What's new
Your community can do what the federal government won't
BORDC has developed two model ordinances for consideration by city councils across the country. These ordinances, which will have the force of law where enacted, allow individual municipalities to do what the federal government will not: protect the fundamental rights and liberties of law-abiding Americans to be free of arbitrary monitoring, surveillance, detention, search, or arrest by local law enforcement authorities; and bring to justice senior government officials complicit in torture.
Disbar the torture lawyers: Sign on today
While the Attorney General contemplates a limited investigation scapegoating junior officials who violated "approved" torture techniques, BORDC and allies (including the National Lawyers Guild and Velvet Revolution) are pursuing ethics complaints against former senior officials licensed to practice law. Sign our letters in support of disbarment.
Current Civil Liberties Issues
Read our blog for more on the latest civil liberties issues.
OPR report exonerates torture lawyers
As expected, a a report by the Office of Professional Responsibility has exonerated Bush administration lawyers who authored memoranda authorizing torture, including John Yoo and Jay Bybee. Read more on our blog.
PATRIOT Act extended for one year
At the end of February, President Obama signed a one-year extension of PATRIOT Act provisions that were originally set to expire at the end of 2009. The extensions did not include any of the civil liberties or privacy protections negotiated in committee last fall. Read more on our blog.
Want to take action on these civil liberties issues? Find your legislators' contact information.
In the News:
3/15, Spencer Ackerman, Washington Independent, More McCarthyism From Liz Cheney’s Crew
3/15, Emptywheel, The Torture Apologists Ratchet Up the Attack
3/15, Glenn Greenwald, Salon, Salon Radio: Manipulative use of the term "Terrorism"
3/15, Eric Lichtblau, New York Times, Report Faults U.S.’s Efforts at Transparency
3/15, Eugene R Fidell, Politico, Why New York's the right place to try Sept. 11 cases
3/14, Agence France-Presse, Justice Department witchhunt backfires in US
