NYT: Facing Pressure, White House Seeks Approval for Spying

[UpInArms]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/20/politics/20nsa.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

After two months of insisting that President Bush did not need court approval to authorize the wiretapping of calls between the United States and suspected terrorists abroad, the administration is trying to resist pressure for judicial review while pushing for retroactive Congressional approval of the program.

The administration opened negotiations with Congress last week, but it is far from clear whether Mr. Bush will be able to fend off calls from Democrats and some Republicans for increased oversight of the eavesdropping program, which is run by the National Security Agency.

The latest Republican to join the growing chorus of those seeking oversight is Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

In an interview on "Fox News Sunday," Mr. Graham, a former military prosecutor whose opinion on national security commands respect in the Senate, said he believed there was now a "bipartisan consensus" to have broader Congressional and judicial review of the program.

<snip>

Four other leading Senate Republicans, including the heads of three committees — Judiciary, Homeland Security and Intelligence — have said they would prefer some degree of judicial oversight. Their positions, if they hold, could make the negotiations more difficult.

...more...

I guess they might have to accept impeachment for unconstitutional activities :eyes:

[Fridays Child]

1. I hold out little hope that the repukes won't cave.

I'm so sad for my country and increasingly frightened for my children. :(

[WhiteTara]

4. don't worry, we are about to finish killing our planet

if we don't turn our attention to global warming NOW we can kiss the whole world good bye. Katrina was a warm up. The whole world is going to be in the same turmoil

[expatriot]

2. Not spying, but ILLEGAL spying. With headlines like these...

who needs enemies. This is exactly how Bush wants to frame the debate.... to make it look like his opponents are against intelligence gathering. No, we realize the need for "intelligence operations" in order to keep us secure, but what we won't allow is an executive which takes blatantly unconstitutional liberties in its exertion of power.

[BadGimp]

3. pushing for retroactive Congressional approval of the program.

"pushing for retroactive Congressional approval of the program."

Means seeking retroactive absolution for their crimes.

This must not be allowed to happen. If they can do this then they can do anyting and get the GOP Congress to retroactively cover their ass anytime for anything.

Where are the GOP Partiots?!!?

[rodeodance]

10. very telling (the first paragraph).

.......After two months of insisting that President Bush did not need court approval to authorize the wiretapping of calls between the United States and suspected terrorists abroad, the administration is trying to resist pressure for judicial review while pushing for retroactive Congressional approval of the program.

[radfringe]

5. some kind of inquiry

---snip---

Republican leaders of the House Intelligence Committee have also agreed to some kind of inquiry, but there is a dispute about how broad it should be. Representative Peter Hoekstra, Republican of Michigan and the committee chairman, was traveling in Asia on Sunday and could not be reached for comment.

-------

ah-huh... yeah right - more window dressing, a bit of noise, lots of hot air and then they step back and rejoin the choir

---------

meanwhile...more secrets.... ---snip---- The White House has refused to discuss those talks. Trent Duffy, a deputy press secretary, said the administration "does not want to negotiate in the media.

[rodeodance]

6. ACLU saying mistake to give Pres. power retroactively! cspan NOW>

[rodeodance]

7. says already broken law--makes to sence to give power now.

[rodeodance]

8. says WH is on the run. te he.

[rodeodance]

9. "Seeks Approval"---too litte too late says ACLU on cspan now.

[Gman]

11. They are scared of losing Congress and impeachment

They're also scared of how many of them will go to prison for a very long time.

This is an an act of desparation.

[rodeodance]

12. apparently on one told Frist of this 180 degress turn as just a day earlie

r--he is said to stand firm with WH

Sun Feb-19-06 02:29 PM
Original message
Frist: No New Spy Legislation Needed


http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0206/304149.html

Frist: No New Spy Legislation Needed


Washington (AP) - Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, standing firmly with the White House on the administration's eavesdropping program, said Sunday he doesn't think new or updated legislation is needed to govern domestic surveillance to foil terrorists. "I don't think that it does need to be rewritten, but we are holding hearings in the Judiciary Committee right now," Frist said on CBS'"Face the Nation."

Frist also said he didn't think a court order is needed before eavesdropping, under the program, occurs. "Does it have to be thrown over to the courts? I don't think so. I personally don't think so," he said.

Critics argue the program, run by the National Security Agency, sidesteps the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which prohibits domestic eavesdropping without a warrant from a special intelligence court.

"This NSA program - it has to comply with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and it has to comply with the Fourth Amendment," which guarantees protection against unreasonable searches, California Rep. Jane Harman, ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said on CNN's "Late Edition."

[Mithras61]

13. Oddly enough, I agree with Frist (never thought I'd say that!)...

but I believe he's right. I don't think we need to revamp the laws. I think they're fine as they stand. On the other hand, I think W_rong has clearly both broken the law and shredded the Fourth Amendment in his actions as pResident and his instructions to the NSA.

And for what it's worth, I'm not too concerned about the program that he's admitting to (spying on International calls). I'm more concerned about the secret NSA domestic spying program and the Pentagon program to spy on "terrorist threats" like the Quakers and other Peace Activists.

[Az_lefty]

14. I'm sure Congress will give him retroactive authority...

to save his sorry law breaking ass. I'm so sick of this crowd, their as bad as a Mob boss with bought judges.

[HuffleClaw]

15. "retroactive Congressional approval of the program"

?! holy crap, they really do have utter contempt for democracy. but they've gone far too far already, and have no choice now but to blunder forward blindly. their actions are dooming many republicans hopes of being reelected in november.