Bush Warned About Mail-Opening Authority

BUSH WARNED ABOUT MAIL-OPENING AUTHORITY
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Dan Eggen]
President Bush signed a little-noticed statement last month asserting the authority to open U.S. mail without judicial warrants in emergencies or foreign intelligence cases, prompting warnings yesterday from Democrats and privacy advocates that the administration is attempting to circumvent legal restrictions on its powers. A "signing statement" attached to a postal reform bill on Dec. 20 says the Bush administration "shall construe" a section of that law to allow the opening of sealed mail to protect life, guard against hazardous materials or conduct "physical searches specifically authorized by law for foreign intelligence collection."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/04/AR200701...
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* Bush administration defends warrantless mail inspection
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070105/a_mail05.art.htm