I recently paid a visit to Sen. Bill Frist’s VOLPAC blog because he announced the ill-advised re-authorization of the PATRIOT Act in the Senate. You can certainly make up your own minds as to whether the permanent re-authorization of PATRIOT was a good idea (I happen to strongly disfavor re-authorization of any provision of that act that does not sunset), but I have to wonder how the CD 8 candidates would vote for the bill in its present form as it heads to the House, if they could vote on it?
We don’t have to wonder much about how one candidate, Dwight Leister, would vote. It seems pretty clear from his comment on Frist’s blog that he supports the re-authorization:
"As a Democratic Candidate for Congress in Arizona’s 8th District I
support the "Features" that the Patriot Act gives to Law Enforcement
agencies in Southeastern Arizona as we fight the War on terror by
Securing our Borders and enabling our Border Sheriffs to have access to
Federal Funds."Dwight D. Leister:Chair
www.committee-to-elect.org
T.Mae Leister: First Vice Treasurer
www.dwightleister4congress2006.com
I am somewhat familiar with the PATRIOT Act, and I am not aware of any portions that are of use in enforcing our immigration laws, nor am I aware of any funding coming our way from passage of the PATRIOT Act. Perhaps Mr. Leister could enlighten us as to what those "features" are? I am also curious as to whether there are any "features" of this bill that Mr. Leister does not support?
As he apparently reads this blog at times, I would invite him to clarify his position in a comment, or by contacting me directly, if he prefers. I can’t imagine that the unqualified sobriquet "Supporter of the USA PATRIOT Act" is the best foot to put forward with CD 8’s Democratic primary voters. But what do I know? He’s the candidate for Congress.
Mr. Leister responds on the flip…
On my desk next to my computer is a copy of "THE PHOENIX ELECTRONIC
COMMUNICATION,"marked "SECRET," FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, dated
07/10/2001 to Counterterrorism in The New York Office.
This transmission outlines the 911 hijackers and their efforts while
training at a facility less than five miles from my home in Oro Valley
, Arizona. I never want to see Law Enforcement unable to communicate
anything with one another as was outlined in the 911 Commission Report.
The Patriot Act took away the walls , but nothing has changed in the
very F.B.I. District where it all began! Therefore local Law
Enforcement is on its own to get it right the next time we are taken by
surprize, as I can honestly say no F.B.I. Office will communicate with
any Border Patrol Office, Sheriff,Police, or any first responder
anything it is investigating. Numerous calls of sighted terrorists have
gone uninvestigated because it does not meet the threashold of the
F.B.I, or The Justice Department because it is understaffed.
I would never forgive myself if elected to Congress that on a Monday
morning as I flew back to Washington D.C. to represent my Congressional
District 8; enroute the Pilot would exit from the cockpit and walk to
my seat to inform me that a "Dirty Bomb," just exploded somewhere in my
District, later to find that removal of a warrant due to Civil
Liberties of a terrorist trumphed National Security.
I do not like whom Iam seeing coming into Arizona at this time that
are not looking for jobs; anyone who plays politics, as a good cop bad
cop in the eyes of the voters on this issue is just as guilty as any
terrorist. Elected or not I will hold the next attacker and the lack of
enforcing of the laws already on the books on the same level of
criminality."
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From the Comments, unedited:
"I
welcome the debate on the Patriot Act and do "NOT" consider it closed
law never to sunset, but since Governor Janet Napolitano has declared
our Southern Counties in a "State of Emergency," and has positioned the
National Guard along our Border with Mexico,with my support and advise
,and has asked for The Department of Defense to pay the costs, I do not
think we in Cd8 are facing "business as usual." I am in contact with
the Governor’s and have posted a "E-Mail To The Governor’s’" on my
web-site www.committee-to-elect.org or
www.dwightleister4congress2006.com for a reason;"WE WANT YOUR IMPUT!"
