FISA Judge Quits in Protest

[madfloridian]

Judge James Robertson is leaving the U.S. district court. (Beverly Rezneck)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/20/AR2005122000685.html

A federal judge has resigned from the court that oversees government surveillance in intelligence cases in protest of President Bush's secret authorization of a domestic spying program, according to two sources.

U.S. District Judge James Robertson, one of 11 members of the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, sent a letter to Chief Justice John D. Roberts Jr. late Monday notifying him of his resignation without providing an explanation.

Two associates familiar with his decision said yesterday that Robertson privately expressed deep concern that the warrantless surveillance program authorized by the president in 2001 was legally questionable and may have tainted the FISA court's work.

Robertson, who was appointed to the federal bench in Washington by President Bill Clinton in 1994 and was later selected by then-Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist to serve on the FISA court, declined to comment when reached at his office late yesterday.

This is not going away. There are too many good and honest men around.

[Maat]

1. To His Honor that stood up for his principles ...

:toast:

[Pachamama]

52. Yes, but he sounds like someone that Americans need on the FISA Court

He sounds principled and someone who follows the Constitution and the laws...(unlike POTUS)....

I wonder if there is going to be more to follow and he will "testify" to things he knows or something like that....

[me b zola]

55. You spoke my concern

Look at all of the agencies that people have resigned in protest over. What has/will become of those agencies?? We need people of integrity now more than ever in all government agencies & positions.

I know from personal experience what it is like to work in a corupt environment, the struggle it is to not be set-up for resisting. No one said it would be easy, you just got to do what is right & trust that you will not be drug through the mud.

[Canuckistanian]

61. The EPA, the CIA, FEMA, the FDA

All have lost valuable people, experts in their field, political neutrals who just wanted to avoid politics and do their job. The Bunnypants Administration has made it impossible for them to work.

This "scorched earth policy" has got to stop somehow.

[Maat]

59. Well, you have a point.

I hope, though, that good things come from this.

[Kralizec]

107. The FISA Court is worthless now. Why would a Judge want to even be a

part of a court that is bypassed by the administration? That's his point in resigning.

Besides, I think the whole FISA Court thing is borderline unconstitution in itself.

Peace.

[Abathar]

82. I am against any partisan judges, on either side of the aisle

THE WASHINGTON TIMES
7/5/99



The eight federal judges appointed by President Clinton to the U.S. District Court in Washington meet privately every month in closed-door sessions that other jurists believe are improper and call into question the court's impartiality. "I cannot imagine any legitimate reason for them to meet together once a month, even socially," said one veteran courthouse official familiar with the sessions. "It's not only in bad taste, it certainly has the appearance of impropriety. It's hard to imagine any rationale for these meetings.

Another court official said they "reek with impropriety." Concern among courthouse officials about the meetings, which are described in e-mail addressed monthly to each of the eight judges, comes at a time that Chief U.S. District Judge Norma Holloway Johnson is being publicly criticized for selectively assigning criminal cases against friends and associates of Mr. Clinton's to judges the president has appointed. None of the eight Clinton-appointed judges, all of whom were named to the bench between 1994 to 1998, would comment on the meetings or their content.

"I have no comment to make on these matters," said U.S. District Judge Henry H. Kennedy Jr., the only one of the eight who personally answered a telephone call. A spokeswoman for Judge Richard W. Roberts returned a call but said only that the judge "declined comment."

Four judges appointed by other presidents, both Republican and Democrat, said the meetings have been taking place for some time, although specific topics are not known. They question the propriety of the sessions and lament what they described as the "loss of collegiality" when the judges fail to come together as a group "which the others do often."

[mopinko]

84. washington times is not reliable. do not peddle disinfo here

only reliable news sources are welcome.

[Maestro]

85. No kidding!

Isn't that the same Moonie Times funded by that wack-job Moon?

[mopinko]

88. not a harmless wacko, either

if the truth about the powers that be behind the push to theocracy in this country is ever know, he will be a bigger part of the story than most people dream. after all, he has a TON of money.

[gulfcoastliberal]

92. WTF?! I'm so sure the federalist society jurists NEVER get together!

Shit, they're probably the only judges NOT in the Federalist Society!

[Maat]

104. No offense intended here - but you didn't go through law school, did you,

Abathar?

Having done so, I don't kid myself that any judge or justice is "nonpartisan;" they all filter things through their own belief system, which is heavily melded with their political persuasion, just like all of the rest of us.

