CREDO Action: Urge President Obama to stop protecting Bush's crimes.

[L. Coyote]

Urge President Obama to stop protecting Bush's crimes.
Thursday, April 9, 2009 12:45 PM
From: "Michael Kieschnick, CREDO Action" <[e-mail]>
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CREDO Action: Tools for Change from Working Assets

Why is Obama protecting Bush?
Ask President Obama to stop blocking court review of warrantless wiretapping by the Bush administration.

http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=3250

In the heat of the presidential campaign, then Sen. Barack Obama cast his lot with major telecommunications companies — and AT&T specifically — by voting to give big telecom retroactive immunity for allegedly helping the White House illegally spy on Americans. It was one of the most disappointing moments of the campaign.

However, as a candidate Obama did forcefully oppose the Bush administration's use of the "state secrets" privilege to get cases thrown out of civil court.

But now, President Obama is using the "state secrets" defense to make the case that the United States government can never be sued for surveillance that might violate federal privacy statutes.

Tell Obama: Stop blocking court review of illegal wiretapping.
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/obama_wiretapping/?r=3250

On April 2, President Obama's lawyers invoked Bush's radical theory of executive power to argue for the dismissal of the Electronic Frontier Foundation's litigation against the National Security Agency for the warrantless wiretapping of countless Americans.

Of course, the government should be able to argue before a court that the public release of some information would unacceptably damage national security. But many courts have handled national security information with appropriate safeguards, and the mere assertion of "state secrets" without persuading a judge with evidence is just plain wrong.

When it comes to the abuse of "state secrets" defense, we agree with candidate Obama, not President Obama. If EFF's case against the NSA is dismissed, we may never know the extent of the Bush administration's illegal spying on Americans.

President Obama needs to hear from progressives on this issue. Click on the link below to join me and ask the president to stop Justice Department lawyers from asserting "state secrets" privilege.

Mr. President: Let the courts decide if Bush administration spying violated the constitution.
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/obama_wiretapping/?r=3250


Sincerely,
Michael Kieschnick, President
CREDO Mobile from Working Assets

P.S. The Electronic Frontier Foundation continues to lead the fight to protect Americans from illegal government spying. It is one of the civil rights groups CREDO Mobile members are supporting with their phone bills this year.

[RufusEarl]

1. Thanks for posting this, i've been wanting to say something

and this was a big help. I hope he re-thinks his position, and comes to his senses.

Peace!

[Imagevision]

2. Obama could never allow the people to know what Bushco has done, are you kidding

do you realize what would happen in this country if it ever found out the truth - much like if it ever found out who was involved with killing JFK...

[populistdriven]

3. where was credo when our congress was doing nothing? they should still go after congress first

Applying pressure on obama at this point is a waste. He has 4 years. Our do nothing congress less than 2