Power Grab: Ashcroft overturns 4th Amend

Major Variola (ret.) mv at cdc.gov
Sun Sep 14 20:43:40 PDT 2003


Administration Calls for Unprecedented Subpoena Powers

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-subpoena14sep14,1,689004.story?coll=la-home-todays-times

Unlike in ordinary criminal investigations, Ashcroft would not need the
approval of a grand jury or a judge to order witnesses to appear for
questioning.

"The attendance of witnesses and the production of records may be
required from any place in any state or in any territory or other place
subject to the jurisdiction of the United States at any designated place
of hearing," the administration's bill says.

...
The bill includes a "nondisclosure requirement" as well. "If the
Attorney General certifies [there] may result a danger to the national
security, no person shall disclose to any other person that a subpoena
was received or records were provided," it says.

Grand juries operate in secret as well. And though they are often seen
as a rubber stamp for the government, Cole said the mere presence of the
jurors restrains prosecutors. "There is a real difference when a
prosecutor knows 23 citizens are there observing what's going on," he
said

...

The administration proposal was introduced in the House last week by
Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.).

Hmm, other Rep.tiles from Fla get turned into boots.  And they're not
even raping
the constitution.





More information about the cypherpunks-legacy mailing list