Green Party urges quick repeal of bill expanding Bush Administration's surveillance powers
Green Party of the United States
www.gp.org
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@gp.org
Greens blame Democratic Party leaders for the bill's passage, and warn that mounting 'police
state' measures are nullifying the Constitution and basic civil liberties
WASHINGTON, DC -- Green Party leaders called on Congress to repeal recently passed legislation
expanding the White House's surveillance powers, and urged all Americans concerned about the Bush
Administration's abuses of power to express their outrage to their Senators and Representatives.
"Congress should be impeaching President Bush and Vice President Cheney for shredding the US
Constitution and other high crimes and misdemeanors. Instead, Republicans and Democrats
have rewarded Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney for warrantless wiretapping by giving them even
greater extra-constitutional power," said Sarah 'Echo' Steiner, co-chair of the
Green Party of the United States.
The 'Protect America Act of 2007' allows the federal government, without a court-ordered
warrant or minimal oversights enacted under FISA, to listen in on communications between people
inside and outside the US. Greens are demanding immediate repeal of the bill, in advance of its
six-month expiration.
"The responsibility for this assault on the Fourth Amendment doesn't only lie with the
Democrats and Republicans who voted for it. It also lies with Democrats like Sen. Harry Reid who
claim to have opposed it, but declined to block the bill with a filibuster," said Carl Romanelli,
2006 Green candidates for the US Senate in Pennsylvania.
Greens have accused Democratic leaders of posing as an opposition party while giving President
Bush a free pass on much of his agenda, especially continued funding for the Iraq war and
confirmation of extreme right-wing ideologues and operatives for the Supreme Court, Justice
Department, and other key positions.
Green Party leaders expressed alarm that measures like the surveillance bill and USA Patriot Act,
in combination with the Bush Administration's loose interpretation of prohibitions against
torture, use of 'signing statements,' executive order criminalizing antiwar protest
<http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_07_26.shtml>,
and doctrines of unitary executive power, executive privilege, and official secrecy may be
setting the stage for a greater collapse of US democracy and the rule of
law.
"If another attack similar to 9/11 occurs in the US, the White House is already armed with a dozen
different ways to override the US Constitution, crush dissent, and turn the US into a police
state," said Kristen Olson, co-chair of the Green Party. "We've already witnessed the breakdown,
thanks to Republican officials, of fair and accurate elections in Florida in 2000
and in Ohio and other states in 2004. It's time for Americans to stand up and defend our freedoms,
before both Republicans and Democrats abolish them in the name of security and patriotism."
MORE INFORMATION
Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
Green Party News Center
http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
Green Party Speakers Bureau
http://www.gp.org/speakers
2007 national Green Party meeting in Reading, Pa.: video footage, blog and media coverage
http://www.gp.org/meeting2007/
'Open Letter to Michael Moore' from the Green Party on 'Sicko,' health care reform
http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_07_09.shtml
http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/0710-03.htm
http://www.gp.org/organize/sicko.html
