PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS SUE GOVERNMENT FOR RECORDS ON PATRIOT ACT ACLU and three other public-interest groups filed suit against the Justice Department last week seeking disclosure of information on its use of the PATRIOT Act Congress passed last year. The suit was filed after the Justice Department failed to respond to a Freedom of Information request, asking for statistics on how many times the government had used its expanded wiretapping authority. On October 16 the House passed H.R. 5603, a bill that allows the Internal Revenue Service to suspend the tax exempt status of any group that is designated as a terrorist organization by Executive Order. Contributions to these groups would not be deductible. The bill also suspends due process rights of groups, stating that “no organization or other person may challenge a suspension….in any administrative or judicial proceeding…”. (See Section 1(a)(4).) An identical bill, S. 3082 has been introduced in the Senate by Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Charles Grassely (R-IA). The Senate is expected to take up the bill when it returns after the elections. OMB Watch is researching the due process issues involved in this legislation.