The American Civil Liberties Union's top lobbyist, Caroline
Fredrickson, appeared Tuesday at the first public hearing of the
Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board to urge the board to
conduct aggressive investigation and oversight over the
administration's dismantling of the civil liberties of all Americans.

“This hearing is a welcome but long overdue first step to air just some
of the civil liberties transgressions of this administration,” said
Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. 
“Our democracy is at risk when the unprecedented threats to privacy and
civil liberties undertaken in the name of the war on terror go
unanswered and unchecked.  We ask today: when did the American
people become the enemy?”

Specifically, Fredrickson raised concerns about several issues the
board has ignored since its creation, including the warrantless
wiretapping of Americans and data mining of call information. 
Fredrickson also said the board should examine the ongoing practices of
torture, kidnapping and detention by the government, the growth of a
“surveillance society” in America, and the lack of transparency and
sunshine in the government.  As well, she said the board should
speak out against the use of flawed no fly lists; and raised civil
liberties concerns with the Patriot Act and the Real ID Act.  

The board was created on December 17, 2004, when President Bush signed
into law the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of
2004.  However, since its creation, the administration has done
little to actually implement the launch of the board, with members not
appointed until June 10, 2005.  The ACLU noted that the White
House also failed to include specific funding for the board in its
budget for 2007.

The ACLU has been critical of the board because its members are
appointed by the incumbent president and serve at the president's
pleasure and because its powers to obtain documents and testimony are
subject to a veto by the attorney general.