Editorial: Snooping without a warrant
Monday, Jan. 8, 2007 | 7:23 a.m.
With a few strokes of his pen last month, President Bush signed a new U.S. Postal Service law and added a statement that says the government can open U.S. citizens' mail without first obtaining a search warrant.
The law, which Bush signed Dec. 20, requires government agents to obtain warrants before they open someone's first-class letters. But Bush added what is called a signing statement, in which the president noted that warrants are not needed in the event of emergency situations.
U.S. Postal Service officials have said they do not object to Bush's alterations to the law. But his end-run around Congress' intentions drew swift criticism from lawmakers and from citizens' rights and privacy advocates. According to a recent story by USA Today, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., called Bush's addendum a "last-minute, irregular and unauthorized reinterpretation of a duly passed law" and said that it is the type of action that "voters so resoundingly rejected in November."
When it comes to Americans' privacy, Bush just doesn't get it. His domestic surveillance program, in which he allowed federal agents to forgo warrants and monitor the overseas e-mail and telephone communications of Americans, was struck down by a federal judge last fall. And yet Bush persisted in pushing the program - first by filing an appeal of the judge's ruling and then by trying to get his Republican supporters in Congress to change the law.
Now, Bush actually changed the intent of a law as he signed it, granting federal agents the freedom to snoop without warrants under vague emergency situations that are not defined.
This kind of meddling by the president must stop. One would think that after the Republicans' defeat in the November elections - which happened largely because Americans had lost faith in Bush's policies - Bush would learn. But he is either unable or unwilling to understand that privacy is an American right and the government must present sound reasons in the form of a warrant to breach that privacy.
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Police: 3 arrested in officer’s death have gang ties
- Corrections officer with Metro killed in U.S. 95 crash
- System fails to catch contractor’s family tie with county
- Where to watch UFC 106
- Fontainebleau contractors say sales process is flawed
- UNLV and Southern Illinois will be guarded tonight
- Findlay guard Joseph scores 33, talks about UNLV
- Bishop Gorman takes Sunset Region title in win over Cimarron
- Fighters make weight, Dana White talks Rampage/Rashad
- Reid clears major health care hurdle, daunting weeks ahead
Blogs
The Kats Report
For props, Lewis Black needs only his manic delivery and torrid material (4 Comments)
Elsewhere
Sands China raises $2.5 billion in Hong Kong IPO (1 Comment)
Marquardt v. Sonnen scheduled for UFC 109
Bloggity, Bloggity, Bloggity
Will a fourth consecutive title by Jimmie Johnson be good or bad for NASCAR? (4 Comments)
Top Chef: Las Vegas
The Jet Stream: And then there were four
Top Chef Episode 12: On keeping it simple
Miech Again
Chilly start for Chace, but Stanback says he'll warm up (2 Comments)
- Live chat
- Tuesday, noon PST
- Chat with Krista Creelman
- Problem Gambling Center executive director Krista Creelman will answer questions about gambling addiction from Las Vegas Sun readers from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. ... Submit question
Calendar »
- 22 Sun
- 23 Mon
- 24 Tue
- 25 Wed
- 26 Thu
-
The Four Tops at The Orleans Showroom
Orleans Hotel-Casino
-
The Chase at Downtown Cocktail Room
Downtown Cocktail Room | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Lady Gaga album release party at Revolution Lounge
Beatles Revolution Lounge | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Food drive at Christian Audigier
Christian Audigier The Nightclub | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Above & Beyond at Moon
Moon Nightclub | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati













Post a comment
Commenting requires registration.
Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Full comments policy.