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Feingold joins call against FBI 'surveillance' proposal

The Capital Times  —  8/21/2008 7:56 am

Sen. Russ Feingold was among four U.S. senators to voice concern Wednesday about proposed guidelines for FBI investigations that may infringe on the rights of innocent American citizens.

In a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, the senators contend that the guidelines will allow the FBI to use "intrusive investigative techniques ... without any basis for suspicion" when conducting criminal, security and intelligence investigations.

The senators expressed concern that the proposed guidelines would permit FBI officials to subject innocent citizens to "intrusive surveillance" based on someone's race, ethnicity, nationality or religion.

"As you know, attorney general guidelines were first implemented in the wake of FBI abuses of the 1960s and 1970s and serve as one of the bulwarks against future abuses," the senators wrote.

The senators contend Mukasey told them they would be given adequate time to review the proposed guidelines so they could offer appropriate recommendations to the Department of Justice regarding the issue. According to the letter, Mukasey plans to finalize and sign the guidelines next week without any further input from members of Congress.

The senators ask Mukasey to delay giving his final approval to the guidelines until national security and civil liberties experts, the public and members of Congress have had the opportunity to fully analyze the proposed changes, ask questions and offer suggestions to the Department of Justice.

In addition to Feingold, the letter was signed by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.; and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. All four are members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The Capital Times  —  8/21/2008 7:56 am