Holder Defends Fusion Centers
Attorney General Eric Holder Tuesday defended privacy protections in place at the nation's state and local fusion centers, which were created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to improve information and intelligence sharing between local, state and federal authorities.
During a speech at the annual National Fusion Center Conference in New Orleans, Holder noted the importance of balancing privacy and security. "I do, and always will, oppose the argument that we must sacrifice our Constitution's safeguards to protect our national security. That's simply, and dangerously, false," he said in his prepared remarks. "Discarding the values that have made us the world's greatest nation, and its brightest beacon for justice, will not make us stronger. And it will not make us safer."
He said the fusion centers have kept this "essential truth" in mind and have been "carefully designed" to protect the privacy rights of citizens. Noting the concerns raised by privacy advocates, Holder said the centers have given law enforcement "new tools and capacities for connecting agencies, personnel and information," while also improving the nation's ability to prevent terrorist attacks and fight crime. "But, no, they do not and never will jeopardize every American's guaranteed right to privacy," he said. "The protection of our civil liberties is of critical importance - to me, to the Justice Department, and to this administration."
Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Information Privacy Center, said, however, for Holder to determine whether the fusion centers are adequately protecting privacy he should be examining whether they comply with the federal Privacy Act and state and local privacy laws. "Our conclusion is that they do not comply with the clear intent of the Privacy Act," he said. "They have also diminished safeguards in place at the state level."
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