Privacy

January 7, 2008 -- Consumer group representatives condemned new taxpayer “un-privacy” rules recently issued by the IRS for expanding rather than closing “gaping loopholes” that already allow sharing and marketing based on tax records, but issued cautious support for a separate IRS request for comments on developing new regulations that could rein in the marketing of predatory refund anticipation loans by tax preparers.    » read more »

First Amendment Protects Web Site Operator Represented by Public Citizen

Dec. 18, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Video Professor, a Colorado firm that uses infomercials to hawk computer-training lessons, has dropped its fight to identify customers who criticized the company on two consumer Web sites, according to a motion filed in federal court.    » read more »

December 17, 2007 -- "The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act – FISA – is intended to protect both our national security and the privacy and civil liberties of Americans. We are considering amendments to that important Act that will provide new flexibility to our Intelligence Community. I think we all support surveillance authority and we have joined together to update FISA dozens of times since its historic passage after the intelligence abuses of earlier decades.    » read more »

(As Prepared for Delivery)

December 17, 2007 -- "Mr. President, I am troubled by the FISA bill that has come to the Senate floor. Since I introduced the original FISA legislation over 30 years ago, I’ve worked to amend the FISA law many times, and I believe that this bill is not faithful to the traditional balance that FISA has struck. This bill gives the Executive Branch vast new authorities to spy on Americans, without adequate guidance or oversight. Americans deserve better.    » read more »

December 17, 2007 -- “Senator Obama unequivocally opposes giving retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies and has cosponsored Senator Dodd's efforts to remove that provision from the FISA bill.

Granting such immunity undermines the constitutional protections Americans trust the Congress to protect. Senator Obama supports a filibuster of this bill, and strongly urges others to do the same. It's not clear whether he can return for the vote, but under the Senate rules, the side trying to end a filibuster must produce 60 votes to cut off debate.    » read more »

December 13, 2007 -- "In September, we filed a lawsuit in federal court to declare invalid an Illinois statute that effectively forbids Illinois employers from enrolling in the department’s E-Verify system. The statute was to become effective on January 1, 2008, but in papers filed with the court yesterday, the state agreed not to enforce it until the department’s lawsuit against the state is resolved. It also disclosed that the Illinois legislature is considering a bill to address the legal issues raised in the suit.    » read more »

Statement of Paul Alan Levy, Attorney With Public Citizen*

Dec. 12, 2007 -- The Texas Court of Appeals for the Sixth Appellate District at Texarkana took an important step today toward protecting the rights of Internet bloggers in Texas to write anonymously. In an opinion issued by Justice Jack Carter in Essent v. Doe, the court of appeals joins a broad consensus of state and federal courts in insisting that plaintiffs present sufficient evidence to show they could win at trial before gaining access to information identifying anonymous speakers.    » read more »

Fourteen Senators Urge Majority Leader to Take Up Senate Judiciary Committee Version of FISA Bill

December 12, 2007 -- Washington, DC – As the Senate prepares to consider legislation to update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a group of senators is urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to make the FISA bill passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee (SJC) the base bill to be considered on the Senate floor.    » read more »

December 12, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Arlen Specter (R-PA), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced the Wireless 411 Privacy Act, legislation to protect wireless telephone customers from having their cellular phone numbers listed in a national directory without their consent.    » read more »

Dec 03, 2007 -- Regarding the Dec. 2 story in a Washington, D.C., newspaper about Army Lt. Elizabeth Whiteside's medical and legal case, the U.S. Army position is very clear: no decision has been made yet as to whether charges against the officer will proceed to court martial. That is the purpose of the Article 32 investigation: the investigating officer will look at existing evidence and circumstances and advise the court-martial convening authority so he may determine whether a court martial is warranted or dispose of the charges in some other appropriate manner.    » read more »

14 November 2007 -- The U.S. Justice Department is reopening an investigation into the Bush administration's domestic surveillance program, marking a major reversal in policy under new Attorney General Michael Mukasey.

The probe will focus on the conduct of Justice Department lawyers in approving the program, which allows the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on the e-mail and telephone conversations of Americans without getting prior approval from a special court.    » read more »

United States Senate Judiciary Committee Executive Meeting

November 8, 2007 -- "This is an important mark-up. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is one of our landmark statutes. For nearly 30 years, it has regulated government surveillance in a way that protects both our national security and our civil liberties and prevents the government from abusing its powers. It is because FISA enhances both security and liberty that it has won such broad support over the years from presidents, members of Congress, and the public alike.    » read more »

18 September 2007 -- The U.S. Director of National Intelligence, Mike McConnell, has urged lawmakers not to weaken powers Congress approved in August expanding government capabilities conduct electronic eavesdropping to prevent future terrorist attacks.

Before leaving Washington in August for its summer break, Congress approved what is called the Protect America Act.

Passed with bipartisan margins in the House and Senate, it came after an intense Bush administration campaign to revise existing law from 1978 called the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).    » read more »

August 23, 2007 -- BOSTON – Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley filed an amended complaint in Suffolk Superior Court late yesterday against MEGA Life and Health Insurance, Mid-West National Life Insurance, and their parent company; HealthMarkets, Inc., raising serious new allegations about unfair and deceptive trade practices.    » read more »

August 20, 2007 -- "Today was the deadline for the Administration to comply with the Judiciary Committee’s subpoenas for documents related to the legal justifications for and President’s authorization of the warrantless wiretapping program. The Administration failed to adequately comply, despite our granting an extension of more than a month past the original return date. The Administration has produced no documents, no adequate basis for noncompliance, no privilege claims, and no complete privilege log.    » read more »