Mueller Confirmed by U.S. Senate Despite Claims of Civil Rights Violations

COMMENTARY | In the interest of continuity of government during the ongoing debt ceiling debate, President Barack Obama signed legislation last Tuesday, which extended by an extra two years the term of F.B.I. Director Robert Mueller. As of July 28, 2011, his re-appointment is officially confirmed by the Senate.

Robert S. Mueller was only one week on the job when the attacks of September 11, 2001 happened. Handling his role as he did, during what must have been an unimaginably stressful time, has already placed him noticeably within American history books.

He is also the first F.B.I. Director to complete the entire 10-year term, since its enactment 35 years ago, by Congress. Were his term to expire as originally planned, it would have coincided with the August 2^nd deadline for the tiresome debt ceiling debate going on within the nation's capitol.

But perhaps what Director Mueller is most famous for, is the plethora of complaints against him for numerous violations of the rights of American citizens. The blog, Waking Up Orwell asked readers to participate in an effort to convince the Senate to denounce the confirmation. Within the blog, Mueller's opponents lay charges of infiltrating religious institutions, unwarranted wire-tapping, and raiding homes of citizens who speak out against the U.S. Government.

The ACLU has also expressed concerns over the appointment, citing allegations of civil rights violations of Americans via abuses of the PATRIOT Act, crackdowns on peaceful protests and racial profiling, just to name a few.

Director Mueller's additional term is only two more years, and President Obama says this is only a one-time extension. But if our government is over-stepping their bounds in their quest to insure security and safety for all, a lot of damage can be done to civil liberties within two years. And it's the sort of damage which might not be repairable. Once these uniquely American freedoms are gone, they're more than likely gone forever.

Where do you stand on the appointment of Robert S. Mueller as F.B.I. Director? Has he done a good job keeping all of us safe from terrorist attacks? Or, are you of the opinion he has abused his position of considerable power, in an effort to squelch dissent against the U.S. Government? Might we have been fine to have let his one term expire as originally planned? Or, would changing horses mid-stream at such a crucial date have been a move we could ill afford to make?