News

President Urged to Nominate Appointees to Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board
March 9, 2010

On March 1, 2010 a coalition of 25 civil liberty advocacy groups, think tanks and other nonprofit organizations sent a letter to President Obama requesting the nomination of appointees to the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB).  According to the letter, the PCLOB “is one of the few safeguards adopted to protect Americans from improper intrusions into our privacy and civil liberties” from national security laws. With all five seats on the board vacant since late 2008, the letter is calling for the President to “appoint individuals immediately.” Excessive government intrusion into nonprofit programs is affected, in procedures such as USAID's proposed Partner Vetting System.  

Planned Parenthood & Others Targets of Unlawful Intelligence Collection Activities Between 2001-2008
March 8, 2010

A heavily redacted 800 page document released by the Department of Defense (DoD) in February 2010 shows that military intelligence officials spied on Planned Parenthood and other domestic groups between 2001 through 2008. Released to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed in July 2009, the document characterizes some of the intelligence collection as “unlawful.”

House Joins Senate in Passing Bill to Extend Patriot Act Provisions
February 26, 2010

Update: President Obama signed a one-year extension of three sections of the USA Patriot Act on Feb. 27, 2010 without any restrictions on the provisions that many lawmakers and civil liberty advocates sought to safeguard American civil liberties.

Supreme Court Hears Oral Argument To Decide if Parts of Patriot Act Violate First Amendment
February 24, 2010

On Feb. 23, 2010, the Supreme Court heard arguments on whether parts of the Patriot Act that prohibit supporting a designated terrorist group to pursue peacebuilding programs violate the Constitution. David D. Cole, a lawyer for people and groups challenging the law in the case, Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project (HLP), said the law prevented them from exercising their First Amendment rights. “It is core political speech on issues of public concern,” Cole told the court. “It is advocating only lawful, peaceable activities. This court has never upheld the criminal prohibition of lawful speech on issues of public concern.” Citing previous cases where the Supreme Court’s opinions had distinguished “between aid that is intended to further lawful activity and aid that is intended to further illegal activity,” [18] Cole said the government should focus on prosecuting individuals intending to further a terrorist organization’s violent and illegal activities, rather than target activists who encourage peaceful political solutions.  A ruling in the case is expected by late June or early July.

Event Recap: A Briefing on What's at Stake in the Supreme Court Case Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project
February 18, 2010

On Feb. 17, 2010 the Charity and Security Network teamed with the Constitution Project  to host a briefing on the Supreme Court case, Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project, which held oral arguments on Feb. 23.  The case is the first constitutional challenge to provisions of federal laws, including the Patriot Act, prohibiting “material support” for groups designated a “terrorist” by the United States government. The event, Free Speech, Human Rights & Counter-Terrorism Laws, explored the likely impact and misconceptions of the Court's ruling on national security policies.