronic Privacy Information Center

Nan Aron
President
Alliance for Justice

Kareem Shora
Legal Advisor
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)

Laura W. Murpphy
Director Washington Office
American Civil Liberties Union

Paula Johnson
Co-President
American Law Teachers

Emily Sheketoff, Executive Director
American Library Association Washington Office

Tom DeWeese
President
American Policy Center

Amy Isaacs
National Director, Americans for Democratic Action

Majed Jafari
Director, Government Relations
Arab American Institute

Margaret Fung
Executive Director
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund

Kent Pollock
Executive Director
California First Amendment Coalition

Nancy Chang
Staff Attorney
Center for Constitutional Rights

James X. Dempsey
Deputy Director
Center for Democracy and Technology

Jeff Chester
Executive Director
Center for Digital Democracy

Kate Martin
Director
Center for National Security Studies

Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney
Christian Defense Coalition

Ken McEldowney
Executive Director
Consumer Action

Jason Erb
Director, Governmental Relations
Council on American-Islamic Relations

Lee Tien
Senior Staff Attorney
Electronic Frontier Foundation

Steven Aftergood
Project Director
Federation of American Scientists

Kit Gage
Director
First Amendment Foundation and NCARL

Florence C. Kimball
Legislative Education Secretary
Friends Committee on National Legislation

David J. Theroux
Founder and President
The Independent Institute

Mark Graham
Institute for Global Communication

Elisa Massimino
Director, Washington office
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights

J. Daryl Byler, Director
Mennonite Central Committee U.S., Washington Office

James Landrith
Editor & Publisher
The Multiracial Activist

Julian Bond
Chairman
NAACP
Kit Gage

National Coordinator
National Coalition to Protect Political Freedom

Heidi Boghosian
Director
National Lawyers Guild

Dan Kesselbrenner
Director
National Immigration Project
National Lawyers Guild

Audrie Krause
Director
NetAction

Morton H. Halperin
Director
Open Society Policy Center

Ralph G. Neas
President
People For the American Way

Deborah Pierce
Executive Director
Privacyactivism

Beth Givens
Executive Director
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
[through June 3, 2002]
--

==================================================================
Marc Rotenberg, exec director          +     +1 202 483 1140 (tel)
Electronic Privacy Information Center  +     +1 202 483 1248 (fax)
1718 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 200      +        rotenberg () epic org
Washington DC 20009  USA               +       http://www.epic.org
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