Ninth Street Book Store to Host Common Cause SAFE Act Hearing

On Thursday, October 21, Common Cause of Delaware, a nonprofit citizens lobbying organization dedicated to government reform and accountability, will hold a citizen's public meeting on the Safety and Freedom Ensured Act (S. 1709, SAFE Act) at Ninth Street Book Store in Wilmington, Delaware. The SAFE Act looks to amend provisions of the USA Patriot Act, including Section 215, which gives law enforcement officials broad authority to demand that libraries or bookstores turn over books, records, papers, and documents.

Ninth Street's co-owner Jack Buckley told BTW that one of the goals of the hearing is to "point [the issue] toward our congressional delegation. Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) is on the judiciary committee … and none of [our] three delegates have signed on [to SAFE]." In addition to Senator Biden, Delaware's other congressional delegates are Rep. Michael Castle (R-DE) and Senator Thomas Carper (D-DE). "Obviously we want to get the issue before the public -- not necessarily just the SAFE Act, but the Patriot Act…. If we can show there's a body of citizens concerned, it will draw more attention [from the delegates]."

Senators Larry Craig (R-ID) and Richard Durbin (D-IL) introduced the SAFE Act in October 2003. The bill would limit searches under the Patriot Act to the records of people who are "foreign agents" engaged in acts of espionage or terrorism. The SAFE Act would require the FBI to have "specific and articulable facts" that show that the person it is targeting is a foreign agent before it may seek a search order from the secret FISA court. The bill would also limit other powers given to the FBI by the Patriot Act, including the power to conduct "roving" wire taps and to issue National Security Letters, which authorize searches of library computers and "sneak and peak" search warrants. The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on SAFE on September 22.

In a recent press release, Common Cause noted that it had been contacted by many people throughout Delaware who expressed concern about the overreaching effects of the Patriot Act and the need for Congress to make changes to the law to provide adequate oversight and checks and balances.

Speakers representing a wide perspective of views, both pro and con, will be invited to testify, with individuals allotted five minutes and organizations 10 minutes to present testimony. Buckley told BTW that Delaware's congressional delegation has been invited to attend, as well as U.S. Attorney Colm Connelly.

For a previous article on the SAFE Act, which is endorsed by the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, click here. --David Grogan