Sunday, February 08, 2004
Now this is freaky. Here's some highlights:
"Four of the subpoenas went to Des Moines peace activists, who were told to appear Tuesday before a federal grand jury. One went to Drake University, asking for information about the anti-war conference and records of the National Lawyers Guild local chapter.
The U.S. attorney's office in Des Moines convinced a judge Thursday to issue an order under seal - described by peace-movement sources as a gag order - to prohibit Drake employees from talking about the document search.
The subpoena demanded records from campus security reflecting any observations of the Nov. 15 conference, including "any records of persons in charge or control of the meeting, and any records of attendees of the meeting." Drake University President David Maxwell declined to comment Friday on how the university would respond.
"I don't like the smell of it," said Sen. Tom Harkin, adding that he did not know details of the investigation. "It reminds me too much of Vietnam when war protesters were rounded up, when grand juries were convened to investigate people who were protesting the war."
"Rep. Steve King, a Republican from Kiron, said it appeared the government was using significant resources to investigate a relatively minor protest."
And here's a response by Mr. Terrell of the Catholic Peace Ministry.
Yesterday, February 3, Detective Jeff Warford of the Polk County Sheriff's Office-FBI-Joint Terrorism Task Force came to Catholic Peace Ministry's office here in Des Moines with a subpoena for me to testify before a Federal Grand Jury next Tuesday, February 10. Mr. Warford also served papers on Elton Davis at the Catholic Worker House and Patti McKee, who was coordinator of Iowa Peace Network until last month. The Grand Jury process is shrouded in secrecy. We do not know who or what the object of this investigation may be, beyond "possible violations of federal criminal law in the Southern District of Iowa."
The proceeding will be behind closed doors. We may not have an attorney present. We have the right to plead the Fifth Amendment, refusing the answer questions that might incriminate us. The government, then, can offer us immunity from prosecution, in which case we will obliged to answer under threat of contempt of court and could be imprisoned for the length of the Grand Jury session, 18 months, should we continue to refuse to answer. This immunity would be limited to our own testimony and anything any of us say could be used against the others.
Whatever is going on, this is definitely an escalation on the part of the government's war on dissent and clamp down on civil liberties. The fact that anything that we three and the peacemaking communities we represent could possibly attract the notice of a "Terrorism Task Force" is reprehensible. Please spread the word, express concerns you have with Federal and Polk County authorities. Keep us in mind and prayer.
Brian Terrell
Executive Director
Catholic Peace Ministry
This is chilling to say the least. Civil Libertarians, conservatives, and active religious organizations should be highly concerned. Obviously without the full scope of information it is difficult to comment on fully; however, when put in context with the Patriot Act, the right of the government to hold any person as an "enemy combatant" (Padilla--though now there is talk he may be moved to a civilian court--of course the Justice Dept. is fighting this), and the "Free Speech Zones", there is no doubt that this may mark the future of dissent and how it will be reacted to.
I'll be following this story closely as I hope all of you will as well.
--sidebar: I have always been hesitant about Bush's faith-based programs. On the surface they seem like a decent and moral idea. Give neighborhood organizations the money to help their neighborhoods, however, we all know how the Federal Government uses money to squeeze the states (raise the drinking age to 21 or lose funding; enact he no child left behind or lose funding, etc.) what's to stop them from saying Pastor, Reverand, Father, reign in your congregation on (abortion, death penalty, civil rights, war) or lose funding? Talk about a Catch-22. Help people who really need it or fight for a "higher" purpose? I'm ashamed to say, many would probably go with help the people on the ground and pray about the higher purpose. Let someone else risk their necks. ----- Thoughts?
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"Four of the subpoenas went to Des Moines peace activists, who were told to appear Tuesday before a federal grand jury. One went to Drake University, asking for information about the anti-war conference and records of the National Lawyers Guild local chapter.
The U.S. attorney's office in Des Moines convinced a judge Thursday to issue an order under seal - described by peace-movement sources as a gag order - to prohibit Drake employees from talking about the document search.
The subpoena demanded records from campus security reflecting any observations of the Nov. 15 conference, including "any records of persons in charge or control of the meeting, and any records of attendees of the meeting." Drake University President David Maxwell declined to comment Friday on how the university would respond.
"I don't like the smell of it," said Sen. Tom Harkin, adding that he did not know details of the investigation. "It reminds me too much of Vietnam when war protesters were rounded up, when grand juries were convened to investigate people who were protesting the war."
"Rep. Steve King, a Republican from Kiron, said it appeared the government was using significant resources to investigate a relatively minor protest."
And here's a response by Mr. Terrell of the Catholic Peace Ministry.
Yesterday, February 3, Detective Jeff Warford of the Polk County Sheriff's Office-FBI-Joint Terrorism Task Force came to Catholic Peace Ministry's office here in Des Moines with a subpoena for me to testify before a Federal Grand Jury next Tuesday, February 10. Mr. Warford also served papers on Elton Davis at the Catholic Worker House and Patti McKee, who was coordinator of Iowa Peace Network until last month. The Grand Jury process is shrouded in secrecy. We do not know who or what the object of this investigation may be, beyond "possible violations of federal criminal law in the Southern District of Iowa."
The proceeding will be behind closed doors. We may not have an attorney present. We have the right to plead the Fifth Amendment, refusing the answer questions that might incriminate us. The government, then, can offer us immunity from prosecution, in which case we will obliged to answer under threat of contempt of court and could be imprisoned for the length of the Grand Jury session, 18 months, should we continue to refuse to answer. This immunity would be limited to our own testimony and anything any of us say could be used against the others.
Whatever is going on, this is definitely an escalation on the part of the government's war on dissent and clamp down on civil liberties. The fact that anything that we three and the peacemaking communities we represent could possibly attract the notice of a "Terrorism Task Force" is reprehensible. Please spread the word, express concerns you have with Federal and Polk County authorities. Keep us in mind and prayer.
Brian Terrell
Executive Director
Catholic Peace Ministry
This is chilling to say the least. Civil Libertarians, conservatives, and active religious organizations should be highly concerned. Obviously without the full scope of information it is difficult to comment on fully; however, when put in context with the Patriot Act, the right of the government to hold any person as an "enemy combatant" (Padilla--though now there is talk he may be moved to a civilian court--of course the Justice Dept. is fighting this), and the "Free Speech Zones", there is no doubt that this may mark the future of dissent and how it will be reacted to.
I'll be following this story closely as I hope all of you will as well.
--sidebar: I have always been hesitant about Bush's faith-based programs. On the surface they seem like a decent and moral idea. Give neighborhood organizations the money to help their neighborhoods, however, we all know how the Federal Government uses money to squeeze the states (raise the drinking age to 21 or lose funding; enact he no child left behind or lose funding, etc.) what's to stop them from saying Pastor, Reverand, Father, reign in your congregation on (abortion, death penalty, civil rights, war) or lose funding? Talk about a Catch-22. Help people who really need it or fight for a "higher" purpose? I'm ashamed to say, many would probably go with help the people on the ground and pray about the higher purpose. Let someone else risk their necks. ----- Thoughts?
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