Senators Say White House Cut Deal With Panel on FISA

[spotbird]

Source: Washington Post

Senate Judiciary Committee members yesterday angrily accused the White House of allowing the Senate Intelligence Committee to review documents on its warrantless surveillance program in return for agreeing that telecommunications companies should get immunity from lawsuits.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) and Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.), the ranking Republican, said any such agreement would be "unacceptable," signaling that legislation granting immunity to certain telecom carriers could run into trouble. Leahy and Specter demanded that the documents, which were provided only to the Intelligence Committee, be turned over to the Judiciary Committee as well.


......

Tony Fratto, a White House spokesman, said yesterday that what the White House did was "not exactly" a quid pro quo but that the intelligence panel "expected to legislate on the liability" and so "we've been accommodative on sharing information."

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/22/AR2007102202268.html

[williesgirl]

1. If the Dems allow this immunity, I'm for a third party forming NOW in time for 2008. rec'd

[aquart]

2. Can you read? It's being fought.

[midnight]

5. Very Good.... Don't give up and give in....N/T.

[Mojorabbit]

6. That does not

exactly make me comfortable these days. It feels more like a turf battle in the Senate as opposed to a fundamental aversion to giving immunity.

[williesgirl]

12. This so-called intel report, regardless of content or legitimacy, was NOT shown

to the telecoms when they caved in to government requests to spy on Americans illegally. The report has nothing to do with IMMUNITY for the telecoms, just cover your ass for the feds requesting the data.

So, I again submit that anything less than prosecuting the telecoms is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE coming from the Dems. Telecoms were worried about future business from the feds, retaliation in the form of fed controls or whatever, anything but respect for our laws and Consititution. NO GET OUT OF JAIL FREE PASS. They could have taken the only ways available to Americans by refusing and then taking any retaliation from the feds to court or the press so we'd all know they stood up for us and got hurt for it. Talk about loyalty from their customers if they had done this.

And, the other poster is correct, this is more about a turf battle between committees than standing up for our laws and us.

So, in answer to your question - I can and DO READ and also think for myself while doing do.

[loudsue]

13. I agree. Qwest DID NOT give in, and the bush admin. elbowed them out of contracts

and marginalized their business, in retaliation for Qwest's intent to uphold the law and the constitution.

I say the telecoms that, even prior to 9/11!!!! gave bush a pass, should be prosecuted to the FULL extent of the law.

:kick:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

3. AT&T and Verizon donated more than $42,000 to Senator Rockefeller

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3039812

Mr. Rockefeller’s office said Monday that the sharp increases in contributions from the telecommunications executives had no influence on his support for the immunity provision.

[midnight]

7. No. None whatsoever... Who do they think we are... People

who give you money want to buy something. Now Mr. Rockefeller has to figure out what the telecome is buying.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

8. Since the information about the fundraisers hosted by AT&T & Verizon is in the press

His decision may not be the same as it would have been if this had not been reported on.

[fasttense]

11. $42,000 is that all he got?

Boy the price of senators has sure dropped. I wonder if it has anything to do with the dollar tanking.:sarcasm:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

14. That's just since March of this year

Considering he only received a total of $4,050 from 2002 through 2006 from these telecoms, it's significant that he's received in excess of $42,000 since March of this year.

Is that enough to buy him? I honestly don't know, but I'd prefer it if there were no amount of money great enough to buy him or any other politicians.

update: spelling.

[ronnie624]

15. I don't mind saying it:

Like most of the Democratic leadership, Senator Rockefeller is bought and payed for by corporate interests, and it shows clearly in this case.

It seems quite odd to me that anyone could believe otherwise,
considering the 'campaign finance' system, that has been set up, augmented and nurtured over the years, into a quasi-legal system of bribery.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

17. "quasi-legal system of bribery"

That is so very true.

There's always the possibility that this could backfire on the telecoms by putting pressure on him to turn his back on them in the future.

[Timefortruth]

4. Rockefeller

received more money from telecoms in anticipation of this vote than at any other point in his career.

[leveymg]

9. Not that John D. Rockefeller, IV really needs the $42,000.

I tend to believe that this has more to do with J.D. being a RINO, not very bright to begin with, and an ineffectual Committee Chair.

Dump him.

[DeepModem Mom]

10. K&R

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. Unacceptable, voidable, even illegal.

Where in the world does someone get to cut a deal to release information in exchange for immunity before you get to see the data? In what world does that work in the public interest?

[Coexist]

18. knr

[gratuitous]

19. What if the Senate doesn't hold up its end?

Let's take a look at what's being alleged here: The White House will furnish documents to the Senate if and only if (but not exactly) the committee agrees to grant the telecoms blanket immunity for their law-breaking.

What if the Senate takes the documents and still doesn't immunize the telecoms?

What can the White House do? Holler that their bid to legalize the law-breaking got short-circuited? Convene a hearing, and offer executives immunity for their testimony that implicates the White House in their law-breaking. Then prosecute the White House.

You're holding all the cards, Senators. Regardless of what the White House threatens, they've broken the law. You can beat these bastards by observing one simple expedient: Do the right thing. It's really very simple.

[NBachers]

20. Judiciary Committee Contact Info

I'm supporting Chris Dodd in his intention to filibuster telecom immunity: http://chrisdodd.com/immunity

Dianne Feinstein is my Senator. I've sent emails to her demanding that she oppose telecom immunity.

In addition, I've sent the following fax to each Judiciary Committee member. This is the version I sent to the Democrats on the committee. For the Republicans, I eliminated a few phrases:

Dear Senator XXX:
I am a Democrat and a voter. I was born in 1949, and have voted Democrat in every election since I became eligible to vote.

It is imperative that you oppose any legislation that includes retroactive immunity, or immunity of any kind, for telecoms.

There is no wiggle room here. We must have a strong FISA law, and absolutely no amnesty for telecoms.

This is very important. Let me repeat this:

No amnesty for telecoms!

Many people are watching you on this. Don’t cave in to George Bush.

Emphatically Yours,

NBachers

Here's phone & fax info for each member of the Judiciary Committee:

Senator Dianne Feinstein D-CA phone: [phone]; fax: [phone];
San Francisco fax: [phone]
Senator Jeff Sessions R- AL phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Jon Kyl R-AZ phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Joe Biden D-DE phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Charles Grassley R-IA phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Richard Durbin D-IL phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Sam Brownback R-KS phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Edward Kennedy D MA phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Benjamin Cardin D-MD phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Charles Schumer D-NY phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Tom Coburn R-OK phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Arlen Specter R-PA phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse D-RI phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Lindsey Graham R-SC phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator John Cronyn R-TX phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Orrin Hatch R-UT phone: [phone] fax: [phone]
Senator Patrick Leahy D-VT phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Russ Feingold D-WI phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]
Senator Herb Kohl D-WI phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]

No bitching against the Democrats if we're not willing to do our own participation in Democracy.