JONATHAN TURLEY

Various judges have ruled against the Bush Administration’s various national security programs as well as provisions of the Patriot Act. The more conservative courts of appeal have tended to reverse such rulings in the past as in the recent case in Detriot. Now a New York judge has added his voice to the chorus of lawyers and judges crying foul. Click here for story. Notably the judge cites the separation of powers — a long bone of contention with the Bush administration over it tendency to claim unilateral or absolute authority in the areas of national security. The questions remains the intestinal strength of Congress to fight for civil liberties and not just public popularity in changing these misguided laws.