Audit Finds FBI Abused Patriot Act

happyslayer writes to mention that according to Yahoo! News a recent audit shows that the FBI has improperly and in some cases illegally utilized the Patriot Act to obtain information. "The audit by Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine found that FBI agents sometimes demanded personal data on individuals without proper authorization. The 126-page audit also found the FBI improperly obtained telephone records in non-emergency circumstances. The audit blames agent error and shoddy record-keeping for the bulk of the problems and did not find any indication of criminal misconduct. Still, 'we believe the improper or illegal uses we found involve serious misuses of national security letter authorities,' the audit concludes."

Comments

Wait a minute, aren't we missing something here?

[baboo_jackal]

I understand that we all mistrust the government and its agents here. Question Authority (but not mine), and Stick it to the Man (but I'm not him) - right?

So somebody please explain to me who was harmed by these FBI "crimes." I would love to hear one actual, real concrete example of one person whose fundamental, inalienable rights were violated by this.

I'm waiting.

(and I probably will be for a while.)

Re:What are the chances...

[cHiphead]

Is violation of the Constitution criminal or noncriminal?

Cheers.

Re:Wait a minute, aren't we missing something here

[baboo_jackal]

Since the first rule of National Security Letters is not to talk about National Security Letters, then ya, it will be a good while till you hear an actual example. So, to paraphrase: "Uhh... I... Uhh... I can't think of anything off the top of my head.. uhh... aahhh... hm. ... IT'S A CONSPIRACY!!!"
That about covers your argument, then.

Or did you mean that surveillance, eavesdropping, searching and financial snooping aren't violations of fundamental, inalienable rights? Actually, that's exactly what I meant. Look - are you American? If not, you're forgiven for being ignorant of the concept of fundamental, inalienable human rights. If you *are*, then you have no excuse - you should understand the basis of our government before you criticize it.

I won't argue. If we can't agree on what's fundamental, there's nothing really to discuss. OK, that's fine. Just know that what you characterize as a "disagreement" is, in reality, something called "you're wrong"

BTW, can I have your SSN? No. Oh... wait. OMG!!! You just totally disproved my point! Because I'm not willing to give my SSN to an anonymous stranger over the internet, I'm completely wrong about this whole debate!

Look - I understand your problem with the government surveilling private individuals. Despite all my sarcasm, I really would prefer that the government butt out of my life as much as possible. That includes butting out of healthcare, education, the free market, keeping an eye on me and my private life, etc. I believe that government should do what ONLY government *can* do. And national security is one of those things that *only* government can do.

So, as unfortunate as it is, I'm willing to accept a restriction on one of my DERIVED rights (the right to privacy) in order to protect one of my FUNDAMENTAL rights (the right to life).

A Canadian told you so.

[GISGEOLOGYGEEK]

A few years ago, I posted several comments from the point of view of a Canadian, on how crazy it was that the American system allows a president to kill constitutional rights, how wrong it is that your congress and senate can approve destroying your constitution, how it is your responsibility as Americans to protect your constitution instead of watching it crumble under the weight of the Bush Fear Machine, and how in Canada judges not only have the power to rescind unconstitutional laws, they have the responsibility ... and the balls... to do it when our politicians try to take away our rights.

I pointed out how there was no evidence for attacking Iraq, how any WMD's they had were destroyed in the first gulf war, and that Hussein was keeping alqaeda out to protect his own power and that Bush himself stated publicly that there was no evidence of Hussein working with alqaeda to enable 911. I pointed out how Bush was manufacturing evidence (not merely using 'bad intelligence'), and how hundreds of thousands of innocent iraqi people would die as a result of an invasion and occupation and millions more would be driven to fight against america while they had a relatively stable life under Hussein, as bad as he was ... all justifiable reasons for Canada not joining the war in Iraq.

And I was shouted down over and over by Americans blinded by one horribly tragic moment in time, unable to see the bigger picture.

Seems it's payback time. The American people are realizing several years too late that they were had by the greedy fools they put in charge, they don't like how more americans have died in a totally unjustified war against a country that had nothing to do with 911, then died in 911!! ... and meanwhile, the true justifiable war, fighting real terrorists in Afghanistan, is being lost due to a war strategy that the average person learned is no good by playing the boardgame Risk as a child. Fools! you must leave troops behind to defend the ground you take! You can't just invade and move on! Of course the taliban is sweeping through re-taking towns - you abandonded them!

Enough already. Please try not to take down the rest of the free world as you reel under the self-imposed destruction of your way of life.