With Feinstein and Schumer on (water)board for SJC votes for Mukasey, we now have a new Attorney General. One who will continue to permit the Unitary Executive Power Grab.
Progressives must rally. The next fight is TelCo Amnesty. Not immunity, which is a Bullshit Framing Propaganda Word, but Amnesty.
The Bush Administration wants Amnesty for the crimes committed in the illegal Warrantless Wiretap Program.
We immunize people before they get a disease, not after; in this case malignant constitutionalopathy.
Immunity is given to minor criminals to secure prosecution of major criminals; in this case the Bush Administration wants Amnesty for the Telcos to preclude discovery of the details of the major crime the Administration committed.
And judging by how badly Democrats failed in stopping the Mukasey appointment, our failure to defend the Constitution is next.
Everyone interested in Civil Liberties, the Constitution, and the Rule of Law should oppose "blind" AMNESTY for illegal actions of TelCos in carrying out the Administration's warrantless wiretapping program.
The Amnesty bill is now making its way through Senate Committees.
Unless we can convince the SJC to strip Amnesty for TelCos, or to defeat the SSCI-passed bill, the illegality of the Warrantles Wiretapping program will be buried forever.
It does not look good.
SSCI Wants Amnesty
A Senate version of permanent FISA revision was passed out of the SSCI with only Feingold and Wyden voting against this bill, which grants Amnesty to TelCos.
SJC is the last stand, and things look grim
The Immunity Bill is now in the SJC. Dianne Feinstein and Sheldon Whitehouse have already voted for Amnesty in the bill in the SSCI, and Republicans will undoubtedly support the bill.
Leahy is the focal point. After installing a torturer as AG, Leahy may be looking for a victory.
Call his ass now.
433 Russell Senate Office Bldg
(at Constitution and Delaware)
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-4242
We must get Whitehouse back in the Progressive fold.
Call his ass now.
Washington Office:
Hart Senate Office Building Room 502
Washington, D.C. 20510
202-224-2921 phone
202-228-6362 fax
Specter is on the fence. He was not so excited about Mukasey's Unitary Executive blueprint answers, and could, for the first time ever, put his money where his mouth is.
Call his ass now.
Washington DC
711 Hart Building
Washington , DC 20510
Main: 202-224-4254
Fax: 202-228-1229
I fear we have lost Feinstein to terminal Leibermanization.
But call her ass anyway, now.
Senator Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3841
Fax: (202) 228-3954
TTY/TDD: (202) 224-2501
SJC is our last chance to stop Amnesty. Here is why:
The Senate will Approve Amnesty
As for a filibuster on the Senate Floor, don't hold your breath. Reid has already said he would advance the bill despite a Dodd "hold", and there were only 28 Senators voting against Protect America Act (PAA) in August. Two of these, Whitehouse and Rockefeller are already on the books for Amnesty. So this means, if all the rest of the prior PAA Nays hold their line, a Senate filibuster needs 15 new votes from the ranks of those who previously abstained or voted for PAA to prevent cloture.
The House of Representatives will pass Amnesty
An immunity bill is destined to be referred to the House. Nancy Pelosi will control scheduling for a floor vote. She will take the Senate bill and bypass HJC, the best place for a progresive stop. As I have noted before, Pelosi facilitated PAA in this exact same way, and she has a vested personal interest in TelCo Amnesty
And you can bet your ass that the House will pass it if it makes it to the floor. Remember my "rubbish" diary? Jane Harman is already working behind the scenes, outside normal Committee structure, to deal with Republicans to pass FISA reform, and despite her lip service against Amnesty, she will deal it away.
PAA passed the House 227-183.
There may be one last hope. Because there is no ability for filibuster in the House, the House Rules Committee will have tremendous power in shaping the debate over any immunity bill. Importantly, every single Democrat on the House Rules Committee voted against PAA, indicating their support for Civil Liberties. The House Rules Committee can permit longer debate and allow amendments. Unless the Rules Committee restricts debate, prevents amendments or otherwise makes the Senate version of the immunity bill unchangeable during House consideration such as was done for the PAA, immunity passage will likely be imminent.
Nancy Pelosi can issue orders to the Rules Committee, but these members are nominally independent. They are the last hope for stopping Amnesty if an SJC stop fails and Amnesty is passed by the Senate. Rules Committee Democrats:
LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER, NY, Chairwoman
JAMES P. McGOVERN, MA
ALCEE L. HASTINGS, FL
DORIS O. MATSUI, CA
DENNIS CARDOZA, CA
PETER WELCH, VT
KATHY CASTOR, FL
MICHAEL ARCURI, NY
BETTY SUTTON, OH
Conclusion
Keep plugging away at the SJC Members; it's the best chance to strip Amnesty. Next focus on Senate Democrats. Although a Senate Filibuster on immunity appears unlikely, the more who join Dodd, the louder our voice will be heard by those in the House. At the same time get started planning for a last stand in the House. If the House Rules Committee can be encouraged to make the Senate version of the bill truly "debatable" and amendable, perhaps TelCo Amnesty can be prevented.