Thursday, February 28, 2008

FISA Politics

In typical Washington fashion the conservative politicians in the bunker and on the hill have made a political hot potato out of the question of protecting American citizens from unconstitutional spying by their own government. The temporary law (Protect America Act) allowing the Regime to continue its program of warrantless domestic eavesdropping expired on February 16th after Republicans refused to support a twenty-one day extension so that compromise on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reform bill could be reached in conference. The House approved RESTORE act contains more civil rights protections and no retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies as opposed to the Senate bill. In response to the lapse, the petulant lame warrior in the bunker has been issuing frequent press statements castigating the House for being soft on terror. Congressional Republicans have refused to participate in conference negotiations hoping to scare the Democrats into accepting the Senate version and the holy grail of indulgences for corporate criminal activity.

Even without the temporary law, intelligence officials are able to put wiretaps on terrorism and espionage suspects under directives that were approved before the expiration of the six-month law. The House Intelligence Committee Chairman Reyes outlined three provisions still in effect in a letter to the Regime that allow timely, legal wiretap authorizations to be obtained by the government. A telecommunications lawyer familiar with intelligence gathering was interviewed by the NY Times. He saw little affect from the law's expiration on intelligence operations. In his view they have continued "unabated". The facts have not stopped wingnuts from launching a full blown media attack using scare tactics designed to intimidate Congressmen who want a FISA reform law that respects the rule of law. The director of national intelligence admitted the Regime's intransigence is motivated by the desire to protect it's corporate supporters. Mike McConnell, told National Public Radio: "It's true that some of the [previous] authorities would carry over to the period they were established for one year. That would put us into the August, September time frame. However, that's not the real issue. The issue is liability protection for the private sector. We can't do this mission without their help." Senator Ted Kennedy fired back in unusually harsh language. He said McConnell, in arguing that U.S. intelligence capabilities were being degraded, was being "dishonest and self-serving," and added, "It's nothing more than a scare tactic designed to avoid legal and political accountability and keep Americans in the dark about the administration's massive lawbreaking." The RESTORE Act provides prospective immunity from civil suits for all companies cooperating with legal government surveillance activities. The Regime has been unable to explain how that provision fails to protect companies who eavesdrop on Americans upon lawful government requests in the future.

Call your Representative and tell them protecting your civil rights is more important than protecting corporations from lawsuits, and you want them respected by the government and corporate America. Capitol Hill switchboard: (202) 224-3121.