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News Release

May 30, 2002

No Problem With New FBI Surveillance Guidelines, Scholar Says

WASHINGTON--The Justice Department is expected to announce today new guidelines giving greater latitude to FBI agents to monitor Internet sites, libraries, and religious institutions without first having to offer evidence of potential criminal activity. Roger Pilon, vice president for legal affairs at the Cato Institute and a former Justice Department official, had the following remarks:

"As reported in the press, the new FBI surveillance guidelines present no serious problems. Especially under post-September 11 circumstances, law enforcement monitoring of public places is simply good, pro-active police work that violates the rights of no one. The same is true for topical research not directly related to a specific crime, which the new guidelines will permit.

"Depending on how the work is conducted, there is always the potential for abuse, of course. But unless the new latitude leads to significant abuse, that potential should not preclude officials from taking an active role not simply in prosecuting but in preventing crime as well."

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September 11, 2008

Feds Bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Next President to Inherit a $500 Billion Deficit

Obama Unveils New Education Proposals

Democrats' Offshore Drilling Plan Renews Partisan Energy Battle

Coming September 17th to the Cato Institute: Constitution Day 2008

[Dispatch Archives]

Upcoming Studies

"A Matter of Trust: Why Congress Should Turn Federal Lands into Fiduciary Trusts," by Randal O'Toole


"Does Barack Obama Support Socialized Medicine?," by Michael Cannon


"A Critique of the National Popular Vote Plan for Electing the President," by John Samples


"A Federal Renewable Electricity Requirement: What’s Not to Like?," by Robert Michaels