PORT ANGELES — A public forum called to scrutinize the USA Patriot Act drew about 200 people Sunday who jammed the Port Angeles Library Raymond Carver Room to hear community officials explain how the Bush administration’s law threatens civil liberties in the name of anti-terrorism.
“We don’t have a police state yet . . . but we have the machinery,” said Jamie Bollenbach, of the King County American Civil Liberties Union.
The forum, sponsored by the Bill of Rights Defense Committee of Clallam County, was headed up by a panel that included Bollenbach, Clallam County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jill Landes, attorney and former prosecuting attorney Chris Shea, Port Angeles Odyssey Bookstore owner Craig Whalley, North Olympic Library System director George Stratton and the Rev. Vince Murray.
Peninsula Daily News publisher-editor John Brewer moderated the panel discussion and audience questions.
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