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Tom Tancredo on Civil Liberties and Domestic Security
This candidate has withdrawn from the election
Voted YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent.
USA PATRIOT and Terrorism Prevention Reauthorization Act; Bill HR 3199 ; vote number 2005-627 on Dec 14, 2005
"I would do what is necessary to protect this country. That is the ultimate responsibility of the United States. All of the other things we do, all of the other powers vested in him, pale in comparison to his responsibility to keep the people of this country safe. That is ultimate. And yes, I would go to great lengths to keep this country safe."
Voted YES on allowing electronic surveillance without a warrant. Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to allow the President & Attorney General to authorize electronic surveillance without a court order to acquire foreign intelligence information, after certifying that the surveillance is directed at the acquisition of communications of foreign agents.
Update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978; Bill H.R.5825 ; vote number 2006-502 on Sep 28, 2006
Voted YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight. A resolution providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5020) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2007 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities. Voting YES indicates support of the current methods for intelligence-gathering used by the CIA and other agencies.
Intelligence Authorization Act; Bill HR 5020 resolution H RES 774 ; vote number 2006-108 on Apr 26, 2006
Voted YES on H.R. 1955, the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 which expands the Department of Homeland Security's ability to monitor and study groups inside the United States.
"We're talking about it in such a theoretical fashion. You say that nuclear devices have gone off in the US, more are planned, and we're wondering about whether waterboarding would be a bad thing to do? I'm looking for "Jack Bauer" at that time, let me tell you [referring to the counterrorism agent in TV's "24", who uses any methods needed to achieve desired results]. We are the last best hope of Western civilization. And so all of the theories that go behind our activities subsequent to these nuclear attacks going off in the US, they go out the window because when we go under, Western civilization goes under. As president you should make sure 1) it doesn't happen, but 2), you better respond in a way that makes them fearful of you because otherwise you guarantee something like this will happen."
2007 Republican Debate in South Carolina May 15, 2007
He voted YES on the Military Commission Act in 2006.
Military Commissions Act of 2006, Pub. L. No. 109-366, 120 Stat. 2600 (Oct. 17, 2006)
"Yes, I would do waterboarding, I don't believe that that is 'torture'. I would do what is necessary to protect this country. That is the ultimate responsibility of the United States. All of the other things we do, all of the other powers vested in him, pale in comparison to his responsibility to keep the people of this country safe. That is ultimate. And yes, I would go to great lengths to keep this country safe."
Voted NO on the Intelligence Authorization Act of 2007 which includes a provision that confines the CIA to the interrogation tactics permitted by the Army Field Manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations, which bans techniques such as waterboarding.