Democrats Kill 'John Doe'

These people really are disgusting. Not only do they want to surrender to the terrorists on the battlefield, but now if you report suspicious activity, the Democrats have made it easier for you to be sued.

Democrats cut 'John Doe' provision

Congressional Democrats today failed to include a provision in homeland security legislation that would protect the public from being sued for reporting suspicious behavior that may lead to a terrorist attack, according to House Republican leaders.

"This is a slap in the face of good citizens who do their patriotic duty and come forward, and it caves in to radical Islamists," said Rep. Peter T. King, New York Republican and ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee.

Republicans wanted the provision included in final legislation, crafted yesterday during a House and Senate conference committee, that will implement final recommendations from the September 11 commission.

Mr. King and Rep. Steve Pearce, New Mexico Republican, sponsored the provision after a group of Muslim imams filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against US Airways and unknown "John Doe" passengers. The imams were removed from US Airways Flight 300 on Nov. 20 after fellow passengers on the Minneapolis-to-Phoenix flight complained about the imams' suspicious behavior.

On March 27, the House approved the "John Doe" amendment on a 304-121 vote.

"Democrats are trying to find any technical excuse to keep immunity out of the language of the bill to protect citizens, who in good faith, report suspicious activity to police or law enforcement," Mr. King said. "I don't see how you can have a homeland security bill without protecting people who come forward to report suspicious activity."

While the conference is not likely to meet again, Mr. King noted the conference report has not been written and says he will continue discussions with Sen. Joe Lieberman, Connecticut independent and chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, to insert the "John Doe" language.

Sen. Susan Collins, Maine Republican and ranking member of the committee, announced afterward she will attempt to attach a similar bill to an education measure currently under debate on the Senate floor.

The Democrat Party. Fighting tooth and nail to make you less safe.

More from Michelle Malkin, Riehl World View, Atlas Shrugs, Wake Up America.

Protecting John Doe Update

The Washington Times reports today that Rep. Bennie Thompson has come to his senses and gotten on board with the legislation that would protect tipsters from lawsuits brought forth by terrorist sympathizers like CAIR. Still, there's sure to be some meddling from high ranking Democrats, but if they're insane enough to oppose this, they will certainly suffer at the polls.

This is great and important news. This measure ensures that ordinary citizens can continue to act upon the government's "REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY" urgings without risking legal trouble. And since Mr. Thompson was the last top-ranking lawmaker in the House and Senate homeland-security committees to oppose it, that leaves Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer without significant committee support if they somehow try to pressure conferees against the idea. A majority of the House supports it -- Rep. Peter King's measure passed by a 302-121 margin in March.

Read the rest.

Hero Clerk May Need Immunity

It's really a pathetic situation when someone who gives a tip to police may need immunity because some lowlife scum like the terrorist-lovers from CAIR may sue them.

The New Jersey store clerk whose tip led to the arrest of six terror suspects needs legislative protection from being sued as a "John Doe" or whistleblower, lawmakers said yesterday.

"The events in Fort Dix are just another reminder of the need for this legislation," said Rep. Steve Pearce, New Mexico Republican and author of legislation to protect "John Doe" passengers being sued by a group of Muslim imams for reporting their suspicious behavior

"We owe a debt of gratitude to this individual for alerting authorities to this potential terrorist attack and thwarting what could have been a terrible disaster. I can only imagine how grateful the men and women at Fort Dix and their families are for the courage of this person to take action when he saw something suspicious," Mr. Pearce said.

U.S. authorities arrested six foreign-born Muslims suspected of plotting to attack the New Jersey fort and kill "as many American soldiers as possible ... in the name of Allah." The FBI was alerted to the group by a clerk at the Circuit City store who had been asked to copy to DVD a video of the men test-firing weapons in the mountains and calling for jihad.

"If we didn't get that tip," said U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie in New Jersey, "I couldn't be sure what would happen."

M. Zuhdi Jasser, director of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, agrees that the FBI's arrests show the need to protect the principle of "see something, say something."
"What if this 'John Doe' had contrarily chosen to be silent due to a fear of litigation?" Dr. Jasser said.

Republican Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio and Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Rep. Peter King of New York used a procedural tactic to add the Pearce language to a rail and transportation security bill in March. The amendment passed unanimously by Republicans and had bipartisan support from 105 Democrats.

Don't forget to note well over 100 Democrats opposed the legislation.

Whose side are they on?

