Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Obama Extends Patriot Act With E-Signature: Was It Legal?
By
Christopher Robbins
Published May 27, 2011
Modified May 27, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Christopher Robbins
Published May 27, 2011
Modified May 27, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
As we all know, The Patriot Act is the only thing keeping us from being brutally murdered in our sleep by our own countrymen. Warrantless wiretapping, "sneak and peek" warrants (OMG cutest sounding provision EVER) that allow law enforcement to kick first/ask questions later, and everyone's favorite: the library provision that lets authorities giggle at how many old Archie comics you've checked out. Obama extended all of these wonderful, terror-fighting things today for another four years. But he did it like most of us agree to the 98245234th update of iTunes' Terms and Conditions: with an electronic signature. Who reads that stuff anyway?
Politico reports that a conservative Republican congressman from Georgia is arguing that Obama's "auto-pen" signature violates the Constitution. In a letter sent to the White House, Rep. Tom Graves asked Obama to present "a detailed, written explanation of your constitutional authority to assign a surrogate the responsibility of signing bills passed by Congress into law." And in fact, Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution reads "every bill which shall have passed the House…and the Senate, shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the president of the United States." In this case, Graves isn't sure whether or not Obama actually received and read the bill before signing, as he did so "minutes" before it was to expire.
And is it legal for presidents to sign bills into law with an e-signature? Sure! According to President George W. Bush's Office of Legal Counsel, who said it was peachy back in 2005. Also peachy: deporting suspected terrorists to foreign countries to be tortured, as well as pouring water down detainees throats to simulate death, hundreds and hundreds of times. Quite a few House Republicans, and most House Democrats voted against the extension, but it passed, for Freedom. We can see how the "lone wolf" provisions have been useful in nabbing would-be terrorists, but The Patriot Act remains a privacy-trampling, specious security blanket over our supposedly free society.
Tagged
autopen
Democrats
esignature
Patriot Act
president obama
republicans
terrorism
war on terror
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
DSA to Mamdani: Fire NYPD commissioner if ICE doesn't leave NYC
The DSA's NYC chapter accused the NYPD of collaborating with ICE and demanded Mayor Mamdani hold Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch responsible.
By
Elizabeth Kim
,
Brigid Bergin
and
Ben Feuerherd
Published Oct 9, 2026 at 6:31 p.m. ET
Two people killed in Bronx vehicle crash
When officers arrived on the scene in Allerton Friday afternoon, they found three pedestrians who were unconscious with trauma to the head and body, according to the NYPD. Two individuals later died.
By
Kaya Laterman
News
Two people killed in Bronx vehicle crash
When officers arrived on the scene in Allerton Friday afternoon, they found three pedestrians who were unconscious with trauma to the head and body, according to the NYPD. Two individuals later died.
By
Kaya Laterman
NY will opt in Trump’s school choice program, Hochul says
By
Jon Campbell
Residents, lawmakers warned for months of potential for deadly ICE activity in Marble Hill
By
David Brand
Manhattan DA argues judge shouldn't dismiss state charges against Luigi Mangione
By
Samantha Max
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .