A Justice Department whistle-blower leaked a draft copy of John Ashcroft's proposed "Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003," which would, among other things, give the government authority to revoke someone's American citizenship even if they don't renounce it, allow for the sampling and cataloguing of genetic DNA without consent and without court order, restrict access to information about factories that use dangerous chemicals, give immunity to businesses who phone in fake terrorism tips (so that they'll be encouraged to phone in more often), and protect all federal agents from prosecution for anything they're doing while following orders. All this comes after months of denying that the Justice Department was planning to amend the Patriot Act, and it pretty much announces to the world that Ashcroft believes 9/11 happened because there were too damn many (excuse us, he would never say damn) too darn many civil liberties out there. What the whistle-blower didn't find was Patriot Act III, scheduled for 2004, in which Ashcroft proposes bringing back many of the practices of Ivan the Terrible, including the execution of the entire family and all the household servants of anyone accused of treason.
March 21, 2003 5:20 AM
