Leahy: Intel Committee About To 'Cave' To Bush On Wiretapping Immunity

The Hill:

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Thursday condemned Intelligence Committee Democrats for brokering a deal with the White House that would provide retroactive immunity for telephone companies that assisted the Bush administration's controversial warrantless wiretapping program.

At the second day of confirmation hearings for President Bush's Attorney General-nominee Michael Mukasey, Leahy warned that "the Intelligence Committee is about to cave on this," citing pressure from the White House and press reports suggesting the administration had gotten its way.

Read the whole story: The Hill

Comments

[Grunty1]

09:16 AM on 10/19/2007

Leahy and ol' GOPER Arlen seem to have a lot in common lately:

Both say the right things, but are not willing to vote consistent with their rheotic.

[rras]

10:54 AM on 10/19/2007

The Cave Twins. Same old shit. Blabber for a week over our constitution and rights that are being trampled then, just as scripted they CAVE.
What a bunch of spineless bastards.

[Purple Girl]

08:04 AM on 10/19/2007

I'll forgive the Dems for letting the Co's off the hook - but not for letting this adminsitration off the hook. I'm not voting for a party- I'm voting for real statesmen and representatives. politicians stopped working for US shortly after our inception and we have finally reached the bottom.I can think of MAYBE 3 honorable Statesmen- none of which are from my state (Carl,Deb et al).F*ck 'em all.

[PollM]

07:56 AM on 10/19/2007

.
Please tell me it isn't so. I hope the Democrats don't cave in any more.

Hold every person who votes for this bill accountable.

Our liberties are getting screwed.

Would you vote for a presidential candidate that votes to grant legal immunity to telecoms that participated in the illegal surveillance of Americans?

---> http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=740

Please make a note of which Candidate votes for this Bill, don't give them your vote..

[NATIONALSECURITY4US]

06:03 AM on 10/19/2007

YOU CAN READ A RESPONSE I GOT FROM FEINSTEIN ABOUT THE ILLEGAL WIRETAPPING AT:

http://360.yahoo.com/caspereraser1

plus you can also read official e-mails sent to
congressional oversight committee about a couple of matters that this administration hid
& covered-up which amounts to TREASON...

no committee shows any zeal to thoroughly investigate these SERIOUS CRIMES...

PLUS NO LAWYER HAS THE BALLS TO TAKE MY CASE & REPRESENT ME = THE MOTHER OF ALL CASES...

WAY WORSE THEN ALL OF "THE GATES" PUT TOGETHER.

ENJOY KNOWING THE TRUTH PEOPLE...

[kellygrrrl]

10:47 AM on 10/19/2007

that traitor Feinstein actually took the time to send you a response?
I'm Shocked!
I flood her with messages of disgust constantly.
She has had 15 years of free ride on CA's dime and it needs to stop!

ATTN CA VOTERS:
Get Dianne Feinstein out of office NOW!

[hugs4u]

11:27 AM on 10/19/2007

I agree, She is an embarrassment to the Democrats in California.

[swift goat pet for truth]

01:00 AM on 10/19/2007

Feinstein: its OK to gut the Constitution if it is a bi-partisan effort.

[swift goat pet for truth]

12:37 AM on 10/19/2007

Good for Sen Dodd.
If I get a chance to vote for him, I will, long before I vote for Hillary or Obama.

[TheIndependenceParty]

11:57 PM on 10/18/2007

Senator Leahy, ... Long story made short, ... Independents are signing off and you are left to guess what caused our anger and disaffection. It is a long time until the election of 2008, ... and I think you and your party need to read back through our comments to see if you have anything to offer us as voters who are unaffiliated.

You in the Democratic Party are witting confederates to Bush and the maniacs in the Executive, and the Republic Party.

Win us back or fight the fight on your own!

[TheQuestion]

11:25 PM on 10/18/2007

If they did nothing wrong - they do not need immumity.
If they are working so hard to get it that should be telling us something.

