Wired News: Congress Expands FBI Spying Power. This one slipped by — not only me, but most of our representatives! Seems that there was a provision of an intelligence spending bill passed on 11/21/03 which will allow the FBI to subpoena business documents and transactions from a broader range of businesses — everything from libraries to travel agencies to eBay — WITHOUT first seeking approval from a judge. They couldn’t get PATRIOT II passed so Ashcroft et al stuck this nasty provision into an Intelligence spending bill–bill which are considered sensitive, usually drafted in secret and approved without debate or public comment.

Related posts:

1. FBI Used Controversial Patriot Act Provision
2. CDT on The PATRIOT Act and Libraries
3. The USA PATRIOT Act and American Libraries
4. Bush signs parts of Patriot Act II into law Ñ stealthily
5. Free Speech Groups Support Patriot Act Challenge