Congress folds on Bush spying (intell comm)

[rodeodance]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2002861376_tapped13.html

Editorial
Congress folds on Bush spying

Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee reached a deal with the White House over its domestic-spying operations. Instead of following the law, the Bush administration can do whatever it wants.

That is the essence of the compromise GOP leadership reached with the administration. Per-versely, the agreement is being sold as congressional oversight. Current law created in 1978 requires a president to seek a special warrant from judges who sit as the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Court. They decide whether to allow eavesdropping and searches, and they routinely did. Regulations even provide a 72-hour window for the government to act before it explained itself or sought retroactive permission.

The Bush administration has ignored the law based on its own sympathetic legal interpretations from its own Justice Department.

Republicans in Congress squawked and then did nothing. The new agreement says the administration must go to the federal panel whenever possible.
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[Savannah Progressive]

1. It wasn't just the Repugniks who squalked

It is also the Democrats who squalked, and then did NOTHING to curb the NSA Domestic Spying and illegial wiretapping of citizens.

We are even trying to co-sponser legislation with the Repugniks to make it all fine and dandy legally speaking.