UPDATE: Ugh. Now the perps are playing the vicitm card. Michelle Malkin has more.

The John Doe Protection Act

As noted last week, Rep. Steve Pearce introduced a bill which would protect the public from being named in lawsuits by scam artists like The Flying Imams and the thugs from CAIR. Well, good news today from the House (via Power Line).

House Republicans today surprised Democrats with a procedural vote to protect public-transportation passengers from being sued if they report suspicious activity -- the first step by lawmakers to protect "John Doe" airline travelers already targeted in a lawsuit by Muslim imams that charges profiling.

The introduction of a motion to recommit the Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2007 back to committee with instructions to add the protective language was introduced by Rep. Peter T. King, New York Republican and ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee.

Mr. King says all Americans, airline passengers included, must be protected from lawsuits if they report suspicious behavior that may foreshadow a terrorist attack.

A vote on the measure is expected tonight.

The language is based on a bill introduced last week by Rep. Steve Pearce, New Mexico Republican, to protect "John Does," or passengers targeted in the suit filed by six Muslim imams earlier this month in Minneapolis.

A Republican memo issued before the vote cites the November incident, in which the Muslim men were removed from a US Airways flight from Minneapolis to Phoenix for suspicious behavior, the details of which were first reported by The Washington Times.

As noted by The Jawa Report, the measure passed 304-121.

Take that, CAIR.

Meanwhile, the perpetually aggrieved whiners were up to some shenanigans today on C-SPAN, reports Marc Sheppard at The American Thinker.

Notwithstanding the moderator's televised reading from the Op-Ed, including those portions which clearly outlined the imams' startling behavior that triggered their removal, most of the callers stated that they were firmly behind the suit, blaming:

* The ignorance of White America
* Blatant Religious and Racial Profiling
* Americans' lack of knowledge about other cultures
* Denial of Freedom of Religion
* And, of course, President Bush

So, screaming anti-American slogans and words similar to the final cries of suicide bombers while changing assigned seats without authorization and brandishing potential restraints and weapons in a post-9/11 airplane cabin is within anybody's cultural or religious rights? Houston ... we've got a problem, a huge problem.

Adding fuel to this spreading fire is the fact that Washington Journal is as fair a call-in show as you're likely to find anywhere, with calls selected sequentially from Republican, Democratic and Independent lines. Yet the vast majority of callers appeared to have fallen hook, line, and sinker for CAIR's tactical rhetoric that the imams were innocent victims of discrimination. CAIR wouldn't stoop to lining-up callers with speed dialers to flood the lines, would it?

You can bet your last dollar they would.

More from Michelle Malkin and Hot Air, which added the roll call. Shocking. All those who voted no were Democrats.

A Congressman Who Gets It

Hats off to Congressman Steve Pearce of New Mexico, who today introduced legislation to protect those who report suspicious and potential terrorist activity. I hope the terror frontgroup CAIR seethes over this (via Power Line).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, United States Congressman Steve Pearce introduced H.R. 1640 the “Protecting Americans Fighting Terrorism Act of 2007.” If passed, this legislation would protect individuals from being sued for reporting suspicious activities to law enforcement and security personnel.

The language of the Act comes as a direct response to a recent incident in Minneapolis. As reported in the Minneapolis Star Tribune,

The imams engaged in a variety of suspicious behaviors while boarding a US Airways flight, according to the airport police report. Some prayed loudly in the gate area, spoke angrily about the United States and Saddam, switched seats and sat in the 9/11 hijackers' configuration, and unnecessarily requested seatbelt extenders that could be used as weapons, according to witness reports and US Airways spokeswoman Andrea Rader.

As a result of the aforementioned behavior, citizens contacted airline authorities and the pilot informed law enforcement to have the suspicious parties removed from the aircraft. The original incident occurred in November of 2006; now the group has filed suit against US Airways and the Minneapolis – St. Paul Metropolitan Airports Commission on 17 different charges. Included in the lawsuit as defendants, are “John Does” described as citizens who called authorities to report the suspicious behavior of the Imams.

Rep. Pearce commented on introducing the bill:

“It is a sad day in America when our own institutions of freedom are being used against us in the battle against terrorism. When I first heard about the lawsuit brought by the ‘imams’ in Minnesota, it was clear to me that this was an injustice against Americans who were simply trying to protect themselves. These brave citizens should be recognized as heroes for their efforts to report suspicious activity, particularly activity that has been associated with previous terror attacks.

A full copy of the bill, which has 10 cosponsors. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.