Senators Cave On FISA: New Bill Gives AG Power Over Telecoms

TPM Muckraker:

It took until early this morning, but, as expected, the Senate intelligence committee has passed its surveillance bill. Also as expected, retroactive legal immunity for telecommunications companies complying with President Bush's warrantless surveillance program is part of the bill. Not exactly as expected: it won't be the FISA Court that determines who complied with the program. It will be the attorney general:

The Senate bill would direct civil courts to dismiss lawsuits against telecommunications companies if the attorney general certifies that the company rendered assistance between Sept. 11, 2001, and Jan. 17, 2007, in response to a written request authorized by the president, to help detect or prevent an attack on the United States.

Suits also would be dismissed if the attorney general certifies that a company named in the case provided no assistance to the government. The public record would not reflect which certification was given to the court.

Read the whole story: TPM Muckraker

Comments

[ajax2]

For all those who fear another attack, don't mine more data and break our laws, but elect a President who can read.

[itsbushstupid]

there seems to be a DISCONNECT here at huffpo.
the headlines seem to be always getting the attention of the most progressive of us, as if huffpo knows who we are, BUT then huffpo has a chance to grill pelosi and acts like a dem puff piece.

are we being used?
is there a blog that actually listens to it's participants.

could someone address this DISCONNECT?

[freespeach]

itsbushstupid, I'll try.

Huffpo is anti-Bush, anti-Republican, filled with humor, and many good writers.

This attracts numerous progressives who become "regulars" and many of us came to believe that this is a progressive site.

Sadly, I now believe that the goals of Arianna and her editors are to be 100% loyal to the Democratic party. NOT to progressives, our Constitution, US soldiers or Iraqi women and children.

As Democratic rhetoric and progressives are often in sync, there usually "peace in the valley".

But when the Democrats must vote.... and agree to no strings funding for Bush's Iraq crimes time after time, or sell us out on FISA the progressives get pissed and huffy goes into spin mode doing damage control.

Huffy is strongly opposed to impeachment, by either ignoring pro impeachment movements or spinning pathetic DLC talking points against.

Democrats support the criminal hydrocarbon (created by Dick Cheney) law for Iraq which allow us to steal 75% of their oil. Forbidden topic at huffpo.

Huffy treats Dennis Kucinich like dirt because he is a "radical" who does not tow the DLC line, despite the fact that his ideas resonate with most here.

Huffy is clearly hostile to any open discussion of 911 which would include reasoned calls for a new independent investigation.

The establishment pigs (DLC) who run the Democratic party view huffpo as extremely valuable territory for controlling the hearts and minds of progressives.
Certain topics listed above are just flat out embarrassing to Democrats so they are ignored or spun.

As for headlines. Progressive TALK from Democrats gets bold headlines on page 1.
Sellout votes by Democrats get less play, and on page 2. The use of celebrity trash stories increases on page one when Dems vote to sell us out.

Why has there not been one story or headline demanding to know why Obama or Hillary has not been out in front on this FISA vote?
Why are they getting a free pass? Because this site is ALL in for the Democratic party, NOT for the little people as Arianna proved this week.

[gsuescum]

WTF!! I'm not voting for another democrat. That's it.

[pagangrandma]

Considering the alternative, how can you say that?

[elpollo]

Well, as Huffington explained in her followup blog, she's smarter than all her subscribers and a better strategist to boot.

[ResidentChimp]

You'd have to be living in a cave not to see that coming.

[OckhamsElectricRazor]

Agreed. Look at who are the patrons of the current crop of politician.

[Peabodies]

Propaganda, spin. HuffPo rocks! I'm voting, and ... not for the dark side

[machivellianX]

I do hope Dodd filibusters this shit.

[EdRocktober]

If Dodd blocks this Bllshit,They'll just slip it in the next "Emergency war funding" Bill.

Welcome to the Neocon Fascist utopia

[KBAR]

The Official DimLib Comgress web site:

http://www.stumbleupon.com/tag/spelunking/

Since they 'cave in' on everything. Right Gen. Reid? (Reid, the newest and latest DITTO HEAD!

http://www.breitbart.tv/html/6938.html

[NYC07]

One wonders what goes on in the minds of the Democratic leadership? They have only an 11% approval rating and yet think that having stabbed the people how voted them into office they will be swept into office in overwelling numbers in '08. They continue to tremble before a 24% approval rated president and kiss his ring on every issue. But then again we live in a country where people just throw up their hands and say " We'll what are you going to do , Hand me the remote" while the leaders of this country are turning their backs on every thing the Founders of this country fought and died to put in place.

[vippy]

PoliticalPolyanna - I like the contents of that letter you wrote. However, may I point out that we have not had a honest election in I don't know how long. The only way the DEMS won last time because they came out in droves and the powers did not expect that. I was waiting for this FISA vote and I will vote 3rd party
come hell or high water!

