House Poised To Grant Arrest (Domestic Police) Powers To CIA, NSA

[UpInArms]

http://www.pogo.org/p/government/gl-060401-intel.html

excerpt:

We are particularly concerned with the language in Sections 423, “Additional Functions and Authorities for the Protective Personnel of the Central Intelligence Agency,” and Section 432, “Codification of Authorities of National Security Agency Protective Personnel.” As currently written, Section 423 proposes that:

(a) The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency may issue regulations to allow personnel designated to carry out executive protection functions for the Central Intelligence Agency under section 5(a)(4) of the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 (50 USC 403f) to, while engaged in such protective functions, make arrests without a warrant for any offense against the United States committed in the presence of such personnel, or for any felony cognizable under the laws of the United States, if such personnel have probable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing that felony offense.

(b) The powers granted under subsection (a) may be exercised only in accordance with guidelines approved by the Attorney General.

We are concerned that potential for abuses is created by the current language. As written, the provision may undermine existing statutory limitations on CIA involvement in domestic law enforcement in that the language seems to extend the powers of CIA’s Special Protective Service (SPS) to geographical areas outside CIA facilities. Previous Congressional actions gave due consideration to concerns about potential abuses, and have appropriately legislated restrictions on the police powers of designed CIA personnel.1

It would be more practical for CIA SPS personnel to coordinate with appropriate federal or local law enforcement for “off-campus” protective situations in which a law enforcement role is reasonably anticipated. A possible compromise measure, although one that has its own problems, is to allow CIA personnel charged with executive protection the additional power to arrest or otherwise detain a person or persons intending immediate, unlawful physical harm against an intelligence executive while said executive is off-campus. But as currently written, Section 423 appears, vis a vis the phrase “any felony against the United States,” to grant to CIA security personnel powers that have little to do with the primary mission of “executive protection,” and potentially creates a pretext for use or abuse of these powers for the purposes of general domestic law enforcement – something no element of the CIA has ever been empowered to perform.

...more...

[electropop]

1. Holy Crap, it's the SS.

The time to impeach is NOW. The time to eliminate the GOP from Congress is NOW. This is too dangerous to mess with any more. Next warning of Bush's insanity will be in the form of a mushroom cloud.

:nuke:

[KoKo]

2. Once all these powers are "given" who will take them back?..frightening..

Even with a Democratic President...won't abuses of power like this be hard to overturn? What if another Repug is elected....

:scared:

[Ikonoklast]

3. And who will arrest the CIA Stormtroopers when they

are committing felonies? The local P.D.? Ugottabekiddinme.......!

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. Ugottabekiddinme

Was that a division of the SS or the KGB?

In either case, I agree that is the direction we are heading.

[Roland99]

5. So, the FBI is to be replaced by spooks managed by GOP partisan hacks?

:scared:

[Daphne08]

6. K&R

:kick:

[leveymg]

7. This is how the Treasury Police in El Salvador got started

But, they didn't have Total Information Awareness.

[vickitulsa]

15. I remember hearing something about this...

Not sure now of the details, but I suspect there is a pattern historically of power-mad rulers hiding their legislative moves in offices or agencies the public would little suspect as a danger to them. Putting big teeth into obscure government operations or ones we don't think of as having police powers doesn't guarantee that persons in those groups will limit activities to their own sphere. Rather it risks their taking BIG BITES of territory not their own.

[leveymg]

16. Secret detentions, secret laws, secret agencies big and small.

When Congress tried to put a leash on CIA after the Church Committee hearings, we got the Bush-led "retired" CIA offic ers that did the October Surprise and Iran-Contra.

Beware the private NSA and CIA contractors. They're running those places now, and there are NO legal controls over them.

[vickitulsa]

19. Exactly.

I've been worried about these "unofficial" branches of the military too, for the same reason. Once the public allows the government to use our (tax) money to pay for broad-based activities that don't include using the official policing branches of known agencies and departments, we've totally lost control.

I'm going to see if I can find out what percentage of "troops" in Iraq and Afghanistan are NOT regulation U.S. military these days. Mercenaries are mercenaries, no matter what you call them....

And if our govt establishes the use of "para" military operations elsewhere, it's not a big step to see them brought into play domestically -- which should scare the pants off of anyone who hasn't lost the power to think. Don't like the idea of Regular Army or even National Guard troops imposing martial law in hometown America? Well, just bring in the "privately owned" but government-hired and -dispersed mercenaries. They can wear less intimidating garments and gear and our leaders can claim they are simply being put into service "to protect us" by the CIA or any other agency. FBI, if that would make Americans feel safer. (Not that I think it would.)

