We Need to Know the Truth About the NSA Spy Program

One of the most basic tenets of our freedom is justice, and at the heart of justice lies the search for truth.

Throughout history, whenever the United States government has violated the trust of the American people, we have always worked to regain that trust by seeking the truth and allowing for a full examination of the abuses of government power.

Unfortunately, the FISA legislation the Senate will soon consider falls short of that standard.

The bill would not only deny the Court the ability to finally make a determination as to the legality of the NSA program and the extent of the spying, but would effectively guarantee immunity for the telecommunications companies who violated the privacy of their customers. This provision will prevent us from finding out the truth.

We can indemnify the telecom companies, but we should not shut down the legal process.

I know that many of my colleagues in the Senate think we know enough about this program. But we do not know enough. The Bush administration trampled on the Constitution, and we are not doing anything in the bill to provide real accountability.

If we vote for this FISA legislation, we are perpetuating a cover-up.

I want to be clear -- I support giving our government every tool necessary to track down terrorists and protect our citizens. But we also have a responsibility to uphold the constitution and the rights of our citizens.

We should remember, as former Justice Thurgood Marshall said, "History teaches us that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure."

Our constitution is not an extravagance. It is not something we can hold up when it suits us, and set it aside when it hinders us. It is the centerpiece of our democracy.

I just spoke on the Senate floor about the FISA bill. You can view the speech here, and I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback.

Follow Sen. Barbara Boxer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Barbara_Boxer

Comments

[Barbyrah]

Thank you, Senator Boxer. Although many Americans probably aren't even aware of this bill's existence, or what it's attempting to do...I am grateful for your resolve in standing up for this most sacred principle, regardless of what public opinion polls might indicate re: how the general populace feels about this method of dealing with "terrorism."
Broad data sweeps without warrants, and the ability of a government entity to keep wiretapping throughout a potential appeals process - then keep the data even if that process is found to be unwarranted by the court - boggles the mind. Additionally, I personally want to know the depth and breadth of the scope of what types of wiretaps and data sweeps have already been done; I want to know, for example, if it goes beyond "suspected terrorists" and into the realm of social justice groups, outspoken critics of the government, etc. That will never happen if the telecoms are granted immunity.
Again, thank you. Please support a filibuster.

[OgreDaddy]

Quite true,

Where are the protections in this bill to prevent abuse of unbridled data mining.

How can someone access their "secret dossier" to challenge derogatory information
especially if certain "Agency" personnel claim these records must remain 'classified"
as a matter of national security?

We should not need to remind you of how the FBI and CIA used this tactic to hide the truth of
the John Lennon files for more than a decade.

Many of those documents are STILL being challenged to this very day.

It does not take a rocket scientist to know that George Bush and Dick Cheney
are in legal jeopardy for criminal conduct.

We MUST show the world that corruption of this magnitude simply will not
be tolerated.

We are better than this and we need to set an example so that no one
will ever do this again!

How am I to teach my children right from wrong when the highest office in the
land is showing them so arrogantly, that crime does pay for the well connected.

[blackmouth]

To me and a lot of other Americans, the constitution comes first. I can not understand why so many legislators, democrat and republican, do not take the oath they took when they were elected seriously? To protect and uphold the constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic...remember? This country must be saved from the right wing fascist enemies who want to take this country in the wrong direction. Power to the people.

[scooperss]

Since when did it become the job of congress to declare an illegal act legal after it was done? Who's jobs are you trying to protect? Is this a CYA effort for dems who are also guilty?

Just once, just once, WHY can't you manage to do your jobs and support not only the American people but also the Constitution? How much money does it take in this country to buy injustice?

[OgreDaddy]

It is time to remind your Republican peers of their sworn duty.

Blind party loyalty is what got us into this mess in the first place.

It is critical that our representatives stop being good Republicans and good Democrats
and act on their sworn duty as good Americans.

Impeachment is the only way to expose the truth.

In the most simple terms, 67 people have it within their power to benefit the future of 300 million Americans and show the world that we can in fact lead by example.

I want my country back!

[3reddogs]

I'm not a constituent, Sen. Boxer, but I have been a regular contributor to the Democratic National Committee UNTIL RECENTLY. Now, when I get a call from someone at the DNC I make it clear that I'll not contribute another dime of my hard-earned money until the Democrats in Congress prove to me that upholding our laws and our Constitution is more important than the possibility of getting a campaign contribution from a special interest group. There isn't a doubt in my mind that the telecom companies knew perfectly well that their activities were illegal ... for them to have proceeded, for them to have disregarded the law simply because George W. Bush asked them to sets a frightening precedent, one that can't be allowed to stand. If the Senate passes legislation that gives the telecoms retroactive immunity for their illegal activities I think it's safe to say that I'll be telling the DNC to take me off their call list and their mailing list. (Yes, I feel that strongly about this issue and about George W. Bush's egregious and relentless abuses of power!)

