Editorial: Plan moving too fast

Friday, Nov. 21, 2003 | 5:27 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION Nov. 22 - 23, 2003

FBI officials in Las Vegas recently acknowledged that they used powers granted under the Patriot Act to access private financial records they needed for their ongoing investigation of political corruption. The Patriot Act was passed after Sept. 11 to fight terrorism -- not ordinary crimes.

With the glaring example here that the Patriot Act is vulnerable to abuse, we are skeptical of the House plan to expand its powers. Under this plan, which the House approved Thursday, the FBI could quickly gain records from other businesses besides banks and credit unions, including casinos, car dealers, pawnbrokers and travel agents. Records from these businesses could be accessed without having to gain prior court approval.

We hope the Senate blocks this plan, at least until there has been a chance for more public debate and more careful reading of the plan's wording. Abuse of the Patriot Act in Las Vegas had to do with an interpretation of the act's language. Let's not expand the Patriot Act until we're sure that the rights of ordinary citizens are not in danger of being lost through someone's interpretation.