Still No Answer From Pederson On Patriot Act

He wont even tell Romley where he stands (PHOENIX)A week after former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley sent a letter to Jim Pederson asking his position on the Patriot Act, Jim Pederson has failed to issue any response or take a position on this important legislation. The letter was printed in the Arizona Republic on January 11, 2006. This continues a pattern by Pederson of staying silent on a number of the most prominent issues of this election. I am genuinely concerned that Jim Pederson has refused to reveal where he stands on the Patriot Act. This is an issue of national security, and I would expect a candidate for the United States Senate to hold a clear and thoughtful position on such an important issue. As a veteran, a prosecutor, the former Maricopa County Attorney, and a father with a son who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan, I think I deserve an answer.  The Patriot Act is a critical tool used by law enforcement and intelligence agencies to prevent and combat terrorism. In his letter, Romley noted that the Patriot Act provides common sense and effective measures to help secure our citizens from our nation's enemies. Moreover, a letter to the editor from a Pederson supporter published in the Republic quoted verbatim from Pedersons campaign materials. The letter raises very disturbing questions. Pedersons supporter criticizes Kyl for legislation he helped write that prevents enemy combatant detainees held at Guantanamo Bay from suing our military under U.S. habeas corpus statutes. The fact is that Senator Kyl, with bi-partisan support from Senators Carl Levin and Lindsey Graham, got an amendment passed that would require unlawful combatants held at Guantanamo to go through the military courts before they could appeal to federal court. The Pederson supporter apparently wants to grant enemy detainees held during wartime the same rights as American citizens. Romley challenged Pederson to publicly refute any inference that he supports extending full habeas corpus rights to detainees held at Guantanamo. Jim Pederson is quickly revealing himself to be a politician who straddles the fence on the most prominent issues facing our state and our nation. Even when asked by the Arizona Daily Star whether he would vote to confirm Judge Alito to be the next associate justice on the Supreme Court, Pederson continued his indecisive wavering, saying that he would have to wait for the Senate debate. This is after months of national news coverage and days of televised gavel to gavel coverage of Alitos hearings. Senator Kyl, who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has publicly said that he would support Alitos confirmation.