(Is there anything more vital to a democracy than our 4th amendment rights to being secure in our phone calls and emails? -promoted by johne)
The latest on the FISA/telecom amnesty fiasco is that Majority Leader Hoyer is moving the bill, almost certainly this week. Emptywheel reports at FDL that the vote will come tonight (Thursday) or tomorrow, unless it's linked with the supplemental appropriation for the war, in which case it's likely to come today.
As she says, the time to act is very short. My suggestions:
- 3rd CD folks need to get on the phone to John Salazar pronto.
- 1st CD folks -- Diana DeGette is chief deputy whip, right? She needs calls, too.
- I suspect Rep. Udall and Rep. Perlmutter will vote the right way. Let's support them on that with phone calls from those in the 2nd and 7th CDs.
- Donate to run ads in the districts of three key supporters of telcom amnesty: Majority Leader Hoyer, John Barrow (GA-12), and Chris Carney (PA-10). Read up on what Glenn Greenwald is saying about why, and how, these Reps. are being targeted.
- House leadership decides what comes to the floor for a vote ... period. Hoyer and Pelosi, at least, are allowing this travesty to occur. Call 'em both.
All representatives can be reached at 202-224-3121 ... ask for the office by first and last name.
Finally, Greenwald's column today takes a look at what Obama may be doing -- or not -- about the issue. Worth a read. (Go Sen. Obama! But please, while you're at it, take a stronger stand against warrantless wiretapping/telecom immunity!)
[UPDATE] Greenwald has a new post saying that there's a 'compromise' on the bill that will be taken up by the House tomorrow (Friday). He's seen the text of the bill, and it's bad -- a note from the AG is all that's needed to require a judge to throw out a warrantless wiretapping lawsuit against a telco. But, it's not on the floor yet. Phone, phone, phone!
This is nothing more than Steny Hoyer and Nancy Pelosi doing the will of the telecoms. Tell your Rep. not to play ball. Tell Hoyer and Pelosi to pull it from the floor.
This bill allows for mass and untargeted surveillance of Americans' communications ...
I'd like to underscore the fact that when the Congress was controlled by Bill Frist and Denny Hastert, the administration tried to get a bill passed legalizing warrantless eavesdropping and telecom amnesty, but was unable. They had to wait until the Congress was controlled by Steny Hoyer, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to accomplish that.
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