My history goes back a long way in "Support" of Law Enforcement(As a
Candidate for "The Office Of Pima County Sheriff," in 1968), I was
talking the same talk as Iam now," not "Partisan Politics" that
prevents Law Enforcement from doing its job,which has been the case in
Pima County by The Democratic Party Platform instructing The
Courts,Sheriffs,and all Police Agencies NOT to enforce the laws now on
the books concerning immigration issues that are including OTM’S, Other
Than Mexican’s, that are crossing into Pima County,Cochise County,
Santa Cruz County,to the tune of over 250,000 in the last twelve
months. Alot of recent arrests are from Pakistan, Afganistan and
Iraq,along with the Columbian connection,which is using the Mexican
Federallies as escorts and Drug Smugglers,which are firing on our
Border Partol Agents in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, to
gain "THE CONNECTION WITH THEIR COUNTERPARTS THAT ARE OPERATING INSIDE
THE UNITED STATES." The patriot Act aids Law enforcement in the now
"MESHING OF TERRORISM,ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND DRUG SMUGGLERS THAT ARE
KILLING UNITED STATES CITIZENS! It is no longer an issue of people just
coming here to work.
As I have said in Support of The Arizona Utah Border Initiative
proposed by Governor Janet Napolitano of Arizona and Governor Jon
Huntsman of Utah that we need to get Politics out of our "Nations
Broken Border Policies" but with a keen eye on the enforcement of "The
Rule Of Law." This does NOT mean we are to give up our rights under the
Constitution so that Terrorists posing as Illegal Immigrants can use
our basic Fourth Amendment Rights to defeat us as a Nation of Laws!
As to parts of The Patriot Act that I "Support" and "Do Not Support," I
would be happy to go deeper into that descussion, as I do NOT support
it in it’s entirety and will hold Congress Accountable in the future
for futher review, but as a Congressman in Cd8 I can not go before my
Constituents,if Elected,and with a straight face tell them that we need
to eliminate the Patriot Act right now and just rely on FISA which was
passed in the 1970’s under The Cold War. "FISA is GOOD LEGISLATION,"
and should not be repealed or diminished in any way by The Patriot Act
but should be "ENHANCED CAREFULLY," respecting our Fourth Amendment
Rights.
Iam an Advocate of Civil Liberties,Criminal Justice Issues,Freedom Of
Speech,Freedom Of The Press,Human Rights,and The right To Privacy my
whole life,not just this election cycle or when it seems to be
Politically Correct to Support or Oppose a position. I do not Flip-
Flop and this is why alot of Party Leaders in my own Party do not like
me,because I have been involved in The Democratic Party since being
first appointed then elected in 1966, as a Democratic Precinct
Committeeman in Pima County almost 40 years.I have seen my Party
completly fall apart and loose its direction,as most recently being
pointed out by Senator Gary Hart of Colorado who is writing a book as
we speak about The Democratic Party and its Leaders are out of touch
with America,and I agree with that statement.
As with the Abortion issue we signed it into Federal Law and it has
caused the biggest divide in our Country since the Civil War! Most of
these laws should have been left to THE STATES TO DECIDE,AS STATES
RIGHTS not Federal Mandates. Iam an Advocate of STATES RIGHTS and have
been since High School, debating it with Barry Goldwater at Amphi High
School in 1963 as he prepared to run for President.
The Provisions that were set to expire under The Patriot Act were;
201:authority to intercept wire taps over electronic communications
relating to terrorism,I approve;202 extends it to computer funded abuse
offenders,I approve;203(b) authority to save criminal investigation
information,I approve; 206 roving surveillance under The Foreign
Intelligance Surveilance Act, I approve; 207 duration of FISA
surveillance of non-United States citizens who are agents of a Foreign
Power, I approve; 209 seizure of voice mail messages pursuant to
warrants, I approve; 212 emergency disclosure of electronic
communications to protect life and limb,I approve;214 pen register and
trap trace authority under FISA( IAM CURRENTLY ENVOLVED WITH THIS ISSUE
AS MY PHONE HAS A TRAP AND A POLICE CASE NUMBER)I approve;215 ACCESS TO
RECORDS AND OTHER ITEMS UNDER FISA,I DO NOT APPROVE,THIS NEEDS MORE
INSTRUCTION;217 interception of computer trespasser communications,THIS
I DO NOT AGREE WITH,NEEDS MORE INSTRUCTION;218 Foreign Intel Info
lowered from levels of FISA warrant,I approve;220 Nationwide service of
search warrants for electronic evidence, I DO NOT AGREE,NEEDS MORE
INSTRUCTION;223 Civil Liability for certain unauthorized disclosures; 224
Sunset, I agree with a full review every (5) five years by Congress or
at which time National Security demands;225 immunity for compliance
with FISA wiretap, I agree.