Feingold: "I Really Do Disagree" With Reid On FISA

A long-debated provision over whether or not telephone companies would get a free pass for aiding the U.S. government in warrentless surveillance hits the Senate floor today. And it threatens to open up fissures within the Democratic Party.

In an interview with the Huffington Post on Thursday morning, Sen. Russ Feingold, who opposes granting immunity to those companies, expressed disappointment that his party's leader, Sen. Harry Reid, was not doing more to help strike the provision from a newly considered version of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

"Of course I have great respect for the Majority Leader," said Feingold. "He is a good friend of mine. But I really do disagree with his way of proceeding."

At issue is the likely passage of a version of FISA that contains retroactive immunity over one that doesn't. Reid has said he supports the former, but legislatively, the path has been paved for the passage of the latter. In addition, there is debate over an amendment offered by Sen. Chris Dodd, to strip immunity from any FISA bill. If that fails -- and it seems likely -- Dodd has threatened to filibuster the whole bill. On Wednesday, Reid was interpreted as saying any such filibuster will be the standing and talking variety as opposed to an agreed-upon 60-vote minimum threshold. Feingold, who supports Dodd's stance, took slight issue with that approach.

"We should have a normal process were this is debated based on a majority vote in the senate," said the Wisconsin Democrat. "That's the way it should have been done and I regret that it's not being done that way. Of course, I support Senator Dodd. He and I were principally involved in making sure this didn't get jammed through before the holidays and I will be supporting him again. But this decision does make it harder."

Speaking on the Senate floor Thursday morning before the debate, Reid addressed these concerns. He noted that he himself supported the Judiciary Committee version of the FISA bill, which would not give telecom companies a free ride from potential lawsuits.

Later in the day, however, that measure was tabled by a vote of 60 to 36. The Majority Leader has previously argued that, in the absence of the Judiciary bill, the Senate would consider the Intelligence Committee version, which grants immunity. Senators who objected to any amendment -- such as the one to be offered by Dodd -- would have to stand and argue for as long as they could.

"Senators Dodd and Feingold will seek to strike the immunity title entirely. I oppose immunity, and will support their amendment," said Reid. "If this amendment is not adopted, there will be other amendments to limit the immunity provisions in the Intelligence bill... As I have said before, if there are senators who don't like these amendments and think they should be subjected to 60-vote thresholds, these senators are going to have to engage in an old-fashioned filibuster."

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By the end of Thursday debate had been postponed to Monday, after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell moved for a vote on cloture on the Intelligence committee version and Reid objected.

Senator Dodd was spared having to filibuster. But if it does resort to that, Feingold said he will do what he can to help strip telecom immunity from any measure.

"I started this fight two years ago when they first announced the illegal program and I've been working on it every day," he said. "And it has been a great help that Chris Dodd made it a part of his presidential campaign and now that he is back to work with me and others... It's a big help. It's very hard to do it alone."

Feingold was also happy to have the support of both Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton. The two Democratic frontrunners have said they oppose retroactive immunity. But, with the primary season heating up, it is unlikely they will offer anything more than rhetorical assurances.

"I'd love to have them back," said Feingold. "But it is not my job to tell them what to do on their campaigns. My understanding is that both of them have indicated support for what Senator Dodd and I are doing. So that's good. If we see real opportunity for a vote we can win, then yes. I would love to have them back."

Comments

[realitytrumpsbull]

I read some kind of crap where AT&T is now looking through your email for potential instances of intellectual property theft.
Um, hello? I wonder what they think has been driving half of China's 'development' for the last 5 years...

[MAX1]

.

Since when is warrantless... legal?

Since when is tyranny... American?

A Government that insists on prying a spying eye into the People's personal and private lives is an insistence of tyranny.

.

