FISA court rejects ACLU request for transparency

[babsbunny]

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/FISA_court_rejects_ACLU_request_for_0829.html

A court created by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act denied an ACLU motion Thursday that would have increased public scrutiny of how the Bush administration's new spying law is reviewed, according to a statement released Friday.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed the motion 10 hours after President Bush signed the FISA Amendments Act (FAA) into law July 10, requesting that any further proceedings that might question the law's constitutionality be revealed to the public, according to an ACLU press release.

The organization also asked to participate in the hearings and submit briefs to court, which was denied as well.

"It's disappointing that the intelligence court intends to adjudicate these important legal issues in complete secrecy," said Jameel Jaffer, Director of the ACLU National Security Project. "The new surveillance law affects all of us because it allows the executive branch virtually unfettered access to the international telephone and email communications of U.S. citizens and residents."

[midnight]

1. We all knew this was bad, but Obama assured us that there

would be watchers watching the watchers. We just are not allowed to know who the watchers are.

[oldskool]

2. the senate passed a

electronic spy bill too. When we give our liberties for
temporary security,we lose both. It's a shame our politicians
(both parties) don't care about we the people,corporations are
more important. No matter what they say.