Coalition on Security, Liberty and the Law

(Washington, D.C.): On Thursday, dozens of leaders in law enforcement, the legal community, think tanks and public opinion leaders sent a letter to Congress in support of the Patriot Act. A group of the signatories met with the Assistant to the President and Homeland Security Advisor Fran Townsend and Deputy Attorney General James Comey to discuss the importance of the Patriot Act in fighting the war on terror.

The letter, sent to Congress by a newly formed project of the Center for Security Policy – the Coalition on Security, Liberty and the Law (www.CSLL.us) – highlights the vital role played by the Patriot Act in protecting Americans. In particular, the letter stated: “The Patriot Act…removed major legal barriers that prevented the law enforcement, intelligence, and national defense communities from coordinating information. Now police officers, FBI agents, federal prosecutors, and intelligence officials can protect our communities by ‘connecting the dots’ to uncover terrorist plots before they are completed.”

The Coalition intends to ensure that, henceforth, debate about the Patriot Act reflects not only the views of its opponents but also those who appreciate the real and constitutional contribution it is making to our security. Toward that end, the Coalition will endeavor to facilitate further contributions to that debate by its members and others who signed the attached letter to Congress.