Do most American citizens even UNDERSTAND that the CIA is not supposed to operate within our borders?? I get the feeling these days it's not common knowledge.

[leveymg]

22. The regular Army will have to put the corporate warlords down.

Private intel have already gotten into political dirty tricks. Look at MZM-Cunningham. Abramoff is another side of it. The next layer will have to be rooted out by DIA and, when they resist, dealt with by Special Forces.

[Ian David]

8. Here's how to get Republicans to vote against this bill...

Call Republican congress-critters and tell them you're afraid that elements within The CIA will use this power to arrest the George W. Bush and Dick Cheney for leaking the names of their operatives.

[leveymg]

9. Candidates for extraordinary rendition?

There's a Gulfstream V waiting for those two.

[MikeNearMcChord]

10. Attention Comrades!

We have noticed your attitudes, yes your attitudes! Your less than enthusiastic support of our great and glorious leader Great Comrade Brother Shrubious is grounds for us to remit all of you to the Great Halliburton Patriotic Encouragement Centers located in Indiana, Texas, Arizona, and the special Halliburton Patriotic Encouragement Center in Barrow Alaska, report soon as possible.:patriot: B-)

[DBoon]

11. Will the NSA arrest me

if I find the prime factors of a very very large number?

[The Stranger]

12. This heard from NSA Baltimore Office:

"OH SHIT, HERE COME THE QUAKERS!"

[vickitulsa]

13. I'm worried about the future of our party, not just theirs.

Now wait, let me explain.

One of the "big picture" issues which has begun to disturb me more and more of late is the fact that increased powers granted to offices and positions now held by Republicans, up to and including the White House, could well pose irresistible temptation for abuse of such powers to any Democrats who might hold these positions in the future!

What a horror it would be, if we Democrats managed to take over the majority in one or both houses of Congress and even the White House, only to see our Dems thus empowered giving in to feelings of revenge upon those who have done so much to harm our country. They might also feel they can do much "good" with increased powers, but commit wrongs instead, unchecked. Giving ANYONE in office wider powers, including police powers, risks corrupting the integrity of even the best men and women.

I had never heard of POGO, but I have bookmarked their Website and will be checking in to learn more about their work. It seems to be a good group -- and one with the expertise and familiarity with the ways and paperwork of government so that they are able to couch recommendations in effective legal terms.

Here's a further quote from the letter in the OP:

<< Finally, recent years have seen a number of confusing national security situations develop based on the opinions of the Office of the Attorney General. It is our view that if Congress wishes to legislate expanded powers to CIA law enforcement personnel, Congress should do so with precision and detail, and not leave the finer points to the Executive Branch. >>

Heaven knows we are concerned about any oversight or expanded powers of any kind that might be given to AG Gonzales! But wouldn't such expansion of power present any future AG with temptations for abuse as well?

It seems insane to me that ANY of the changes the Republicans are currently making to our system of government be allowed to stand. We trust our Dems a lot now, but would we still feel safe if they swept into office and found themselves the benefactors of extended powers?

A scary thought indeed.

[gordianot]

18. Correct no one needs domestic CIA, or Defense Intelligence Agency police.

[flyarm]

14. freaking nazi's!!!! k&R..n/t

[Sinti]

17. I'm actually surprised this didn't come sooner.

I guess it took a while for Deathsquad Negroponte to get his footing solid. This is damn disturbing. The CIA is not an agency that is respectful of either the Bill of Rights, civil rights, democratic process, judicial restraint, rule or law, or any of those other quaint, old fashioned ideas that the country was founded on. They are there to get the job done, how they get it done doesn't matter. They didn't let them operate on American soil and American citizens for a damn good reason.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

20. Will they be issued fashionable black leather trenchcoats & armbands?

And, taught to say "Ihre papiere, gefallen."

[HereSince1628]

21. Well, the good news is the last Stalinist empire collapse, we can hope

that we get as lucky. Unfortunately if it follows that pattern it means a 70 year wait. Maybe Gore Vidal had it right when he said it'll take 4 generations to undo Bush's monstrosities and repair America.

[Jim Warren]

23. And using the internet will be construed as

interstate trafficking?

[drfresh]

24. Kick ...

This made my stomach sick. If this is true, noise should be made. More people should read it.