Fact Check: Clinton/Carter Did Not Authorize Warrantless Searches

[guruoo]

Fact Check: Clinton/Carter Executive Orders Did Not Authorize Warrantless Searches of Americans

The top of the Drudge Report claims “CLINTON EXECUTIVE ORDER: SECRET SEARCH ON AMERICANS WITHOUT COURT ORDER…” It’s not true. Here’s the breakdown –

What Drudge says:

Clinton, February 9, 1995: “The Attorney General is authorized to approve physical searches, without a court order”

What Clinton actually signed:

Section 1. Pursuant to section 302(a)(1) <50 U.S.C. 1822(a)> of the Act, the Attorney General is authorized to approve physical searches, without a court order, to acquire foreign intelligence information for periods of up to one year, if the Attorney General makes the certifications required by that section.

That section requires the Attorney General to certify is the search will not involve “the premises, information, material, or property of a United States person.” That means U.S. citizens or anyone inside of the United States.

The entire controversy about Bush’s program is that, for the first time ever, allows warrantless surveillance of U.S. citizens and other people inside of the United States. Clinton’s 1995 executive order did not authorize that.

Drudge pulls the same trick with Carter.
<snip>
http://thinkprogress.org/2005/12/20/drudge-fact-check/

[Kurovski]

1. It's the usual Republican whine when caught: " But theeeey do it toooooo!"

The fact that it's rarely accurate or even true matters not at all to the now completely corrupt and criminal "party of Lincoln".

Poor Abe.

[oasis]

2. You're not going to weasel your way outta this . Take your medicine Chimpy

:nopity:

[RB TexLa]

3. Facts?

They don't care to hear no stinkin' facts