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Friend,
We’ve been fighting the Patriot Act, and the invasive spying powers built into it, for the better part of 6 years. And many of you have been with us every step of the way.
While these powers have always been dangerous, what we are seeing today is truly shocking. Abuse by police and the federal government is rampant. This is no longer a time to talk about reforming vast federal-surveillance powers. We need Congress to end the Patriot Act. And we need lawmakers to do this now.
The federal government is escalating its attacks against protesters and political opponents. Trump has sent violent and secretive federal forces into several states — and if what happened in Portland is a sign of what’s to come, we can expect even more unidentified feds driving unmarked vans to swoop into cities and abduct people exercising their First Amendment rights.1
This is not normal. And it’s clearer than ever that we shouldn’t renew the federal government’s power to spy on activists, journalists and political opponents. Tell your members of Congress to vote NO on reauthorizing the Patriot Act and reject any attempt to spy on people without a warrant.
Reauthorizing the Patriot Act would put more people in danger of being surveilled and targeted by the Trump administration. We can’t let this happen.
Thanks for all you do,
Lucia and the rest of the Free Press Action team
freepress.net
P.S. Congress is debating whether to renew the Patriot right now. Tell lawmakers it’s unacceptable to give the federal government more spying power when Trump has directed federal forces to abduct and detain protesters for exercising their First Amendment rights.
1. “Federal Law Enforcement Use Unmarked Vehicles to Grab Protesters Off Portland Streets,” OPB, July 16, 2020
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