[dantanna]

stop crying about the good presidential candidates who were forced to drop from the race and complaint about the media. the media is so corrupted i agree. but what about the people who are the ones who actually cast the votes - how about them being so ignorant and imbecils that let the media and the expensive presidencial campaigns manipulate them into voting for the most corrupted guys in washington. this country is not going to get any better because of the ignorant people who live here - thats the bottom line

[HumeSkeptic]

If those companies violated our laws, they should be held accountable. If they didn't, immunity is unnecessary.

It is quite simple.

Another thing quite simple is that this is another chance for the Democrats, and quite possibly the last chance, to show Liberals and Progressives why they deserve their votes in November 2008.

Oh! You think that Liberals have no choice but to vote for Dems? Think again.

And don't start crying again about Nader and how he made you lose in 2000, Dems. Nader did nothing. You fucked up.

Unless you want another fuck up in 2008, stand up and fight for the principles dear to us. Stand up and fight for your country, regardless of the political price.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

"On Wednesday, Reid was interpreted as saying any such filibuster will be the standing and talking variety as opposed to an agreed-upon 60-vote minimum threshold. Feingold, who supports Dodd's stance, took slight issue with that approach. "

FOR SHAME, Senator Reid!

What, only the Repukes get to sit and smirk through a "gentlemen's filibuster" while your party-mates have to stand and read the phone book?

FOR SHAME!

[dantanna]

replace pelosi & reid immediately! they are on the republican side in most issues - u just need to see we r still in iraq; corporations are as powerful as ever in washington; the ilegal actions of the president have gone unchecked and unpunished; fire them NOW!!!!!!!!

[ZingoBonMot]

Not that you'll hear this from the MSM, but Dennis Kucinich introduced impeachment articles on the floor of the House yesterday.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/23/kucinich-starts-new-impeachment-drive/

Dennis is one of the thorobreds!

[skyhead]

Where is the candidate of change, while Bush and his congressional enablers are trampling on the fourth ammendment? Oh right, rolling in the mud with Hillary in South Carolina, in spite of his 15 point lead there...

[2LaneIA]

Biden said he would support Dodd. Is he still going to help with a filibuster?

[thromulese]

Why should we respect Reid when he is not respecting or defending the constitution, which is his job? My bet is that Feinstein caves, and so will that other tool Schumer. Congress is about to legalize a criminal act. Nice. Why don’t we just shred the fucking constitution and get it over with.

Feingold and Dodd are the only dems so far that have had the balls to press for the rule of law. All the rest are just as bad as the republiCONs. And in doing so are complicit in allowing the administration to AGAIN break laws with complete impunity and no consequence. The message this sends to future presidents is that laws are just so pre 911 and are just as quaint and obsolete as the Geneva convention and the writ of habeas corpus.

King george jr breaks the law, and the opposition party just ignores it, or worse yet, codifies criminality into US law. First they legalize and codify torture into US law. Now they are doing the same with spying on Americans. And the democrats have become partners in their crimes.

[research]

Nice words.

Don't wuss out.

[jazzman]

By making the filibuster be of the old fashioned kind, Reid has turned his fellow Democrats into the enemy. He has never required the Republicans to do anything like actually conduct a real filibuster. He is the slimiest piece of s**t that has ever held the Majority Leader spot for the Democratic Party. I hope the Democrats sweep the Senate and then throw him, Diane Feinstein, and Jay Rockefeller right on their keisters and elect new leadership. These people are nothing but traitors to both the Party, the American people and Constitution.

Sorry Russ, I don't respect him and he's no friend of mine.

[Erdgeist]

This is why we so love the Democratic Party. Our wagon is pulled by a lot of jackasses and maybe one or two thoroughbreds.

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

SHOWDOWN AT THE SURE, FINE, OKAY CORRAL!

What a frickin' joke! Why doesn't Congress just declare the Constitution null and void, and call it a day?

I suppose I should start learning the words to Oh Canada.

[knowhelpnow]

A crime has been committed we know that, no immunity for these companies. Prosecute and jail all of them.

Impeach those who have committed these crimes and those that let them get away with it. It is about time that our government stood for the rule of law.