[publius]

If nobody was watching her (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/03/24/MN196588.DTL)?

[Chris Rhines]

Permit a few choice quotes?

The FBI, for example, has issued scores of "national security letters" that require businesses to turn over electronic records about finances, telephone calls, e-mail and other personal information, according to the officials and documents. The letters, a type of administrative subpoena, may be issued independently by FBI field offices and are not subject to judicial review unless a case comes to court, officials said.

Federal law allows the attorney general to issue unilaterally these classified warrants for wiretaps and physical searches of suspected terrorists and other national security threats under certain circumstances. They can be enforced for 72 hours before they are subject to review and approval by the ultra-secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

This is a travesty. But hey, there's a war on, so let's just ignore it...

- Chris

[CZ-75]

Janet "I like my Branch Davidians extra-crispy" Reno was in the vanguard of this.

Only she and Klintoon couldn't get it passed. I bet they are kicking themselves for not thinking of declaring a national emergency to get it ram-rodded through.