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Senate Rejects Clinton Proposal To Allow Terrorist Case Wiretaps; Several Democrats J
Interesting how times change........
Quote:
Originally Posted by Washington Post ca 1995
”The Senate yesterday rejected President Clinton's proposal to allow emergency wiretaps in terrorism cases as both houses began work on counter-terrorism legislation in response to the April 19 bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City.
”The wiretap proposal was rejected, 52 to 28, with several Democratic civil libertarians joining a unified Republican majority in rejecting the Clinton wiretap initiative.
”Noting the government already has emergency authority to wiretap without a court order in cases against organized crime, Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) said that if the government ‘can mess up a Gambino family picnic,’ it should be allowed to eavesdrop on terrorists. ‘When was the last time the Mafia blew up a building?’ asked Biden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
”But Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) said the proposal went too far and could be used to infringe on the civil liberties of domestic political groups and chill the right of legitimate dissent…
”The bills generally seek to give the government broad new authority to combat terrorism and punish terrorists, including tougher penalties, expanded criminal jurisdiction over terrorist activities, tagging of explosives to make them easier to track, establishment of new deportation proceedings and hiring of more law enforcement officials to fight terrorist violence….
”Senate Republicans are also balking at Clinton's proposal to expand use of the military in cases involving weapons of mass destruction, now limited only to cooperation when nuclear weapons are involved….
”Taking note of congressional leaders' earlier vows to have the legislation on his desk by Memorial Day, Clinton earlier this week criticized the slow pace of action….
”The wiretap proposal, introduced by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.), would have added ‘domestic or international terrorism’ to the limited circumstances under which top Justice Department officials can obtain a 48-hour wiretap. During that period, officials must obtain a court order and, if they fail, evidence obtained during the warrantless surveillance cannot be used in court.
”Conditions under which such emergency wiretaps now are allowed include immediate danger of death or serious injury, conspiracies threatening national security and ‘conspiratorial activities characteristic of organized crime.’
”It was not clear what ‘conspiratorial activities characteristic of domestic terrorism’ might mean, the Senate Republican Policy Committee said in a critique of the anticipated amendment earlier this week.
”Lieberman also plans to try to resurrect Clinton's proposal for ‘roving’ wiretaps, under which the government's authority would be expanded to listen in on any telephone used by a suspect. Senate Republicans did not include this proposal in their legislation.”
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Whats funny is how there are Dems who you know were for this. But are against what the Bush administration is doing now.
But by and large the world we live in is not the same since 9-11 pretty much a completely different set of circumstances.
Nice soft shoe.....
But no, the times are not that different, at least not so different that we allow the statutory and Constitutional provisions to be overrun......
You can't use 911 to justify everything...
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Here's to the Army and Navy and the battles they have won; here's to America's colors, the colors that never run. May the wings of liberty never lose a feather. ....
Whats funny is how there are Dems who you know were for this. But are against what the Bush administration is doing now.
You seem to have missed three very important points:
First, Clinton was openly asking for this to be passed not hiding it.
Second, Dems are not against the program, they are against the claim of power to do so without oversight.
Third, if the President has the Constitutional right as conservatives claim than why was he seeking aproval and why were they not saying he doesn't need it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shane H
But by and large the world we live in is not the same since 9-11 pretty much a completely different set of circumstances.
Whatever, because the USA was attacked now the WORLD is a different place? I think the rest of the world will disagree with you on this.
This is neither to support either side - but it shows something was passed.
Quote:
Congress reached compromise on anti-terrorism bill
April 16, 1996
Web posted at: 12:45 a.m. EDT
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- By Friday, the first anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, Congress is expected to pass an anti- terrorism bill which addresses some, though not all, of the concerns the bombing raised over Americans' safety.
Congressional leaders, flanked by survivors and relatives of victims of the Oklahoma City bombing, unveiled compromise legislation Monday to increase federal powers to fight terrorism and limit appeals by death-row inmates.
"I have a hole in my skull and a plastic left eye. The other one not is not all that good ... and other parts that don't work so well, but folks, I'm alive," said Martin Cash, a survivor of the Oklahoma City bombing.
As the trial nears for the accused, those who lost relatives in the bombing say the proposed law should put the concerns of victims above those of terrorists.
"We have forgotten that anyone who murdered has relinquished rights for compassion," said Diane Leonard, the widow of a Secret Service agent killed in the bombing.
Only one element of the anti-terrorism bill has a potential effect on the Oklahoma City case. It would limit the number and duration of appeals a convicted death row inmate could file.
President Clinton has expressed concern over the death penalty provision, but Senate Judiciary Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah said he had spoken with the president about the provision, and feels confident his objection is not strong enough to elicit a veto.
Hatch said the compromise bill would prevent international terrorist organizations from raising money in the United States and provide for the swift deportation of international terrorists.
The demand for an anti-terrorism bill precedes Oklahoma City and was shaped by the attacks on Pan Am flight 103 which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland and the bombing of the World Trade Center.
The bill, which would cost $1 billion over four years, also calls for "tagging" plastic explosives to better trace them. The bill calls for a study on tagging methods for other explosives such as fertilizer and black powder. Critics say the study provision is a concession to groups opposed to restrictions on explosive materials.
The Republicans also dropped the additional wire-tap authority the Clinton administration wanted. U.S. Attorney general Janet Reno had asked for "multi-point" tapping of suspected terrorists, who may be using advanced technology to outpace authorities.
Rep. Charles Schumer, D-New York, said technology is giving criminals an advantage.
"What the terrorists do is they take one cellular phone, use the number for a few days, throw it out and use a different phone with a different number," he said. "All we are saying is tap the person, not the phone number."
Still, Schumer said the bill is "better than nothing" and should get some Democratic votes.
President Clinton asked Congress to give him the anti- terrorism bill by the first anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19. And he'll get it. While it might not be all the president wants, administration officials indicate it's a bill he can sign. CNN Washington Correspondent Charles Bierbauer
You'll love this -- in 1975, after it came out that the Nixon Admin (and esp. Kissinger) had done domestic spying against charities, anti-war groups, etc (Kissinger also not only had NSA and CIA spy on his friends and competitors, he had them turn all material with his name on it over to him FIRST, and then he sent back his own censored version!) the new 1st Bush Admin - Papa George, Rumsfeld, William Colby, and Kissinger - met to figure out damage control.
They decided to follow the recommendation put forward by a Deputy chief of staff, which was to appoint blue-ribbon congressional committees to investigate the allegations. That led to the Church Senate Commission and the Pike House Commission, which ultimately resulted in FISA. That Deputy chief of staff? 'Up and comer' Dick Cheney.
BWAAAA-HAAA-HAAAA!
(FISA btw is outmoded in one way since we now know terrorist groups are largely funded by money-laundered and often criminally obtained funds but FISA technically prevents criminal and intel sides from in any way sharing data.)
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oderint dum metuant (Latin for 'let them hate, so long as they fear').
Well, in truth I'm actually not a total hawk, but I'm not a dove either -- I'm more like an angry pigeon flying over the political arena after a really big meal. -Abba Gav
Space Invaders Champion!
Nice soft shoe.....
Cosmic Defender Champion!
Moon Lander Champion!
All Hell is breakin loose!!!!!
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