Something big is happening.

“Patriot Act” is trending right now on Twitter. Recall the Patriot Act? Passed in the aftermath of 9-11? It was and remains a highly controversial piece of legislation that gives the government sweeping surveillance power (probably too much power) in the fight against terr*rism (We have to stay away from certain words on certain platforms). Republicans – for the most part – drafted and pushed for the Patriot Act to spy on Muslim Americans, in fear of terr…

Guess how the House Select Committee investigating the January 6th riot on the Capitol (and attempted coup), guess how they categorize what happened?

Smashing the news tonight, the House Select Committee intends to subpoena records from social media companies, telecom companies (and possibly banks) under the Patriot Act in an investigation into a terr*rist action in the United States. Kevin McCarthy is going apoplectic, promising retaliation against any private company that obeys a lawful subpoena seeking records from… white people in suits.

Kevin McCarthy voted for the Patriot Act (multiple times), FISA 702 (multiple times), and every dystopian surveillance bill that has ever made it to the House floor. I’m delighted to learn of his newfound concern for people’s privacy and the dangers of the surveillance state. https://t.co/robsRgAfph

— Justin Amash (@justinamash) September 1, 2021

Many of us opposed at least portions of the Patriot Act all along. We guarantee that some of the most fanatic proponents – Keven McCarthy types – never once envisioned the Act being turned on them as a possible terr*rist organization. And yet what else would one call what happened on January 6th? Someone tell us how it is in any way different than 9-11 other than the fact that it was carried out largely by white Americans, and that they sought to overturn a lawful election instead of crumble buildings.

If Kevin McCarthy believes that the Democrats and the Select Committee are violating his constitutional rights under the Patriot Act, then he should file a lawsuit in court and attempt to get the process stopped. Instead, he issues a tweet threatening… Something, something like legislation retaliating against the companies or using government power to punish them.

Why won’t he go to court? Is it because the attorneys for the committee might have an opportunity to set out the probable cause they have for the subpoena? Is McCarthy worried about what might be proven in such a court proceeding? We don’t know. We only know this. When one believes that the government is trampling over one’s civil rights, 99.9% of Americans’ first thought is to go get a judicial order to stop it. McCarthy’s first thought was to put out a threatening tweet.

Odd, isn’t it? And trending?

Perhaps you forgot about the Patriot Act and the Protect America Act and all those warrantless wiretaps you son of bitches authorized after 911. Remember? To keep America safe, you said. To protect us from terrorism.

Well, guess what, Seditionist. YOU'RE the terrorist now. https://t.co/0XJUd6X76i

— Stonekettle (@Stonekettle) August 31, 2021

Kevin McCarthy thinks it’s just fine for the government to get access to your phone records (voted for Patriot Act and FISA).

But not his.

His phone records, even as pertaining to an investigation into domestic terrorism, are sacrosanct. https://t.co/2juyILuasX

— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) September 1, 2021

The GOP?

A political party???

Like hell it is.

It's a treasonous cult, fascist to the core.#DeadlineWH #Maddow #ArrestThemNow Lauren Boebert Beau Patriot Act Cancun Andy Biggs Ron Johnson Cawthorn Gold Star Ann Coulter McCarthy Obstruction Extraordinary Success Michael Moore pic.twitter.com/dVu62vIIMN

— Steve Rustad (@SteveRustad1) September 1, 2021

https://twitter.com/Ice_Princess003/status/1432856094641045505

Laughing bitterly at all the #Republicans who pushed the soft-fascism PATRIOT ACT shitting their pants over having their phone records used against them.

Twenty-year-old but still sweet. https://t.co/0E54PTslrt

— Captain America 🇺🇸 Moody Loner (@MoodyLoner) September 1, 2021

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