The Communicators: Telecommunications & Surveillance

[L. Coyote]

Run time: 25:37 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD6z-_LTERk   Posted on YouTube: February 28, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: February 29, 2008 By DU Member: L. Coyote Views on DU: 483

 
From: CSPAN
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Videos: 28

Marc Rotenberg, Electronic Privacy Information Center, President & Patrick Philbin, Washington DC Attorney, discuss offering telecommunications companies retroactive immunity from lawsuits as a result of assisting the government in surveillance operations.


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MORE: TELECOM COVER-UP? Nacchio and Qwest: Another Political Prosecution?
Feb-28-08 - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2935817

[fasttense]

1. So if the president's authority

to wiretap American citizens has been firmly established as the telecom lawyer suggests, then why were the Patriot act changes necessary? And why are the telecoms not ponying up billions of dollars in campaign contributions to repukes? Since the republicans seem to live and die for telecom immunity, then the telecoms should be showering the repukes with all sorts of money.

The telecoms are pissed cause they wouldn't need immunity if not for the illegal wiretapping by the republicans. And the telecoms knew quite well that what they were doing was illegal but they thought they could get away with it just like when corporations, assisting the government, got away with torture and murder in Pinochet's Chile.

[L. Coyote]

2. Good points. Everyone understands, "We did NOTHING criminal AND we need IMMUNITY!"

ROFLMAO-crazy logic!

[JDPriestly]

5. If the wiretapping was constitutional, why didn't Bush turn

to his Republican congress to amend FISA to permit it? Bush's and Philbin's points of view don't make sense. Bush was being sneaky. He knew full well that what he was asking the telecoms to do was illegal.

[AlbertCat]

3. Waterboarded logic

Yes.... the "We did nothing wrong" and the "We need immunity" argument. Very sound....if you're down the rabbit hole.

I also love the President's "We need to give them immunity or they will not cooperate in the future" logic. There is ALREADY in place a way to get the info they need from the telecommunication companies....it just requires a warrant. And if you have a warrant, you don't get to choose whether or not you want to cooperate or not. You MUST by law cooperate! Except in Bushworld!

[JDPriestly]

4. Philbin advised Bush that the Guantanamo prisoners could be tried by military commissions.

Patrick F. Philbin is an American lawyer and Bush administration appointee.<1>

Philbin served as a law clerk for federal appeals judge Laurence Silberman.<2>

Philbin was appointed Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel.<3>

Philbin is notable for being one of the lawyers who helped counsel President Bush that he, as head of the United States' Government's executive branch had the authority to charge Guantanamo captives before military commissions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_F._Philbin
.....
He was also present in John Ashcroft's hospital room during the confrontation regarding continuation of one of the unlawful surveillance programs. Jim Comey stated that Philbin may have been passed over by the Bush administration for a promotion because of his support of Comey with regard to the surveillance program.

http://thenexthurrah.typepad.com/the_next_hurrah/2007/05/addington_and_t.html