For Immediate Release

Democratic and Republican Votes Abuse Your Fourth Amendment Rights



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Thanks to the brave and patriotic actions of whistleblower Edward Snowden, Americans now know that their Fourth Amendment rights have been blown out of the water; that the government has been routinely spying on millions of Americans.

Your telephone calls, emails, text messages, chat sessions, and Skype sessions are no longer private. The National Security Agency — the NSA — has put virtually every American under surveillance. You’re being watched, listened to, and tracked just about everywhere.

And it’s not just the NSA that is invading your privacy. Cameras, mounted on toll booths and in cities across America, enable government officials to know where you are and where you’ve been. Authorities can break into your home with a no-knock “sneak and peak” court order from a secret judge. The IRS and other government regulators can access your bank records without your knowledge or consent. And the government has authorized thousands of agents to look at your personal medical records. If Obamacare ever goes into effect, it will get even worse.

There aren’t too many places in America today where you can act or speak in complete privacy. Luckily, there’s one place in America where you’re not being watched. Where you’re free to do as you please without Big Brother eavesdropping on you. Where you can’t be punished for your actions. Where is this? The voting booth. The place where you can choose the president, U.S. senators, congressmen and women, and state and local officials.

In the privacy of the voting booth, you can cast your vote for the politicians who do right or the politicians who do wrong. The voting booth, where you can toss out of office every politician who voted for the Patriot Act, NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act), CISPA (Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act), or FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act). The voting booth, where you have the power to shut down the NSA and end government surveillance of innocent Americans.

The unpatriotic and treasonous government spying going on today is not the function of a few officials abusing their power. The problem is not the abuse of power. The problem is the power to abuse. Take away the power, and no abuse is possible.

We can investigate the abuses of a few NSA officials, put them on trial, maybe even convict some of them. We can call for “reform,” or more “transparency.” We can call for kinder, gentler secret courts. But will that change anything?

As long as the Patriot Act, NDAA, and FISA remain on the books; as long as there are secret courts, and as long as the federal government spends $75 billion — every year — on 17 separate spy agencies, do you really believe they’re going to stop spying on Americans? If all we do is make a few minor reforms, how many more years will it take before another brave whistleblower steps forward to reveal that surveillance programs remain in full force?

Passing a law that violates your Fourth Amendment rights is — in and of itself — an abuse. There are no “abuses” of the NDAA — the NDAA is an abuse. There are no abuses of the Patriot Act — the Patriot Act is an abuse. Voting for the Patriot Act or NDAA is an abuse. Leaving them on the books is an abuse.

Every politician who voted for the Patriot Act, NDAA, CISPA, or FISA violated your Fourth Amendment rights, violated his or her oath of office to uphold the Constitution, and created the inevitable consequence of the massive surveillance programs we’re seeing today.

There’s one and only one way to stop this abuse: Repeal every law that violates your Fourth Amendment right to privacy. Dismantle, unplug, and end all unneeded spy agencies and secret courts.

How do we remove these laws and agencies? By refusing to vote for any politician who voted for them — or who in any way signals that they would vote to keep them on the books — and by voting for the candidates who expressly promise to repeal them.

When you vote for a candidate who votes for these laws, you’re sanctioning, condoning, and empowering the government to spy on innocent Americans. You’re giving politicians license to abuse.

Almost every Democrat and Republican in the U.S. House or Senate today has voted for FISA, the Patriot Act, or the NDAA. Despite tough talk of “reforming” laws or “investigating” abuses, they vote to keep abusive laws in place. They are the masters of abuse of the Fourth Amendment. Every vote they get drives one more nail into the coffin of your right to privacy and justice under the law.

Since the Libertarian Party was formed 42 years ago, it has been the only political party in America that has called for immediate, unconditional repeal of the laws that violate your Fourth Amendment rights. Libertarian candidates and the Libertarian platform have called for ending all electronic surveillance, ending all warrantless searches, and repealing the Patriot Act, NDAA, and FISA.

