Why?

Mr. Sharkey made me aware today of this, which was posted last week on July 1st:

"Next week, on Wednesday or Thursday, Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is planning to add to a House appropriations bill, which funds the Justice Department, an amendment that cuts off funds for bookstore and library searches under Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act. The American Booksellers Association, in conjunction with its partners in the Campaign for Reader Privacy (CRP) -- the American Library Association and PEN American Center -- is urging members of the book industry, the library community, and the general public to support the amendment, which seeks to bar the Justice Department from using any of the appropriations funding to search bookstore and library records under Section 215 of the Patriot Act."

More information on this can be found here; and then curiously, minutes later, he also received this in from the same E-mail list:

"Librarians across the state are crying foul over a widespread request for library cardholder information, and some argue the query amounts to an attack on privacy rights.

"Law student Caleb Marker, a clerk at the firm of Flory & Associates in Okemos, has demanded libraries hand over patron names, addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses from at least 85 Michigan libraries."

The young Mr. Marker appears to be working very hard, and I ask why?

--WP