Dear Patriot,
“Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” – Benjamin Franklin
You could hear the arms breaking all the way from Capitol Hill to the Wasatch Mountains in Utah as victory slipped out of the statists’ grasp.
Last night, the U.S. House DEFEATED legislation to extend three of the so-called “PATRIOT” Act’s controversial provisions:
- The “roving wiretap” provision allows the FBI to obtain wiretaps from a secret intelligence court, known as the FISA court, without identifying what method of communication is to be tapped.
- The “lone wolf” measure allows FISA court warrants for the electronic monitoring of a person for whatever reason — even without showing that the suspect is an agent of a foreign power or a terrorist. The government has said it has never invoked that provision, but the Obama administration said it wanted to retain the authority to do so.
- The “business records” provision allows FISA court warrants for any type of record, from banking to library to medical, without the government having to declare that the information sought is connected to a terrorism or espionage investigation.
Because the bill was put on the “Suspension Calendar,” it needed 290 votes to pass.
Thanks to the quick action of true Patriots, however, the vote failed 277-148.
Remember that the legislation was expected to easily pass. Don’t let anyone ever tell you it’s hopeless to fight for your freedoms.
Here are the Utah Representatives who voted the wrong way:
- Jim Matheson (202) 225-3011, District 2
- Jason Chaffetz (202) 225-7751, District 3
Contact your representative! Let him know of your disappointment in his voting to extend the unconstitutional provisions of the Bill of Rights-shredding PATRIOT Act.
This fight is only beginning. The three provisions expire on February 28, so this is not the last you and I will hear of extending them.
You and I have kept the pressure on Congress, but now we have to turn it up. We should be able to change Jason’s mind on this issue, and Jim’s mind too.
I can almost guarantee that there will be another vote on these provisions, and next time the statists will only need a simple majority to win in the House.
Please contact your representative using the information above and remind him of his oath to uphold the Constitution. Urge him to put the American people’s rights before the surveillance state’s power by rejecting the “PATRIOT” Act on every vote.
Thank you for all your hard work to ensure victory. I look forward to many more triumphs to come as C4L continues its mission to reclaim the Republic and restore the Constitution.
For Liberty,
Lowell Nelson, Interim State Coordinator
Utah Campaign for Liberty
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/
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