Re: Proposed data retention law WAS Republicans propose data retention laws etc

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>
Date: February 20, 2009 1:20:45 PM EST
To: Paul Levy <plevy () citizen org>
Cc: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Subject: Re: Proposed data retention law  WAS   Republicans propose  
data	retention laws etc

Paul,

Here's what we know about the Republicans and data retention: The top  
Republican on the House Judiciary committee (responsible for writing  
criminal laws) proposed this at a press conference yesterday, along  
with a member of the Senate Judiciary committee. The former Republican  
attorney general lobbied for DR. The FBI director lobbied for DR. The  
former chairman of the House Judiciary committee (Sensenbrenner)  
drafted DR legislation but didn't go forward with it.

And the Democrats: The top Democrat on the House Judiciary committee  
-- that is, the current chairman -- indicated his support for  
mandatory data retention in spring 2008. The current attorney general,  
Holder, suggested DR during his previous DOJ stint. A Democrat  
(DeGette) was the first politician to actually introduce DR  
legislation in the U.S. Congress.

So Paul, you asked: "Is there any indication that significant  
groupings in either party have a position on this legislation?"

If you're asking about this and similar DR legislation, the answer is  
yes. DR was part of what the House Republicans called their "law and  
order agenda" that was introduced as a bill in February 2007.

Two more points: It is never wise to underestimate what the chairman  
and ranking member of a committee can accomplish if they see eye-to- 
eye on something.

Second, is there any indication that significant groupings in either  
party have *ever* opposed legislation that's couched as protecting  
children on the Internet?

-Declan





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