Posted on: Tuesday, September 30, 2003

EDITORIAL
Use of Patriot Act must be reined in

In the debate over the USA Patriot Act and the effort to further broaden its extraordinary powers, we are often reminded of why we need this law:

The war on terrorism is a new kind of war, combining criminal investigation and international power politics. The usual tools simply won't work against this new, shadowy enemy, we are told.

That argument has some persuasive power. But the Justice Department is undermining its case with its decision to use elements of the Patriot Act against drug dealers and Internet scam artists.

No one holds out any love for creeps who prey on the innocent and the gullible. But to put these criminals in the same category as international terrorists is stretching the meaning of the law beyond recognition.

Congress is now being asked to amend the law and add even more draconian powers under something called Patriot II.

Rather than roll over and grant what the Justice Department wants, Congress should ask hard questions about how this law — designed as an extraordinary weapon against terrorists — is now apparently being brought to bear on ordinary criminals.