For further information, contact: Chris Finan, (212) 587-4025; chris@abffe.com

For Immediate Release

NEW YORK, N.Y., August 21, 2002 - The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE), the bookseller's voice in the fight against censorship, today filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act in an attempt to learn how many subpoenas have been issued to bookstores, libraries and newspapers under the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act. The Justice Department has refused to make this information public despite a request by the House Judiciary Committee. "The PATRIOT Act gives the Justice Department the power to investigate the reading habits of American citizens," ABFFE President Chris Finan said. "We want to make sure this power isn't abused."

ABFFE joined the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) in making the FOIA request. In addition to the number of bookstore and libraries subpoenas, the request seeks information about how the Justice Department is employing its vastly expanded power to conduct searches and electronic surveillance. Under the PATRIOT Act, the FBI can obtain court orders to monitor anyone it thinks may have information relevant to an anti-terrorism investigation, including American citizens who are not themselves suspected of engaging in terrorism.

ABFFE, ACLU and EPIC have requested an expedited review of their FOIA request. Under an expedited review, the government has 10 calendar days to respond. If the request is rejected or no decision is announced before then, ABFFE, ACLU and EPIC will consider filing a lawsuit to obtain the information.

The Milwaukee Journal reported Monday that House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) may subpoena Attorney General John Ashcroft to appear before the committee and explain why the Justice Department is refusing to turn over the information that the committee has requested. On June 13, Sensenbrenner and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), the ranking Democrat on the committee, sent Ashcroft a 12-page letter seeking details about the implementation of 50 provisions of the PATRIOT Act. On July 26, the Justice Department sent the committee some of what it was seeking but refused to release other information that it described as "classified." It said classified information would be turned over to the House Intelligence Committee, which has procedures for protecting the secrecy of the material it receives.