New Guidelines Would Give F.B.I. Broader Powers
WASHINGTON — A Justice Department plan would loosen restrictions on the Federal Bureau of Investigation to allow agents to open a national security or criminal investigation against someone without any clear basis for suspicion, Democratic lawmakers briefed on the details said Wednesday.
The plan, which could be made public next month, has already generated intense interest and speculation. Little is known about its precise language, but civil liberties advocates say they fear it could give the government even broader license to open terrorism investigations.
cont'd at link above.
The FBI is not a bad agency. I would like to think I can trust them, at least, if not all the federal law enforcement agencies. There are some mighty smart people working for the FBI, smart and HONEST. In fact, in the lead-up to 9/11, some of the FBI agents were downright heroes, even if their supervisory political appointees chose to ignore them in favor of toeing the party line. So why is it suddenly a Good Idea to let the FBI get warrants without such niggling little details as, say, evidence?
I think I'm gonna start answering my phone "Hello J. Edgar" again, just to be on the safe side. (Someday I'll explain why I used to do that when I was 16.)
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