Kevin Zeese for U.S. Senate - Zeese Urges Senator Sarbanes to Join Filibuster of Patriot Act

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Zeese Urges Senator Sarbanes to Join Filibuster of Patriot Act

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Friday, 18 November 2005

“Protect the Constitution from Fear and Extremism”

For Immediate Release:

November 18, 2005

Today, U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Zeese urged Senator Paul Sarbanes to join Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI) in threatening to filibuster the tentative agreement on the renewal of the Patriot Act.

“The agreement does not go far enough in protecting basic American rights. It continues to allow secret searches of private homes. Indeed, it eliminated the very modest provisions of the Senate version that required 'sneek and peek' searches to reported to the target within 7 to 30 days. Further, the agreement does not require judicial review of searches of financial, medical, library, school and other records,” said Zeese. “The current version of the Patriot Act should be unacceptable to anyone who believes in the U.S. Constitution.”

Zeese is also critical of provision that would make permanent 14 of the 16 provisions of the law that are set to expire at the end of the year. The remaining two provisions -- related to government demands for records from businesses and libraries and its use of roving wiretaps -- would have to be reconsidered in seven years, as would a separate provision directed against people suspected of being "lone wolf" terrorists. “Making provisions permanent and not allowing reconsideration of others for seven years gives too much power to the Department of Justice. Legislative oversight of these radical changes in law needs to be constant.”

Senator Sarbanes has announced his retirement is in his final term as a U.S. Senator. Zeese urged Sarbanes "not to leave the Constitution crippled on your watch.” Zeese went on to say, “Too often in our history we have reacted to exaggerated fears by undermining what makes the United States special in the world. Individual rights protected by the Constitution are basic to our system of government. Expanding the powers of government in times of fear diminishes the balance between individual rights and limited government. Correcting these mistakes is often a long, painstaking process. The time to prevent erosion of rights is before they erode.”

# # #

November 18, 2005

Senator Paul Sarbanes

309 Hart Building

United States Senate

Washington, DC 20510

(202) 224-1651

Dear Sen. Sarbanes:

I am writing to urge you to join Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI) in threatening to filibuster the tentative agreement on the renewal of the Patriot Act. Please stand up for the U.S. Constitution to this serious erosion of the Constitution. Do not leave the Constitution crippled on your watch.

The agreement does not go far enough in protecting basic American rights. It continues to allow secret searches of private homes. Indeed, it eliminated the very modest provisions of the Senate version that required 'sneek and peek' searches to be reported to the target within 7 to 30 days. Further, the agreement does not require judicial review of searches of financial, medical, library, school and other records. The current version of the Patriot Act should be unacceptable to anyone who believes in the U.S. Constitution.

In addition, making permanent 14 of the 16 provisions of the law that are set to expire at the end of the year removes Congressional oversight. The remaining two provisions -- related to government demands for records from businesses and libraries and its use of roving wiretaps -- would only be reconsidered in seven years, as would a separate provision directed against people suspected of being "lone wolf" terrorists. Making provisions permanent and not allowing reconsideration of others for seven years gives too much power to the Department of Justice. Legislative oversight of these radical changes in law needs to be constant.

Too often in our history we have reacted to exaggerated fears by undermining what makes the United States special in the world. Individual rights protected by the Constitution are basic to our system of government. Expanding the powers of government in times of fear diminishes the balance between individual rights and limited government. Correcting these mistakes is often a long, painstaking process. The time to prevent erosion of rights is before they erode.