A Lane County group is spearheading local efforts to repeal the USA Patriot Act, anti-terrorism legislation introduced shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks.
The Lane County Bill of Rights Defense Committee is joining other such committees nationwide to convince city and county governments to pass resolutions condemning the Patriot Act, and recommending state and local authorities disregard certain powers granted by the act. Similar resolutions have been adopted in nine other cities around the nation.
Hope Marston, an organizer for the committee, said detainment and investigative powers given under the legislation and subsequent executive orders violate certain liberties outlined in the U.S. Constitution, such as freedom of speech and right to due process.
“In the beginning, our idea was to enlist many different people,” Marston said. “We’re trying to work together instead of ramming this down their throats.”
The resolution calls for local and state law enforcement to heed constitutional freedoms instead of obeying the Patriot Act, which grants new investigative and detainment freedoms to authorities in terrorism-related investigations.
Under the act, federal agents — with permission from a judge — can demand information from libraries and bookstores, including what books suspected terrorists are reading and the information they view on public computers. The act also places a gag order on the bookstore or library that discloses the information. The act also allows “sneak and peak” searches in which federal agents with a search warrant may enter empty homes and delay telling the homeowner afterwards if a judge deems it necessary. Roving wiretap authority was also expanded to include “intelligence” wiretaps. Under this provision, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court may wiretap any device the suspect could be using.
Although Marston said city and county recognition is the first step toward complete repeal of the act, Oregon officials said the resolution would not change policy.
The proposal “would have no effect on the U.S. Attorney’s office in terms of us doing our jobs,” said Chris Cardani, assistant U.S. attorney based in Oregon. Cardani previously wasn’t aware of the committee’s efforts to abolish the act.
Gery VanderMeer, communications coordinator for the Republican Party of Lane County, said while sections of the act could still use revision, passing an anti-terrorism measure was essential. “In light of the events of Sept. 11, it was necessary for Congress to act to plug holes in the national security dike,” he said.
One Oregon senator said the Patriot Act hasn’t raised any concerns.
Chris Matthews, spokesman for Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., said Smith is generally concerned about possible loss of liberties, but hasn’t seen any specific issues that worry him. Smith was one of 98 senators who voted in favor of the act.
But Marston said problems already have arisen.
“We have immigrants and citizens being indefinitely detained,” she said. “It’s wrong, absolutely wrong.”
The committee’s e fforts have received endorsements from the Eugene Human Rights Commission and the Democratic Party of Lane County.
Huma n Rights Analyst Mary Feldman said the Eugene HRC endorsed the efforts of the Committee, but sent the resolution to an agenda committee for review.
The HRC “is very supportive of the group’s efforts,” Feldman said, but “they didn’t feel comfortable endorsing a specific document until they were able to read the background information.”
Students and community members interested in learning more about the committee can contact Hope Marston at 683-5634, or by e-mail at [email protected].