Congressional staffers from both parties met with administration officials Monday to discuss controversial electronic surveillance legislation, confirmed an aide to House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), offering a ray of hope for the long-stalled bill.
For the first time since February, representatives from both parties, from both sides of the Capitol and from the administration gathered to discuss the stalled bill, according to the aide. The meeting revived hopes for an update of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
It stalled in February over the question of whether telecommunications companies that aided the government with surveillance after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks should be granted immunity from prosecution. The companies are facing almost 40 lawsuits over their role in the program, primarily from civil liberties organizations.
Several weeks ago, I said the Democrats would blink and give in to the President's demands. Whether that is happening or not is unclear, however it is clear, to me at least, that we need the tools of warrantless wiretapping for the GWOT. Even if the Dems give in and give the President what he wants, I won't gloat. All that really matters is that a deal is done and warrantless wiretaps continue.
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A couple of months ago, I wrote an article titled: “THE POWERFUL AND OBNOXIOUS ODOR OF MENDACITY”, which was printed by OpEdNews.com on February 15, 2008, and which concentrated on the misinformation and disinformation about FISA emanating from Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and Attorney General Michael Mukasey. On March 27, 2008, OpEdNews.Com printed another article I wrote titled: “THE FOG OF FISA”, which was a more in-depth analysis of the Bush Administration’s disinformation campaign regarding FISA. Readers are welcome.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_blaine_k_080213_the_powerful_and_obn.htm
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_blaine_k_080327_the_fog_of_fisa.htm
Blaine Kinsey
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