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Did Wyden Insert Poison Pill In Senate FISA Capitulation?

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Legislation
Posted on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 10:50:30 PM EST
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Besides voting no (along with Sen. Russ Feingold), Sen. Ron Wyden may have inserted a poison pill in Senator Rockefeller's attempted FISA capitulation bill:

[P]assage in the committee came with one unexpected hitch. In an interview after the closed session, Mr. Wyden said he had succeeded, by a vote of 9 to 6, in adding an amendment that would offer additional protections by requiring that the government get a warrant whenever it wanted to wiretap an American outside the country, like an American soldier based overseas or a business person.

“The individual freedom of an American shouldn’t depend on their physical geography,” he said.

But Mr. Wyden said the administration vigorously opposed that measure and was threatening to veto any final bill if it is included.

Good work Senator Wyden.

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    Did Wyden Insert Poison Pill In Senate FISA Capitulation? | 6 comments (6 topical)

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    The Telecos must be furious with the wingers (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by RedHead on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 11:20:23 PM EST
    I know the House bill didn't include immunity, but I imagine the Telecoms were counting on Brother Rockefeller's bill emerging in the reconciliation bill.

    All the Telecos needed was House passage to get the ball rolling, the same way Big Pharma used the conference committee to roll over the House version of the Prescription-Drug Bill.

    The wingers poison pill didn't simply kill the House vote, it stopped momentum, giving the Constitutionist's time to rally and change the course of history.

    I bet the Telecoms are burning up the phone lines and screaming at GOP fundraisers and lobbyist.

    i am sort of curious: (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by cpinva on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 08:36:02 AM EST
    if the telecom companies aren't granted immunity, for their illegal acts, what do they intend to do, move out of the country? are they going to take their ball and go home or what?

    aside from no longer contributing to either political party, what are their real options?

    This could be a problem. (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by Edger on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 09:59:00 AM EST
    TWO Senators in quick succession growing a pair. Over the same bill.

    I think they may have gone too far.

    How in the hell do they expect Pelosi and Reid to keep their heads buried now?

    Hat tip to (5.00 / 2) (#7)
    by Edger on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 09:15:06 PM EST
    Jane Hamsher @ FDL

    WAPO this afternoon:

    San Francisco: Will you join Sen. Chris Dodd's hold and proposed filibuster on any FISA bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecoms? Thanks for joining us for this chat today, Sen. Biden, and thanks for the leadership you provide the Democratic Party and America.

    Sen. Joe Biden: Yes.

    That was easy.  See?  None of the qualifications, doublespeak, "we don't know what's going to come out of committee" obfuscations necessary.  Either you support immunity for telecoms who engaged in criminal activity, or you don't.  It's kind of an either-or thing.

    I think it should be noted that what Dodd displayed here was leadership.  L-E-A-D-E-R-S-H-I-P.  Something we like to see from our leaders, and something that anyone thinking about being one of our leaders should consider.
    smart (none / 0) (#1)
    by Sumner on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 11:09:11 PM EST
    They are placing massive amounts of spy equipment in this country, and simply shrug off any notion of "inadvertent" listening in on parties which may be located in America, too.

    That of course is a ruse, it allows them the backdoor to listen in on everybody in this country.

    If Sen. Wyden fashioned a tactic to necessitate a warrant for even those Americans physically out of the country, that obviously runs counter to the sinister designs that this Administration has consistently shown itself to be up to.

    By attempting to address the needs for a warrant to spy on Americans even out of the country, Sen. Wyden spoke volumes to the greater need to secure warrants for Americans fully stateside, too.

    Fine Print (none / 0) (#3)
    by RedHead on Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 11:31:56 PM EST

    The Senate Intelligence Committee reached an agreement that would give telephone carriers legal immunity for any role they played in the NSA's domestic eavesdropping program approved by President Bush after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.. (NYT)

    Outside The Blanket

    1. activities prior to 9/11

    2. "programs" not approved by Bush (What Comey/Ashcroft/DOJ opposed ?)

    3. "programs" conducted by government agencies other than the NSA and outsourcers (ie FBI, ChoicePoint, etc.)


    Did Wyden Insert Poison Pill In Senate FISA Capitulation? | 6 comments (6 topical)

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