So take advantage of that sanctuary of your privacy where bugs don’t bug and drones don’t fly: the voting booth. Where you get to decide who and what should stay or go.

Cast your vote for the Fourth Amendment. Vote only for candidates who expressly promise to repeal the laws which abuse your Fourth Amendment rights.

Stand your ground. Vote for freedom and justice.

Vote Libertarian.

95 out of 100 Sitting Senators Have Supported Surveillance

Senate Republican Offenders:

Sen. Lamar Alexander

Sen. Kelly Ayotte

Sen. John Barrasso

Sen. Roy Blunt

Sen. John Boozman

Sen. Scott Brown

Sen. Richard Burr

Sen. Saxby Chambliss

Sen. Dan Coats

Sen. Tom Coburn

Sen. Thad Cochran

Sen. Susan Collins

Sen. Bob Corker

Sen. John Cornyn Sen. Mike Crapo

Sen. Mike Enzi

Sen. Jeff Flake

Sen. Lindsey Graham

Sen. Chuck Grassley

Sen. Orrin Hatch

Sen. Dean Heller

Sen. John Hoeven

Sen. James Inhofe

Sen. Johnny Isakson

Sen. Mike Johanns

Sen. Ron Johnson

Sen. Mark Kirk

Sen. John McCain Sen. Mitch McConnell

Sen. Jerry Moran

Sen. Lisa Murkowski

Sen. Rob Portman

Sen. James Risch

Sen. Pat Roberts

Sen. Marco Rubio

Sen. Tim Scott

Sen. Jeff Sessions

Sen. Richard Shelby

Sen. John Thune

Sen. Pat Toomey

Sen. David Vitter

Sen. Roger Wicker

Senate Independent Offenders:

Sen. Angus King Jr.

Sen. Bernard Sanders

Senate Democratic Offenders:

Sen. Tammy Baldwin

Sen. Max Baucus

Sen. Mark Begich

Sen. Michael Bennet

Sen. Richa

rd Blumenthal

Sen. Barbara Boxer

Sen. Sherrod Brown

Sen. Maria Cantwell

Sen. Ben Cardin

Sen. Tom Carper

Sen. Robert Casey

Sen. Chris Coons

Sen. Joe Donnelly

Sen. Dick Durbin

Sen. Diane Feinstein

Sen. Al Franken

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Sen. Kay Hagan

Sen. Tom Harkin

Sen. Martin Heinrich

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp

Sen. Mazie Hirono

Sen. Tim Johnson

Sen. Tim Kaine

Sen. Amy Klobuchar

Sen. Mary Landrieu

Sen. Patrick Leahy

Sen. Carl Levin

Sen. Joe Manchin III

Sen. Edward Markey

Sen. Claire McCaskill

Sen. Robert Menendez

Sen. Jeff Merkley

Sen. Barbara Mikulski Sen. Christopher Murphy

Sen. Patty Murray

Sen. Bill Nelson

Sen. Mark Pryor

Sen. Jack Reed

Sen. Harry Reid

Sen. John Rockefeller IV

Sen. Charles Schumer

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

Sen. Debbie Stabenow

Sen. Jon Tester

Sen. Mark Udall

Sen. Tom Udall

Sen. Mark Warner

Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse

Sen. Ron Wyden

421 out of 435 Sitting Congressmen

Have Supported Surveillance

House Republican Offenders:

Rep. Robert Aderholt

Rep. Rodney Alexander

Rep. Mark Amodei

Rep. Michele Bachmann

Rep. Spencer Bachus

Rep. Louis Barletta

Rep. Garland Barr

Rep. Joe Barton

Rep. Dan Benishek

Rep. Kerry Bentivolio

Rep. Jaime Beutler

Rep. Gus Bilirakis

Rep. Rob Bishop

Rep. Diane Black

Rep. Marsha Blackburn

Rep. John Boehner

Rep. Josiah Bonner Jr.

Rep. Charles Boustany Jr.

