Ahead of Patriot Act vote, some tea-party lawmakers express reservations
Constitution, Habeas Corpus Tuesday, February 8th, 2011
By Felicia Sonmez, The Washington Post
As the House votes Tuesday on extending key provisions of the Patriot Act counterterrorism surveillance law, it will be worth watching the tea party-aligned members of the new freshman class – some of whom are expressing doubts about the measure.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), would extend three provisions of the law passed after the 9/11 terror attacks through Dec. 8, 2011. It is expected to easily win passage.
Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, who highlighted his opposition to the law during his upstart 2010 Senate campaign, signaled Monday that he may vote ultimately vote against an extension when the measure comes up in the Senate, likely later this month.
“I’ve had a lot of reservations about the Patriot Act,” Paul said when asked whether he’s leaning toward voting for an extension. “We’re reviewing it and we’re going over it, and we will have something out probably in the next couple of days,” he added. “We won’t be shy about it when it comes out.”
Paul’s father, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), was among the trio of Republican lawmakers who opposed the Patriot Act when the House approved it in October 2001.
Some young conservative lawmakers, including Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), have not yet decided how they’ll vote Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles Times. A spokesperson for Chaffetz’s Utah colleague, conservative freshman Sen. Mike Lee (R), did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
To read more, visit: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2011/02/ahead-of-patriot-act-vote-some.html
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Posted by reteaparty on Feb 8 2011. Filed under Constitution, Habeas Corpus. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
As much as I agree with you about the Patriot Act, you’re thinking in terms that are too partisan. Those 26 Republicans are the libertarian side of the party and those Democrats are the corporatist core of that party. I’d totally expect that voting pattern to happen – and those Democrats still deserve to lose.
Where are the tea party protests and demonstrations against the most Un-Constitutional Law we have in the Patriot Act? It seems that nothing is being done to end the one thing that threatens our freedoms the most!!