Senator Bob Menendez responds to AAF letter on NYPD
Below is the full text of Sen. Menendez’ reply to our letter urging him to demand a full investigation of the NYPD spying on American Muslims. We thank the Senator for being a strong voice that criticized the massive spying of innocent American Muslim citizens.
Dear Dr. Assaf:
Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns regarding the New York Police Department’s effort to collect information Muslim and immigrant communities. Your opinion is very important to me, and I appreciate the opportunity to respond to you on this critical issue.
I am deeply concerned by reports that the NYPD’s law enforcement efforts focused on individuals who were not suspected of any criminal activity. While I strongly support credible efforts to prevent terrorism, I have grave concerns about any program that targets communities with no credible law enforcement intelligence and with no oversight of the operation. I am also concerned that neither the Mayor of Newark nor the Newark Police Department were fully informed of the surveillance taking place within their jurisdiction.
My concerns about this program prompted me to send a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and CIA Director David Petraeus calling for an investigation into the NYPD’s surveillance activities in New Jersey. I hope that additional information will be publically disclosed, so that our communities retain trust in our police departments. Please be assured that I will follow this investigation to conclusion and keep your views in mind.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. This issue is very important to me and I appreciate your support. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance. I invite you to visit my website (http://menendez.senate.gov) to learn more about how I am standing up for New Jersey families in the United States Senate.
