CLINTON DID NOT ORDER WARRANTLESS SEARCHES OF AMERICAN CITIZENS

[kpete]

CLINTON DID NOT ORDER WARRANTLESS SEARCHES OF AMERICAN CITIZENS
Here's what Clinton signed:


Section 1. Pursuant to section 302(a)(1) <50 U.S.C. 1822(a)> of the Act, the Attorney General is authorized to approve physical searches, without a court order, to acquire foreign intelligence information for periods of up to one year, if the Attorney General makes the certifications required by that section.

You don't have to be a lawyer to understand that Clinton allowed warrantless searches if and only if the AG followed section 302(a)(1). What does section 1822(a) require?


the "physical search is solely directed at premises, information, material, or property used exclusively by, or under the open and exclusive control of, a foreign power or powers." Translation: You can't search American citizens.

and there is "no substantial likelihood that the physical search will involve the premises, information, material, or property of a United States person." Translation: You can't search American citizens.


Moreover, Clinton's warrant waiver consistent with FISA refers only to physical searches. "Physical searches," as defined by 1821(5), exclude electronic surveillance.
http://www.dailykos.com/

[berni_mccoy]

1. K&R... I heard this nonsense as well from freeperland...

They are getting desperate if they use the "Buh, buh, buh CLINTON" excuse.

[underpants]

2. This was the lead talking point on Rush on Monday

Kicked and recommended.

[Hissyspit]

27. Also, if Clinton did it, as a right-wingnut, shouldn't you do the opposite

?

If Clinton was so awful, wouldn't you want to do the opposite of what he did and not use his behavior as justification for your own behavior? According to their logic, we shouldn't impeach Shrub if he gets a blowjob from an intern, because, well, Clinton did it first!

??

[Oceansaway]

3. K&R

[ProfessorGAC]

4. OK, I'll Post This One More Time

Peter King (R-NY) said he SHOULD HAVE and that would have prevented 9/11. So, what we've got here is conservatives saying "Clinton did it too, but because he didn't we had 9/11, which wouldn't have happened if he had spied, but he didn't, even though he did."

That's how much sense this whole thing means.
The Professor

[The White Tree]

11. Yes I love that rationalization

Bill Clinton, the worst most evil power hungry, Big Government controling your lives, wants to set Big Brother on all us freedom loving Americans and take away ours guns President did it.

Therefore it's okay that the wonderful, God-fearing Son of man, George Bush did it.

It's too bad they haven't found out George Bush cheated on his wife with an intern in the Oval Office.

The flip-flopping rationalization on that would be truly mind-bending.

They'd probably settle on Bill CLinton made him cheat on his wife.

[Jawja]

16. Thx Professor

for putting that into perspective. I was confused....

:hi:

[noahmijo]

5. But Bill Clinton is not a Christian and Jesus did not pick him

Bill Clinton let the queers into the military and Bill Clinton helped mastermind 9/11.

That's what my church told me.



Point being you see it doesn't matter what Clinton did or didn't do he is bad and Bush is a Godly good man and no matter what Bush does he is right because Jesus handpicked him to be president......apparently Bush is fluent in Arameic.

[leftchick]

6. that red haired freak vickie toensing on c-span yesterday LIED

what a surprise!
:puke:

[DeepModem Mom]

7. An MSNBC analyst did not know the answer to the question...

of whether Clinton did, or did not. They have succeeded in muddying the waters.

[RobertSeattle]

8. The "Clinton did it too" (even though wrong) Defense is just so pathetic

So after all these years of of "bringing honor and integirty to the white house" BS they have to resort to "Clinton Did it Too" defense even though it is wrong factually. P-a-t-h-e-t-i-c.

[kpete]

9. From CNN

BLITZER: And just after the interview, we contacted the former deputy attorney general under Bill Clinton, Jamie Gorelick. She said she didn't know what Senator Cornyn was talking about. She went on to say this and she gave us this statement -- "During the Clinton administration, the Justice Department sought from Congress the extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, FISA, to include physical searches. Congress granted that authority. The Justice Department did not seek authority to wiretap without a warrant."

And Jamie Gorelick went on to say this. She said that as an employee of the Justice Department, she never asked for authority to obtain a warrantless wiretap.

We'll go back to Senator Cornyn and get his update, to see if he has a different recollection, or if he has different information than what Jamie Gorelick has just told us.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/12/21/8157/6595

[adigal]

10. This is important to debunk

because the wingnuts are all calling into talk shows, repeating that Clinton and Carter did this.

How does this crap get started??

[underpants]

12. RW radio

that is the whole point of RW talk radio.

[leftchick]

14. white house fax machine

would be my best guess

[liveoaktx]

25. VIDEO -Hardball/Mitchell debunks

Smackdown

[The White Tree]

13. On Fox they said Carter did it too

No details in the news report just one of the morning personalities making the statement that apparantly Carter and Clinton did it to (funny though no mention of Reagan or Bush 1).

These guys can split hairs as well as the best 5 year old.

If only Clinton and Carter had jumped off a bridge when they were President, then George woulda have to as well.

Regarding Carter they said he authorized it for a 1 year period. For Clinton they said he did it for 1 guy Aldrich Ames.

Even in those scant details they reveal how differant what they are saying Clinton and Carter did from what the current President is doing since he seems to have claimed the authority to do it to any one at any time for any reason for as long as he wanted to as long as he felt he was protecting Americans. It's the differance between the considerred exercise of executive authority and the blatant miss-use of executive authority.

This was confirmed by Cheney who admitted that he feels that the President does not have enough power and should have more going so far as to claim what was done after Nixon was actually unconstitutional (fine time to speak up about it now Mr. C).

[Catherine Vincent]

18. Notice how they talk about Clinton then Carter and totally bypassed

Bush I.

[smoogatz]

15. Dumbest. Argument. Ever.

Didn't shrub run on "restoring honor and dignity to the White House" in 2000? How the hell is using the "Clinton did it" excuse even remotely dignified? If Clinton had conducted human sacrifices in front of the Washington monument, would that mean it was okay for W to hold them, too? Sheesh--talk about wanting to have it both ways.

[w8liftinglady]

17. another link refuting this,in regards to Drudge

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/12/20/drudge-fact-check/

[myrna minx]

19. I'm kicking this.

:kick:

[DesertRat]

20. A kick for the truth

:kick:

[rg302200]

21. Bush and Cheney are forgetting someone....

and that someone is Richard M. Nixon who dirtied his hands trying to get information on Dem's. One wonders if these A-holes have ever read a history book. Did they learn nothing from Nixon's mistakes??

Executive power was eroded after Nixon because he was a screwup who abused his power for his own personal gain. Does that sound like Bush or what?

Lets hope he follows Nixon's path to a tee and leaves the whitehouse...for good!

[Maine-ah]

22. so, help me out here

I'm trying to explain this, and this is what this guy said to me....

the "physical search is solely directed at premises, information, material, or property used exclusively by, or under the open and exclusive control of, a foreign power or powers." Translation: You can't search American citizens.


Aldrich Ames was an American Citizen. Hmmmmmm did Clinton pull trick on you?

[Maine-ah]

23. kicking, I need an answer about Aldrich Ames

I have googled, and am currently reading about him, but if anyone has some insite that would be great!

[Inland]

24. I suspect that anyone with that type of top secret security clearance

gives permission to the goverment to come on their property without a warrant. I can't imagine being high up at the Agency and not be subject to surprise spot checks.

But I really don't know.

[malaise]

26. Discussion on Dan Abrams now n/t