[Vision2020] Re: The Patriot Act II

[Joan Opyr]

Dear Visionaries:

Just after Christmas, an attorney friend of mine told me that some portion 
of the so-called Patriot Act II had been slipped into an intelligence 
appropriations bill and passed without fanfare (or media coverage) around 
the time that Saddam Hussein was pulled from his spider hole.  As I read The 
New York Times, The Washington Post, The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, The 
Independent, the online BBC News, and Salon on a daily basis (what can I 
say?  I'm a news junkie) and yet had seen absolutely no coverage of this, I 
emailed Congressman Otter to find out what was up.  I am forwarding his 
response.

The threat to our civil liberties embodied both in the Patriot Act and its 
proposed encore cannot be overestimated.  I am entirely supportive of 
Congressman Otter's strong stance against these terrifying encroachments.

Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment

>----- Original Message -----
>From: Congressman Butch Otter
>Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 11:39 AM
>To: joanopyr@hotmail.com
>Subject: Responding to your message to Rep. Otter
>
>
>January 13, 2004
>
>Ms. Joan Opyr
>1738 Genesee Troy Road
>Moscow, ID  83843-8454
>
>Dear Joan,
>
>Thank you for contacting me with your concerns regarding the Patriot Act 
>II.  I appreciate hearing from you and having the opportunity to respond.
>
>In your correspondence, you mentioned that you had heard that the so-called 
>Patriot Act II had passed and been signed into law.  To clarify, at this 
>point legislation referred to as the Patriot Act II has been discussed but 
>not introduced.  However, a provision from this discussion was included in 
>H.R. 2471, the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY2004.
>
>I was deeply concerned about this small section of H.R. 2417, which could 
>potentially have long-reaching effects on civil liberties.  This provision 
>would expand the FBI's power to demand financial records-without a judge's 
>approval-to a range of businesses vastly wider than their current 
>authority.  Right now the FBI has the authority to serve subpoenas to 
>traditional financial institutions when investigating terrorism or 
>counterintelligence without having to seek a judge's approval first.  Under 
>current law, "financial institution" means banks, loan companies, savings 
>associations, and credit unions.
>
>However, H.R. 2417 changes this definition to include not only traditional 
>"financial institutions," like banks and credit unions, but it also makes 
>pawnbrokers, casinos, vehicle salesmen, real estate agents, telegraph 
>companies, travel agencies, and the U.S. Postal Service-just to name a 
>few-subject to this authority as well.  While I firmly believe that we must 
>make sure that our law enforcement officers have the tools necessary to win 
>these battles, this provision eliminates the judicial oversight that was 
>built into our system for a reason-to make sure that our precious liberties 
>are protected.
>
>You may be interested to know that when this conference report was 
>considered by the House of Representatives I stood up and spoke against 
>this provision.  Unfortunately, the conference report passed the House on 
>November 20, 2003 by a vote of 264-163.  You can be confident that I will 
>continue striving to protect our civil liberties as these issues come 
>before me in Congress.
>
>Once again, thank you for contacting me.
>
>As always, "Idaho - Esto Perpetua"
>?
>C.L."Butch" Otter
>Member of Congress
>
>CLO/mmj
>
>
>
>As always, "Idaho - Esto Perpetua"
>
>C.L."Butch" Otter
>Member of Congress

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