by Mark Crispin Miller
Posted 1/21 on markcrispinmiller.blogspot.com
What
BushCo wants, according to the fine print (Sec. 605) of the new PATRIOT
Act, is a permanent Praetorian Guard, or Cheka, or Gestapo. It’s all
too easy to come up with apt historical analogies–but not with any from this nation’s history.
“A
permanent police force, to be known as the ‘United States Secret
Service Uniformed Division,'” empowered to “make arrests without
warrant for any offense against the United States committed in their
presence” (what is “an offense against the United States?), “or
for any felony cognizable under the laws of the United States if they
have reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has
committed or is committing such felony” (what are “reasonable
grounds”?).
I’m not making this up. See the text and URL below.
What will it take to get the press to notice this?
MCM
SEC. 605. THE UNIFORMED DIVISION, UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE.
(a) In General- Chapter 203 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 3056 the following:
`Sec. 3056A. Powers, authorities, and duties of United States Secret Service Uniformed Division
`(a)
There is hereby created and established a permanent police force, to be
known as the `United States Secret Service Uniformed Division’. Subject
to the supervision of the Secretary of Homeland Security, the United
States Secret Service Uniformed Division shall perform such duties as
the Director, United States Secret Service, may prescribe in connection
with the protection of the following:
`(1) The White House in the District of Columbia.
`(2) Any building in which Presidential offices are located.
`(3) The Treasury Building and grounds.
`(4)
The President, the Vice President (or other officer next in the order
of succession to the Office of President), the President-elect, the
Vice President-elect, and their immediate families.
`(5) Foreign diplomatic missions located in the metropolitan area of the District of Columbia.
`(6) The temporary official residence of the Vice President and grounds in the District of Columbia.
`(7)
Foreign diplomatic missions located in metropolitan areas (other than
the District of Columbia) in the United States where there are located
twenty or more such missions headed by full-time officers, except that
such protection shall be provided only–
`(A) on the basis of extraordinary protective need;
`(B) upon request of an affected metropolitan area; and
`(C) when the extraordinary protective need arises at or in association with a visit to–
`(i)
a permanent mission to, or an observer mission invited to participate
in the work of, an international organization of which the United
States is a member; or
`(ii) an international organization of which the United States is a member;
except
that such protection may also be provided for motorcades and at other
places associated with any such visit and may be extended at places of
temporary domicile in connection with any such visit.
`(8)
Foreign consular and diplomatic missions located in such areas in the
United States, its territories and possessions, as the President, on a
case-by-case basis, may direct.
`(9) Visits of foreign
government officials to metropolitan areas (other than the District of
Columbia) where there are located twenty or more consular or diplomatic
missions staffed by accredited personnel, including protection for
motorcades and at other places associated with such visits when such
officials are in the United States to conduct official business with
the United States Government.
`(10) Former Presidents and their spouses, as provided in section 3056(a)(3) of title 18.
`(11) An event designated under section 3056(e) of title 18 as a special event of national significance.
`(12)
Major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates and, within 120
days of the general Presidential election, the spouses of such
candidates, as provided in section 3056(a)(7) of title 18.
`(13) Visiting heads of foreign states or foreign governments.
`(b)(1)
Under the direction of the Director of the Secret Service, members of
the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division are authorized to–
`(A) carry firearms;
`(B)
make arrests without warrant for any offense against the United States
committed in their presence, or for any felony cognizable under the
laws of the United States if they have reasonable grounds to believe
that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing such
felony; and
`(C) perform such other functions and duties as are authorized by law.
`(2)
Members of the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division shall
possess privileges and powers similar to those of the members of the
Metropolitan Police of the District of Columbia.
`(c)
Members of the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division shall be
furnished with uniforms and other necessary equipment.
