Working with communities to uphold the Bill of Rights Board of Directors January 27, 2011 Lisa Graves, President Attorney General Eric Holder Steve Abrams, Treasurer U.S. Department of Justice Allen Davis, Secretary 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Flavia Alaya Washington, DC 20530-0001 Glenn C. Devitt Dear Attorney General Holder, Kit Gage Jennifer S. Holmes We write to request that you address expanding abuses by the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the 2008 Attorney General’s Guidelines issued by your Gladys Limon predecessor. Despite our diverse political affiliations and interests, we agree that Joan Mandell federal law enforcement agencies should require (at least) individualized suspicion Chip Pitts of criminal activity before initiating investigatory activities. Staff In addition to a thorough analysis of the Bureau’s current operations and their impacts on civil rights and civil liberties, we also ask that you promulgate revised Shahid Buttar Executive Director Attorney General’s Guidelines to restore rights and liberties eroded by Attorneys Amy Ferrer General Mukasey in 2008 and Ashcroft in 2003. Beyond its governing policies, the Associate Director Bureau also remains in desperate need of institutional reform, including new George Friday leadership and new internal checks and balances to end the problems that have Field Organizer long undermined the Bureau’s legitimacy. Barbara Haugen The FBI has emerged as a recidivist institution, repeatedly violating the rights of law- Administrator abiding Americans en masse. As you know, the COINTELPRO era spanned decades Emma Roderick and reflected an aggressive campaign by the FBI until the 1970s to undermine civil Grassroots Campaign Coordinator rights organizations, like the NAACP, pursuing peaceful political activities protected by the First Amendment. Nor was the Bureau’s assault on the civil rights movement its first foray into criminalizing conduct that our Constitution protects: the program began by targeting labor organizers and political dissidents, and followed the previous Palmer Raids, which similarly vilified legions of Americans on the basis of their political views. In September 2010, a series of FBI raids targeting peace activists throughout the Midwest suggested that the Bureau is once again operating under unconstitutional policies. Their recurrence under your leadership could leave an enduring stain on your tenure, as well as that of the Obama administration, and offends fundamental American values shared across the political spectrum. 8 Bridge Street, Suite A • Northampton, MA 01060 • Tel: 413-582-0110 • Fax: 413-582-0116 • [email protected] • www.bordc.org The Bill of Rights Defense Committee is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Contributions are tax-deductible. The 2008 Mukasey Guidelines were the latest of several revisions to the original Guidelines issued in 1976 to end the abuses of COINTELPRO. The 2008 revisions allow individual agents discretion to use intrusive investigatory methods without any evidence suggesting that a crime has been committed, and even permit race, religion, or political speech to serve as factors justifying intrusive investigation. The Bureau’s ongoing “undisclosed participation” activities recall COINTELPRO’s abuses and even expand upon them. FBI agents, informants, and state and local law enforcement agents cooperating with them through Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTF) have infiltrated faith institutions and activist groups advocating for causes as varied as pro-life or pro-choice stances on reproductive rights, environmental causes, opposition to racial bias pervading the criminal justice system, and foreign policy objectives. Even some of the legal standards governing these activities remain secret, despite repeated requests from the public and Members of Congress seeking greater transparency. FBI Director Robert Mueller delivered inaccurate testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee this summer, admitting after the hearing—in writing—that the Bureau’s surveillance activities are limited neither by evidence, nor even by suspicion. Mueller's admission confirms that agents are currently monitoring law-abiding Americans arbitrarily and potentially on the basis of constitutionally protected association, political speech, religion, national origin, or race. Inadequate transparency unfortunately pervades the Bureau’s operations. In at least three reports over the last four years (in 2007, 2008, and 2010), the Justice Department's Inspector General has documented rampant abuse of investigatory powers expanded by the PATRIOT Act—as well as further abuses of new powers invented by the FBI without congressional authorization. At a minimum, we request that you rescind