Rep. Kevin Brady

Rep. James Bridenstine

Rep. Morris Brooks

Rep. Susan Brooks

Rep. Paul Broun

Rep. Vern Buchanan

Rep. Larry Bucshon

Rep. Michael Burgess

Rep. Ken Calvert

Rep. David Camp

Rep. John Campbell III

Rep. Eric Cantor

Rep. Shelley Capito

Rep. John Carter

Rep. William Cassidy

Rep. Steven Chabot

Rep. Jason Chaffetz

Rep. John Coble

Rep. Michael Coffman

Rep. Tom Cole

Rep. Chris Collins

Rep. Douglas Collins

Rep. K. Michael Conaway

Rep. Paul Cook

Rep. Tom Cotton

Rep. Kevin Cramer

Rep. Rick Crawford

Rep. Ander Crenshaw

Rep. John Culberson

Rep. Steve Daines

Rep. Rodney Davis

Rep. Jeffrey Denham

Rep. Charles Dent

Rep. Ron DeSantis

Rep. Scott DesJarlais

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart

Rep. Sean Duffy

Rep. Jeffrey Duncan

Rep. John Duncan Jr.

Rep. Renee Ellmers

Rep. Blake Farenthold

Rep. Stephen Fincher

Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick

Rep. Charles Fleischmann

Rep. John Fleming Jr.

Rep. Bill Flores

Rep. James Forbes

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry

Rep. Virginia Foxx

Rep. Trent Franks

Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen

Rep. Cory Gardner

Rep. Scott Garrett

Rep. Jim Gerlach

Rep. Bob Gibbs

Rep. Christopher Gibson

Rep. Phil Gingrey

Rep. Louie Gohmert

Rep. Robert Goodlatte

Rep. Paul Gosar

Rep. Trey Gowdy

Rep. Kay Granger

Rep. John Graves Jr.

Rep. Samuel Graves

Rep. Tim Griffin

Rep. H. Morgan Griffith

Rep. Michael Grimm

Rep. Steven Guthrie

Rep. Ralph Hall

Rep. Richard Hanna

Rep. Gregg Harper

Rep. Andrew Harris

Rep. Vicky Hartzler

Rep. Richard Hastings

Rep. Joseph Heck Jr.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling

Rep. George Holding

Rep. Richard Hudson

Rep. Timothy Huelskamp

Rep. Bill Huizenga

Rep. Randall Hultgren

Rep. Duncan Hunter

Rep. Robert Hurt

Rep. Darrell Issa

Rep. Lynn Jenkins

Rep. Bill Johnson

Rep. Samuel Johnson

Rep. Walter Jones Jr.

