Judge's Refusal to Dismiss EFF's Spying Case (NSA)=Congressional Showdown

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Judge's Refusal to Dismiss EFF's Spying Case (NSA) Sets Stage for Congressional Showdown

A federal judge has refused to dismiss the Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF's) case against AT&T for collaborating with the NSA in illegal spying on millions of ordinary Americans, setting the stage for a congressional showdown over proposed dramatic changes in federal surveillance law. EFF filed the class-action suit against AT&T in January, alleging that the telecommunications company has given the National Security Agency (NSA) secret, direct access to the phone calls and emails going over its network and has been handing over communications logs detailing the activities of millions of ordinary Americans. The government intervened in the case and asked that it be dismissed because the suit could expose "state secrets." But Thursday, U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker refused: "The compromise between liberty and security remains a difficult one. But dismissing this case at the outset would sacrifice liberty for no apparent enhancement of security."
Full story http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2006_07.php#004843 , For the judge's decision http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/att/308_order_on_mtns_to_dismiss.pdf, Key quotes from the decision http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/004833.php, More on the draft surveillance bill http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2006_07.php#004824, More on the AT&T lawsuit http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/att/
July 21, 2006

EFF Defeats Government Motion in NSA Spying Case
"State Secrets" and AT&T Motions to Dismiss Denied
» Read the Order (PDF) http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/att/308_order_on_mtns_to_dismiss.pdf
» Press Conference Audio (9MB MP3) http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/att/07202006_press_conference.mp3

» Press Release
July 20, 2006
EFF's Spying Case Moves Forward - Judge Denies Government's Motion to Dismiss AT&T Case

San Francisco - A federal judge today denied the government's motion to dismiss the Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF's) case against AT&T for collaborating with the NSA in illegal spying of millions of ordinary Americans. This allows the case to go forward in the courts.

EFF Staff Attorney Kevin Bankston, EFF Legal Director Cindy Cohn, and Robert Fram of Heller Ehrman LLP will analyze the ruling and answer questions in a conference call at 1:30pm.

EFF filed the class-action suit against AT&T in January, alleging that the telecommunications company has given the National Security Agency (NSA) secret, direct access to the phone calls and emails going over its network and has been handing over communications logs detailing the activities of millions of ordinary Americans.

For the conference call audio:
http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/att/07202006_press_conference.mp3

For the judge's decision:
http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/att/308_order_on_mtns_to_dismiss.pdf

For more on the AT&T lawsuit:
http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/att/