Thank you for the strong stand you're taking ... I devoutly hope that my senator, Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), will join you in your fight . (Of course, the chances of my OTHER senator, George Voinovich, joining you in your fight are so remote that I hereby vow to eat my keyboard if he does.)

[JohnnyBasic]

Dear Barack,

With all due respect, if you support this bill (as it is currently written), you lose my vote and donations.

For someone who taught Constitutional law you should know better. If Americans’ fourth amendment rights were violated there should be accountability. At a minimum, we should not have our rights to look into the matter proactively suppressed.

[darcy]

Well said, JohnnyBasic! I ordered Obama bumper stickers, but if he waffles and contradicts himself, I'm voting for Nader.

[WIpatriot]

Holy crap, you guys are supposed to be in charge, so ACT LIKE IT.

[mrqapla]

Defend the Constitution.

Impeach

[RnR]

Senator Boxer: here is a link to a study showing that Dems who have changed their vote on the FISA telecom immunity issue have also received on average, $8300.00 from Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint.

http://www.maplight.org/FISA_June08

Just in case you need some ammo

[wayoutleft]

RnR. just golden. i had lost track of maplight in my bookmark forest. thanks.

[RnR]

you're welcome :)

[vippy]

Rockefeller has taken $ 100,000 from a telecom company. How much was offered to the rest of the people? Money talks and we voters have no voice. Everybody in congress and senate is in
it for themselves, forget the people who put them there.
If Obama does not come clean on this, I won't support him either. It was illegal and that is why
we have laws. We cannot rob a convenience store and then later change the law saying it was
justified. Only in America can we do crazy things. We have no morals, no integrity left.
No one objects to LEGAL spying. It is the ILLEGAL spying Americans are against.

[wayoutleft]

the country has never since been at greater peril than when the constitution and bill of rights were drafted in the first place. that these men were far more concerned with limiting governmental powers than maximizing their ability to defend against foreign threats between wars with the british empire boggles the mind. it's suicidal on the face of it. but they knew they couldn't adopt what they were fighting against as a tool of their own. america now doesn't have that kind of courage.

yet we critics of incursion on our freedoms in the name of security must admit that we are denying the government means that might, in place, be neccessary to prevent an hostile action against us. part of courage is to acknowledge that. in our times- that is a huge risk. i think most people will cede a lot of their liberty to ensure their government has every security tool it can have.

i for one must also admit that my own sense of the balance between security and liberty has lot to do with my level of confidence in those in power. of course now it's nil. what i do have to believe is that those in power are very brave and understand liberty means risk; but risk they're willing to take with faith that we can triumph over any adversity that might ensue. that we are free men fighting for liberty strenghtens- not weakens- our cause in the final analysis.

[bgregs]

I agree with your first point, that the country was never at a greater risk than we were right when they created the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and before both of those, the Declaration of Independence. You further point out that they realized that we couldn't become different from the British if we were to use the very tactics that the British used.

However, then you say that we might want to be willing to give up some of our rights to gain a sense of security. This is a fallacy. Just like we would have become the British had we used British tactics in our early years, so shall we become fascist if we adopt fascist tactics NOW. Thus, for us to follow in the footprints of Nazi Germany to fight the terrorists (just like they did to fight the communist "terrorists" in their own midst) is to simply become an American version of the Nazis!

I for one would NEVER be willing to give up a single one of my rights simply to have a sense of safety. No matter WHO is in charge! I wouldn't even trust George Washington with the kind of powers that the Congress is trying to give to george w bush, and I KNOW that he wouldn't have abused them!!!

[wayoutleft]

nor i. i was alluding to a popular mood- my own convictions are opposite- like yours.

[sa]

we need to take bush and cheney off the table.

.

[oldfreedomdude]

Thank you, Senator Boxer. There must be a thorough investigation and anyone who violated the Constitution must be held accountable. There can be no immunity for violation of the Constitution or war crimes!

[tyrodin]

I don't live in California, but just tell me where to contribute to your campaign. Thank you so much for proving to us that there are some real patriots left in our government.

[BadChristian]

Sunshine, Senator Boxer, let the sun shine on this darkest of administrations and we will see what cures are still required. First you examine THEN diagnose... But, don't take any cure off the table, before the examination is complete.

[leftLibertarian]

We already know the truth - Bush and Cheney lied.

Now tell your friend Pelosi to start impeachment hearings.

It is time for you Democrats to grow a spine!