More On FISA: Bush Says It’s OK To Break The Law

As Chris pointed out, Democrats are caving on FISA:

What, exactly are Democrats afraid of?  Democrats and Republicans alike should be standing up for the United States Constitution.

Amen. Here is the ACLU’s response.

The language of the “compromise” is out and it’s bad (pdf). Glenn Greenwald:

The provision granting amnesty to lawbreaking telecoms, Title VIII, has the exact Orwellian title it should have: “Protection of Persons Assisting the Government.” Section 802(a) provides:

[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.

So all the Attorney General has to do is recite those magic words — the President requested this eavesdropping and did it in order to save us from the Terrorists — and the minute he utters those words, the courts arerequired to dismiss the lawsuits against the telecoms, no matter how illegal their behavior was.

Repeat after me, folks. If this bill passes, all Bush has to do is say it was OK for the telecoms to break the law and they get off the hook. Instead of laws being created by Congress, being signed by the executive branch, and being vetted by the courts, if this bill passes, words go directly from Bush’s mouth into legality. 

Once again, this bill says that as long as George Bush said it was OK for telecoms to spy on Americans, all lawsuits are dismissed and nobody is held accountable. It doesn’t matter what the law actually says! As long as Bush approves, nobody gets in trouble.

If this bill passes, Congress will have acknowledged that George Bush’s word is law. If this bill passes, Congress will have approved monarchy in the United States.

The House is likely to vote on this bill tomorrow. Call them now! Tell them monarchy in the United States is not OK with you.

McJoan has the numbers:

Call Barack Obama and urge him to make a public statement reiterating his opposition to telco amnesty. His opposition could kill this deal: Phone  (202) 224-2854, Fax (202) 228-4260

Call Steny Hoyer and tell him this is a bad deal: Phone (202) 225-4131, Fax (202) 225-4300

Call Nancy Pelosi and urge her to pull the bill from the House schedule:  Phone (202) 225-4965, Fax (202) 225-8259

Call your representative and tell them to vote no on the FISA rewrite tomorrow.

Here are the Blue Dogs who supported the House’s good FISA bill, the one that did not include amnesty. Call them and ask them to hold tough and vote against this bill tomorrow:

• Rep. Leonard L. Boswell, D-Iowa — Phone: (202) 225-3806, Fax: (202) 225-5608
• Rep. Marion Berry, D-Ark. — Phone: (202) 225-4076, Fax: (202) 225-5602
• Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark. — Phone: (202) 225-3772, Fax: (202) 225-1314
• Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D. — Phone: (202) 225-2611, Fax: (202) 226-0893
• Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Ill. — Phone: (202) 225-3711, Fax: (202) 225-7830
• Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga. — Phone: (202) 225-2823, Fax: (202) 225-3377
• Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Fla. — Phone: (202) 225-5235, Fax: (202) 225-5615
• Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif. — Phone: (202) 225-6161, Fax: (202) 225-8671
• Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn. — Phone: (202) 225-4714, Fax: (202) 225-1765
• Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah — Phone: (202) 225-3011, Fax: (202) 225-5638
• Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind. — Phone: (202) 225-4636, Fax: (202) 225-3284
• Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-La. — Phone: (202) 225-4031, Fax: (202) 226-3944
• Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Kan. — Phone: (202) 225-2865, Fax: (202) 225-2807
• Rep. Zack Space, D-Ohio — Phone: (202) 225-6265, Fax: (202) 225-3394

These are the Blue Dogs who were with the Republicans on the last vote. Tell them it’s never too late to redeem themselves and vote against this bad bill:

• Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla. — Phone: (202) 225-2701, Fax: (202) 225-3038
• Rep. Christopher Carney, D-Pa. — Phone: (202) 225-3731, Fax: (202) 225-9594
• Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn. — Phone: (202) 225-4311, Fax: (202) 226-1035
• Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn. — Phone: (202) 225-6831, Fax: (202) 226-5172
• Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa. — Phone: (202) 225-5546, Fax: (202) 226-0996
• Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C. — Phone: (202) 225-6401, Fax: (202) 226-6422

Do it for the Constitution. Do it because you believe in the rule of law. Please, just pick up the phone and call!

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