October 14, 2003
(Updated) City Council Needs To Hear From Supporters Of Resolution Protesting USA PATRIOT Act
Note: This post has been updated. Any and all updates appear at the end of the original post.
Let's get the disclaimer out of the way first: Until the end of June, I was an organizer for the Portland Bill of Rights Defense Committee, working to convince the City Council to approve a resolution supporting civil liberties in the face of the USA PATRIOT Act.
Recently, I passed along the news that the Council was on track to take up such a resolution on October 22. Yesterday, the PDX BoRDC sent email to its endorsers and supporters which indicated that this date had been changed to October 29, although it's not yet listed on the City website as an upcoming agenda item.
According to this email, the City Council finally warmed to the idea of such a resolution a couple of months ago, the PDX BoRDC worked with the ACLU of Oregon in their conversations with City Hall, and Commissioner Dan Saltzman modified the proposed resolution into something he'd be willing to support.
Today's Portland Tribune picks up the story on the local resolution:
Locally, city Commissioner Dan Saltzman said he's well aware of that level of suspicion and distrust. He's sponsoring a resolution that seeks to change parts of the act.
The resolution, set for a public hearing and vote Oct. 29, includes a request that Oregon's congressional delegation pass a bill -- co-sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. -- that would rein in several of the act's more controversial aspects. (Three of Oregon's representatives, Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer and David Wu, all Democrats, voted against the act when the House passed it, 357-66, in October 2001.)
"We're not saying the whole act is wrong or bad," said Saltzman, who expects the resolution -- which is set for the same day as a hearing on renewal of Portland FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force -- to pass. But, he said: "Fear of government undermines the war on terrorism. It undermines our unity and resolve. I think we really can be safe without being afraid of our government."
But the counter-push is on. Reportedly, local right-wing radio host Lars Larson has been urging his listeners to call City Hall and voice their opposition. While a spokesman for Commissioner Saltzman says he doesn't think the calls have been as one-sided as resolution backers are claiming, he did say that Larson managed to "bring out the troops." I'm waiting to hear what the call numbers have been.
Both the Portland Bill of Rights Defense Committee and the ACLU of Oregon have issued urgent action alerts their supporters to contact members of City Council and urge them to "support a strong version" of the resolution, especially in light of the specific anti-resolution agitating by Larson.
Update
A 2:00 PM session to consider the renewal of the Joint Terrorism Task Force agreement with the FBI has been added to the agenda for October 29, but still no specific listing for the civil liberties resolution, unless they intend to fold that into the JTTF hearing, perhaps in part to help blunt criticisms of the City's participation in the Task Force.
Update
"Our office has not received an official confirmation of the USA Patriot Act resolution being heard in front of Portland City Council," emails the Council Clerk. "As of now we have only the JTTF confirmed for 2:00 PM on the 29th. The USA Patriot Act will most likely follow at 3:00 PM once confirmed by Commissioner Saltzman's office."
Update
For what it's worth, the draft resolution currently posted to the Portland Bill of Rights Defense Committee website is not the one currently under consideration by Commissioner Saltzman, but is the text his office took and revised into what he now wants to introduce. The PDX BoRDC is hoping to work with Saltzman's office to make further modifications to the Commissioner's draft.
Update
This just in from the Council Clerk: "Commissioner Saltzman's office has confirmed October 29th at 3:00 PM to hear the USA Patriot Act resolution at Portland City Council." And indeed it is now listed as an agenda item for that day.
Also in this morning is word from Commissioner Saltzman's office that while calls and emails regarding the resolution were at first mostly in opposition, this has now changed to a ratio of 3-1 in favor.