More Warrantless Searches of Private Information by Bushco

John Aravosis of AmericaBlog.com (linked in our Blog Roll) broke a story last winter about websites selling anyone's personal, private cell phone records for $100. He even bought Wes Clark's in order to prove his point. The House of Representatives immediately passed new legislation banning this practice. Curiously the bill died in the Senate. Now we know why.

The Bush Administration decided this was a neat way to again bypass our legal system and spy on us. AmericaBlog reveals they've been purchasing cell phone records. Now where did Congress authorize the spending for this? I'd like to see that line item in the budget. Moreover this is, again, an intrusion into American citizen's private records without due process.

I've been following these stories closely because back when the war began I marched in an anti-war parade in Philadelphia. There were lots of people taking pictures and one of me appeared on a media website. The month before that parade I was in suburban Philadelphia at a protest near a Bush event. The Secret Service made no bones about their presence in our designated "free speech zone" (ain't this a great country or what, having to designate special areas where you can exercise your rights to free speech?) and openly taking our pictures.

When the domestic spying scandal broke I decided to write to my Congressman to determine if, because of these exercises of my rights, I had been targeted for eavesdropping. After all if Quaker peace groups had been infiltrated and spied upon who was safe? I signed a Privacy Act waiver so Congressman Holden's staff could forward my request. I specifically asked for information regarding the NSA and FBI.

For some strange reason I received a letter informing me the request for investigation had been sent to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office. I wondered why they did this since my request was federal in nature and the AG's office doesn't have any jurisdiction there. Of course I've discovered over the years that Pennsylvania agencies have very strange definitions of jurisdiction so, heck, anything is possible.

The last letter I got said the AG's office didn't have jurisdiction and the case had been sent to, get this, the FBI. Yep, sent to the FBI for investigation into any possible FBI abuses. Do you really think the FBI is going to investigate whether they spied on me illegally? Under THIS White House? Can anyone say conflict of interest?

I emailed one of the Congressman's staff members to point this out and reminded them that this is why we need Congressional oversight and investigation of these issues. I've yet to receive a reply.

Now for the really interesting twist. If I or my records have been searched without a warrant, due process, or probable cause that I was committing a crime my rights were violated. If this continued while I was Interim Campaign Coordinator for Chuck Pennacchio's U.S. Senate campaign then some very serious political spying was taking place and the policy was being used for political purposes.

The entire issue of these warrantless spying escapades boils down to one issue: are we a nation of laws or not? It really is that basic. If we're a nation of laws then all of us are required to observe those laws so we don't descend into a state of chaos. If we aren't then we cease to be a nation or even communities. No one, even President Bush, is above the law. Everyone is accountable under the law.

I want some answers.