Quote:
Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
http://www.npr.org/rundowns/segment.php?wfId=1594302(spree: NPR audio link dated 1/12/2004 The Justice Department says the controversial USA Patriot Act provides invaluable tools to track down terrorists and prevent any future attacks. But since it was quickly passed into law just over two years ago, the Patriot Act has also been used in other types of criminal cases -- everything from fraud to political corruption probes. NPR's Jackie Northam reports.)
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I think this is a red herring. (I've never actually seen a red herring, and it doesn't sound very appealing at all.) Back when they were passing the PA, the point was made, repeatedly, that this was an extension of existing tools to the purpose of anti-terrorism. The great conservative Joe Biden put it this way (I found one quick quote here) - “the FBI could get a wiretap to investigate the mafia, but they could not get one to investigate terrorists. To put it bluntly, that was crazy! What’s good for the mob should be good for terrorists.” (Cong. Rec., 10/25/01).
In other words, what NPR was complaining about was the use of methods and tools that were already there pre-PA - the only difference was, one could now claim "terrorism" and get the warrants.
(Forgot my last sentence.) So, just because cops are using powers that are now outlined in the PA in no way means that they are using new tools that they didn't have before. This is form over substance.
