Public pressure is mounting on Capitol Hill Democrats to include the "John Doe" provision into a written conference report of the final 911 Commission bill.
The provision would protect the public for reporting suspicious behavior that may be terrorist connected, and is the result of a current lawsuit against U.S. Airways and "John Doe" passengers filed by a group of imams who were kicked off a flight.
"Democrats have been backed into a corner by public outrage over their efforts, so we are seeing these Democrats publicly say they support it in principle, but behind the scenes they are working to kill it," said one Republican leadership aide close to the conference process.
"There are powerful Democrats in the House and Senate trying to kill this provision," the aide said.
"Keeping the pressure on" to include the provision are Sen. Joe Lieberman, Connecticut Independent and chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, the committee's ranking member, Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine whose efforts last week fell three votes short of passing the provision to an education bill, and Rep. Pete King, New York Republican and ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee and an author of the provision.
Some Republican aides are attributing the mounting pressure to support the provision to press reports and the blogosphere, where bloggers turned bloggyists are posting phone numbers of Democrat congressional leaders and urging readers to call in with their support.
"The blogs have been a terrific vehicle for expressing public outrage over Democratic attempts to kill this provision," said a spokesman for Mr. King.
According to Congress Daily, Rep. Bennie Thompson, Mississippi Democrat and chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, wants to alter the provision so that "it does not lead to racial profiling or the targeting of innocent people."
"Thompson's office did not clarify by press time whether he is trying to change the language," Congress Daily reported.
Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), told the Minneapolis Star Tribune this weekend his organization supports the imams' lawsuit, but they have "no particular problem" with immunity legislation.
"Our concern has never been with reports made in good faith by ordinary people," Mr. Hooper said. "Our concern is with malicious reports based on bigoted views or which are just meant to harass people based on their ethnicity."
-- Audrey Hudson, Homeland security reporter, The Washington Times
Comments (20)
I have sent e-mails to Senator Reid's office, but they were never excepted, the same for Nancy Pelosi. They do not want to support the John Doe
amendment because of thier ties with CAIR,ACLU, and of course the trial lawyers.
Posted by Gerard F. DeGaray | July 23, 2007 6:55 PM
i am for the john doe act 100%
Posted by kelli chastain | July 23, 2007 7:03 PM
We need the John Doe bill. I am sick and tired of traitorous, malodorous garbage, such are the ACLU, stealing money from decent people just because they can. How many people have to lose their life savings to these vicious leeches because they pointed out some murderer with a rag around his head and said he was planting a bomb? Enough said.
Posted by Paul Woodward | July 23, 2007 8:10 PM
I tried to contact Nancy Pelosi regarding the John Doe Act and could not. She will not accept any emails and messages from anyone that is not a part of her her constituency. Therefore I assume that she is not interested in the view and opinions of anyone outside of her world. She is not interested in the country as a whole.
Posted by Simon Allen | July 23, 2007 8:52 PM
I'M ANGRY AND SICK AND TIRED OF THESE BLITHERING IDIOTS COMING TO MY COUNTRY TRYING TO CHANGE MY WAY OF LIFE AND TRYING TO TELL ME WHAT I CAN AND CANNOT DO. THEY ARE NOT OF MY RELIGION, THEY ARE NOT OF MY ETHNIC RACE AND THEY ARE NOT AMERICANS. IF THEY DON'T LIKE IT HERE -- THEN GET THE HELL OUT OF MY COUNTRY AND GO BACK TO WHERE THEY CAME FROM. WHY IN HELL SHOULD I HAVE TO CHANGE FOR SOME
BLITHERING IDIOT THAT DOESN'T EVEN BELONG HERE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
Posted by MantonSchool | July 23, 2007 9:02 PM
These idiots need to remember they work for us. This racial card is becoming BORING! As much as all of you on the hill. The hill? Any more is meaning. More "DEATH TO REAL AMERICANS," those that know the race card is a joke. Look at La Raza, known as the "Race." That is true discrimination. Thank God for MUTE!
Posted by Leon | July 23, 2007 9:59 PM
GIVING THEM (DEMS) ENOUGH ROPE THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE BIG LOSES.
Posted by RICHARD GRANVILLE | July 23, 2007 10:22 PM
Trying to kill the John Doe bill is one of the Many stupid things this Democratic Controlled government has done sense taking charge. No wonder their Poll ratings are so low.
Posted by Robert Davis | July 23, 2007 10:38 PM
Please include and pass the John Doe legislation.
Posted by Robert E. Troxel | July 24, 2007 12:33 AM
Since the enemies' main target is our government (i.e. Capitol Hill, White House, etc ) I suppose our silence would first be tested on those insisting on putting John Doe in harm's way. Sounds like a plan to me.
Posted by Nancy Brian | July 24, 2007 1:03 AM
Help me out here. If Kenneth Lay were of minority descent, would it be harassment to blow the whistle on him or is there difference between someone is taking your money or your life?
