Judge Rules Part of Patriot Act Unlawful
A federal judge has thrown out a section of the USA Patriot Act that bars giving expert advice or assistance to groups designated foreign terrorist organizations. An attorney who argued the case on behalf of a civil liberties group said the ruling marks the first court decision to declare a part of the Patriot Act unconstitutional. In the ruling handed down late Friday and made available Monday, U.S. District Judge Audrey Collins said the ban is impermissibly vague in its wording. The Justice Department is reviewing the ruling, spokesman Mark Corallo said in a statement from Washington. Full Story