Bush Officials Fight To Keep Patriot Act
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey and Former CIA director General Michael Hayden said in an interview with Fox News that they have some concerns about proposed changes to the Patriot Act as it goes through Congress.
“We stand a good chance of ending up where we were pre-9/11 with that wall between law enforcement and intelligence,” said Hayden.
The House and Senate have until May 27th to decide whether or not to extend three key provisions of the Patriot Act.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The provisions in question involve roving wiretaps and extending court-approved access to business records for investigations of so called “lone wolf” suspects who are not linked to specific terrorist groups.
Former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey and Former CIA Director General Michael Hayden said there are some misconceptions about the provisions.
“I think the most frustrating are the kind that suggests there’s somehow something new in all of this or something unwarranted that invades on people’s privacy,” said Mukasey.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“The kinds of threats the Patriot Act is designed to protect us against are the kinds, the very kind administration is now describing as the most likely threats against the United States.“ said Hayden.
Hayden and Mukasey said in an op-ed for the New York Times last week that the administration has “backtracked” on its initial support for these provisions.
The Patriot Act extension was passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee last week. It now goes before the full Senate for a vote.