Last week, Republican Representative Candice Miller of Michigan issued a statement on the reauthorization of Patriot Act provisions to “sneak and peek” into Americans’ communications and possessions without probable cause:

The provisions in the Patriot Act provide critical tools to our national security and law enforcement agents to better combat terrorism and protect our nation. Today’s extension will ensure that we continue to detect, track and apprehend al Qaeda and other terrorists who wish to do harm against our citizens. Just as recent as Christmas Day, we were reminded that we are still at war with terrorists who are engaged in an illegal war with our nation. We have a responsibility to make certain every necessary step is taken to keep our nation safe.

That’s one al Qaeda, three terrorists, three nations and three protect phrases in one paragraph. It’s a miracle that Candice Miller had any room for adverbs and adjectives in there. You might conclude, based on Miller’s statement, that the Patriot Act’s surveillance powers are all about stopping terrorists. But it’s wrong to rely on Candice Miller, because Candice Miller has got it wrong.

The latest report from the Administrative Office of the United States Courts provides a frequency distribution of the justifications for U.S. Government sneak and peek searches under Patriot Act surveillance authority in 2008 (data for 2009 should be released this summer). To what end is Patriot Act authority being employed? See for yourself:

Reasons for Sneak and Peek Operations in Fiscal Year 2008:

Drugs: 62%

Fraud: 7%

Weapons: 5%

Extortion: 3%

Unspecified: 3%

Fugitive: 3%

Theft: 2%

Kidnapping: 2%

Sex Offense: 2%

Immigration: 2%

Murder: 2%

Assault: 1%

Contraband: 1%

Robbery: 1%

Threats: 1%

Food and Drug Violations: 1%

Taxes: 1%

Other: 1%

Counterfeit: 0.4%

Terrorism: 0.4%

Conspiracy: 0.4%

Bribery: 0.3%

You read that right: the Patriot Act’s sneak-and-peeks are being used to investigate terrorism only 0.4% of the time. The main use of the Patriot Act is to snoop on Americans to find law-breaking that has nothing to do with terrorists, nothing to do with al Qaeda, nothing to do with national security, nothing to do with “illegal wars with our nation.”

Candice Miller had access to this report, so she ought to know better. Instead, filling herself and her constituents with terror, she’s utterly flubbed this year’s Patriot Act test.