More Than Half New York's Congressional Delegation: Punish NYPD For Muslim Surveillance

More than half New York's Congressional delegation voted to punish the NYPD for spying on Muslim communities.

Our Alison Gendar reports:

The mostly symbolic vote was aimed at getting the NYPD to stop any efforts to quietly monitor or infiltrate mosques, bookstores or cafes, and to get rid of any data collected on Muslim individuals not accused of any crime.

Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J., introduced the amendment, saying the wholesale surveillance of innocent communities, many in his state, has not caught any terrorists.

"Contrary to the blanket assertions by some that the tactics have kept New York City safe, the NYPD failed to uncover two actual plots against New York City," Holt said, referring to foiled bombings in Times Square and the New York subway system.

Holt's proposal would have banned any federal funds from flowing to law enforcement agencies that engage in any form of racial, ethnic, or religious profiling.

The amendment drew fire from Rep. Peter King, head of the House Homeland Security Committee. He defended both the NYPD and its counterterrorism surveillance programs.

"I remember years ago when the Justice Department was going after the Mafia, they went to the Italian American communities. When they were going after the Westies, they went to the Irish American communities. When you're looking for the Russian mob, you go to the communities in Coney Island and Brighton Beach. That's where the enemy comes from," King said, according to a transcript of Wednesday's midnight debate.

"Ninety-nine percent of the people are law-abiding. But if you're looking for the person who is going to that community to carry out a crime, you look in that community. If you're looking for an Islamic terrorist, you don't go to Ben's Kosher Deli. When they were looking for the Italian mob, they didn't go to an Irish bar. They went to the Italian social clubs," King said.

The amendment was defeated 232 to 193.

The split ran along partisan lines, with only 16 Republicans calling to block funding to police departments that run such surveillance programs and only 8 Democrats voting against the measure.

Among New York's 29 congress members, three Democrats broke party ranks to support the police departments' efforts -- Carolyn McCarthy of Long Island and upstate representatives Brian Higgins and Kathy Hochul.

Queens Congressman Joseph Crowley, whose father was an NYPD cop, said the New York City police did not engage in racial profiling, but he nonetheless voted in favor of the ban.

"The NYPD engages in behavioral profiling, which is a responsible counterterrorism tactic and far different from the racial, religious or ethnic profiling we have seen elsewhere," he said in a statement.

"The bigger issue here is the need to improve communications and build greater trust, and to try and come together so that those who attacked us to drive us apart do not achieve their goal.

"That is why I voted for the Holt amendment: To make it clear that targeting people based exclusively on their race, religion, or background is not what our country needs," Crowley said.

SOURCE: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2012/05/more-than-half-new-yorks-congressional-delegation-punish-nypd-for-muslim-surve