Rep. James Jordan

Rep. David Joyce

Rep. Mike Kelly

Rep. Peter King

Rep. Steve King

Rep. Jack Kingston

Rep. Adam Kinzinger

Rep. John Kline

Rep. Raul Labrador

Rep. Doug LaMalfa

Rep. Douglas Lamborn

Rep. Leonard Lance

Rep. James Lankford

Rep. Thomas Latham

Rep. Robert Latta

Rep. Frank LoBiondo

Rep. Billy Long

Rep. Frank Lucas

Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer

Rep. Cynthia Lummis

Rep. Kenny Marchant

Rep. Thomas Marino

Rep. Kevin McCarthy

Rep. Michael McCaul

Rep. Thomas McClintock II

Rep. Patrick McHenry

Rep. Howard McKeon

Rep. David McKinley

Rep. Mark Meadows

Rep. Patrick Meehan

Rep. Luke Messer

Rep. John Mica

Rep. Candice Miller

Rep. Gary Miller

Rep. Jefferson Miller

Rep. Markwayne Mullin

Rep. Michael Mulvaney

Rep. Timothy Murphy

Rep. Randy Neugebauer

Rep. Kristi Noem

Rep. Richard Nugent

Rep. Devin Nunes

Rep. Patrick Nunnelee

Rep. Pete Olson

Rep. Steven Palazzo

Rep. Erik Paulsen

Rep. Stevan Pearce

Rep. Scott Perry

Rep. Thomas Petri

Rep. Robert Pittenger

Rep. Joseph Pitts

Rep. Ted Poe

Rep. Mike Pompeo

Rep. Bill Posey

Rep. Thomas Price

Rep. Trey Radel

Rep. Thomas Reed II

Rep. David Reichert

Rep. James Renacci

Rep. Reid Ribble

Rep. Tom Rice

Rep. E. Scott Rigell

Rep. Martha Roby

Rep. Cathy Rodgers

Rep. David Roe

Rep. Harold Rogers

Rep. Michael Rogers

Rep. Mike Rogers

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher

Rep. Todd Rokita

Rep. Thomas Rooney

Rep. Peter Roskam

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Rep. Dennis Ross

Rep. Keith Rothfus

Rep. Edward Royce

Rep. Jon Runyan

Rep. Paul Ryan

Rep. Matthew Salmon

Rep. Marshall Sanford Jr.

Rep. Stephen Scalise

Rep. Aaron Schock

Rep. David Schweikert

Rep. James Scott

Rep. Frank Sensenbrenner Jr.

Rep. Peter Sessions

Rep. John Shimkus

Rep. Bill Shuster

Rep. Michael Simpson

Rep. Adrian Smith

Rep. Christopher Smith

Rep. Jason Smith

Rep. Lamar Smith

Rep. William Southerland

Rep. Chris Stewart

Rep. Steve Stivers

Rep. Steve Stockman

Rep. Marlin Stutzman

Rep. Lee Terry

Rep. Glenn Thompson Jr.

Rep. William Thornberry

Rep. Patrick Tiberi

Rep. Scott Tipton

Rep. Michael Turner

Rep. Frederick Upton

Rep. David Valadao

Rep. Ann Wagner

Rep. Timothy Walberg

Rep. Greg Walden

Rep. Jackie Walorski

Rep. Randy Weber

Rep. Daniel Webster

Rep. Brad Wenstrup

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland

Rep. Edward Whitfield

Rep. Roger Williams

Rep. Addison Wilson Sr.

Rep. Robert Wittman

Rep. Frank Rudolph Wolf

Rep. Stephen Womack

Rep. Rob Woodall

Rep. Kevin Yoder

Rep. Theodore Yoho

Rep. Charles Young

Rep. Donald Young

Rep. Todd Young

House Democratic Offenders:

Rep. Robert Andrews

Rep. Ron Barber

Rep. John Barrow

Rep. Joyce Beatty

Rep. Xavier Becerra

Rep. Ami Bera

Rep. Sanford Bishop Jr.

Rep. Timothy Bishop

Rep. Earl Blumenauer

Rep. Robert

Brady

Rep. Bruce Braley

Rep. Corrine Brown

Rep. Julia Brownley

Rep. Cheri Bustos

Rep. George Butterfield Jr.

Rep. Lois Capps

Rep. Michael Capuano

Rep. Tony Cardenas

Rep. John Carney Jr.

Rep. Andre Carson

Rep. Kathy Castor

Rep. Joaquin Castro

Rep. Judy Chu

Rep. David Cicilline

Rep. Yvette Clarke

Rep. William Lacy Clay Jr.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II

Rep. James Clyburn

Rep. Stephen Cohen

Rep. Gerald Connolly

Rep. John Conyers

Rep. Jim Cooper

Rep. Jim Costa

Rep. Joseph Courtney

Rep. Joseph Crowley

Rep. Henry Cuellar

Rep. Elijah Cummings

Rep. Danny Davis

Rep. Susan Davis

Rep. Peter DeFazio

Rep. Diana DeGette

Rep. John Delaney

Rep. Rosa DeLauro

Rep. Suzan DelBene

Rep. Theodore Deutch

Rep. John Dingell

Rep. Lloyd Doggett

Rep. Michael Doyle

Rep. Tammy Duckworth

Rep. Donna Edwards

Rep. Keith Ellison

Rep. Eliot Engel

Rep. William Enyart

Rep. Anna Eshoo

Rep. Elizabeth Esty

Rep. Samuel Farr

Rep. Chaka Fattah Sr.

