FISA Fight: Whither the Blue Dogs?

The House will be voting on their updated FISA legislation (H.R. 3773) tomorrow. This is the legislation justified today in Chairman Conyers' strong rebuke of retroactive amnesty.

House leadership is confident that the bill will pass:

"I feel very confident," said House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn , D-S.C., who added that he has spoken to many conservative Blue Dog Democrats, 21 of whom have endorsed competing Senate legislation backed by the Bush administration. "There’s great support among members for this legislation."

However, Tim Starks at CQ followed up with those Blue Dogs, and came away with a different picture (link forthcoming).

Congressional Quarterly contacted each of the 21 Democratic Blue Dogs, or their offices — or both — seeking comment. Only one, Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn., has offered any kind of opinion.

Several others said they have not read the legislation yet, one day before a vote on a complicated, controversial topic, and one day after House Democratic leaders unveiled the legislation to reporters....

A senior lawmaker said the group is concerned about the ultimate goal of House Democratic leaders. If they knew the next step would get Congress closer to sending a final compromise bill to Bush, the lawmaker said, they might be more inclined to vote for the legislation.

Tanner said he might be able to support the bill for that reason. "I’d like to see something pass so we can get a conversation started with the Senate," he said Wednesday.....

Other lawmakers interviewed Wednesday would not even go that far. Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., said, "I’m waiting to see what it looks like," he said. "I’m willing to look at any compromise that resolves this issue."

Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Fla., said he has not reviewed the bill because he was focused on other issues.

Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., also said he had not read the bill. Asked about whether he could support any legislation that does not include retroactive legal immunity, he declined to answer, saying "I’m a little bit of a nerd" when it comes to reading a bill himself before commenting on it.

Most offices of the other 21 lawmakers had declined by late Wednesday to return phone calls or e-mails or answer questions about the new House bill.

The group's "senior lawmaker" seems to still be operating under the misapprehension that Bush will compromise. That after more than seven years a Democrat can still make that argument with a straight face is utterly laughable. And a good argument for primarying Democrats.

Here are our old friends, the Blue Dogs for whom "compromise" on FISA is capitulation to Bush, the ones for whom protecting AT&T comes before protecting our civil liberties.

• Rep. Leonard L. Boswell, D-Iowa -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Marion Berry, D-Ark. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Robert E. "Bud" Cramer, D-Ala. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Ill. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Fla. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-La. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Kan. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Christopher Carney, D-Pa. -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
• Rep. Zack Space, D-Ohio -- Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone]

Call and e-mail them tonight and tomorrow. Call your own representative, too. Tell them to read Chairman Conyers' statement on amnesty, and to support H.R. 3773.