BUSHCO: “All rules were thrown out the window & they would use any excuse to spy on Americans"

[Solly Mack]

10. Oh, now. Surely if the Bush admin. had done anything illegal Congress

would have taken action then, or once he was out of office charges would have been brought.

Oh, wait. They did take action! They made the illegal legal! as for the other...well, that would call for integrity.

After exposure of the operation by The New York Times in 2005, however, rather than strengthen the controls governing the NSA’s spying, Congress instead voted to weaken them, largely by codifying into the amendment to FISA what had previously been illegal.

At the same time, rather than calling for prosecution of the telecom officials for their role in illegally cooperating in the eavesdropping program, or at least a clear public accounting, Congress simply granted them immunity not only from prosecution but also from civil suits. Thus, for nearly a century, telecom companies have been allowed to violate the privacy of millions of Americans with impunity.

Original NY Times article from 2005

Bush Lets U.S. Spy on Callers Without Courts



From 2008, in keeping with the timeline of events.

H.R. 6304, THE FISA AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2008

Vote on H.R. 6304 (110th): FISA Amendments Act of 2008

Breakdown For and Against House

Senate



additional links

House Approves Sweeping, Warrantless Electronic Spy Powers

Fight over FISA Amendments Act Moves to the Senate, as the House Passes the Broad, Warrantless Spying Bill