[PoliticalPolyanna]

Thank you and I agree with your assessment of the elections.

I'm also so tired of having to hold my nose to cast my vote. Would love to have a candidate to vote FOR instead of having to vote AGAINST another.

[Pdubya]

seriously, Ron Paul could be your candidate. Why? Because he does not impart his personal views upon the constitution and the bills he proposes. He simply understands the intended limited role of the Federal government, but that gets misconstrued as weak on the welfare of the nation or as promulgating his personal views. At closer inspection, he does more to protect all of our viewpoints than almost any man in history. He is for the people, of the people, and is beholden only to his constituents and the upholding of the constitution, an oath he takes seriously.

www.ronpaul2008.com
www.dailypaul.com
www.youtube.com

blue dog dem atheist for ron paul

[GhostintheMachine]

I see, It is only an "honest" election if the libs win.

[pigsatthetrough]

This is a golden opportunity for the electorate. Stand up America! Anyone who votes for the Bill should not be re-elected. Put these lying fear mongering, spineless, Dems or Repugnants in their place.

[ashabot]

Screw 2 AND 3 party systems. We need a several competing parties to break up this damn monopoly of power.

[speakingtruth2power]

This is our DLC progressive party at work, I'm still a liberal!!

POPULISM is the cure for the cancer of BCBCB corporatism.

ST2P

[ResidentChimp]

I thought abbreviation was the cure.

[Nonamnesiac]

Sycophant progressives, refusing to believe their own lying eyes, whine about "spineless" Democrats and then vote for them. The Dems are neither spineless nor cowards. They are Bushocrats and support giving the telecoms (who also contribute to the Dems' campaigns) retroactive immunity and the sycophant progressives who vote for them are their enablers. The sycophants don't care if they refuse to commit to getting out of Iraq by 2013, vote through 3 Trample on the Constitution Acts (Patriot Act, Protect America Act and now FISA Reform) or fund Bush's war without restriction. The sycophant progressives will vote for Hillary even after she voted for the Kyl-Lieberman attack Iran resolution.

And these sycophant progressives will then Nader-bait true progressives. I will not vote for anyone who will not, up front, commit to pulling out the troops within 6 months in a manner wholly safe for the troops. I will not vote to enable Democrats murdering the troops (including my family, by the way) and Iraqis and committing war crimes any more than I would vote to enable Republicans to do it.

[Pdubya]

http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.3835:

I encourage you to look further into Dr. Ron Paul and his upholding the constitution in spite of the many slanders against his personal positions on belief systems. He knows how to, and does keep them separate of the Federal Government. He is fully a States' right person, and that is good...that is bottom-up politics, not top-down fascism.

www.ronpaul2008.com

www.dailypaul.com

www.youtube.com

[Nonamnesiac]

At 62 I look forward to Medicare, which Dr. Paul opposes. He's good on the war and civil liberties. But I believe in government and I believe taxes are necessary to fund a critical role that govenment should play and doesn't. Respectfully, take care.

[WilliamWallace]

Our Congressional p*ssies cower while Bush Inc., builds an American chapter of the KGB.

[ContraEgoiste]

IS IT STARTING TO BECOME CLEAR NOW?? Do you see how important it is to become active and take over the Democratic Party?

Sorry, but simply posting on-line doesn't do the trick. WE MUST BECOME ACTIVE!! We have to take back the party. We have to take back our power or sit back and continue to see your rights continue to disappear. Acts out there in the real world is what will make changes.

There are some that say they will take arms and start another revolution to get our country back. I find this extremely hard to believe if they are not even willing to spare a couple of hours a week to DO actual work to affect change. We can bitch all we want but that it's not going to change a damn thing. I propose that those few who are ACTIVELY involved in the sometime tedious, definitely unglamorous and at times frustrating work are today's real revolutionaries and heroes. Those who will say I'm willing to give some of my time for the future of my children, my country, and our way of life are the only ones who really care.

If you think things will change on their own, or that just electing your favorite politician will do it, then expect to continue to see the above headlines. If you are not willing to get actively involved in the system that governs your life other than once every four years, then you have already given up control of YOUR life.

In the end, we will get the government we WORKED for. We will get the government we deserve.

[prolifeprogressive]

How can you take it over, thing the corporations are just going to let you?

[realitytrumpsbull]

The more things change, the more they stay the same...
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Edgar_Hoover

"From nearly the beginning of his career with the FBI,[1] Hoover was accused of exceeding and abusing his authority, criticism that grew especially strong in the 1960s. He is known to have investigated individuals and groups because of their political beliefs rather than their suspected criminal activity as well as using the FBI for other illegal activities such as burglaries and illegal wiretaps."
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At least now, it'll be J. Edgar en englais, I guess...for other languages, please press '3'.