George Bush Is Reading Your Mail

Well, not him personally, but he’s secretly authorized the people who work for him to open mail without a warrant:

WASHINGTON – President Bush has quietly claimed sweeping new powers to open Americans’ mail without a judge’s warrant, the Daily News has learned.The President asserted his new authority when he signed a postal reform bill into law on Dec. 20. Bush then issued a “signing statement” that declared his right to open people’s mail under emergency conditions.

That claim is contrary to existing law and contradicted the bill he had just signed, say experts who have reviewed it.

(…)

[I]n his statement Bush said he will “construe” an exception, “which provides for opening of an item of a class of mail otherwise sealed against inspection in a manner consistent … with the need to conduct searches in exigent circumstances.”

Bush cited as examples the need to “protect human life and safety against hazardous materials and the need for physical searches specifically authorized by law for foreign intelligence collection.”

Quite honestly, I am sick of the Bush Administration’s continued gutting of the Bill of Rights, and the Fourth Amendment specifically, in the name of the “War On Terror.” There is, quite simply, no reason for the President to authorize warrantless searches that are not subject to judicial review, especially when Federal Law already provides a mechanism for quickly obtaining search warrants in exigent cases:

Critics point out the administration could quickly get a warrant from a criminal court or a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judge to search targeted mail, and the Postal Service could block delivery in the meantime.

Mr. President, the Bill of Rights and the Judicial Branch exist for a reason. Perhaps it’s time to start living up to your oath of office and recognize that.

H/T: QandO