Congressman Walz Strikes Back

"B-log"

02/26/2008

KEYC TV - Mankato, MN
02-23-2008


Congressman Tim Walz today is striking back at an issue ad that's targeting him.

The TV ad says, The law that lets intelligence agencies intercept Al-Qaeda communications has expired. The ad airs on television stations across the first Congressional District, including KEYC.

It's paid for by a lobbying group known as Defense of Democracies. The ad claims Walz and Democrats are compromising the nation's security by not renewing the so called Protect America Act. That controversial law allowed intelligence agencies more freedoms for wiretapping and other surveillance methods.

Walz says the attacks are reckless and distorted.

Congressman Tim Walz, D-Minnesota, says, ''The idea that the President doesn't have all the tools necessary, that's blatantly false. In fact, when I say it's reckless, enticing terrorists to think we have a vulnerability when it's not there."

Walz also says the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act still provides American spy agencies to effectively do their jobs.

The debate over renewing and modernizing the act is over balancing privacy and personal liberties with surveillance methods. Walz says the White House is blocking attempts at permanent changes to the law.