`(d)
In carrying out the functions pursuant to paragraphs (7) and (9) of
subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security may utilize, with
their consent, on a reimbursable basis, the services, personnel,
equipment, and facilities of State and local governments, and is
authorized to reimburse such State and local governments for the
utilization of such services, personnel, equipment, and facilities. The
Secretary of Homeland Security may carry out the functions pursuant to
paragraphs (7) and (9) of subsection (a) by contract. The authority of
this subsection may be transferred by the President to the Secretary of
State. In carrying out any duty under paragraphs (7) and (9) of
subsection (a), the Secretary of State is authorized to utilize any
authority available to the Secretary under title II of the State
Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956.’.
(b) Amendment
to Table of Sections- The table of sections at the beginning of chapter
203 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 3056 the following new item:
3056A. Powers, authorities, and duties of United States Secret Service Uniformed Division.
(c) Conforming Repeal to Effectuate Transfer- Chapter 3 of title 3, United States Code, is repealed.
(d)
Conforming Amendments to Laws Affecting District of Columbia- (1)
Section 1537(d) of title 31, United States Code, is amended–
(A) by striking `and the Executive Protective Service’ and inserting `and the Secret Service Uniformed Division’; and
(B)
by striking `their protective duties’ and all that follows and
inserting `their protective duties under sections 3056 and 3056A of
title 18.’
(2) Section 204(e) of the State Department
Basic Authorities Act (sec. 6–1304(e), D.C. Official Code) is amended
by striking `section 202 of title 3, United States Code, or section
3056′ and inserting `sections 3056 or 3056A’.
(3) Section
214(a) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act (sec. 6–1313(a),
D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking `sections 202(8) and 208 of
title 3′ and inserting `section 3056A(a)(7) and (d) of title 18′.
(e) Additional Conforming Amendments-
(1)
Title 12, United States Code, section 3414, `Special procedures’, is
amended by striking `3 U.S.C. 202′ in subsection (a)(1)(B) and
inserting `18 U.S.C. 3056A’.
(2) The State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 is amended–
(A)
in the first sentence of section 37(c) (22 U.S.C. 2709(c)), by striking
`section 202 of title 3, United States Code, or section 3056 of title
18, United States Code’ and inserting `section 3056 or 3056A of title
18, United States Code’;
(B) in section 204(e) (22 U.S.C.
4304(e)), by striking `section 202 of title 3, United States Code, or
section 3056 of title 18, United States Code’ and inserting `section
3056 or 3056A of title 18, United States Code’; and
(C)
in section 214(a) (22 U.S.C. 4314(a)), by striking `sections 202(7) and
208 of title 3, United States Code’ and inserting `subsections (a)(7)
and (d) of section 3056A of title 18, United States Code’.
(3)
Section 8D(a)(1)(F) of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C.
App.) is amended by striking `section 202 of title 3′ and inserting
`section 3056A of title 18′.
(4)
Section 8I(a)(1)(E) of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C.
App.) is amended by striking `section 202 of title 3′ and inserting
`section 3056A of title 18′.
America has never had a federal police force, but hidden in the new “Patriot” Act is language that creates just such a beast.
SEC. 605. THE UNIFORMED DIVISION, UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE.
There
is hereby created and established a permanent police force, to be known
as the `United States Secret Service Uniformed Division’.
The
Secret Service, Uniformed Division will not operate solely in DC, but
anywhere former Presidents travel, or foreign dignitaries, or even “as
the President, on a case-by-case basis, may direct.” #8
A federal police force, directed by the President. Is this not the Gestapo all over again?
If the new “Patriot” Act passes, the new SSUD federal police can show up at:
(11) An event designated.. as a special event of national significance.
(12) Major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates and, within 120 days of the general Presidential electionÅ
A
federal goon squad on hand to arrest any ‘disruptors’ during the next
Presidential ElectionÅ how can you look in the mirror and tell yourself
that there’s hope for 2008? Or is that just an excuse to continue doing
nothing right now?
Note: This bill comes up in two weeks, to
date only myself and Kurt Nimmo have written about it. I’ve written
Democracy Now, CommonDreams, etcÅ nobody wants to touch it.
Please do what you can to break this story
….
