First use of Patriot act outside of terrorism

[Stilgar]

Berkley = Senator
Corallo = FBI guy
"It was never my intention that the Patriot Act be used for garden-variety crimes and investigations," Berkley said.

But Corallo insisted lawmakers were fully aware the Patriot Act had far-reaching implications beyond fighting terrorism when the legislation was adopted in October 2001.

"I think probably a lot of members (of Congress) were only interested in the anti-terrorism measures," Corallo said. "But when the Judiciary Committee sat down, both Republicans and Democrats, they obviously discussed the applications, that certain provisions could be used in regular criminal investigations."

Federal authorities confirmed Monday the FBI used the Patriot Act to get financial information in its probe of Galardi and his dealings with current and former politicians in Southern Nevada.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2003/Nov-05-Wed-2003/news/22521283.html


This is involving a strip club investigation.

[Liberal Classic]

1. FBI says Patriot Act used in Vegas strip club corruption probe

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2003/nov/04/110410819.html


FBI says Patriot Act used in Vegas strip club
corruption probe




ASSOCIATED PRESS

LAS VEGAS (AP) - The FBI used the USA Patriot Act to obtain
financial information about key figures in a political corruption
probe centered on striptease club owner Michael Galardi, an
agent said.

Investigators used a section of the Patriot Act to get subpoenas
for financial documents, said Special Agent Jim Stern, a
spokesman for the Las Vegas FBI office.

"It was used appropriately by the FBI and was clearly within the
legal parameters of the statute," Stern said.



...


The Patriot Act, passed after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11,
2001, was originally touted by the government as a tool to help
federal law enforcers combat and prevent terrorism.

Civil libertarians have criticized the Bush administration for
employing the wide-ranging act to also crack down on drug
traffickers and child pornographers.

The measure lets federal investigators seek financial records of
people suspected of being terrorists or laundering money.

Malone's lawyer called it an outrage that the FBI used
anti-terrorism measures in an effort to gather information on his
client.

"The Patriot Act ... clearly was not intended for this," Las Vegas
lawyer Dominic Gentile said.

[MrBenchley]

2. For AshKKKroft, lap dances ARE terror

The man is nuts.

[Stilgar]

3. no argument here

for once I am in complete agreement, he is power crazy.

[Liberal Classic]

6. None here, either

Didn't take too long for ostensibly 'terrorist' law to be applied to purely domestic crime.

[1a2b3c]

7. amazing

You posted something that made me smile.

[Romulus]

4. remember . . .

if you oppose the PATRIOT Act, you stand with racist scum. :eyes:

[MrBenchley]

5. "Racist scum" sums up AshKKKroft pretty well

As well as a bunch of other guys....and apart from their racism, what else have they got in common?