Cook to introduce anti-Patriot Act resolution

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by nate jenkins

A local showdown over the federal Patriot Act will be brought to City Hall on Monday by Councilman Jonathan Cook.

The Lincoln Bill of Rights Defense Coalition, which wants the city to join 347 cities and counties across the country that have staked formal, symbolic positions against parts of the law, announced Wednesday that Cook will introduce a resolution on its behalf.

"All people need to be concerned about and ask questions about laws that may infringe on civil liberties guaranteed by the United States Constitution," Cook said at a press conference outside the County-City Building. "I think this is an appropriate debate to have."

The meeting Monday before the council, which will include a public hearing and should conclude with a final vote on the issue, will be the culmination of a months-long effort by the coalition to inform the public of what it believes are parts of the law that chip away at civil liberties.

Sections of the law the group finds objectionable include delaying notice of when a search warrant is executed, expanded use of electronic surveillance and broader access to records, including medical, financial, library and education records.

The Patriot Act was crafted after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, in an attempt to help the government thwart future attacks.

Supporters of the Patriot Act, including U.S. Attorney Michael Heavican, say its consequences have been exaggerated and that in many cases it simply codified measures previously allowed but not specifically written into law.

The U.S. Senate approved the Patriot Act on a 98-1 vote.

Councilman Jon Camp said he plans on asking supporters of the resolution Monday to prove the law dilutes civil liberties by providing specific cases of abuse. But he doesn't think the issue should even be debated before the council.

"It deals with national defense," Camp said. "I think it's (the resolution) creating a political issue in the city arena and at this point - we have more important matters to address."

Former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr, a Republican from Georgia who served in Congress from 1995 to 2003, is expected to testify Monday during the public hearing in support of the resolution.

Barr is maybe best-known as a strident critic of former President Clinton, and now holds a variety of posts, including consultant for the American Civil Liberties Union and contributing editor for The American Spectator magazine.

Reach Nate Jenkins at 473-7223 or njenkins@;journalstar.com.