The terroristic attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon was a catastrophic event that our government had to react to quickly; it was unclear if there was still a threat in the United States and if more attacks were on their way. It is understandable that Congress authorized an act with the intent to protect America and her people. However, the New York Times acted properly for many reasons. The Patriot Act is a violation of several constitutional amendments, specifically pertaining to our civil liberties. Secondly, it a journalist’s job is to cover stories that pertain to the public. When a journalist uncovers such a controversial story such as the National Security Agency (NSA) spying on domestic communication, it is not something that…show more content… According to Donald Kettl in the Lanahan Readings in the American Polity, Leahy stated that the Patriot Act was “the biggest mistake we could make” (Lanahan, 365). The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) agreed with Leahy stating, “We need to consider proposals calmy and deliberately with a determination not to erode the liberties and freedoms that are at the core of the American way of life” (Lanahan, 365). Leahy and the ACLU made a point that the government was ignoring civil liberties that the American people expected. The Patriot Act was only formed on the suspicion that there were more terrorists in the country lying in wait. None of these suspicions was based on evidence, just fear of another…show more content… Though there are media outlets that favor a party, they remain independent when According to the book, We the People; It is the duty of the American press to assume the role as the “watchdog”, meaning that they are responsible for exposing corrupt officials (Patterson, 310). Due to the fact that the government was abusing it’s power through the Patriot Act, the New York Times assumed their role as “watchdog” and took it upon themselves to expose the government. The American people had a right to know that the government was illegally spying on them in their own home, even though the constitution denies the government that