ACLU expected to file lawsuit against Patriot Act
From Kevin Bohn
CNN
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The American Civil Liberties Union is expected to file a lawsuit in federal court Wednesday charging that portions of the Patriot Act, the anti-terrorism law passed in the wake of the September 11 attacks, are unconstitutional.
An ACLU spokeswoman declined to give any specifics of the suit, saying details would be announced at a news conference Wednesday.
The lawsuit comes "amid growing concern about the scope and potential harm of the Patriot Act and related policies," an ACLU statement said.
Attorney General John Ashcroft, during a recent West Coast tour, repeatedly hailed the Patriot Act as a key tool in the fight against terrorism.
Some of the provisions of the law include facilitating more sharing of information between law enforcement and intelligence agencies and making it easier to conduct wiretaps.
Critics argue the Patriot Act also makes it easier for searches of businesses, libraries and bookstores, but Justice Department officials argue any such searches still have to be approved by a court.
One of the more controversial elements of the law involves what are called "sneak and peek" searches of homes and other locations where the owners are informed only after the search has been conducted.
Last week, the House of Representatives voted to bar the Justice Department from executing such searches under a provision of the Patriot Act, which the ACLU calls secret searches.
The Justice Department is urging Congress to overturn the prohibition. In a letter last week to House Speaker Rep. Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, the Justice Department said the idea of delaying notification of such searches is "to prevent tipping off terrorists in the war on terror" and is a "long-existing, crime-fighting tool."
