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Letters of Intimidation from IRS Lois Lerner

aclj.org

by Jay Sekulow

May 23, 2013

We now know that Lois Lerner, the Director of Exempt Organizations for the Internal Revenue Service - who refused to testify before a House committee by invoking the Fifth Amendment - has a paper trail that reveals her direct involvement.

As you know, ACLJ represented 27 Tea Party organizations in 17 states. Of those, 15 received their tax-exempt status after lengthy delays, 10 are still pending, and two clients withdrew their applications because of frustration with the IRS process. Consider the timeline. We now know through her own testimony and from the Inspector General's report that Lerner was briefed about this unlawful targeting scheme in June 2011. But nine months later, beginning in March 2012, she sent cover letters to many of our clients - demanding additional information and forwarding intrusive questionnaires. In fact, in March and April of 2012, Lerner sent 15 letters to 15 different clients (including those who were approved after lengthy delays and those who are still pending).

Report Finds NSA Surveillance Harming Journalism and Law

aclu.org

July 28, 2014

Because freedom can't protect itself Government Spying Undermines Media Freedom and Right to Counsel, ACLU- Human Rights Watch Shows

Large-scale U.S. surveillance is seriously hampering U.S.-based journalists and lawyers in their work, the American Civil Liberties Union and Human Rights Watch said in a joint report released today. Surveillance is undermining media freedom and the right to counsel, and ultimately obstructing the American people's ability to hold their government to account, the groups said. The 120-page report, "With Liberty to Monitor All: How Large-Scale U.S. Surveillance is Harming Journalism, Law, and American Democracy," is based on extensive interviews with dozens of journalists, lawyers, and senior U.S. government officials. It documents how national security journalists and lawyers are adopting elaborate steps or otherwise modifying their practices to keep communications, sources, and other confidential information secure in light of revelations of unprecedented U.S. government surveillance of electronic communications and transactions. The report finds that government surveillance and secrecy are undermining press freedom, the public's right to information, and the right to counsel, all human rights essential to a healthy democracy.

You May Have 'Nothing to Hide' But You Still Have Something to Fear

aclu.org

by Alex Abdo

August 2, 2013

In the wake of recent news that the NSA is spying on Americans, I have been particularly struck by the argument that "if you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear."

At first blush, this argument might seem sound - after all, if the government is merely conducting anti-terrorism surveillance, non-terrorists shouldn't be affected, right? But if you look more closely, you'll see this idea is full of holes. The "nothing to hide" argument mistakenly suggests that privacy is something only criminals desire. In fact, we choose to do many things in private - sing in the shower, make love, confide in family and friends - even though they are not wrong or illegal. Who would not be embarrassed if all of their most intimate details were exposed?

First in the Nation: Montana Requires a Warrant for Location Tracking

aclu.org

by Allie Bohm

June 20, 2013

Montana just made history.

It recently enacted the first state law in the nation (sponsored by Rep. Daniel Zolnikov (R-Billings)) requiring law enforcement to obtain a probable-cause warrant before tracking an individual based on his or her cell phone location information, social networking check-ins, or via a GPS tracking device in a criminal investigation. (A few states do have laws pertaining only to GPS tracking.) The ACLU of Montana's public policy director, Niki Zupanic, confessed her surprise that Montana was the first state in the nation to pass broad location-tracking protections. Perhaps Montanans, known for their love of freedom and privacy, intuitively understand how sensitive location information can be and how much where you go can reveal about who you are.

If the Government Is Tracking Your Location or Reading Your Email, Would You Ever Know?

aclu.org

by Patrick C. Toomey

May 30, 2013

Court rulings unsealed last week in Washington show for the first time a behind-the-scenes legal battle over when the government should have to tell you that it's tracking your location and reading your email.

These documents-which came to light only as the public learned more about the government's controversial investigation of Fox News journalist James Rosen-reveal significant new details about the government's obligation to provide notice, after the fact, when it obtains geolocation data or obtains stored email messages. Indeed, the court orders bring to light a striking contrast: federal prosecutors in Washington routinely provide notice to individuals they track using cell-phone geolocation data, even if that notice is delayed, yet the government strenuously resists giving any notice to individuals when searching and reading their emails.

The Militarization of Policing in America

aclu.org

May 9, 2013

American neighborhoods are increasingly being policed by cops armed with the weapons and tactics of war.

Federal funding in the billions of dollars has allowed state and local police departments to gain access to weapons and tactics created for overseas combat theaters - and yet very little is known about exactly how many police departments have military weapons and training, how militarized the police have become, and how extensively federal money is incentivizing this trend. It's time to understand the true scope of the militarization of policing in America and the impact it is having in our neighborhoods. Since March 6th, ACLU affiliates in 25 states filed over 260 public records requests with law enforcement agencies and National Guard offices to determine the extent to which federal funding and support has fueled the militarization of state and local police departments.

Calif. is first state to ban lead ammo for hunting

actionnewsnow.com

October 15, 2013

Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law a bill that will make California the first state to ban lead bullets for all types of hunting.

The Democratic governor says in a signing message Friday that lead ammunition poses a threat to wildlife. He says the bill protects hunters by allowing the ban to be lifted if the federal government ever prohibits non-lead ammo.

Striking Back at Police State Amerika

activistpost.com

by Dave Hodges

July 21, 2013

Every day a granny is goosed by TSA, a federal SWAT team raids the wrong house, a citizen acquitted of a crime still has their property confiscated by authorities, even the dumbed down public is aware that their every communication is monitored by the NSA and Obama has set his administration up to violate every constitutional right of every citizen in America under the NDAA and Executive Order 13603. Anyone who possess an IQ above room temperature is aware that our federal government is totally out of control and is wreaking tyranny upon the American people. As a people, we have seemingly grown numb to the constitutional violations perpetrated by our government against the citizens of this country. However, the abuse of citizens does not begin and end with the federal government.

Amid Economic Collapse, South Carolina Approves Another $1M for Police State

activistpost.com

May 14, 2013

A little over a week ago, on May 7, 2013 and in the midst of a worldwide economic depression, Columbia, South Carolina City Council members met to discuss the funding of a million dollar project.

This even as the State government continued its regularly scheduled hysteria over budgets, spending, and deficits. So what was the project so vital to the people of Columbia to be pushed through by a 4-2 vote of the council during the midst of such trying economic times? Was it regarding the road systems? Was it the dismal state of Columbia schools? Was it tax relief for residents? Was it economic development? Water? Power? Sewage? Waste disposal? Actually, it was the purchase and installation of 800 new surveillance cameras all across the city of Columbia that prompted the Council to spend $1.22 million, much of which is scheduled to come from an "emergency reserve fund" that is actually part of next year's budget.

Has government employment really increased under Obama?

aei-ideas.org

by Michael R. Strain

September 10, 2012

On "This Week with George Stephanopolous" yesterday, Senator Rand Paul and Professor Paul Krugman got into a quick argument about the size of government under President Obama.

So what are the facts? It depends on whether you're looking at the federal workforce or the total government workforce. The number of federal employees has risen under President Obama. There were 2,790,000 federal workers in January 2009 when the president took office, and now there are 2,804,000 workers. The fact is that there is no month during President Obama's term when the federal workforce was smaller than it was in the first month of Mr. Obama's presidency. The president took over in January 2009. Every month after January 2009 has seen more federal workers than were employed in January 2009.

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