FISA Fight: Here We Go Again

Don't sell us out, Hoyer:

Congressional staffers from both parties met with administration officials Monday to discuss controversial electronic surveillance legislation, an aide to House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.)confirmed, 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....

Behind the scenes, Hoyer has emerged as a deal maker on the issue over the past several weeks, working as the go-between for liberal House Democrats unwilling to accept immunity and Senate Republicans who would block any bill that does not protect the telecoms from prosecution.

Speaking to reporters last week, Hoyer said he was optimistic a bill could be completed before the Memorial Day recess. Because of the shortened legislative calendar in an election year, many see the next five weeks as the best hope to complete a bill.

To set the record straight for Politico, it wasn't just "liberal" House Democrats against telco amnesty. The vast majority of them, including 16 Blue Dogs voted for the House bill that did not include amnesty.

And for good reason.

This "compromise" does not need to happen, Mr. Hoyer. Remember who it is you're trying to compromise with. An attorney general who lied about the FISA law, politicizing the 9/11 attacks to get the telcos off. Or how about DNI McConnell, lied about Democrats in Congress, insulting all of you who opposed the administration by standing up for the Constitution.

Do you want to prove that SOB right?

National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell on Friday said he was confident that Congress will eventually give telecommunications companies immunity from lawsuits involving the government eavesdropping on their customers.

"They’ll agree. We’ve just go to go through the process," McConnell said after addressing about 350 people at his alma mater Furman University.

Or confirm this?

"Republicans have dedicated significant time and resources in engaging regional and local media, editorial boards, and talk radio over the break," said Kevin Smith, a spokesman for House Minority Leader John A. Boehner , R-Ohio. "We’re going to hold every Democrat accountable for their irresponsible actions on this bill, and we will ramp up the pressure until they do the right thing and pass the bipartisan Senate bill. In the end, we believe they will cave."

Are you going to cave, Steny? Are you going to give that bastard Boehner the satisfaction?

You've already won. Do not turn this victory into one more crushing defeat. You've won. Quit while we're all ahead.