Patriot Act already being used against non-terrorists

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2003 00:09:14 -0400
> From: Scott Alexander <salex () dsl cis upenn edu>
> Subject: Patriot Act already being used against non-terrorists
> To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
>
>
> I generally worry that well-meaning members of the government will
> expand the powers of government with a narrow purpose and those expanded
> powers will be used by a later administration in a way that clearly
> erodes our rights.  (I think that the RICO act, originally passed to
> help battle organized crime, and now seemingly used a a conspiracy law
> with more teeth is an example of how this happens.)
>
> However, the following article leads me to wonder if a general expansion
> of government power was the original intent in the case of the Patriot
> Act.
>
> http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=8&u=/ap/20030914/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/anti_terror_laws_2
>
> A few excerpts:
>
> The Justice Department (news - web sites) said it has used authority
> given to it by the USA Patriot Act to crack down on currency smugglers
> and seize money hidden overseas by alleged bookies, con artists and drug
> dealers.
>
> A North Carolina county prosecutor charged a man accused of running a
> methamphetamine lab with breaking a new state law barring the
> manufacture of chemical weapons. If convicted, Martin Dwayne Miller
> could get 12 years to life in prison for a crime that usually brings
> about six months.
>
> "Within six months of passing the Patriot Act, the Justice Department
> was conducting seminars on how to stretch the new wiretapping provisions
> to extend them beyond terror cases," said Dan Dodson, a spokesman for
> the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys. "They say they
> want the Patriot Act to fight terrorism, then, within six months, they
> are teaching their people how to use it on ordinary citizens."
>
> Scott
> --
> Scott Alexander <salex () dsl cis upenn edu>

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