Said Jim Sensenbrenner, who introduced the Patriot Act:
“As the author of the Patriot Act, I am extremely troubled by the F.B.I.’s interpretation of this legislation,” he said in a statement. “While I believe the Patriot Act appropriately balanced national security concerns and civil rights, I have always worried about potential abuses.” He added: “Seizing phone records of millions of innocent people is excessive and un-American.”
When the fellow who introduced the Patriot act goes against something in the name of American privacy you know you've crossed the line that is political suicide.
And they don't have a 9/11 as an excuse this time.
Well, you know what they say: failure is an orphan. Warrantless wiretapping has been going on for however many years, and now he's got a problem with it? OK, bro, whatever you say.
As much as I am glad that the guy is at least admitting that the phone record seizure is troubling, I can't help but be PISSED that many of us knew this was the inevitable result of the Patriot Act and this trend to let Government take care of us and protect us at the expense of our Liberties.
If only democracies or republics had a more immediately exercisable "I told you so" button.
What a dickwad. "I'm going to introduce this thing but I'm worried about the abuses". Then don't introduce it! Of course it will eventually get abused, what law hasn't?
“As the author of the Patriot Act, I am extremely troubled by the F.B.I.’s interpretation of this legislation,” he said in a statement. “While I believe the Patriot Act appropriately balanced national security concerns and civil rights, I have always worried about potential abuses.” He added: “Seizing phone records of millions of innocent people is excessive and un-American.”