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Former State Senator Stan Matsunaka (D) is challenging incumbent Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R). Rep. Musgrave became part of PATRIOTWATCH's infamous spineless ten after flipping her vote on the Sanders-Otter amendment. The amendment to a spending bill would have forbid the FBI from using the Patriot Act to search individuals' library and book-buying records without probable cause of any crime or intent to commit a crime. The vote on the amendment (H.R. 4574) in the House was defeated narrowly (210-210) after failing to receive a simple majority. The amendment appeared on its way to passage until the Republican leadership extended the time limit 20 minutes and persuaded Republicans who originally supported the amendment to change their vote. Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act allows the FBI to secretly access information about U.S. persons (U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents), including library and bookstore records without demonstrating any suspicion that the target is involved in espionage or terrorism. Prior to the PATRIOT Act, the personal records of U.S. persons could only be accessed by the FBI if there were specific and articulable facts giving reason to believe that the person to whom the records pertain is a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power. The PATRIOT Act dropped this requirement of individualized suspicion. Without Congressional approval Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act is set to expire December 31, 2005. Don't reward Rep. Musgrave's political cowardice. Musgrave is no friend of freedom. Give to challenger Stan Matsunaka.