[kevenseven]

12:21 AM on 10/19/2007

Heh.

[OrvilleHLarson]

10:23 PM on 10/18/2007

The two (count 'em, two) parties are Goddamn worthless. They're unprincipled hacks who make a career living off the taxpayers dime.

Considering the warrantless surveillance the Liar-in-Chief's goons have been doing, it's possible that members of Congress are being blackmailed.

[PollM]

10:21 PM on 10/18/2007

.
Please tell me it isn't so. I hope the Democrats don't cave in any more.

Hold every person who votes for this bill accountable.

Our liberties are getting screwed.

Would you vote for a presidential candidate that votes to grant legal immunity to telecoms that participated in the illegal surveillance of Americans?

---> http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=740

Please make a note of which Candidate votes for this Bill, don't give them your vote..

[WorkingClass]

08:53 PM on 10/18/2007

This is what we have been screaming for. Thank you Senator Dodd. Please have a chat with Ron Paul. No - not about the presidential election, although you would be a TREMENDOUS asset to him. I mean a chat about ways to work together in the congress to restore our constitution. Thank you again Sir. I hope and believe that your stock will go way up.

[WorkingClass]

08:56 PM on 10/18/2007

Note to HuffPo. Have I got this right? This is two threads - both upside down? What are you smoking?

[steamboat]

10:39 PM on 10/18/2007

What Leahy doesn't say is the democrats HAVE TO 'CAVE' on this issue. Reason: Hillary WHO WILL BE the democratic candidate for president eave-dropped (wire-taps) on critics of her husband when she was First Lady. This, otherwise, could come back to haunt the democrats. And Leahy is aware of this.

[milo9]

01:54 AM on 10/19/2007

You're hilarious, the person with all the illegaly acquired data is your Boy, George W. Bush. And it's his grab for power that will be benefited if the Dems cave in.
Nice try!

[ssaz]

08:34 PM on 10/18/2007

Sure, right, he´ll block it until he caves in like ever other critical congressional bill. I just wonder what dirt King George has on the dems that prevent them from taking control and doing the right thing. I think what this country needs is a different form of government, like a parliamentary democracy.

[hugs4u]

08:31 PM on 10/18/2007

Leahy was going to not hold any confirmation hearings until bush submitted the papers that the justice committee asked for, and he turned chicken side up and is holding the hearings without receiving the papers. Their all chicken shit cowards, that dont deserve to be the majority in the congress. they need to sit back and watch how the repukeicans get things done. The repukeicans are always wrong on what they do, but never the less they do get things done, which the democrats are not capable of doing. The spineless cowards.

[bluesnot]

08:45 PM on 10/18/2007

What exactly do the Republicans get done? Besides get people killed and squander money and destroy our country's decency and self-respect?

They make the loser Democrats looks pretty good by comparison.

[scooperss]

07:25 AM on 10/19/2007

What exactly have the dems done to change any of that?

[hugs4u]

11:29 AM on 10/19/2007

The only things the democrats done is to give gw bush what ever he wants. They was put in office to keep bush from having his way.
Throw the bums out and replace them with real democrats with backbones.

[Gatormouth]

10:14 PM on 10/18/2007

To the Dems. Stop your craven behaviour! Keep "caving" and it will be you who are no longer relevant. Vichey believed on political cooperation in government also. Please, look at whose hand you are holding! I will wait thru the primary, and if a Quisling "cooperative" candidate is selected for me by the power structure in the Democratic Party, I will change become an independant and will stay there and attempt to identify a candidate that respects the Constitution and the needs and rights of all our citizens that I can support. I will not, however, vote for a Republican under any circumstances. I will hold my nose and vote Dem only if that is the lessor of evils, the Repugs being a potential disaster.

[mrcontinental]

08:22 PM on 10/18/2007

He'll hold it...until is price is met. They ALL disgust me.

[BufoAmericanus]

08:20 PM on 10/18/2007

It reminds me of the old flag.

"Please tread on me like a doormat."