ACTION ALERT: Fight FISA “compromise”

chriswagner   |   Thu, Jun 19, 2008 8:56 AM EST
(Good thing the no-bid Iraq oil contracts I just wrote about got through: fighting Bush administration corruption is like whack-a-mole. - promoted by Bob)

From Glenn Greenwald a deal has been reached on FISA legislation that gives the Bush administration everything it wants. Under the proposed deal, likely to be voted on tomorrow, the President would have wide powers to eavesdrop on the communications of Americans without any judicial oversight. How about that retroactive teleco amnesty? (also from Glenn)

[A] civil action may not lie or be maintained in a Federal or State court against any person for providing assistance to an element of the intelligence community, and shall be properly dismissed, if the Attorney General certifies to the district court of the United States in which such action is pending that . . . (4) the assistance alleged to have been provided . . . was –

   (A) in connection with intelligence activity involving communications that was (i) authorized by the President during the period beginning on September 11, 2001, and ending on January 17, 2007 and (ii) designed to prevent or detect a terrorist attack, or activities in preparation of a terrorist attack, against the United States” and

   (B) the subject of a written request or directive . . . indicating that the activity was (i) authorized by the President; and (ii) determined to be lawful.

More on the flip side

Under this bill, we would have two justice systems in this country. Under one justice system, the super-rich and large corporations can break the law with impunity, then ask their Congressional pals to pretty please give them a get out of jail free card. The other justice system, the one in which most Americans will know, brings the full-weight of the justice system to bear on someone who has committed even the most minor criminal infraction. That a Democratic-led Congress would capitulate on this, for no other reason than the fear of being called weak on terror is unconscionable. If the elected representatives of the American people won’t lift a finger to defend the Constitution, then we have no choice but to take up the cause ourselves. Call your congressman and Senator Kerry and tell them to oppose this awful piece of legislation. You may also want to call Democrat Presidential candidate Barack Obama and urge him to take a greater leadership role in stopping this bill. There is also a grassroots coalition forming that has raised over $200,000 to fight this legislation, you can contribute here

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3 Comments . Leave a comment below.

  1. Atrios posted Steny Hoyer's number
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    1705 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone - (202) 225-4131

    joeltpatterson   @   Tue 4 Dec 7:00 PM

  2. From Congressional Quarterly
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    via Laura Rozen:

    On Wednesday, Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D?Md., had said negotiators were working on a bill that would be "significantly better" than a White House-backed, Senate-passed bill (HR 3773) that has support from some House Democrats.

    As of Wednesday, sources said the new bill would allow a federal district court to decide whether to provide retroactive legal immunity to telecommunications companies being sued for their role in the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance program.

    Under the prospective deal, the secret court created by the original law would get to review, in advance, the process by which the administration chooses foreign surveillance targets who may be communicating with people in the United States.

    One source said the federal district court deciding on retroactive immunity would review whether there was "substantial evidence" the companies had received assurances from the government that the administration's program was legal.

    A Senate Intelligence Committee report on an earlier version of the legislation detailed how the companies had received such assurances from the Justice Department and the White House.

    Basically, Bush's people demanded telcos do surveillance without warrants--and the telcos agreed (except for Qwest).  And now the Bush people want to cover their tracks, so they are trying to shut down the lawsuits with this "compromise."

    joeltpatterson   @   Tue 4 Dec 7:00 PM

  3. Denver, Iowa and Florida
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    http://www.roguegovernment.com...

    lasthorseman   @   Tue 4 Dec 7:00 PM

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