House Dems Readying Proposal To REJECT Telecom Immunity

[babylonsister]

House Steers Its Own Path on Wiretaps

By ERIC LICHTBLAU
Published: March 11, 2008


WASHINGTON — In continued defiance of the White House, House Democratic leaders are readying a proposal that would reject giving legal protection to the phone companies that helped in the National Security Agency’s program of wiretapping without warrants after the Sept. 11 attacks, Congressional officials said Monday.

Instead of blanket immunity, the tentative proposal would give the federal courts special authorization to hear classified evidence and decide whether the phone companies should be held liable. House Democrats have been working out the details of their proposal in the last few days, officials said, and expect to take it to the House floor for a vote on Thursday.

The Democrats’ proposal would fall far short of what the White House has been seeking.

President Bush has been insisting for months that Congress give retroactive immunity to the phone companies, calling it a vital matter of national security. The Senate gave him what he wanted in a vote last month that also broadened the government’s eavesdropping powers.

But House Democratic leaders have balked at the idea.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/11/washington/11fisa.html

[acmavm]

1. Would give the federal courts authorization to hear classified

info? Well for Pete's sake, and the rest of us too, just give 'em the immunity and get it over with. Don't play fast and loose and pretend like you're doing something for the people. Don't do a Spitz, don't be a fuckin' hypocrite. Just be open about you're whoring. Let 'em get away with it.

Shit.

[Donnachaidh]

2. and how many of those federal courts are packed with Bush cronies?

"Instead of blanket immunity, the tentative proposal would give the federal courts special authorization to hear classified evidence and decide whether the phone companies should be held liable."

Soooo, if the courts are packed with cronies, they can pretty much toss out ANY and all suits brought up by victims of wiretapping.

Call me cynical, but this is the best they can do? Seems to be more of a CYA move during an election cycle rather than a real slam to Bush. :shrug: