Newsweek: Telecoms and Bush administration discussed how to keep spying program under wraps

[kpete]

Newsweek: Telecoms and Bush administration discussed how to keep their domestic spying program under wraps:
http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/007338.html

The Bush administration is refusing to disclose internal e-mails, letters and notes showing contacts with major telecommunications companies over how to persuade Congress to back a controversial surveillance bill, according to recently disclosed court documents.

The existence of these documents surfaced only in recent days as a result of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by a privacy group called the Electronic Frontier Foundation. The foundation (alerted to the issue in part by a NEWSWEEK story last fall) is seeking information about communications among administration officials, Congress and a battery of politically well-connected lawyers and lobbyists hired by such big telecom carriers as AT&T and Verizon. Court papers recently filed by government lawyers in the case confirm for the first time that since last fall unnamed representatives of the telecoms phoned and e-mailed administration officials to talk about ways to block more than 40 civil suits accusing the companies of privacy violations because of their participation in a secret post-9/11 surveillance program ordered by the White House.

At the time, the White House was proposing a surveillance bill-strongly backed by the telecoms-that included a sweeping provision that would grant them retroactive immunity from any lawsuits accusing the companies of wrongdoing related to the surveillance program.

more at:
http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/007338.html

[seemslikeadream]

1. I'm always waiting for another shoe to drop

[lpbk2713]

2. You'll please forgive me if I'm not surprised.

How is BushCo supposed to control us if they
can't monitor our phone conversations? :sarcasm:

[progressoid]

3. Yeah, but didja hear about Paula Abdul?!?!

[Supersedeas]

4. Wesley Snipes anyone -- another dose of Rev. Wright maybe

[crimsonblue]

5. Too bad nobody will notice or care...

sigh. that sound you hear is liberty going down the crapper.

[L. Coyote]

6. EFF: FOIA: Telecom Lobbying Records

FOIA: Telecom Lobbying Records - http://www.eff.org/issues/foia/cases/C-07-05278

EFF has filed suits against the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Justice demanding any information about telecommunications companies' efforts to get off the hook for their role in the government's illegal electronic surveillance of millions of ordinary Americans. EFF's suits ask for the immediate disclosure of the agencies' telecom lobbying records, including any documents concerning briefings, discussions, or other contacts officials have had with representatives of telecommunications companies or members of Congress.

...........

#
Documents Released by ODNI

* View all 8 documents here.

#
Documents Released by DOJ

* View all 12 documents here.

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EFF v. ODNI Litigation Documents

* View all 27 documents here.

#
EFF v. ODNI and DOJ Litigation Documents

* View all 24 documents here.

[Mandate My Ass]

7. Translation: They conspired to obstruct a criminal investigation

I'm sure if someone with a (D) after their name did the same it would be phrased correctly.

[pleah]

8. K&R to help keep this out there for more people to see.

Thanks.