the 2008 Mukasey Guidelines and issue new Guidelines to better respect constitutional rights. While considering the scope of reforms needed to protect civil rights and civil liberties, you should not grant the existing Guidelines artificial legitimacy, nor should the Bureau be afforded credibility that it has not only failed to earn, but also actively undermined. In the interim, new powers demanded by the FBI should be denied and its leadership should be replaced. Respectfully submitted, Lee Poole, Phoenix Alabama Arizona Dianne Post, Phoenix Chester Richey Martin, Auburn Molly Noone, Chandler William Papineau, Prescott Valley Rev. Jack Zylman, Birmingham Audrey Wyatt, Chandler Thierry Deshayes, Scottsdale Jonathan Mitchell, Florence Erica Bloom, Cottonwood Nancy Matthews, Sedona Lisa Nicholson, Mobile Robert Schacht, Flagstaff Anonymous, Sedona Cheryl Viering, Mobile Don Pinson, Florence Linda Bescript, Tucson Suhail Shafi, Ozark Karen Crawley, Gilbert Ruth Bescript, Tucson Brandon Wallace, Prattville Neal Horan, Gilbert Sarah A. Danielson, Tucson Robert Meintzer, Tuscaloosa Patty Diana, Glendale James Gilland, Tucson Albert Ritchey Jr., Vestavia Hills Michael Holzman, Huachuca City Lois Jordan, Tucson Jerry Calhoun, Lakeside Alaska Rurik Leffanta, Tucson Cherry Evans, Mesa Jennifer Matthews, Tucson Amy Peloza, Anchorage Sheila Wright, Mesa Gregg Eschright, Fairbanks Tanner Morgan, Tucson Anonymous, New River Margaret Newman, Tucson Frank Turney, Fairbanks Anonymous, New River Frank Vondersaar, Homer Bruce Switzer, Tucson Donald Hull, Phoenix Richard Kapus Jr., Ketchikan Don Mohlere, Phoenix Arkansas Michael O'Connor, Phoenix Mark Alexander, Fayetteville 2 Arkansas (cont.) Julie Mitchell, Coarsegold Ivan Huber, Los Angeles Dino Almond, Holiday Island C. Nast, Colfax Mhatma S. Khalsa, Los Angeles Gordon Messling, Jasper John Laui, Concord Harvey La Tourette, Los Angeles Mark Reback, Los Angeles Melissa Miller, Concord August Maymudes, Los Angeles Roy C. Gilbert, Morrilton Tim Thomas, Cool Edwin McCready, Los Angeles Anthony Newkirk, North Little Rock Edward Graham, Coronado Polly O'Malley, Los Angeles Hosea McAdoo, Sherwood James Moran, Costa Mesa Matthew Quellas, Los Angeles Jennifer Wilmoth, Siloam Springs Stephen J. Pew, Costa Mesa K. Reimer, Los Angeles Walter Gillmore, FPO Shellee Davis, Cotati M.C. Riddell, Los Angeles Carol Suchecki, Culver City Stephanie Sabar, Los Angeles California Valerie Guinan, Cupertino Tom Sanchez, Los Angeles Carla Davis, Agoura Hills Ruby Mitchell, Cupertino Phyllis Silverberg, Los Angeles Mark Henninger, Alameda Frank Bellospirito, Cypress Gaye Smith, Los Angeles John Salinas, Alameda Richard Livingston, Davis Jerome Ullman, Los Angeles Ron McGill, Altadena Julie Owen, Davis Marc Whittemore, Los Angeles Sean Sardari, CPE, Altadena Anonymous, Desert Hot Springs Anonymous, Los Angeles Eleanor Tenerelli, Altadena Patricia Golightly, Diamond Bar Anonymous, Los Angeles Anonymous, Antioch Kathleen Wang, Diamond Bar Joan Engelhaupt, Manhattan Beach Guy Zahller, Aptos Anonymous, Dublin Irving Zirker, Menlo Park Christie Childs, Arcata Frederick Walker, El Centro Anonymous, Menlo Park Sharine Borslien, Atascadero Joan Borame, El Cerrito Anonymous, Menlo Park William Ewald, Auburn Anonymous, Encino Nat Childs, Miranda Robin Vosburg, Bakersfield Bruce Sims, Escondido Cordia Gotshall, Monterey Harland Harrison, Belmont Bob Huck, Eureka George Elicker, Napa Steve Olson, Ben Lomond Leigh Hill, Felton Dean Monroe, North Hollywood Sheila Goldmacher, Berkelely Valerie Brinton, Fillmore Erin Thomas, Oakhurst Nasira Abdul-Aleem, Berkeley Charlotte Pirch, Fountain Valley Sherwin Chew, Oakland Russell Bates, Berkeley Nancy Kelly, Fresno Richard Cooper, Oakland Jaime Becker, Berkeley Charles L. Krugman, Fresno Claude Everett, Oakland Jane Eiseley, Berkeley Don McKelvey, Glendale Bruce Gowdy, Oakland John Gasperoni, Ph.D., Berkeley Anonymous, Glendale Ricardo Hofer, Oakland Randall Grimm, Berkeley Lawrence Turner, Glendora Janet Kobren, Oakland Roger Hallsten, Berkeley Marian Cruz, Hollister Vasu Murti, Oakland Cecile Leneman, Berkeley Whitney Schutt, Hopland Tanya Russell, Oakland Joan Levinson, Berkeley Julie Ford, Huntington Beach Karen Thomas, Oakland Cynthia Papermaster, Berkeley Kevin West, Huntington Beach Steve Willett, Oakland John Sotelo, Berkeley Arthur Kennedy, Isla Vista Debbie Egan, Oakley Deborah Thompson, Berkeley Robin Davidson, Kelseyville Malcolm Clark, Occidental Jonathan Wieder, Berkeley Travis Saline, La Mesa Bonnie Calcagno, Oceanside Anonymous, Berkeley Dana Stewart, La Mesa Christopher Lish, Olema John Cosgrave, Boulder Creek Robert Miller, Esq., Laguna Niguel Susan Rautine, Pacific Grove Michelle Stewart, Browns Valley Sheryl Sutterfield, Laguna Niguel Jerry Burks, Palm Springs Laura Herndon, Burbank Ray Andrews, Larkspur