The article gathers a great deal of information from a long time span and all levels of authority. The information is critical to guarding civil rights and democracy in this country. One interesting question not asked is whether the police are using infiltrated agent provocateurs to initiate violence that will allow police to justify crushing otherwise peaceful demonstrations. Such provocateurs are widely alleged to have caused the "riot" charges in the Seattle WTO, and accusations of the tactic are presented at http://www.thestar.com/News/article/248608 with a video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St1-WTc1kow

[Disclosure: I head NewsTrust, which has a consulting agreement with the author] This blog post provides informative links to articles about recent arrests of citizens involved protests at the Republican Convention, as well as insights on issues related to citizen surveillance. This is a big topic to take on in a single post, but the report provides a helpful historical overview, including documents describing the FBI's covert action programs against american citizens, as well as proposed guidelines to address the issue of domestic surveillance. This topic deserves more investigation, and I look forward to future reports on this important subject.

This blog entry covers a lot of territory, drawing a line from point A to point B through varied and extensive quotes relevant to the topic. It ends with a reasoned concern for the future of liberty in our nation. There has been far to little coverage on this matter, and I am glad to see such a well crafted piece of journalism coming from one of NewsTrust's own.

This is a detailed and well sourced examination of law enforcement's continuing penchant for spying on and harrassing citizens merely suspected of dissent -- and of Mukasey's proposal to further promote the FBI's activities along those lines. While the author's point of view comes through clearly, the piece sticks to the facts and the the arguments rely on documentation rather than assertion.

beth has put together some history, some philosophy and some current events to demonstrate a very negative direction in which our nation is moving. as her incidents show, our government appears to equate protest, legitimate and legal, with terrorism, apparently to curb and confine it in order to have no impact on the nation's governmental policies. this piece shows that there is a danger that we are becoming more like those nations which this same government has despised. i wish there wer pieces like this in the msm.

This relevant post is packed with information and links, offering accurate additional facts at the ready. The extensive sourcing of this piece -- from reliable, named and linked-to sources -- makes it indisputable. Author Wellington has put together a through analysis, skillfully and with much background knowledge, of a pattern in American political history possibly repeating itself; mentioning the Constitution, checks and balances, and Watergate, the context throughout is very evident. As I reflect on this, I realize that it is the only article I've read on this issue, which is incredibly newsworthy and affects everyone. MSM has not reported much on protester arrests during the RNC and are just beginning to as the convention ... More »

Not only is this a fascinating detailed historic account of the erosion of our civil liberties, it is an article to keep as a reference for the excellent sources of information used to document the FBI guidelines. The author develops a strong case but does not ask us directly to take action but provides us with the information we need to contact the committee ( http://judiciary.senate.gov/members.cfm ) who will be holding a hearing on the guidelines. Readers who are concerned with the new guidelines might want to contact committee members including Patrick Leahy, Joe Biden, Ted Kennedy and Russ Feingold and let them know of your concern and how shameful it is to have allowed fear to trump liberty. What we saw at the RNC is the ... More »

As always, News Trust staffer Beth Wellington presents a piece that is exhaustively researched and documented. With sources to spare, she thoroughly documents the erosion of our civil rights and rise of the police state. A frightening article that every American ought to read.

For a now aging anti-war activist of the 1960's this story was both alarming and alarmingly familiar. We survived the first bout of this kind police state nonsense under Johnson and Nixon. But I wonder if the nation has changed in ways that will allow this state of affairs to not only continue, but tighten control over everyone and everything. I wonder. The answer will come in November.

Very detailed and carefully researched piece on a topic where it's difficult to gather data. Wellington tracks down & compiles multiple leads & reports with remarkable tenacity, taking much care to identify sources & to document. This brings together the best of old-style journalism [high standards in data & accuracy & fact checking] with the best of new blogosphere [raising important questions & linking multiple strands of inquiry & voices & networks working on similar questions].

Superb journalism and exhaustive research on the subject of the gradual infringement of American civil liberties. Wellington is correct in her supposition that the hearings will lead to nothing more than "confabulation" behind closed doors. Meanwhile, the events in the Twin Cities during the Republican National Convention are a harsh reminder to citizens that the agencies in charge of maintaining national security see our young people as the threat and the Republicans who have devastated this nation as the ones to be protected.

It's value may lie chiefly in the fact that it is frightening. Americans should be frightened that our government holds so little regard for the rights of its citizens. Excellent investigative work.