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ACLU Appeals Dismissal Of Extraordinary Rendition Lawsuit Against Boeing Subsidiary (03/14/2008)
SAN JOSE, CA - The American Civil Liberties Union today announced it will appeal a federal court decision to throw out a lawsuit against Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen Dataplan for its role in the CIA’s “extraordinary rendition” program. Mohamed et al. v. Jeppesen, filed by the ACLU on behalf of five victims of the rendition program, was dismissed in February after the government intervened, once again misusing the “state secrets” privilege to avoid legal scrutiny of an unlawful program.

FBI Audit Exposes Widespread Abuse Of Patriot Act Powers (03/13/2008)
WASHINGTON – A report released today by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on the FBI’s use of National Security Letters (NSLs) reveals a systemic, widespread abuse of power. The FBI’s authority to issue NSLs was widely expanded by the USA Patriot Act and it has been increasingly used to collect private information on American citizens without court approval. Today’s audit follows a report released last year that found serious breaches of department regulations and multiple potential violations of the law.

ACLU Lauds Introduction of House State Secrets Bill (03/13/2008)
Washington, DC – Legislation introduced today may give a much-needed reprieve to those who have sued the government and encountered the state secrets privilege. The legislation, introduced by Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), would establish appropriate limits on the use of the state secrets privilege. The Bush administration has misused the privilege to halt several important lawsuits against the government, including an ACLU case involving the extraordinary rendition of an innocent German citizen, Khaled El-Masri. Similar legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA).

Don’t Follow Bush/Cheney Playbook on Domestic Spying, ACLU Statement on House FISA Vote (03/13/2008)
Washington, DC – A vote on the Democratic House leadership’s proposal to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is scheduled for this afternoon. Below is a statement that can be attributed to Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the Washington Legislative Office of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on that vote:

ACLU Sues To Uncover Records Detailing Torture And Abuse Of Guantánamo Prisoners (03/13/2008)
WASHINGTON – Decrying the U.S. government’s failure to comply with its records request, the American Civil Liberties Union is filing a federal lawsuit today to force the government to release un-redacted transcripts in which 14 prisoners now held at Guantánamo Bay describe abuse and torture they suffered in CIA custody. The ACLU’s lawsuit, which raises claims under the First Amendment and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), follows a FOIA request seeking the uncensored transcripts from Combatant Status Review Tribunals (CSRTs) that determine if prisoners held by the Defense Department at Guantánamo qualify as “enemy combatants.”

Stunning New Report on Domestic NSA Dragnet Spying Confirms ACLU Surveillance Warnings (03/12/2008)
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union responded today to a stunning new report that the NSA has effectively revived the Orwellian "Total Information Awareness" domestic-spying program that was banned by Congress in 2003. In response, the ACLU said that it was filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for more information about the spying. And, the group announced that it was moving its "Surveillance Clock" one minute closer to midnight.

ACLU Continues Monitoring Illegitimate Guantánamo Hearings This Week (03/12/2008)
NEW YORK – Continuing its role as vigilant monitor of the U.S. Military Commission hearings, the American Civil Liberties Union will be at Guantánamo Bay this week to observe the proceedings of Afghan national Mohammed Jawad, Saudi national Ahmed Mohammad al-Darbi, and Canadian national Omar Ahmed Khadr. The ACLU has attended every military commission proceeding since the system’s inception in 2004 and has seen no indication that the tribunals are fair, impartial or legitimate.

Three National Privacy Experts to Address Arizona Legislators on Privacy Issues Related to REAL ID, RFID Tags (03/12/2008)
PHOENIX – Three nationally-recognized privacy experts will be in Phoenix on Thursday, March 13 to speak to legislators and members of the public about the privacy implications of everything from REAL ID and national identity cards to radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and enhanced driver’s licenses.

New FISA Compromise Is an Improvement, Still Raises Concerns (03/11/2008)
Washington, DC -- Statement from Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office on the proposed House FISA compromise legislation:

ACLU Condemns Bush Veto Of Intelligence Bill Preventing Torture (03/08/2008)
WASHINGTON - In a brazen move signaling a callous disregard for human rights, President Bush today vetoed the 2008 Intelligence Authorization Act largely due to a provision that would have applied the Army Field Manual (AFM) on Interrogations to all government agencies, including the CIA. The AFM, which currently applies only to the Department of Defense, prohibits specific acts of torture and abuse, including waterboarding, and specifically authorizes an array of time-tested interrogation methods. During recent congressional testimony, CIA Director Michael Hayden admitted the agency has waterboarded detainees.

ACLU Slams FBI Privacy Violations (03/05/2008)
Washington, DC – In testimony today before the Senate Judiciary Committee, FBI Director Robert Mueller confirmed the misuse of National Security Letters (NSLs) – which allow for the collection of personal information without court approval – to secure Americans’ personal information during FBI investigations. A report from the Office of the Inspector General on the FBI’s use of NSLs is expected soon, though it was due in December of last year.

ACLU Urges Senate: Ask FBI the Tough Questions (03/05/2008)
Washington, DC – As the Senate Judiciary Committee was set to question FBI Director Robert Mueller III today, the American Civil Liberties Union urged the committee to ask Director Mueller the tough questions about the bureau’s civil liberties record.

ACLU Urges Congress not to Rubberstamp FISA Plan (03/04/2008)
Washington, DC – With a House vote on domestic spy legislation rumored to occur within days, there are reports of a plan to split the two titles of the terrible bill passed by the Senate that gutted the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The Senate bill contains almost no Fourth Amendment protections in its Title I, and its Title II contains immunity for telecommunications companies that illegally aided the president’s warrantlesss wiretapping program. The American Civil Liberties Union urges Congress to not rubberstamp the president’s plan to circumvent the Constitution.

FISA Fact Check: Setting the Record Straight on the White House (02/29/2008)
As the House of Representatives takes the time it needs to negotiate a bill to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), the White House has launched a public assault on the legislative body. The administration claims that the House has endangered the country by letting the Protect America Act (PAA) expire and should pass the bill already approved by the Senate. The Senate bill, however, is unconstitutional and contains immunity for the telecommunications companies that aided the president’s warrantless wiretapping program. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is urging the House to continue to stand strong for the Constitution.