I wrote the following to my Senator. I hope you agree.
Dear Senator XXXXXXXX,
It’s been recently reported that former Governor and Director of Homeland Defense Tom Ridge, is reporting in his book due out in September that he felt he was pressured into announcing false terror alerts to the American public.
"Ridge was never invited to sit in on National Security Council meetings; was "blindsided" by the FBI in morning Oval Office meetings because the agency withheld critical information from him; found his urgings to block Michael Brown from being named head of the emergency agency blamed for the Hurricane Katrina disaster ignored; and was pushed to raise the security alert on the eve of President Bush's re-election, something he saw as politically motivated and worth resigning over."
This proves two things. One, that the Bush administration used TERROR against United States citizens -- for political gain. Secondly, it proves that Tom Ridge is a hypocrite and a liar. He denied this accusation previously on August 3, 2004 when he raised the alert,
"I wish I could give them all Top Secret clearances and let them review the information that some of us have the responsibility to review. We don't do politics in the Department of Homeland Security."
Congress passed the Patriot Act back in October 26, 2001.
Wikipedia has it described as:
"The Act increases the ability of law enforcement agencies to search telephone, e-mail communications, medical, financial, and other records; eases restrictions on foreign intelligence gathering within the United States; expands the Secretary of the Treasury’s authority to regulate financial transactions, particularly those involving foreign individuals and entities; and enhances the discretion of law enforcement and immigration authorities in detaining and deporting immigrants suspected of terrorism-related acts. The act also expands the definition of terrorism to include domestic terrorism, thus enlarging the number of activities to which the USA PATRIOT Act’s expanded law enforcement powers can be applied."
Wikipedia also describes Title VIII Terrorism Criminal Law
Title VIII alters the definitions of terrorism, and establishes or re-defines rules with which to deal with it. It redefined the term "domestic terrorism" to broadly include mass destruction as well as assassination or kidnapping as a terrorist activity. The definition also encompasses activities that are "dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State" and are intended to "intimidate or coerce a civilian population," "influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion," or are undertaken "to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping" while in the jurisdiction of the United States.
In lieu of this information from Tom Ridge and previous reports of political abuse of power by President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and others during their two terms in office, it is time to add an amendment to the Patriot Act.
While I am by no means a lawyer, I’m sure something to the effect of the following could be added to the Act.
TITLE VIII--STRENGTHENING THE CRIMINAL LAWS AGAINST TERRORISM
SEC. 802. DEFINITION OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM.
DOMESTIC TERRORISM DEFINED- Section 2331 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—
‘‘(B) appear to be intended—
‘‘(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
‘‘(ii) to influence the policy of a government by
intimidation or coercion,
All of the above actions include abuses of power by any and all persons in governmental positions within the U.S. government; this includes those governmental positions at the local, state, federal, congressional, judicial and executive levels of government.
While I’m sure someone else could write this amended statement much better than I, I’m sure you understand my goal.
The Bush administration used its powers within government to enhance their positions in office and to accomplish their own political agendas; these acts are acts of terrorism. They used intimation and coercion against a civilian population in doing so.
I would also add that this amendment be written in such a way to have the law retroactive to the beginning of the Patriot Act being written in October of 2001.
Unites States Attorney Eric Holder should then proceed to prosecute any and all officials that committed these horrific acts of terrorism.