Susan Crabtree reports: The Obama administration is standing firm in its support of several George W. Bush-era Patriot Act powers in the face of sharp criticism from civil rights groups, liberal Democrats and a Dec. 31 deadline to extend key provisions of the bill. The Justice Department recently reiterated its request for Congress to extend…
Category: Govt
Groups urge Obama to move on Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board
Today CDT and 28 other civil liberties and public interest groups sent a letter to the White House voicing concern about the absence of nominations by President Obama to the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. “The Board is one of the few safeguards put into place to protect privacy and civil liberties following the…
Obama administration tries to vacate adverse rulings
Kim Zetter of Threat Level reports on how the government’s motion to vacate prior rulings in Horn v. Huddle may seriously impact other pending cases such as al-Haramain v. Obama. In Horn v. Huddle, the government settled a 15-year old lawsuit filed by a former DEA agent who claimed he was subjected to illegal eavesdropping….
UK: Army of ‘citizen snoopers’ recruited by council to spy on neighbours
A council is enlisting 2,000 resident spies to report anti-social behaviour by their neighbours, it emerged today. The recruits, described by town hall chiefs as ‘Neighbourhood Champions’, will pass on evidence of graffiti, fly-tipping, litter and excessive noise. They could even be trained to report child abuse, domestic violence, racial harassment and other ‘hate crimes’….