State Secrets: Torture & Your Constitutional Rights

The CIA's rendition and torture program is not a "state secret." It's a national disgrace.

On Friday, the Justice Department asked the 9th District Court of Appeals to rehear its argument to throw out our extraordinary rendition lawsuit on the basis that it cannot be tried without revealing "state secrets."

We must not protect torturers and their enablers from accountability for their actions. And we must not let the government hide behind the overly-broad use of state secrets.

Ask your representative to co-sponsor the State Secrets Protection Act of 2009 and limit the claim of "state secrets" to specific evidence.

The ACLU’s extraordinary rendition lawsuit was filed by five men who were forcibly kidnapped and secretly transferred to U.S.-run prisons where they were tortured. The case targets Jeppesen DataPlan, a subsidiary of Boeing that provided crucial support services to the CIA for illegal torture flights.

The Bush administration initially had the case thrown out by improperly asserting the "state secrets" privilege. The ACLU appealed and in May, won the right to move forward with the case.

Now the government is trying to throw the case out again. On Friday, the Justice Department asked the appeals court to rehear the decision and uphold its bogus "state secrets" claim.

Contact your member of Congress and ask them to co-sponsor the State Secrets Protection Act.

The government has asserted the "state secrets" claim with increasing regularity in an attempt to throw out lawsuits and justify withholding information from the public.

Let’s be clear -- no one is interested in taking away the government’s legitimate right to protect sensitive national security information. But, the Bush administration expanded the definition of "state secrets" dangerously beyond its previous limits and set a dangerous precedent that has continued.

In addition to extraordinary rendition, the claim of "state secrets" has also been made about illegal wiretapping, torture and other breaches of U.S. and international law.

Supporting this bill will have an impact on countless civil liberties cases in the months and years ahead.

Please take a moment to contact your member of Congress and ask them to co-sponsor the State Secrets Protection Act.

Thank you for standing with us.

Source: the American Civil Liberties Union

This is a one-time pledge that can be fulfilled any time.

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Comments, Suggestions and Stories

Earline Clark @ 04:24PM PT Jun 23

It's a shame that our Constitutional rights are trampled on as they are. It's bad enough that the outcry of abuse is being heard on detainees but on American Citizens! This world is going to downhill fast and no end in sight. This all has to stop NOW!
Mary Neal Atlanta, GA @ 08:09PM PT Jun 22

Not only did they secretly capture and torture or kill detainees in the War on Terror camps, but in 2003, my brother who was an American citizen was also secretly detained until death - Larry Neal died in Shelby Co. Jail in Memphis, Tennessee under secret arrest for 18 days, during which time the jail repeatedly LIED to his social worker and family that he was not in custody. The jail refuses to release any records or give any explanation why Larry was arrested or how he died, but HE NEEDED HIS PSYCHIATRIC AND HEART DRUGS TO SURVIVE, AND POLICE KNEW THIS! The USDOJ was already over the jail after many other abuses of inmates, but the USDOJ won't make the jail tell Larry's family anything about his murder. I sent the USDOJ a Freedom of Information Act request on May 7, and the agency wrote me back asking me where it should look in its offices for the USA v. Shelby County Jail documents! This is a ridiculous. The DOJ should not shield folks who torture and kill inmates - ESPECIALLY AMERICAN CITIZENS.

Mary Neal
WrongfulDeathOfLarryNeal dot com
Mary Tucker-Pett... Corpus Christi, TX @ 10:22AM PT Jun 22

I was arrested for asking for 2 minutes of the Credit Union's president's time. Spent 27 hours in jail. Rationed toilet paper, inedible food, no medical care, no accomadations for disabilities, no clean water, no phone call, sleep deprivation, and the worst thing; strip-searched in front of male guards, and made to bend over. I was not water-boarded, but they threatened to take me to the basement. This should never happen to a disabled, mother of 4 while attending TX A&M Corpus Christi. It is now my mission to stop this from happening to anyone else. They target the non-white, indigent, disabled population here in Corpus Christi, TX. I stand behind this petition with my testimony.
Ann Cawley Saint Joseph, MO @ 08:23PM PT Jun 20

Thank you for making the pledge "State Secrets: Torture & Your Constitutional Rights"

Thank you for taking action. Your letter has been sent.

We know your time is limited, and we appreciate your efforts to protect civil liberties
Joycey Berry Canton, NC @ 08:35AM PT Jun 20

Thank you for making the pledge "State Secrets: Torture & Your Constitutional Rights"

Thank you for taking action. Your letter has been sent.

We know your time is limited, and we appreciate your efforts to protect civil liberties.
Alan Haggard San Diego, CA @ 12:18AM PT Jun 19

Initiated this Pledge!