bill of rights

Jimmy Carter: ‘A Cruel and Unusual Record’

"Recent legislation has made legal the president’s right to detain a person indefinitely on suspicion of affiliation with terrorist organizations or 'associated forces,' a broad, vague power that can be abused without meaningful oversight from the courts or Congress. In addition to American citizens’ being targeted for assassination or indefinite detention, recent laws have canceled the restraints in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to allow unprecedented violations of our rights to privacy through warrantless wiretapping and government mining of our electronic communications." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJimmy Carter: ‘A Cruel and Unusual Record’

This group of Houston gun owners celebrated Independence Day the best way possible

"The group? Come and Take it Houston – a group of gun owners that gather publicly to 'educate Texans on their right to openly carry shotguns and rifles in a safe manner.' Even in front of a police station. 'It’s Independence Day – where it all started,' said shotgun toting Jenn Kroll, to the Houston Chronicle. 'What better day to show our rights?' Can’t argue with that." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThis group of Houston gun owners celebrated Independence Day the best way possible

Police Commandeer Homes, Get Sued

"Henderson police arrested a family for refusing to let officers use their homes as lookouts for a domestic violence investigation of their neighbors, the family claims in court. The Mitchell family's claim includes Third Amendment violations, a rare claim in the United States. The Third Amendment prohibits quartering soldiers in citizens' homes in times of peace without the consent of the owner. Police took Anthony and Michael Mitchell to jail and booked them for obstructing an officer. They were jailed for at least nine hours before they bailed out, they say in the complaint." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPolice Commandeer Homes, Get Sued

4th of July DUI Checkpoint – Drug Dogs, Searched without Consent, Rights Taken Away, while Innocent

"The officer orders me to pull over and get out of my car, bullies me around, gets the drug sniffing K-9, lies about me having 'Illegal Drugs' in the car, searches without consent, and tells me that it is ok to take away my freedom. All while not being detained. All this harassment because my window was not lowered enough to his preference. I broke no laws whatsoever. All of this on a day that we are supposed to be celebrating freedom and liberty. At the end of the encounter, the officer did not want to give me his name when I asked him. After I repeatedly asked him, he finally gave it to me." Continue reading →

Continue Reading4th of July DUI Checkpoint – Drug Dogs, Searched without Consent, Rights Taken Away, while Innocent

Israeli security strip searches Arab journalist at U.S. July Fourth party

"Security guards for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strip searched an Arab journalist working for the U.S.-funded Alhurra network at the the U.S. ambassador’s Fourth of July celebration in Tel Aviv, the network said on Thursday. The AP report said that Jallad was forced to remove his shoes and sit in the sun for half an hour. He was then taken to a room and ordered to remove his pants and submit to a body inspection. After 90 minutes, he was allowed to enter the event. The network said that Jallad had previously covered Netanyahu on many occasions and had a government-issued press card." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIsraeli security strip searches Arab journalist at U.S. July Fourth party

Ex-Marine Arrested for Wearing Wrong T-Shirt at Supreme Court

"Police had probable cause to arrest a Marine Corps veteran in the Supreme Court building for wearing a jacket that said 'Occupy Everywhere,' a federal judge ruled. Deputy Chief Timothy Dolan approached him and told Scott that he could not wear the jacket in the building because it was comparable to a sign or demonstration. Dolan told Scott he must either take off the jacket or leave the building. When Scott refused to do either, Dolan instructed another officer to place Scott under arrest for unlawful entry. Scott was released the same day, and charges against him were later dropped." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEx-Marine Arrested for Wearing Wrong T-Shirt at Supreme Court

Utah launches new federalism commission to push back Washington

"For too long Utah and other states have not exercised their sovereign powers in the face of the federal government’s growing reach into new arenas, according to leading members of a new state commission assembled to study and push back against federal authority. 'History has shown that if you concentrate power it was a fundamental threat to the rights of people and it was corrupting,' Senate Majority Leader Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, told the inaugural meeting of the Commission on Federalism. 'We have watched that happen for the last 50 years as the federal government has broadened its jurisdiction in a number of issues.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUtah launches new federalism commission to push back Washington

With Montana’s Lead, States May Demand Warrants for Cellphone Data

"The Montana Legislature this spring passed a location information privacy bill, which requires a search warrant for location information recorded by an 'electronic device.' There are exceptions to the warrant requirement, including when the cellphone is reported stolen or to respond to a cellphone user’s emergency call. Steve Bullock, the governor of Montana, signed it into law on May 6. The American Civil Liberties Union, which tracks cellphone tracking laws across the country, called it the first such state legislation. Over a dozen other states have eyed similar measures just this year." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWith Montana’s Lead, States May Demand Warrants for Cellphone Data

Privacy group to file Supreme Court petition against NSA surveillance program

"The Domestic Surveillance Project division of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) announced Thursday that it plans to file a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to vacate the Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Court (FISC) ruling which authorized the National Security Agency (NSA) to collect metadata on domestic phone calls. Domestic Surveillance Project Director Amie Stepanovich made the announcement at a Restore the Fourth rally in Washington on Thursday, one of several rallies across the country dedicated to protesting the NSA’s sweeping spying programs and invoke the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable searches and seizures." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPrivacy group to file Supreme Court petition against NSA surveillance program