GOP To Telecoms: Give Us Cash For Advocating Wiretaps

Roll Call reports:

With the House Democrats' refusal to grant retroactive immunity to phone companies -- stalling the rewrite of the warrantless wiretapping program -- GOP leadership aides are grumbling that their party isn't getting more political money from the telecommunications industry.

Like most corporate interests with a heavy stake in Congressional action, the major phone companies significantly boosted their contributions to Democrats last year after the party surged back into the majority.

But giving by that sector is getting special attention from Republicans now that the debate over the surveillance program is front and center -- and focused on the phone companies' role in aiding the Bush administration after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. ...

House Republicans have sought to capitalize on the immunity issue by painting Democrats as more interested in enriching their trial lawyer supporters than protecting national security.

In a reflection of the sensitivity of the subject matter, and an apparent recognition that they would undermine their own messaging by appearing to be motivated by fundraising concerns, Republicans on and off Capitol Hill declined to comment on the record.

But several confirmed the griping in GOP leadership ranks over the phone companies' shifting donations.

"When those numbers are made evident, it causes some angst," one Republican lobbyist said. "Leadership are told by staff, who look through this. There's communication back and forth" between GOP leadership and downtown.

"There's no question that from time to time staff, and maybe some Members, say to fellow travelers: 'Are you giving us some air cover? Are you helping us help you?'"

The Washington Post also reports today that the GOP sees political gain in the FISA issue:

Republicans are convinced that highlighting their counterterrorism policies will be a political winner in this presidential election year, and they have focused this week on Democratic opposition to their version of a new surveillance bill as a way to paint Democrats as soft on national security, according to GOP lawmakers and their aides.

Democrats respond that they are unfazed by the attacks, arguing that most Americans doubt the credibility of President Bush and Republicans when it comes to warning about security threats.

Bush and GOP lawmakers have been releasing a blizzard of public statements and organizing multiple news conferences to pressure the House to adopt a Senate bill renewing and expanding a temporary surveillance law called the Protect America Act. The measure would grant legal immunity to telecommunications companies over their cooperation in warrantless wiretapping done after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Comments

[joja]

Isn't this the way the Republicans usually conduct business?

[scooperss]

Looks cooooold out there. Hope they froze their asses off when they showed the nation they were asses.

[iPolitics]

When will they install red lights in the offices of Congress?

[rbspickles]

Oh, good one :) I think this is a great idea! We need to start marching with red lights to let all of them know that we know EXACTLY what they are.

[Jeff1958]

Whores?

[patriotscholar]

I don't know why they want a raise from the telecoms. They are paid too much from them already.

[EuroRant1]

United States Contitution
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
... would someone please explain this like I'm a 6 year old why breaking the highest law of the land is OK now. Anyone?

[bmora]

Cus Bush wants to keep Merica safe from evil doers.

[sugarmoes]

because bush's family business partner osama bin laden is omnipresently hiding under every one of our beds waiting to mount another 9/11 attack if we don't do everthing bush says.

[OverIt]

What is up with ALL the GOP women in that picture wearing '80s-era red suits??? Is that the standard uniform????

[scooperss]

Funny Huh?

[Sylvarose]

OK...actually that was to support Heart Disease awareness for women. Many women in congress that day Dem and Rep alike wore red dresses.

February is "Go Red" month which advocates heart disease awareness for women.

sr

[GoLeftGoDeep]

The GOP should settle down soon, according to Grover Norquist: "ONCE the minority of the House and Senate are comfortable in their minority status, they will have no problem socializing... . Any farmer will tell you that certain animals run around and are unpleasant, but when they've been fixed, then they are happy and sedate. They are contented and cheerful. - Grover Norquist

[Jeff1958]

Who wants to fix Dubya and Cheney? I've got dibs on Rove. I hope someone with MS fixes Limbaugh.

[scooperss]

Doubt their credibility?
Damn right I do.

[rollingdivision]

It's all about lobbyist cash for Democrats from lobbyists from the trial lawyers. Democrats are owned and operated by the Trial Lawyers, a 40 billion dollar per year business, in revenues—50% more than Microsoft or Intel and twice those of Coca-Cola..