Posted by Larry Stone | July 24, 2007 2:07 AM
You cannot have people making serious accusations about people, without these people being held responsible for what they say. It violates every aspect of American law to not allow someone to face their accuser!
America has just been through a period when a HUGE number of INNOCENT people have been in prison (and many STILL ARE), because people did not care enough about being good citizens, and FORCE THE GOVERNMENT TO ACT RESPONSIBLY!!!
I have seen too many people make up lies to harm others, for stupid reasons. I have actually seen fat people harassed, women harassed (by sexists), POLITE people made fun of (for sayng "please", "thank you", "sir" and "Ma'am".
There is an ABUNDANCE of Americans who get some sick pleasure from constantly spreading lies and gossip about others. This has to stop, and passing this law only ENCOURAGES the liars. This is because they are too stupid to know that the law does NOT protect them for defamation of character, if they are caught!
Posted by Charles P | July 24, 2007 4:09 AM
A few days ago, I read a longish and very sympathetic article concerning U.S. Muslims and how very valuable they were to be considered by Americans according to Newsweek's Lisa Miller.
Although the article had some good info in it pertaining to and centering on the current negative perception of Muslims in America by non-Muslim Americans, it fell far short in one area that I feel needs to be addressed. Maybe you can shed some light on this and bring it to the forefront.
The article interviewed only a half-dozen or so U.S. Muslims (some native born and some naturalized U.S. Muslim citizens. Only one of the interviewees (is this a real word?) stated that he did not condone violence / terrorism. The article does not indicate how many of the U.S. Muslims interviewed were asked about terrorism actions. No one stated that they actually came out and denounced any of the terrorist actions committed by the Jihadists, al-Qaeda, Sunnis or the Shi'ites in the last 30 years.
I personally believe that the described negative perception of U.S. Muslims throughout the U.S. (and perhaps the world all-over) would improve astronomically in a very short order if hundreds and perhaps thousands of the U.S. located Muslim mosques and U.S. Muslim leaders throughout the U.S. as well as CAIR would publicly cry out in a large publicized and unified voice that they vehemently denounce all of these terrorist jihadist actions committed in the name of their Islamic God. It would also help for many of these same leaders and Islamic Imams to lend support in publicly refuting that their bible, the Koran, does promote or authorize killing the Infidels or non-Islamic people. While we are at it, let's also do away with the 73 vestal virgins awaiting the jihadist murdering so-called martyrs. It would also help if they were to supply accurate intel on any Islamic Jihadist cells in the U.S. to the proper authorities.
I was unable to register (due to their technical problems) onto the Newsweek blog to comment on the above so perhaps you can get the word out.
Posted by Thomas McKenzie | July 24, 2007 4:18 AM
I'm a white heterosexual male, a virtual minority ya know. If this bill doesn't pass, then can I go into a mosque, or aircraft brandishing a squirt gun and act goofy? If so, then how much $$$,$$$.00 is it worth when I sue the guests of the mosque or airline company? Just curious...
Posted by Russ | July 24, 2007 5:34 AM
All you outraged conservatives out there - reach out to meet, shake hands and talk with liberals (yes, you must) and tell them about this measure - most won't believe it. We need to stop preaching to the choir and start changing minds.
Posted by sistersandfriends | July 24, 2007 8:29 AM
I hereby hold responsible HILLARY CLINTON
HARRY REID
CHARLES SCHUMER
BARAK OBAMA
CARL LEVIN
TED KENNEDY
for any terroristic threat that becomes these
United States.
The aforementioned have done everything in their
power to see that we do not have any knowledge
of forthcoming terroristic acts on our country.
These personages have done everything in their
power to prevent United States authorities from
preventing terror acts.
Their latest item: to threaten United States
citizens with law suits if they report any
suspicious activity is tanamount to treason.
Posted by TERRY | July 24, 2007 10:45 AM
The democrats are not only stupid but dangerous.
Posted by Steven | July 24, 2007 5:00 PM
Lets be realistic. Bigotry is what it is. Taking away freedom of speech isnt going to stop people from being bigots.
-Americans have a right to be concerned about terrorism on their own ground.
-Allow border patrol to do their job.
-Put reasonable/diplomatic people on the other end of the phone line when the suspicious phone calls come in.
-Protect Americans ... Don't enable them.
Posted by Kelly Greenleaf | July 24, 2007 7:01 PM
i support the john doe act and if we do nothing with the leftdems woe be tide this country and it's citizens
Posted by Bill Sullivan | August 18, 2007 11:56 AM
We must be ever vigilant until the small numbers of Muslins that are responsible for most of the terror in the world are removed. This requires heightened awareness of our surroundings and if someone acts out of the ordinary they need to be closely evaluated. Doing so protects the individuals involved and those around them.
Posted by Lou Rodgers | August 24, 2007 7:27 PM