Tom Cotton Wants To Expand Patriot Act
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Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) walks back to his office in the Russell building basement after the final confirmation vote for Attorney General Loretta Lynch on April 23, 2015. John Shinkle/POLITICO
This means more government surveillance, promoted by the party that says it wants less government.
The 37-year-old Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, who vaulted to the Senate this year after a single term in the House, is maneuvering to build support for extending existing surveillance authority for the U.S. government — without the additional safeguards civil libertarians want.
The Arkansas senator, who caused an international firestorm last month with his controversial letter to Iranian leaders, has spent many recent Fridays in Washington at FBI and National Security Agency headquarters, meeting with senior intelligence officials and administration lawyers to build his case for a clean extension of three expiring provisions of the Patriot Act. With the support of GOP leaders, he’s serving as an emissary on the issue to GOP freshmen who are weighing whether to extend the controversial law. And he is seeking to sell his views on surveillance to Republicans from libertarian-minded states through classified briefings conducted by senior intelligence officials..
The bill would cover the bulk collection of phone records under the Patriot Act’s 215 program, which generated enormous controversy when it was revealed by leaker Edward Snowden.
The bill also would prolong two other measures : A so-called “lone wolf” provision that allows the government to surveil potential terrorists who aren’t directly connected to terrorist cells; and a section that allows the feds to use roving wiretaps to monitor suspects who rapidly change location or communication device.
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fahvel April 29th, 2015 at 3:05 am
too much sand collected in his head while he was defending democracy by killing mid easterners.
katkelly57 April 29th, 2015 at 3:58 am
You’re not supposed to screw the country that you served.
Sorry SackOfShit.
Idiots like him make me wanna tear up my DD214 and throw away the ribbons and both Honorable Discharges I earned.
rg9rts April 29th, 2015 at 5:00 am
Nah,,,not a good idea… did you register with the VA???
Budda April 29th, 2015 at 9:14 am
I wonder if he was serving his country or his ego….
fancypants April 30th, 2015 at 12:17 am
Lets hope this idea doesn’t end up as a big mistake.
I have serious doubts this is a good idea
http://blogs.rollcall.com/five-by-five/afghan-translator-visas-the-stories-behind-the-numbers/?dcz=
Warman1138 April 29th, 2015 at 4:14 am
Nothing like a little ” Orwell ” to make every day a more informed day.
rg9rts April 29th, 2015 at 4:58 am
In the day it was known as the gestapo or NKVD or probably the stassi …right up his alley
bpollen April 29th, 2015 at 5:23 am
Ya know, I don’t cotton to Cotton.
Budda April 29th, 2015 at 9:13 am
Clever! I think I’ll use that in the future (with your permission of course)
bpollen April 29th, 2015 at 3:22 pm
I put all my comments out there as open source, so feel free to use or modify to suit your purposes.
illinoisboy1977 April 29th, 2015 at 10:26 am
The Patriot Act was a massive overreach, at its inception. Even in its pared-down, modern version, it doesn’t do enough to protect the civil liberties of American citizens. Any extension or expansion of the Patriot Act is contrary to the best interests of this nation and its people.
liberalMD April 30th, 2015 at 4:04 am
It seems the American public is growing weary of the drastic changes that occurred with initial implementation of the Patriot Act……warrantless wiretaps and surveillance, having their luggage rummaged through every time they fly on an airplane,and the mass data mining of personal information by “critical entities”, just to name a few of the inconveniences created. By the time this issue makes it to the floor of Congress, any legislator in favor of continuation of the Patriot Act needs to start spooking up his/her constituents for support of this or resign themselves to standing in the unemployment line after their next election.