Subject: oppose Michael Chertoff's nomination as Secretary of Homeland Security
To: "The American Civil Liberties Union" <belmonte@mit.edu>
From: "The American Civil Liberties Union" <belmonte@MIT.EDU>
Date: Fri,  4 Feb 2005 21:54:51 -0500 (EST)

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Message sent to the following recipients:
Senator Kennedy
Senator Kerry
Message text follows:

Matthew Belmonte
[address]


February 4, 2005

[recipient address was inserted here]


 [recipient name was inserted here],

I urge you to thoroughly review the record of Michael 
Chertoff before voting on his nomination to head the Department of 
Homeland Security. It is critical that his role in torture policies be 
properly explored. I am also concerned about his commitment to civil 
liberties given his role in the crafting of the USA Patriot Act and the 
relaxation of internal Justice Department guidelines that now permit the 
FBI to secretly spy on public religious, social or political gatherings.

I urge you to ask Chertoff for an affirmative commitment against the use 
of minor immigration violations or other pretext charges when no criminal 
activity is in evidence, and against detentions without charge.  Many 
Arabs and Muslims rounded up in the weeks following 11 September 2001 were 
held for months despite never being charged with any crime.  It's 
important that the next Secretary of Homeland Security understands the 
necessity of protecting the Constitutional rights of every person in the 
United States, and the imperative of avoiding the blanket arrests and 
detentions that were so common three years ago.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter.

Sincerely,


Matthew Belmonte