Second Judge Strikes Down Key Portion of Patriot Act

· Story link

A federal judge in Oregon ruled that provisions of the USA Patriot Act are not constitutional because they allows federal surveillance and searches of Americans without a showing of probable cause. It was the second ruling in two weeks to strike down provisions in the act. Wrote Judge Anne L. Aiken in the Oregon case, “For over 200 years, this nation has adhered to the rule of law — with unparalleled success. A shift to a nation based on extraconstitutional authority is prohibited, as well as ill advised.” (9/27/07)