Rep. Bill Foster

Rep. Lois Frankel

Rep. Marcia Fudge

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

Rep. Pete Gallego

Rep. John Garamendi Rep. Joe Garcia

Rep. Alan Grayson

Rep. Al Green

Rep. Raymond Green

Rep. Raul Grijalva

Rep. Michelle Grisham

Rep. Luis Gutierrez

Rep. Colleen Hanabusa

Rep. Alcee Hastings Sr.

Rep. Denny Heck

Rep. Brian Higgins

Rep. James Himes

Rep. Ruben Hinojosa

Rep. Rush Holt Jr.

Rep. Michael Honda

Rep. Steven Horsford

Rep. Steny Hoyer

Rep. Steve Israel

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries

Rep. Eddie Johnson

Rep. Henry Johnson Jr.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur

Rep. William Keating

Rep. Robin Kelly

Rep. Derek Kilmer

Rep. Ronald Kind

Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick

Rep. Ann Kuster

Rep. James Langevin

Rep. Richard Larsen

Rep. John Larson

Rep. Barbara Lee

Rep. Sheila Lee

Rep. Sander Levin

Rep. John Lewis

Rep. Daniel Lipinski

Rep. David Loebsack

Rep. Zoe Lofgren

Rep. Nita Lowey

Rep. Ben Lujan Jr.

Rep. Stephen Lynch

Rep. Daniel Maffei

Rep. Carolyn Maloney

Rep. Sean Maloney

Rep. Edward Markey

Rep. James Matheson

Rep. Doris Matsui

Rep. Carolyn McCarthy

Rep. Betty McCollum

Rep. James McDermott

Rep. James McGovern

Rep. Douglas McIntyre

Rep. Gloria McLeod

Rep. Gerald McNerney

Rep. Gregory Meeks

Rep. Grace Meng

Rep. Michael Michaud

Rep. George Miller III

Rep. Gwendolynne Moore

Rep. James Moran Jr.

Rep. Patrick Murphy

Rep. Jerrold Nadler

Rep. Graciela Napolitano Rep. Richard Neal

Rep. Beto O’Rourke

Rep. William Owens

Rep. Frank Pallone Jr.

Rep. William Pascrell Jr.

Rep. Edward Pastor

Rep. Donald Payne Jr.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi

Rep. Ed Perlmutter

Rep. Gary Peters

Rep. Scott Peters

Rep. Collin Peterson

Rep. Rochelle Pingree

Rep. Jared Polis

Rep. David Price

Rep. Mike Quigley

Rep. Nick Rahall II

Rep. Charles Rangel

Rep. Cedric Richmond

Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard

Rep. Raul Ruiz

Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger

Rep. Bobby Rush

Rep. Timothy Ryan

Rep. Linda Sanchez

Rep. Loretta Sanchez

Rep. John Sarbanes

Rep. Janice Schakowsky

Rep. Adam Schiff

Rep. Brad Schneider

Rep. Kurt Schrader

Rep. Debbie Schultz

Rep. Allyson Schwartz

Rep. David Scott

Rep. Robert Scott

Rep. Jose Serrano

Rep. Terri Sewell

Rep. Carol Shea-Porter

Rep. Brad Sherman

Rep. Kyrsten Sinema

Rep. Albio Sires

Rep. Louise Slaughter

Rep. Adam Smith

Rep. Karen Speier

Rep. Eric Swalwell

Rep. Bennie Thompson

Rep. Michael Thompson

Rep. John Tierney

Rep. Alice Titus

Rep. Paul Tonko

Rep. Nicola Tsongas

Rep. Christopher Van Hollen Jr.

Rep. Juan Vargas

Rep. Marc Veasey

Rep. Filemon Vela

Rep. Nydia Velazquez

Rep. Peter Visclosky

Rep. Timothy Walz

Rep. Maxine Waters

Rep. Melvin Watt

Rep. Henry Waxman

Rep. Peter Welch

Rep. John Yarmuth