DISCOVERY: Why Bush Admin is REALLY working so hard for telecom immunity

[ck4829]

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.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/134930

[SpiralHawk]

1. Roh roh, EFF !

eom

[seemslikeadream]

2. Just who did these guys think they were?

FASCISTS?

[Pastiche423]

3. "...secret post-9/11 surveillance program ..."

I am so fucking sick of seeing this lie printed over and over again. It has been proven that the spying began before 9/11. It began in February 2001.

[Disturbed]

4. Bushco & Telecoms trying to cover up their crimes.

Will Congress help them do so?

[lpbk2713]

5. Hell yes Congress will help them.

The telcos have lots of money to go around.

[Pastiche423]

10. We have some in Congress that are trying

to bring the truth to the public, such as Senator Dodd.

IMHO, many reps got beat up by their constituency during the August recess, which happened right after the FISA vote, for not protecting the American people.

I know mine did. Pete DeFazio who is beloved by many, met a very angry constituency at every townhall meeting he attended during the recess. No one chatted w/him after the meeting as is usual. We were pissed!

[Junkdrawer]

6. First thing that caught my eye too...

they repeat the phrase "post-9/11" THREE TIMES in the short article.

[Pastiche423]

7. It's is every damn article I read about the subject

It's a directive from the sick fucks that "run" our government, to the media.

One telecom that did not agree to spy on Americans has documents proving it was February. I believe that was Qwest.

[spanone]

8. it doesn't matter when it started really, illegal is illegal is illegal....

:hi:

[Pastiche423]

11. It DOES matter

Whistle ass and his accomplices are using 9/11 as an excuse for spying on us. How could it have been because 9/11, when it was happening at least seven months prior?

Using the correct date of commencement, they have no excuse.

[wildbilln864]

9. Absolutely right....

why isn't the M$M reporting this fact? :grr:

[Pastiche423]

12. Because they have been ordered not to?

:grr:

[KharmaTrain]

13. Let These Cases Move Forward...

As the article states...if there no crime, then they will be cleared in court. Seems AT&T and Verizon don't quite feel that way...it'd be interesting to learn why. Part of this could happen in an upcoming trial that must move forward...compell company execs and find out why they gave up confidential information and who ordered it. Then if there's a case to move forward, then the company can have "immunity"...they can share the stand with those in this criminal regime that broke the law and constitution. In the end, the phone companies won't lose a dime...it'll all be government money that pays off people.

Hoyer is playing both sides of the fence on this thing. I think he sees how FISA has energized his caucus and hasn't hurt the party's chance in November...maybe that's enough to let him kick this can past the elections and let the cases move forward. However, I am far from confident this will happen. It'll be up to a lot of us to work the phones and put the pressure on the congresscritters again.