Green Party Supports USA Freedom Act - Calls For More

Green Party Shadow Cabinet member Shahid Buttar issued the following statement on October 8th:

The Green Shadow Cabinet joined dozens of grassroots advocacy organizations from across the political spectrum, comprising a diverse array of organizations representing millions of Americans from every region of the country signing a letter to Congress calling for substantial reforms to surveillance authorities. The letter initiated by the Bill of Rights Defense Committee (BORDC), supports the USA FREEDOM Act, but recognizes that while the legislation would be a step in the right direction, it does not go nearly far enough to protect fundamental constitutional rights.

The letter states, that “[w]hile we hope the USA FREEDOM Act would impose restraints on mass violations by the NSA and FBI, we recognize that, as currently drafted, S. 2685 fails to address [several specific] vital concerns.” It specifically notes several surveillance authorities left unconstrained by the USA FREEDOM Act, such as Internet surveillance under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the back door search loophole, and domestic spying conducted in secret under Executive Order 12333. The letter also addresses checks and balances, noting the need to overcome judicial deference to illegitimate executive secrecy, the broken classification system, and inadequate protections for whistleblowers.

Shahid Buttar, Green Shadow Cabinet Civil Rights Enforcement Director, and BORDC’s executive director, said, “Voices from every region of the U.S., and across the political spectrum, agree that Congress must stop the NSA dragnet. This coalition letter represents the united voice of diverse Americans who want our rights back.”

Green Shadow Cabinet Attorney General, Kevin Zeese, commented that, "The Congress has thus far turned a blind eye toward the dragnet surveillance of the NSA that turns constitutional protections from unreasonable searches on its head. The passage of this first step will only begin to correct the problems of NSA surveillance, and much more is needed. Indeed, on the agenda for Congress should be disbanding the NSA, which does more to harm than help the security of the United States and its people.”

Read more on the People's Blog for the Constitution - Here