Sen. Russ Feingold On Working Every Step of the Way to Fix the FISA Bill

[babylonsister]

http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/1019-06.htm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 19, 2007
1:46 PM


CONTACT: Senator Russ Feingold
Zach Lowe [phone]

On Working Every Step of the Way to Fix the FISA Bill


WASHINGTON - October 19 - “As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have been working and will continue to work every step of the way to try to fix the badly flawed FISA bill. I was pleased that in the Intelligence Committee markup yesterday Senator Wyden and I were able to make some improvements to the bill, including requiring FISA court orders for wiretapping U.S. citizens overseas and more meaningful oversight by Congress and the Inspector General of the new authorities. But we still have a long way to go before this bill adequately protects the privacy of law-abiding Americans. The bill still cedes far too much power to the executive branch, which has time and again shown it will only abuse it. And I am deeply disappointed that it included retroactive immunity for anyone alleged to have cooperated with the Administration’s illegal warrantless wiretapping program. I hope the bill will be further improved in the Judiciary Committee before it reaches the full Senate. If the bill that ultimately reaches the Senate floor includes immunity and does not adequately protect the privacy of Americans, I will fight it vigorously with every tool at my disposal.”

[TwilightGardener]

1. OK--I'm coming to the conclusion that there's some reason the Intel Committee

refuses to take out the immunity part--sounds like they're hoping the Judiciary Cmte. does it. But Russ did say the classified WH documents did not justify immunity in his opinion--why is it up to another committee to determine that? Is it because the Intel Committee can only deal with intelligence matters and NOT determinations of legality (some aren't lawyers on the Intel Committee, after all)? Am I on to something?

[babylonsister]

2. Follow the money?

You get what you pay for~





Harry Reid himself took $22,000 in contributions from AT&T between 2001-2006. OpenSecrets reports that he also owns between $15,001 and $50,000 worth of stock in Dow Jones U.S. Telecommunications Sector Index Fund, the largest holdings of which are AT&T and Verizon.

From FDL:
http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/10/19/you-get-what-you-pay-for/

[TwilightGardener]

3. If he's as rich as a Rockefeller is supposed to be, why does he

even need those donors on his side? That's what I don't get about ol' Jay. Unless his branch of the family was shortchanged in the will or something.