Ann Beeson
Ann Beeson
clear engage engaged nsa possible spying
It's clear that this administration has engaged every possible agency, from the Pentagon to NSA to the FBI, to engage in spying on Americans.
balances both bush calls checks committee effort eroded government hold human illegal join law name national principles rights rule spying system tolerate united
In the name of national security, the Bush administration has eroded the rule of law and the system of checks and balances in the United States, both fundamental principles in any democracy. In our America, we will not tolerate illegal spying or torture. The ACLU calls on the Human Rights committee to join us in our effort to hold the U.S. government accountable.
asking avoid court ear expensive free giant halt harm illegal lawyers overseas prevent privacy program rights sources speak speech spying trips
To avoid the giant ear of the NSA, journalists and lawyers now have to make expensive trips overseas to speak with their sources and clients. We are asking the court to halt the illegal spying program now to prevent even more harm to the free speech and privacy rights of Americans.
approve authorized avoided congress decree favor government ignored judge limitless power requiring rule spy system
Requiring a judge to approve a wiretap is not a nicety that can be avoided by presidential decree -- it is a fundamental rule of American democracy. The government ignored the system authorized by Congress in favor of limitless power to spy on Americans.
campaign embarked fbi innocent national security spy
From the FBI to the Pentagon to the National Security Agency, this administration has embarked on an unprecedented campaign to spy on innocent Americans.
broken credible criticize fbi government groups instead national resources security spending threats time tracking
The FBI should use its resources to investigate credible threats to national security instead of spending time tracking Americans who criticize government policy, or monitoring groups that have not broken the law.
activists available form information message news pay people posting price publicly speaking trigger type
This type of investigation is really a form of intimidation and a message to activists that they will pay a price for speaking out, ... The posting of publicly available information about people who are in the news should not trigger an investigation.
criminal protected range
criminal statute that violates a whole range of protected speech.
clients criminal explain felt fight forward gag happy looking merely obviously threat
We are obviously very much looking forward to the day where they can explain how it felt to be under threat of criminal prosecution for merely identifying themselves. The clients are happy that the fight over this gag is nearing its end.
assume calls clients naive
It would be naive for our clients ... to assume that their calls and e-mails are not being intercepted.
based guilt obviously probable
This is obviously guilt by association and not interceptions based on probable cause.
calls clients debate free gag government impose national patriot question reason rights security speech stifle time
This calls into question every time the government has relied on national security to impose secrecy. The only reason to gag our clients was to stifle their free speech rights in the debate over the Patriot Act. The government flip-flop confirms our suspicions.
act client concern congress house immediate jail passes patriot
The most immediate concern we have is that if Congress passes the House version, our client could actually go to jail for participating in the Patriot Act debate.
argument case cut directly evidence government issue misuse rein sensitive shield supreme sword
should be used a shield for sensitive evidence, not a sword the government can use at will to cut off argument in a case before the evidence can be presented. We are urging the Supreme Court, which has not directly addressed this issue in 50 years, to rein in the government's misuse of this privilege.