Pataki: Paul ‘putting Americans at risk for political reasons’

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is risking Americans’ safety in order to score political points, former New York Gov. George Pataki (R) said on Sunday.

Pataki — who is facing off against the Kentucky Republican in the race for the GOP presidential nomination — criticized Paul for using procedural tactics to try and kill three parts of the Patriot Act set to expire at midnight. 

{mosads}“It’s simply putting Americans at risk for political reasons,” Pataki said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“I think he’s wrong,” he added. “I don’t understand why, if it’s going to happen on Wednesday or Thursday, he doesn’t allow it to happen today.”

The Senate is returning to Washington on Sunday afternoon to figure out how to move forward on the controversial parts of the Patriot Act, which critics say the National Security Agency (NSA) has used for illegal and unconstitutional spying.

But Paul has pledged to hold up the process, and may be able to delay votes until later in the week — after they expire at midnight.  

“It’s just, to me, totally wrong that the filibuster would be used to create this void in our security at a time when we are at risk,” said Pataki, who was governor during Sept. 11, 2001.

“We’re at greater risk today that we’ve been at any time since Sept. 11 of another terrorist attack.”