"Big money is involved. Amanda Carpenter, a Townhall.com columnist, has prepared a spreadsheet showing that 66 trial lawyers representing plaintiffs in the telecommunications suits have contributed $1.5 million to Democrat senators and causes. Of the 29 Democrat senators who voted against the FISA bill last Tuesday, 24 took money from the trial lawyers (as did two absent senators, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama).

Clearly, opposition to the Rockefeller bill shown in the subsequent House Democrat caucus derived less from Kucinich's phobia to tough anti-terror countermeasures than obeisance to generous trial lawyers." Robert Novak

[FredOCal]

I'd rather be on the side taking money from those who might defend our freedoms, as opposed to those who are attempting to take them away.

[patriotscholar]

Wonderful, but very stupid analogy. It still does not address the basic issue, which is why you think that violating the law is fine. If our intelligence agencies cannot do their job without help from the telecoms, then their bloated budgets are way out of line. If the law had not been violated to start with, then you would not have needed the trial lawyers you choose to try and twist into an argument of politics.

[rollingdivision]

Educate me, specifically, what law violation has been proven, not accused but actually proven in court? Is there one single case? Bonus question, since there are no documented proven violations how about one single instance where information from illegal wire taps under this program was used in court in the prosecution of any US citizen?

[MajorKong]

OK, so Republican lobbyists good, Democrat lobbyists bad. Got it.

[zizyphus]

Thank God for trial lawyers. The Right would take away the option of the poor suing the rich.

[BoulderSue]

zizyphus: right you are! As I mentioned in another post, I was married to a Public Defender. He stayed with them for five years and did some pretty major cases, but his salary was always the same. I knew quite a few lawyers on the civil law side, too. (PD's do criminal law) Didn't know anyone who got bonuses for winning big cases. Lawyers get a bad rap. Sure, there are ambulance chasers, and I knew a few of them, too. But I'll never forget the guy from a large, international firm who saved my husband's business-just stopped billing us-because he was so mad at the trumped up allegations against my husband. Most layers have a real sense of fairness and justice. All you have to do is work the way of one through law school and then go watch him/her in court for a few years. Go ACLU and similar groups!

[evie]

RU really as stupid as your post? AND you quote Novak???????? Why are so ascared of lawyers? Did somebody on the Ray-de-O tell you to be ascared of lawyers? Sheesh. Ignoramus

[transendentilist]

The GOP acts like the telecom companies work for them. Their outrage is fun to watch. The white house must really be afraid of this whole immunity thing. It's going to expose some of their crimes, and the immunity they are whining about is for them, and they could really care less if the telecoms are sued.

[rollingdivision]

It's odd how so many insist on the presumption of innocence for Gitmo prisoners and all others accused of terrorism, are the same people assuming guilt on the part of the telecoms.

[laocoon]

Misdirection. the issue is not a presumption of innocence it is the very possibly of having a trial. the parallel case with Gitmo would be giving immunity from any prosecution for acts of terrorism to the prisoners in Gitmo. You are comparing apples to planetary objects. Why does the right believe so many nonsequiturs?

[transendentilist]

What assumption???? The telecoms did spy on us, where the hell have you been?? Why would they be whining about retro-active immunity if they were innocent???

[Macready]

this was on the BBC news:"

President George W Bush has urged Congress to renew a law to help eavesdrop on US telecommunications linked to terror investigations.

At the White House, he said the renewal of the expired intelligence law on wiretapping was an "urgent priority".

The legislation would provide legal immunity to telecommunications firms that helped the government after the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US.

Mr Bush warned the programme was "vital to our national security".

Congress should send him packing . ..

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

The headline needs a tweak:

"GOP to Telecoms: Give Us Cash for Advocating IMMUNITY."

Fixed it for ya.

[abbiehoffmansghost]

Let me just tweak it a little: GOP TO Telecoms: Where's our cut.

[gcallaghan]

Stupid fucking republicunts trying to shakedown the telecoms after THEY collected dirt on YOU.
You'd think a party full of criminals would instinctively understand the mechanics of blackmail.

[Jeff1958]

Nothing is shaking on Shakedown Street
It used to be the heart of town.
They tell me this town ain't got no heart.
You just gotta poke around, you just gotta poke around.