4th Congressional District candidates
On the issues:
The Patriot Act
(Fifth of a series)

Aug. 4 -- Question: Do you support the renewal of the Patriot Act? Why or why not?

Gerald H. Boyle: I am in complete favor of the PATRIOT Act. It gives law enforcement the tools needed to fight the war on terror. While some may claim that the Act infringes on our civil rights, I know as a criminal defense lawyer that there are courts and lawyers and organizations like the ACLU that will protect our rights. I can't think of one case of civil rights abuse stemming from the PATRIOT Act since it's inception.

Corey Hoze: did not respond.

Democrats

Tim Carpenter:  The Patriot Act is something we should not be afraid to fix. The Patriot Act’s allowing of widespread wiretapping, secret home searches, the searching of any records whatsoever without judicial oversight does not make our society safer or better. Law enforcement must have the tools needed to keep us safe, but not at the expense of the very constitutional principles that define us as a free society.

Matt Flynn: I do not support the renewal of the Patriot Act unless significant provisions are changed. The current Patriot Act is an attack on civil liberties and individual privacy. It overrides Fourth Amendment protections and normal search warrant procedure to give virtually unlimited power to the government to intrude in our lives. In the name of Homeland Security, the Ashcroft Justice Department has far too much power. It should be curtailed.

Gwen Moore: We cannot allow the threat of terrorism to be exploited and used as an excuse to compromise our personal freedoms. The Patriot Act has infringed on the civil liberties of many Americans. I believe the recent Supreme Court ruling that prisoners in Guantanamo Bay have the right to due process and to contest their detention has highlighted how willing the Bush Administration has been to trample on individuals’ civil rights. I do not support the renewal of the Patriot Act and in Congress, I will stand up for the civil liberties of all Americans.

Independents

Tim Johnson: I believe the Patriot Act has been very useful in facilitating greater communication between federal agencies such as the CIA and FBI. Such collaborative efforts can only enhance our defense of terrorism. I also believe that the same techniques used to catch drug dealers and members of the mafia should also be allowed to continue to be used in the pursuit of terrorists. On the other hand, some civil liberties have been put at risk. I could support renewing a form of the Patriot Act that contains more provisions for protecting civil liberties.