Comments on: Bush Turned His EO on Classified Information into Pixie Dust, Too

By: PetePierce

PetePierce — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 06:17:22 +0000

Look at all the Dems who are conspicuously absent from this letter–wonder if it’s an omen of bad tidings to come?

Senators Lobby Reid to Keep Telecom Immunity out of Surveillance Bill

Dear Majority Leader Reid:

We understand that the Senate will shortly be considering amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. As you know, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Judiciary Committee have reported very different versions of the FISA Amendments Act, S. 2248, and it is up to you, as Majority Leader, to decide how the Senate considers this legislation.

We urge you to make the version of S. 2248 reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee the base bill to be considered by the full Senate. While the structure of Title I of both bills is the same, and both make improvements over the Protect America Act, the reasonable changes to Title I made in the Judiciary Committee ensure that the FISA Court will be able to conduct much-needed oversight of the implementation of these broad new surveillance authorities, and help to better protect the rights of innocent Americans. While we appreciate the hard work that the Intelligence Committee has done on this legislation, the process by which the Judiciary Committee considered, drafted, amended and reported out its bill was an open one, allowing outside experts and the public at large the opportunity to review and comment. With regard to legislation so directly connected to the constitutional rights of Americans, the results of this open process should be accorded great weight, especially in light of the Judiciary Committee’s unique role and expertise in protecting those rights.

We also believe that the Judiciary Committee bill is preferable because it does not provide immunity for telecom companies that allegedly cooperated with the administration’s warrantless wiretapping program. As this is such a controversial issue, we feel it would be appropriate to require the proponents of immunity to make their case on the floor.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Russell D. Feingold (D-WI)

Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT)

Barack Obama (D-IL)

Bernard Sanders (I-VT)

Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE)

Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

Tom Harkin (D-IA)

Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD)

Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY)

Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI)

Jim Webb (D-VA)/

By: Leen

Leen — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 01:30:15 +0000

I felt the same way. The White House would be howling louder if they had not liked him coming out telling the public it was worth it.

By: Neil

Neil — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:54:20 +0000

Tom Faranda! Now’s there’s a name I haven’t heard in ages.

small world, you know that guy?

By: JohnLopresti

JohnLopresti — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:41:57 +0000

oldtree, As far as I know, a lot of the Reagan materials are under Bush2 term-1 executive order to sequester, as will be the Bush Cheney two terms. Ew has observed before the links, and I found ew’s readiness to delve back to the executive orders preceding the Bush Cheney terms an important beginning of writing that political history. I visit some academic sites that touch on some of that in variously partially informed ways; try Phillip Cooper at OSU, Joyce Green’s coherentbabble, and the sometimes feisty but ever studious Chris Kelley at U of Miami OH, for some of thse materials. I have notes, as well, but am on a schedule that precludes more text processing this evening on the topic. We have a lot of company in the research section at ew-fdl. I think ew’s writings on some of these themes is developing helpful guidelines. Now if I just make time to contribute the midnight study regime to make part of my interests in these matters worthwhile. Also, for the Appalachian folk musicology approach, other than likely hearings in congress, there are audio materials in ample supply concerning some of this, about which I believe ew has some information I forwarded after a retirement party for a media person quite a few months ago.

By: looseheadprop

looseheadprop — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:13:42 +0000

“I played rugby with Patrick Fitzgerald” Tom Faranda’s Folly Blog

Tom Faranda! Now’s there’s a name I haven’t heard in ages.

By: looseheadprop

looseheadprop — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:04:36 +0000

Pixie dust is a fantasy. Bush does NOT have the power to pull any of this bullpoop until a court says he can. (sticking tongue out and blowing rasberries in geeral direction of Whaite House)

yeah, I’m feeling a little childish today

By: bmaz

bmaz — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:08:17 +0000

Well, ~~Albertoad Gonzales~~Michael Mukasey may not want to comment on the torture tapes issue, but he is all in favor of Karl Rove’s precious voter ID laws that screw minorities, the elderly and the poor (i.e. Democrats). In fact, he is so enamored with voter ID laws that he is taking the almost unprecedented step of having the United States DOJ file an amicus brief in a purely state law case (DOJ usually only gets involved where there is a Federal case, law or issue). “Same as the old boss” indeed.

By: selise

selise — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:07:53 +0000

c-span covered mukasey’s press conference. the video should be posted to the archive for webstreaming (webpage) soon (could be almost immediate or a couple of days).

By: merkwurdiglieber

merkwurdiglieber — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:56:27 +0000

According to AP Mukasey refused to be drawn into discussion of tapes
question, investigation etc.

By: Stephen Parrish

Stephen Parrish — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:47:53 +0000

I don’t know; all that I have heard about his press conference is that it took place this afternoon.