[Osx-nutters] President Bush Wants Power To Immunize Telecoms That Aid In Spying On American

[Kevin Callahan]

<http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/08/06/president-bush-wants-power- 
to-immunize-telecoms-that-aid-in-spying-on-americans/>

President Bush Wants Power To Immunize Telecoms That Aid In Spying On  
Americans

The day after President George W. Bush marshaled political forces in  
Congress to grant him greater authority to engage in counter  
terrorism-related spying, the president stated that he would seek  
greater changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act when the  
legislative branch returns to work in September.

“While I appreciate the leadership it took to pass this bill, we must  
remember that our work is not done,” the President said in his Sunday  
statement. “This bill is a temporary, narrowly focused statute to  
deal with the most immediate shortcomings in the law.”

The President said next month he would focus on further immunizing  
private companies that cooperate with government wiretapping.  
However, he used complicated language to describe these activities.

“When Congress returns in September the Intelligence committees and  
leaders in both parties will need to complete work on the  
comprehensive reforms requested by Director McConnell, including the  
important issue of providing meaningful liability protection to those  
who are alleged to have assisted our Nation following the attacks of  
September 11, 2001,” he said.

One constitutional scholar derided Bush’s reasoning, particularly the  
tortuous language in his statement. Read more…

Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid must find a way to corral rogue Democrats  
in Congress and stand together for the civil liberties of all Americans