billl4's blog

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Contact: James Updegraff 916/421-5951 or Press Office 916/996-9170 www.aclusac.org

Proposed Sacramento surveillance camera program
‘highly intrusive,’ won’t work, charges ACLU chapter;
urges City Council, Mayor to hold open public hearings

SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union
today said it was “strongly” opposed to plans to install 32 surveillance cameras
and four mobile surveillance trailers by the City of Sacramento because it would
be “highly intrusive” to the privacy and free speech rights of citizens.

In a letter (available upon request) to Mayor Kevin Johnson, the ACLU said the
program would waste funds that could be used on “more effective crime prevention
measures,” citing several studies showing that cameras fail to deter crime.

CIA Confirms 12 Destroyed Videotapes Depicted "Enhanced Interrogation Methods"
Friday 06 March 2009 - by: Daphne Eviatar | Visit article original @ The Washington Independent

In December 2007, former CIA director General Michael Hayden testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee about the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes. (Photo: Susan Walsh / Associated Press)

The CIA has reportedly just confirmed - conveniently late on a Friday afternoon - that 12 of the videotapes it destroyed while its interrogation methods were under investigation and the subject of a pending lawsuit depicted the "enhanced interrogation methods" that detainees' advocates were worried about.

The American Civil Liberties Union reports that as part of its lawsuit seeking information on detainee abuse, the government today provided new details about the content of interrogation videotapes destroyed by the CIA - specifically, that 12 depict so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques." In court documents, the government also said it would produce a complete list of summaries, transcripts or memoranda related to the videotapes by March 20. However, the inventory of tapes provided to the court is so heavily redacted that it's virtually all black ink.

February 9, 2009

Sacramento County Board of Supervisors
700 H St., Ste. 1450
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Sacramento County Board of Supervisors:

The Sacramento County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union strongly opposes changing the eligibility requirements of applicants for the County Medically Indigent Services Program to require documentation of American citizenship and/or certain documented status. While we recognize that economic conditions have placed severe budget pressures on the county, reacting by denying medical services to some non-citizens is both constitutionally problematic and bad public health policy.

Discriminating against non-citizens raises constitutional concerns because the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides that no person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws. Using that equal protection guarantee, the U.S. Supreme Court found local laws that discriminate against non-citizens are subject to "strict scrutiny" and has struck down laws that discriminate on the basis of citizenship status in the provision of these types of government benefits. See Graham v. Richardson, 403 U.S. 365 (1971). In the 1990s, federal litigation blocked implementation of California's Proposition 187 based on similar reasoning. Moreover, the passage of the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) authorizing states to make decisions regarding the provision of benefits to certain non-citizens did not resolve the constitutional issues. In fact, New York courts struck down that state's implementation of PRWORA denying government benefits to non-citizens as a violation of equal protection. See Aliessa v. Novello, 96 N.Y.2d 418 (2001).

At the December 16, 2008, meeting of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, many members of the public spoke out on the topic of Medical Marijuana ID Cards --- all speaking in favor of issuing the cards --- including two members of the board of the Sacramento County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Nikos Leverenz and Jim Updegraff. This video shows their statements and the results. You can read about this vote at http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1479411.html

SACRAMENTO COUNTY
CHAPTER OF THE ACLU

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, December 12, 2008
Contact: James Updegraff, Sacramento ACLU 916/421-5951
ACLU, Sacramento press office 916/996-9170

ACLU in Sacramento notes "concerns" over Sacramento
County's failure to comply with state law regarding
medical marijuana, warns of costly litigation

SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento Chapter of the ACLU said it has formally
written the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors about its reluctance to
implement a medical marijuana ID program required by state law and recent
court decisions, and suggested further non-compliance could lead to costly
lawsuits that would spend scarce tax dollars.

A hearing is set for 2:45 p.m. Tuesday before the BOS to reconsider its
position.

"(We) have concerns that Sacramento County is not in compliance with state
Health & Safety Code provisions authorizing a Medical Marijuana Program
(MMP)," said the ACLU in a letter to members of the BOS this week.
Sacramento County has resisted attempts to provide the cards – although at
least 40 of California counties have done so – and in March again rejected
starting a MMP.

Actions For Restoring America:
How to Begin Repairing the Damage to Freedom in America After Bush
http://www.aclu.org/transition/

The next president will become chief executive of a nation that has been greatly weakened - in particular, our freedoms, our values, and our international reputation have been greatly undermined by the policies of the past eight years.

Presidents have enormous power not only to set the legislative agenda, but also to establish policy by executive order, federal regulation, or simply by refocusing the efforts and emphases of the executive agencies. The new president must use all of these tools to restore our freedoms and move the country forward.

Doing so will require determined action in the face of inevitable opposition. It will require conveying to the American people why grants of unchecked power do not actually make us safer, and why Americans must stand firm in protecting the values that at our best we have always represented and defended at home and around the world.

Always Practice Safe Voting

Do you practice safe voting? The ACLU presents its top 10 “safe voting” tips. Voting is fun and exhilarating, but never to be taken lightly. Be sure to always act safely and responsibly when exercising your right to vote. It’s how to make your vote count.

UPDATE: Check out the ACLU’s Voter Empowerment Cards for specific information about voting in your home state. Go to www.aclu.org/vec.

This is the video produced for the September 28, 2008, annual meeting of the Sacramento County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union putting together several clips documenting some of the activities of the chapter during the last year.

Would you allow a stranger to sift through your purse or wallet and take your driver’s license? Would you want your children or grandchildren to tell passers-by on the street what school they attend or their student ID numbers?

Of course not. You know it is important to protect your and your family’s personal information.

But any time that tiny computer chips called Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are included in California IDs, like drivers’ licenses, student badges, or medical and benefit cards, your and your family’s personal information can be at greater risk of being read and recorded without your knowledge.

Anyone with an RFID scanner can read the data stored on insecure RFID chips, from a distance, without you ever knowing, exposing you and your family members to the risk of tracking, stalking, and identity theft.

Take Action Here

Right now, two bills authored by State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) that would help protect the privacy of you and your family are on the governor’s desk. Please send a letter to the governor urging him to sign the bills.

Click Here to sign the pledge and get your bumper sticker. https://secure.aclu.org

I Am a Constitution Voter

* I believe that no one -- including the President -- is above the law.
* I oppose all forms of torture, and I support both closing the Guantánamo Bay prison and ending indefinite detention.
* I oppose warrantless spying.
* I believe that government officials, no matter how high-ranking, should be held accountable for breaking the law and violating the Constitution.
* I believe that the Constitution protects every person's rights equally -- no matter what they believe, how they live, where or if they worship, and whom they love.
* I reject the notion that we have to tolerate violations of our most fundamental rights in the name of fighting terrorism.
* I am deeply committed to the Constitution and expect our country's leaders to share and act on that commitment -- every day, without fail.