We're obviously disappointed with today's vote to reauthorize the Patriot Act without common sense reforms to ensure that anti-terrorism resources are focused on agents of al Qaeda, and not used to invade the private financial, medical, library and internet records of ordinary Americans.
We applaud the valiant efforts of Senators Feingol
Representatives returned to Washington this week, for the White House Christmas party. One unintended effect of this winter tradition is that it often extends the session. Rather than wrap up legislative work and recess well before Thanksgiving, leaders figure that powerful politicians will be back in town the first week of December for the big party, so why not mix b
After the Capitol Hill event, more than a dozen librarians went with ACLU members to the Justice Department to deliver 25,000 petition signatures from supporters all over the country who want the government to "Let John Doe Speak."
Last week, people concerned about the Patriot Act's secretive powers came together in Washington to demand that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales "Let John Doe Speak". John Doe is the pseudonym for the Connecticut member of the American Library Association who received a secret National Security Letter from the FBI, demanding personal records. Read More»
The Senate's treatment of John Roberts' prior nominations reveals some of the institutional difficulties the political branches have struggled with serving as a check on the independent judicial branch of our federal government.
For the past few decades in particular, since the defeat by filibuster of
Roberts' work, intellect and devotion to the Reagan agenda won him a post at the White House Counsel's Office, a plum job that combines high profile with more mundane ones. His memos from that time reveal both a keen intellect and a zeal for some pretty controversial policy positions. After a sti
After a summer of movie prequels, this fall brings us the final chapter of John Roberts' ambition to serve on the United States Supreme Court. But long before the nation knew Roberts' name, he was subject to not just one but two failed nominations to our appellate courts. The fact that he was rebuffed
