CONGRESSMAN KUCINICH ON THE PATRIOT ACT: "The Administration's Attack on Our Democracy Has to be Reigned In" - During House Debate on Patriot Act Kucinich Blasts Admininistration for Abuse of Power

During House Debate On Patriot Act Kucinich Blasts Administration For Abuse Of Power - During debate in the House of Representatives on renewing the Patriot Act, Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) gave the following floor speech:

“I rise in strong opposition to this legislation because it offers only a superficial reform that will have little if any impact on safeguarding our civil liberties. Furthermore, it has become crystal clear that this Administration is currently and will continue to abuse, attack, and outright deny the civil liberties of the people of this country in defiance of our Constitution. The Administration is illegally wiretapping American citizens, illegally collecting information on peace groups, and illegally signing statements to ignore the torture ban recently enacted by this Congress. Some of my colleague will stand up here today and argue that the Patriot act has nothing to do with these nefarious activities. But my colleagues are not looking at the big picture. The Administration has violated the laws Congress has passed and is trampling on Constitution of the United States."

“I will not give the Administration any additional police power. Congress has failed to do its job as a coequal branch of government. The Administration’s attack on our democracy has to be reigned in. This Congress must not walk away from its role and providing a check and balance to the Administration’s exercise of executive power. This Congress was not zealous in oversight prior to 2001. But, since that time, this Congress has ignored its constitutional duty and 200 years of American democracy has suffered. The complacency of this Congress is clearly viewed by the Administration as a license to ignore the laws it disagrees with and it demands Congress pass expanded police powers. In the name of the Constitution of the United States of America I reject this complacency. I will not vote to give a single new police power to this Administration. I voted against the Patriot Act when it first passed, and I remain even more opposed to this legislation today. The bill before us today enables the FBI to investigate any American for any reason, without the checks and balances of the judicial system."

“History tells us that unchecked police powers with little or no oversight will be abused and the citizens will be harmed. The administration’s record in this area is concrete proof that history repeats itself. I am for a police function that protects citizens of this great nation, not a police function that is used to terrorize them. I urge my colleagues to vote against the Patriot Act Reauthorization; to stand up for our Constitution; to stand up for our Bill of Rights; to remember the long struggle that was instrumental in establishing those liberties."