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The House Judiciary Committee on Friday met to discuss reauthorization of the Patriot Act but the hearing ended abruptly when committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., abruptly gaveled the meeting to an end and walked out, followed by other Republicans. Sensenbrenner declared that much of the testimony, which veered into debate over the detainees at Guantanamo Bay (search), was irrelevant.

Sensenbrenner left Democrats shouting into turned-off microphones at the raucous hearing as both sides accused each other of being irresponsible and undemocratic.

Hearing witnesses included: Chip Pitts, chairman of the Amnesty International USA Board; James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute; Deborah Pearlstein, director of the U.S. Law and Security Program of Human Rights First; and Carlina Tapia Ruano of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Tempers flared when Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., accused Amnesty International of endangering the lives of Americans in uniform by referring to the prison at Guantanamo Bay as a "gulag." Sensenbrenner didn't allow the Amnesty representative, Chip Pitts, to respond until Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., raised a "point of decency."

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I know, I know. Edge of your seats and all. Does the Chair really recognize himself?



The New York Times had this:

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WASHINGTON, June 10 - A hearing on the antiterrorism law known as the USA Patriot Act degenerated into chaos on Friday, as Representative F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. called Democrats "irresponsible," gaveled the session to a premature close and stormed out of the room.

"I think this hearing very, very clearly shows what the opponents of the Patriot Act are doing," said Mr. Sensenbrenner, Republican of Wisconsin and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. "They will talk about practically everything but what is in the Patriot Act," he said, before closing: "Thank you all for coming. The committee is adjourned."

Representative Jerrold D. Nadler, Democrat of New York, protested, "Point of order!" as the Republican committee members filed out of the room; the staff eventually unplugged his microphone. "Even though the chairman is not going to listen," Mr. Nadler continued, "those of us who question some of the actions of the administration are seeking to make sure that our tradition of liberty and freedom is continued unsullied."

After Mr. Nadler spoke, one witness, Dr. James J. Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, continued to testify, but about the hearing itself. "As we are lecturing foreign governments," he said, "I am really troubled by what kind of lesson this is going to teach to other countries in the world."

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(here's a picture of some lucky folks who got to witness this cunning display of American democracy first-hand.)

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cont'd
The hearing had grown heated well before Mr. Sensenbrenner pounded the gavel. After Chip Pitts, chairman of Amnesty International, said the detentions in Guant�namo Bay, Cuba, were "the gulag of our time," Representative Mike Pence, Republican of Indiana, called the comparison "anti-historical, irresponsible and the type of rhetoric that endangers American lives."

In a statement, Representative Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California and the minority leader, said, "The Republicans' abuse of power reached a new low this morning."

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Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., protested, raising his voice as his microphone went off, came back on, and went off again.

"We are not besmirching the honor of the United States, we are trying to uphold it," he said...

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Originally posted by Balaam Xumucane:
Sensenbrenner left Democrats shouting into turned-off microphones at the raucous hearing as both sides accused each other of being irresponsible and undemocratic.

Hearing witnesses included: Chip Pitts, chairman of the Amnesty International USA Board; James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute; Deborah Pearlstein, director of the U.S. Law and Security Program of Human Rights First; and Carlina Tapia Ruano of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

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Cause, who the fuck cares what they think, right?
Not like they have anything to say or a rught to be heard or anything....

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Originally posted by TSN:
Wolverine could so do a better job at national security than the current incumbents.

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Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas)
Thank you very much Mr. Conyers for your insight in holding what I feel may be one of the more crucial Constitutional hearings that we may have in the history of this particular judiciary body. Let me also thank Mr. Cobble and Mr. Scott as a member of their sub-committee for the number of hearings that have been held and as well recognize the fact that this hearing is being held today.

I don't want for this hearing to center around any one member, but I do want to relate what I think we are trying to do today. And I really hope we can do this in a bi-partisan manner. I think you remember Dr. Zogby that we did produce a bi-partisan patriot act out of this committee with the partnership of the Chairman and the Ranking Member and all of them. Ultimately when the bill went to the floor it lost all of its bipartisanship and began to become a product of the majority. In essence, the tyranny of the majority ruled.

What I'm concerned about is that we are being clouded by our rightness on an issue, refusing to look at how we can fix problems. It reminds me of the time when this country held slaves for 400 years and refused to acknowledge the wrongness of that terrible act. And again we were ruled by the tyranny of the majority. Even reflecting upon President Lincoln's decision, history will tell you that it was not for the humanitarian needs of the slaves, but for some other reason.

And then I cite prior to the attacks by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor our refusal to acknowledge the holocaust that was going on in the 30's before we entered World War II. Again, refusing to acknowledge dark times in our history. Brutality of the Civil Rights Movement in the 50's and 60's where we refused for a period of time to acknowledge the dark times in the history of America. Just a few years ago when we turned the lights out on the brutality and the murder of a million people in Rwanda.

And so I think what we have the opportunity to do today, as we all embrace those who lost lives, and the families of 9/11. I don't think there was an American of any race, color or creed that did not mourn, did not fall to their knees, did not pray to their person of faith who they believed in during that time. And so I think where we're going here today, and the tone that I've heard by some of my colleagues is again trying to turn the lights out on absolute abuses.

My question is one: Are there any checks and balances under the Patriot Act to even prove ones innocence. That's a general question that I have.

Ms. Ruano, I want to know what have we done by diminishing the powers of the Bureau of Immigration Appeals so that there is no due process? How do Americans understand that by eliminating due process from that Bureau you're really beginning to eliminate due process rights for others as well?

Dr. Zogby I think it's important, a point that you made earlier, that immigration does not equate to terrorism. Tell me what kind of intimidation is fusing through the Muslim community in the United States and around the world because of that synonym now seems to be coming together.

Amnesty International, Ms. Pearlstein, er, not Ms. Pearlstein. But um, Amnesty International, I'd appreciate if you would again speak to Guantanamo Bay and as well the specifics of why the sort of elusiveness or the, the unclarity, if I might say, of what Guantanamo Bay means is putting young soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq in jeopardy of their lives.

And Ms. Pearlstien, I would ask you as well about-- if you would again speak to this whole question of detention. People being picked up randomly. And others may wish to comment on the whole registration of Muslims or Pakistani individuals which generated, I believe, no conviction and no arrests for terrorism.

And lastly, let me say, under the Patriot Act, we have MinuteMen at the border. That is what we are being driven to at this point. America needs to understand that we're in dark days that is not reflective of our fears of 9/11. And I appreciate your answers on those questions, I hope that we can turn the lights on in this room.

Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisconsin)
19 seconds left of her five minutes.

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