RNC rubbed off on Democratic Rep in St Paul, MN.. propose a disturbing snooping Bill

[annm4peace]

I thought the Democrats (or in MN the DFL) would be repealing bills that took away our Civil Liberties.. not trying to erode more of them.

This would let a lot of stuff be held permanently secret by the police agencies, and they would be able to copy most anything to the feds and corporate pals (regardless of whether it was even accurate).



http://www.politicsinminnesota.com/2009/mar09/2295/criminal-intelligence-data-or-control-files-new-bca-proposal-offers-glimpse-major-ex

A plan to redefine statewide law enforcement intelligence-gathering has emerged in the form of Sen. Don Betzold's (DFL-Fridley) aptly titled Criminal Intelligence Data bill (SF1103, no House version). SF1103 offers to redefine the state's fundamental perception of its citizens (as well as economic security), by reorganizing and redefining "criminal intelligence data" concerning "terrorist activity," and likely expanding the maintenance of personal information. Blogger Eric Pusey broke the story; now we've found where the bill came from.

Betzold tells PIM that he was sent the bill by the BCA around a week ago; essentially, it's an agency bill, and if there are issues with it, they'll get their time in committee. It's currently in Judiciary and likely to spend time in the Data Practices subcommittee (possibly on Wednesday at 6 p.m., a source tells us). He says that a group of people mostly from BCA worked it out over the interim and talked to him late last year. He'll work on getting the bill through the Senate process, but adds he has nothing to do with shopping the bill to possible House authors.

[napoleon_in_rags]

1. Five critical paragraphs:

Rooted in a new paradigm of law enforcement data collection, SF1103 expands the gathering of what intelligence professionals now call "I2" or Identity Intelligence, in a striking and open-ended way. SF1103 turns personal relationships into "association data," and it also says that the "criminal predicate" to snoop is merely the "reasonable possibility that a person is involved in criminal or terrorist activity." As long as this utterly vague condition is met, law enforcement agencies can maintain and disseminate reams of"association data" and "criminal intelligence data."

(definition of the above from another site: )

However, there is a new "INT" on the block: "Identity Intelligence" or "I2." I2collects personally-identifiable data on individuals from biometrics such as fingerprints, facial recognition, gait analysis, human identification-at-a-distance, DNA, retina and iris scans, hand geometry and other personal data collection systems; financial data from automatic teller machine and credit and debit card transactions; and global positioning system data capture from the use of cell phones and Blackberry devices. When coupled with Geospatial intelligence (GEOINT), I2 can be displayed on large scale and work station electronic maps in intelligence fusion centers that have been popularized by movies such as "Body of Lies" and "Quantum Solace."

...

Under SF1103, tracking of individuals would be “wide open,” including for people like pot smokers, says Samuelson, though O’Malley says odds are information on possible minor crimes won’t be investigated.

...

Another thread: SF1103 could join the long history of anti-labor security laws in Minnesota, first the 1917 Criminal Syndicalism law, then the 2002 Anti-Terrorism law (aka the "Minnesota Patriot Act," which says "furtherance of terrorism" is any premeditated felony of "violence to persons or property" beyond $1000 can get 50% more time; the "RNC8" have 16 of these). This could be another tool for law enforcement against disruptive labor tactics, though O’Malley says this kind of angle never came up.

...

One grizzled veteran of the covert Central-American plots of the 1980s, shadow finance guru Al Martin, called the dirty data the government keeps on people the "control files." They create leverage and alter decisions simply by their existence. A final data point: SF1103 would use the criminal intelligence data assessments for background checks for government jobs. Too many control files, and you could never reach the inner loop in the first place.

[annm4peace]

2. Very Disturbing. St Paul is suppose to be progressive

thankfull ret FBI Agent Coleen Rowley is attending the hearing along with others to speak as a public person on why this bill is so dangerous.

Unfortantely it doesn't make the regular newspapes.. instead they are fixated on the release of Sara Jane Olson.

[annm4peace]

3. Story picked up by local Progressive radio and online paper

Mike McIntee, of THE UPTAKE, and 950AM radio in Minneapolis/St. Paul had on two people opposed to the bill who spoke at the hearing: Grace Kelly and Coleen Rowley

and the online paper, Minnesota Monitor, covered it a little bit.
http://minnesotaindependent.com/29613/civil-liberties-advocates-question-government-spying-bill


I hope more news outlets pick up this story.

It seems like "1984" is on its way