Constitution and fundamental rights threatened by government?

[Jim]

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy,
Chairman, Committee On The Judiciary,
Hearing On Department Of Justice Oversight
January 18, 2007

Today, this Committee holds an important hearing to examine the operations of the Department of Justice – the federal agency entrusted with ensuring the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans. I take our oversight responsibility very seriously.

Restoring Privacy and Civil Liberties

In the 32 years since I first came to the Senate – during the era of Watergate and Vietnam – I have never seen a time when our Constitution and fundamental rights as Americans were more threatened by their own government. Just this last weekend, the President and Vice President indicated that they intended to override the will of the American people, as expressed in the most recent national elections, and ignore actions of Congress in order to escalate the war in Iraq. This Administration has circumvented express congressional prohibitions on creating databanks of information on law-abiding Americans over the last five years.

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http://leahy.senate.gov/press/200701/011807.html