GOP To Telecoms: Give Us Cash For Advocating Wiretaps

[aggiesal]

Source: Washington Post

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.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/28/gop-to-telecoms-give-us-_n_88885.html

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Dems have to keep fighting back. They need to go on every talk show and announce that the Republicans only want the retroactive immunity and could care less about national security.

If they did, they would have passed the bill that had all the national security measures needed except warrantless wiretapping and retroactive immunity.

[DuaneBidoux]

1. This sounds like Tony Soprano griping that the world is changing and his envelope is light this week

[Hestia]

2. LMAO!! Exactly! n/t

[Arctic Dave]

3. got extortion? n/t

[HuffleClaw]

4. EVERY time this comes up the democrats need to point out that it is BUSH that would be protected...

...by this 'retroactive immunity' more than the telecoms.

[Blue State Bandit]

5. I agree, but must go a step farther.

The democrats must articulate that they have no plans to dismantle, or allow for the financial destruction of our telecommunications industry. But we must be allowed to pursue those who may have misused this technology and to what end. And to find out, we must have the ability to question those who may have facilitated the programs, and how their cooperation was secured.

[99th_Monkey]

6. OMG!#*@*# Everytime I think I've seen the GOPerv's stoop as low as it can get

they come up with an even lower & sleazier low .. this takes the cake.

[Supersedeas]

9. the filth in the barrel has no bottom

[99th_Monkey]

10. apparently it goes clean through the Underworld.. all the way to China

[Supersedeas]

7. Quid Pro Quo -- give us money and we give you immunity...Repig Patrioti$$$m

[Quantess]

8. That's just great. (no text)

[JerseygirlCT]

11. Anyone else getting inundated with those awful commercials

probably paid for by the telecoms, and apparently targeting freshman Dems?

Hell yes, we have to fight that!

[Supersedeas]

13. the lobbying effort doesn't come without a cost

[L. Coyote]

12. Given the magnitude of cover-up efforts, what happened MUST BE an impeachable offense

if the truth is revealed.

[eringer]

14. What about Qwest?

I am sick of the media citing this as a phone company issue. Qwest told the administration to KMA and, as a result, doesn't need immunity. They should be rewarded for their decision. Congress should draft legislation that offers the other telecoms immunity by merging with Qwest.