Calling All Bloggers: Help Stop Retroactive Immunity for Telcom FISA Violations

By: KathyinBlacksburg
Published On: 10/29/2007 12:24:56 PM

Some days it looks like events are steamrollering over us.  One morsel of our Constitution after another is spliced from our precious heritage.  It begins to feel like there's nothing we can do. 

But here's a small (but not-so-small) something you can do.  New evidence shows bloggers are having an effect.  Read about it here.  Join with civil rights groups and bloggers to stop the retroactive immunity for telcoms' violation privacy rights of law-abiding Americans.


Chris Dodd tried to block retroactive immunity. Barack Obama now says he will block retroactive immunity.  That's the very least our Senators and Congresspersons should do.  Really, they should not make permanent such encroachments to our personal liberties.  The threat of terrorism notwithstanding, there is no need for a massive permanent spy operation against Americans, unless the administration has other uses for this network that fighting terrorism.


But Harry isn't listening.  Here's what he said:


"We need to get things done on this bill," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters Tuesday.

Read more here.

At this link you'll find a really informative article about how, in a few short days, bloggers have made a critical difference.  Other presidential contenders, not including Hillary Clinton, are now poised to join Dodd and Obama.  Bloggers can make a greater difference.

I know, we here in Virginia have a reace to conduct.  But what will it matter if we win the race(s) here in Virginia and lose the Constitution?  Please spend just a few minutes of your time.  Call your senators and US representatives.  Or, simply sign the petition below.  Join bloggers from Firedoglake, Atrios, MyDD, OpenLeft, Kos, and others.  Let Harry Reid hear from all of us. 

Here's the petition.

When the vote comes in on this measure, will you be able to say you personally tried to block it?  What will you say to your children and grandchildren about the Constitution we used to have BB (Before Bush)?  Sign it, please.

Comments



Qwest Former President being prosecuted (Pictou - 10/29/2007 2:28:27 PM)
This caused Qwest's stock to fall. The president of Qwest had sold stock before this happened. He is now being prosecuted for insider trading. Why give amnesty to law breakers and prosecute the honest?


Signed Pettition (Gordie - 10/29/2007 3:09:02 PM)
plus comments.


Gonzo's family secret... (vote-left - 10/29/2007 4:03:22 PM)
From Anonymous Liberal:

In other words, one of the certifications provided to the telecoms (presumably the one issued during the period in 2004 when James Comey refused to sign off on the program) was signed not by the Attorney General, but by then White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales.

And as you've probably already guessed, the White House Counsel is not one of the people specified in section 2518(7), which includes the Deputy Attorney General, the Associate Attorney General, and various state law enforcement officials in the case of a state-related investigation.

Why couldn't the Bush administration get the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, or the Associate Attorney General to sign the certification? Because they all thought the program was illegal and were prepared to resign over it. That's why.

So, unable to get any of the proper people to re-certify the program, the Bush administration appears to have simply provided the telecoms with a facially defective certification. That means that for at least a period of 60 days, the telecoms were providing information to the government without a court order and without a valid certification. Those who have been following this issue closely have long suspected that this was the case, but the Senate Intelligence Committee has confirmed it in no uncertain terms (though nowhere in the report does the committee acknowledge the significance of this fact).

Did the Senate Intelligence Committee Disclose Key Evidence of Telecom Illegality?