Wyden to filibuster Patriot Act

Ron Wyden has announced his intentions to obstruct the reauthorization of the Patriot Act in its present form. Primary concerns are –

• A provision that makes permanent the ability of FBI agents to issue National Security Letters (NSL), or documents issued without the approval of a judge or grand jury, which allows the government to obtain sensitive personal information about law-abiding U.S. citizens;
• A requirement that requires anyone who receives a NSL to notify the FBI if s/he consults with an attorney and to identify the attorney to the FBI, potentially resulting in a significant blow to the right to counsel, something that exists nowhere else in law;
• A provision to impose criminal penalties on a NSL recipient who speaks out in violation of a NSL gag order, even if s/he believes his rights have been violated;
• A measure that fails to require a roving wiretap includes sufficient information to describe in detail the specific person to be wiretapped.

C&L has a clip up with minority leader Sen Reid D-NV touching on this subject.

Update:BlueOregon also has this up