Patriot Act is praised in mailing

US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan, a staunch defender of the USA Patriot Act, has stepped up his advocacy of the law, sending information packets praising it to every community in the state and dispatching assistants to Town Meeetings that are debating resolutions condemning it.

The mailing, which includes a four-page letter, a newspaper editorial defending the law, and other background material, has infuriated civil libertarians who believe the Patriot Act infringes on personal liberties in the name of fighting terrorism.

"I think it's critically important for local communities that they're armed with as much information as possible," Sullivan said. "I wish quite candidly I had an opportunity to visit every one of the 351 communities and explain firsthand how important these tools are in our war against terrorism."

But Carol Rose, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, called the move a scare tactic designed to stop communities from passing resolutions challenging the law.

"This is the kind of disinformation campaign that is trying to stop grass-roots organizing," said Rose. "I dont think it will work. I don't think people are fooled."

Rose said 45 cities and towns in Massachusetts have passed resolutions asking for the repeal or amendment of parts of the Patriot Act that are seen as undermining basic civil liberties.

Yet some officials and activists in communities debating the Patriot Act said that Sullivan was just doing his job.

"The US attorney is a law-enforcement official," said Boston City Council President Michael Flaherty. "I think he's trying to set a tone, and he's probably looking for as many tools as possible to protect the people of Massachusetts and to combat terrorism."

The Boston City Council was the scene of a tense battle last September, when Chuck Turner, a black councilor, accused Flaherty, who is white, of racism for tabling a resolution calling for repeal of the Patriot Act. Turner later retracted the racism charge.

Flaherty said at the time that he believed the resolution was outside the scope of the council's purview. He said this week that he might consider another resolution if it dealt with issues closer to home, such as provisions of the Patriot Act dealing with local police or libraries.

The Patriot Act, passed by Congress in October 2001, is a cornerstone of the Bush Administration's policy to combat terrorism by expanding federal powers in search and seizure and detention.

Nancy Talanian, director of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, said her group has been instrumental in the passage of 325 resolutions asking for revisions to the Patriot Act by cities and counties around the country.

When Town Meeting in Groton was debating a resolution in May on the Patriot Act, Sullivan said he had one of his assistants deliver an information packet and stay for the meeting to answer questions.

The resolution, which asked Congress to repeal portions of the law that backers said threaten freedom of speech and assembly and the right to legal counsel, passed 123-91, according to Jean Kitchen, town administrative officer.

Fran Dillon, chairman of Groton's Board of Selectmen, said he was pleased with Sullivan's actions, which he described as helpful.

Sullivan said Groton was one of 10 to 20 communities where his assistants attended Town Meeting and fielded questions about the Patriot Act. Most were from his office's terrorism unit, he said, "but other folks indicated their willingness to volunteer their time."

Because he cannot send staff to every Town Meeting debating the Patriot Act, Sullivan said he decided to draft the letter explaining the law and giving local officials ways to research it further.

Attached is a copy of an editorial from the Wall Street Journal defending the law.

Jeremy McKeen, who has been active in organizing North Shore communities to pass resolutions asking for the repeal or amendment of the Patriot Act, said he considered Sullivan's letter inappropriate.

"If he feels he's upholding the law, which the Patriot Act is, then he is doing his job," said McKeen, of Salem.

"But sending letters to encourage people to go against democracy, people like me who don't believe in the Patriot Act, then he is not upholding the Constitution."

Ralph Ranalli contributed to this report. Connie Paige can be reached at cpaige@globe.com.