10-17-2002, 12:15 PM
Here is an update. The fucking liberal ACLU is against using govt help to help in this case. Maybe if he shot their wife or husband or one of their kids, they might feel differently.
The American Civil Liberties Union said Wednesday it was examining legal questions raised by the Pentagon's decision to deploy military personnel and equipment in the Washington area sniper shootings.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld signed an order Tuesday allowing Army RC7 and U21 surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to be used in the sniper hunt.
The all-weather aircraft -- spy planes, essentially -- are small fixed-wing airplanes packed with advanced technology, including sensors.
Troops will operate the planes and equipment and point out potential targets to local law enforcement authorities, which will request their use as needed.
The ACLU said it was examining whether the order might violate parts of the Posse Comitatus Act, an 1878 law prohibiting the military from direct involvement in civilian law enforcement.
"We are monitoring what the Defense Department may do in terms of providing surveillance information to domestic law enforcement," said Laura Murphy, director of the ACLU Washington office.
"They are asserting that they are complying with the spirit of the law in the Posse Comitatus Act, and we are analyzing that to determine whether or not they are.
"We are not prepared to say, to assert, that they are or are not," Murphy said. "We are looking at what they are saying, what they are doing and looking at how it compares to the law."
Murphy's comments were in response to a question at an ACLU news conference announcing a campaign to "defend the Constitution" against the Justice Department's search for terrorist cells and al Qaeda supporters.
The $3.5 million campaign includes $1 million in TV advertising in 10 markets. Although the ads -- sharply critical of Attorney General John Ashcroft -- will begin running before Election Day, November 5, the ACLU said the campaign is not aimed directly at specific candidates in the congressional elections.
Military sources said the participation in the sniper probe would avoid any potential conflict with the Posse Comitatus Act.
Civil libertarian groups such as the ACLU have been concerned about the Bush administration possibly casting a critical eye on the Posse Comitatus Act, particularly as the United States carries out its war against terrorists and implements its homeland defense strategy.
The American Civil Liberties Union said Wednesday it was examining legal questions raised by the Pentagon's decision to deploy military personnel and equipment in the Washington area sniper shootings.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld signed an order Tuesday allowing Army RC7 and U21 surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to be used in the sniper hunt.
The all-weather aircraft -- spy planes, essentially -- are small fixed-wing airplanes packed with advanced technology, including sensors.
Troops will operate the planes and equipment and point out potential targets to local law enforcement authorities, which will request their use as needed.
The ACLU said it was examining whether the order might violate parts of the Posse Comitatus Act, an 1878 law prohibiting the military from direct involvement in civilian law enforcement.
"We are monitoring what the Defense Department may do in terms of providing surveillance information to domestic law enforcement," said Laura Murphy, director of the ACLU Washington office.
"They are asserting that they are complying with the spirit of the law in the Posse Comitatus Act, and we are analyzing that to determine whether or not they are.
"We are not prepared to say, to assert, that they are or are not," Murphy said. "We are looking at what they are saying, what they are doing and looking at how it compares to the law."
Murphy's comments were in response to a question at an ACLU news conference announcing a campaign to "defend the Constitution" against the Justice Department's search for terrorist cells and al Qaeda supporters.
The $3.5 million campaign includes $1 million in TV advertising in 10 markets. Although the ads -- sharply critical of Attorney General John Ashcroft -- will begin running before Election Day, November 5, the ACLU said the campaign is not aimed directly at specific candidates in the congressional elections.
Military sources said the participation in the sniper probe would avoid any potential conflict with the Posse Comitatus Act.
Civil libertarian groups such as the ACLU have been concerned about the Bush administration possibly casting a critical eye on the Posse Comitatus Act, particularly as the United States carries out its war against terrorists and implements its homeland defense strategy.