The new amendments will enable prosecutors to use electronic surveillance of executives suspected to be involved in such misdeeds as price fixing and bid rigging. Intellectual property could also be at risk.
When President Bush signs the Patriot Act amendments into law later this week, the civil liberties of people targeted in terrorism investigations will be strengthened. That's not the case, however, for corporate executives and directors under investigation for antitrust crimes. For them, the amendments will enable the government to wiretap phone conversations and bug boardrooms and offices if there's probable cause that antitrust violations are being committed.
Up until now, the Department of Justice has used wiretaps and bugs mainly to gather evidence against suspected mobsters, drug runners, terrorists, and other "blue collar" criminals, as prosecutors like to refer to them. But the USA Patriot Improvement and Reauthorization Act, which was narrowly passed by the House Tuesday night after sailing through the Senate last week, should change all that.
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