PATRIOT ACT II/1984

San Francisco Chronicle: Patriot Act, the sequel
SOMEONE IN the Justice Department clearly wants to preserve our most cherished civil liberties.

Last week, that individual leaked a bill secretly drafted by Attorney General John Ashcroft's staff to the Center for Public Integrity. "The Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003," is a chilling sequel to the USA Patriot Act, passed shortly after Sept.11, 2001. It's already been dubbed "Patriot Act II."

The draft legislation would reduce judicial oversight of surveillance, authorize secret arrests, create new death penalties and allow the government to revoke the citizenship of any American who is a member of -- or gives material support to -- a group designated as a "terrorist organization" by Ashcroft.
Congress, moreover, was not consulted. Ashcroft's office only sent copies to House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Vice President Dick Cheney on Jan. 10, 2003.

Rense/Infowar: Secret Patriot Act II Destroys Remaining US Liberty
Total Police State Takeover
The Secret Patriot Act II Destroys What
Is Left of American Liberty

PBS: Breaking News
Breaking News
There's an important story developing tonight at the Justice Department. The non-partisan Center for Public Integrity obtained a closely-guarded document that shows plans for a sweeping expansion of the government's police powers.
Until now, few people outside of the department, not even members of key congressional committees have seen this draft legislation. It could lead to increased surveillance and greater secrecy - all in the name of the war on terror. It raises questions about how we balance liberty and security - the rights of individuals versus the rule of law.
Bill Moyers talks to Chuck Lewis about the significance of the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003 and how it would affect civil liberties.

Rense: Bush Plans More Police State Violations Of Constitution
PBS' NOW with Bill Moyers Exposes Secret Draft Bill from The Department of Justice to Extend Powers of The Patriot Act...

Tonight, on Friday, February 7 at 9 P.M. on PBS (check local listings at http://www.pbs.org/now/sched.html), NOW with Bill Moyers will provide details of a Justice Department draft of a bill designed to extend the powers of the Patriot Act. The draft bill was provided exclusively to NOW by the Center for Public Integrity, [www.publicintegrity.org], which obtained it from a confidential government source. The document, entitled the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003, outlines significant broadening of law enforcement powers, including domestic intelligence gathering, surveillance, and law enforcement prerogatives, while decreasing public access to information and judicial review authority.