First State Legalizes Taser Drones for Cops, Thanks to a Lobbyist

It is now legal for law enforcement in North Dakota to fly drones armed with everything from Tasers to tear gas thanks to a last-minute push by a pro-police lobbyist. --With all the concern over the militarization of police in the past year, no one noticed that the state became the first in the union to allow police to equip drones with “less than lethal” weapons. House Bill 1328 wasn’t drafted that way, but then a lobbyist representing law enforcement—tight with a booming drone industry—got his hands on it.

Read more at the Daily Beast
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Eric Holder: ATF Planning to Use Drones

Attorney General Eric Holder admitted Tuesday that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was in the process of looking at the use of domestic drones.  Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, questioned Holder during a House Judiciary Committee hearing, asking the Attorney General if he believed if the Federal Aviation Administration or Congress should regulate of drone use.  “Would you think that it would be better that Congress intervene and employ legislation safeguarding the Fourth Amendment, right of privacy basically on citizens or do you suggest as Attorney General that the FAA still control who gets a drone or not?” Poe asked.

Read more at Breitbart.com
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Group Run by al Qaeda Terrorist Invited to Brief Dems on Drone Policy

AMERICAN MILITARY NEWS
Representatives Alan Grayson (D., Fla.), Barbara Lee (D., Calif.), and Jan Schakowsky (D., Ill.) were scheduled to meet with Mohammad Al Ahmandy, the Yemen director of Al Karma, a non-governmental organization whose president and founder, Abdul Rahmna Naimi, was designated as a terrorist and al Qaeda supporter in December by the U.S. Treasury Department. Additional members of the organization have been designated as terrorists or are wanted on terrorism charges in other countries. ✧ The November meeting was scheduled to discuss U.S. counterterrorism policy, to include the use of drones in Yemen. The U.S. State Department denied Al Ahmandy’s request for a visa and the meeting did not occur. ✧ When questioned for comment, offices of Lee, Schakowsky, and Grayson either deflected inquiries, blamed the other offices, or not respond. Read more at American Military News... Read More......

Oregon Senate Bill 71: Relating to drones; and declaring an emergency

Summary of SB 71 (Current Version): Imposes restrictions on use of drones by private parties and public entities. Creates various crimes for unauthorized use of drones. Punishes by maximum of 20 years' imprisonment, $375,000 fine, or both. ✧ Directs Department of State Police to establish registry of certain drones used by public bodies. ✧ Permits Oregon Department of Aviation to issue licenses for use of drones. ✧ Declares emergency, effective on passage. Read more...

2013 Regular Session
Current: In Senate Committee Read More......

U.S. Is Intensifying a Secret Campaign of Yemen Airstrikes

CONSERVATIVE BYTE, 6/9/2011 - The Obama administration has intensified the American covert war in Yemen, exploiting a growing power vacuum in the country to strike at militant suspects with armed drones and fighter jets, according to American officials. Read more at Conservative Byte... Read More......