Telco Immunity makes the Constitution a lie

portorcliff

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Wednesday July 09, 2008 · 3:14 PM PDT

2008/07/09 · 15:14

Given today's Senate vote on FISA, it felt appropriate to resurrect a Diary from a year ago...

Warrantless wiretaps and telecom immunity makes the Constitution a Lie

...and makes a liar out of me.

portorcliff

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Friday March 07, 2008 · 12:53 PM PST

2008/03/07 · 12:53

We all have been waiting for the House leadership to Stand for the Constitution and Rule of Law on FISA. Glenn Greenwald has all the sad details. It is not pretty and you need to fortify yourself when you go below the fold.

Update from Glenn

This report was based on unimpeachable sources close to the whole process. I'm getting a little bit of pushback already from others claiming that the plan and strategy of the House Democratic leadership is more nuanced than what I've described, and that the bill they will promote is better (the statement: "A House aide disputes both the specifics of the draft and the presumed strategy"). I'll be happy if that's true (though I doubt it), and hopefully, the fact that there's pushback at all means this is still a vibrant, ongoing process that can be affected. I'll be happy to add any statements, denials and the like.

portorcliff

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Friday February 29, 2008 · 11:25 AM PST

2008/02/29 · 11:25

From Open Left It looks like someone is looking for lipstick for a pig. Or maybe it is a fig leaf (albeit much too tiny). Or maybe just political cover before they Roll Over and Capitulate.
Updated

portorcliff

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Friday January 18, 2008 · 12:59 PM PST

2008/01/18 · 12:59

...and makes a liar out of me.

My 10 year old asked me about warrants this week. He wanted to know what they are and how they fit in this world.

We went through the Citizenship chapter of the Cub Scout book months ago. I reminded him about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We spoke of the right to privacy. Then, I asked him if he had to open the front door just because a cop was standing there. He understood that his right to privacy was more powerful than a cop trying to get into his house. And that HIS right was protected by the Constitution. Then, we talked about warrants. And evidence to get a warrant. The short lesson was "no government agent gets into your privacy without a warrant." Unequivocal. No exceptions. No parsing. No Sh*t. It's guaranteed as an individual right. That’s what I told him.
I Lied.

portorcliff

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Tuesday October 23, 2007 · 4:58 PM PDT

2007/10/23 · 16:58

Again...

It seems that the nominee to replace dissembling Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez has his own dissembling problem with waterboarding and torture.

When asked by member of the Judiciary Committee, Sheldon Whitehouse, at the confirmation hearing last week, Mike Mukasey responded,

"If waterboarding is torture... torture is not Constitutional," he replied.

That seemed an ambiguous response to Senator Whitehouse. TPM captured his retort:

"That is a massive hedge.... It either is or it isn't."

portorcliff

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Wednesday October 03, 2007 · 10:50 AM PDT

2007/10/03 · 10:50

For the last two days I have had the eerie feeling that someone has circled around and is setting up for a take down. Where the hell is Karl Rove. He's haunting me like a bad burrito lunch. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I thought I would check the net's and see where he is and what he is doing.

portorcliff

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Thursday August 09, 2007 · 4:32 PM PDT

2007/08/09 · 16:32

enator Gordon Smith voted to expand the Powers of the Executive to conduct warrantless wiretaps. My letter to the Senator expressing concern for his priorities with our consitutional rights is below the fold.

portorcliff

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Wednesday May 02, 2007 · 10:00 AM PDT

2007/05/02 · 10:00

James Comey who was DAG at DOJ before leaving in August of 2005 is scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on May 3rd.

Marcy (Emptywheel) Wheeler has a post up at Firedoglake that sets up the background on Comey and provides a summary timeline that delivers a glimpse of the risks his testimony presents to Bushies.

RSS

Telco Immunity makes the Constitution a lie

House Leadership Plan for FISA Rollover

FISA Resolution Trial Balloon Surfaces

Warrantless wiretaps and telecom immunity makes the Constitution a Lie

Mukasey Gets Asked about Waterboarding & Torture

Check Six ...who's on my tail

My Letter to our OR Senator

Setup for Comey Testimony on USA Firings