I have 100% rate so far when it comes to guessing who authored a court opinion (a game my friends and I played), with the author's name blocked out. I could always tell by their language, coupling that with the politics/social-construct/value-system shown.

I guess that shows how jaded I am.

[Patsy Stone]

2. I hope he feels the need to testify

Sorry his voice won't be heard on the Court anymore, but I'd love to hear what he has to say.

[Pirate Smile]

41. I'm sure he will be but I'm sure it will be closed. I think much of

these hearings will be closed.

I'm sorry he won't be on the court any more but I think he did the right thing. It was more important to make some waves, scream and wave your hands, etc.

This will increase the coverage and hopefully some understanding of the gravity of the situation.

This isn't any affair or blow job. It is going against the entire foundation of our government, our Constitution. It makes a mockery of our system of checks and balances and co-equal branches.

Yes, of course, I know the GOP run legislation has been a pathetic rubber stamp who refuses to perform its constitutionally required oversight BUT it was the legislators at least mouthing the decisions re oversight. Then the Judicial branch has been the focus of the RW attacks. They need to be punished, fired, courts split, etc.

In this case, Bush has just flagrantly dismissed both other branches of government as co-equal parts of our government. If he doesn't like a statute, he just wont follow it and he won't even bother trying to get one enacted that he would like. Judicial oversight? pfffttt. Why bother.

This is really staggering.

[Patsy Stone]

47. It's something I never thought I'd see

I was watching Russ Feingold yesterday, and I couldn't believe I was sitting in 2005 and listening to him have to rebut the legality of the President's current policies on torture and spying. Unbelievable. I knew they were corrupt, and I knew there really were "Republican Dirty Tricks", but never, in my wildest nightmares did I imagine ALL of this. When you look at all of it, it's staggering to see what they've done.

I wrote a thread about John Yoo, pointing out that he's to blame for a lot of these "legal theories" they're operating under. I've been all about him recently. What an asshole. The Congress has little more to do with troops than deciding whether or not to fund them. That's one of his winning theories. The POTUS is, according to him, practically autonomous in times of war. :crazy:

[Pachamama]

53. Hey Patsy! Saw that thread on John Yoo...I am also disgusted by him and I

also wrote a Letter to the Editor of the LA Times today about Prof. Yoo's latest op-ed piece that tries to justify what ole Emperor George is doing with wiretaps without warrants.

John Yoo should be stripped of his license to practice law and definitely to teach it...if that's what one could call it. That mans twisted reasoning and interpretation of the Constitution is dangerous and sick. I personally am going to be writing to the UC Board of Regents and demand that they fire John Yoo from the UC Berkeley pay roll...as a CA taxpayer, I find it revolting that my tax dollars go to this man's salary...and that this man is even allowed to teach, period.

[Canuckistanian]

60. I saw it too

In fact, I found out that many of the odious opinions about torture, secret detentions and Geneva Convention violations were those of Yoo, not Gonzales.

And I was shocked to find out he was a law professor. The fact that this.... creature is influencing young minds is nothing less than atrocious.

[Pachamama]

63. Yes, a law Professor - at BERKELEY no less! (Think liberal haven, 60's )

Hey Canuckistanian! I'm here in your country right now on vacation! (I'm at Whistler in BC...no skiing unfortunately...miserable ice rain...the little snow on the mountains just got washed away - global warming? Nah, no such thing....). So here I am DUing while the Pachafamily sleeps. I by the way love being in Canada and seing and discussing with the Canucks their take on what's happening south of the border with their American Neighbors...then again, its intriguing to see your own politics right now. Did you know (I just found this out while here) that just like in the United States, that shortly after 9/11, your own government started implementing policies that allowed them to also conduct surveillance on its Canadian citizens? I was surprised to learn this and now that you have that Conservative Harper trying to take on Paul Martin, I have often wondered how far behind could Canada be to falling for the Neo-con con.... :shrug:

[Canuckistanian]

64. No way. I never would have guessed Berkeley

I'm in the other end of the country right now, but, yes, the US antics are definitely playing a role here.

We don't like these "ambassadors" telling us what to do while the softwood lumber thing goes on. And Maher Arar is a household word here.

And yes, I know, we have surveillance and arrest laws similar to the Patriot Act, but I'm not too concerned about them, because I still have some trust in our government. And there are challenges to the law which will keep them honest....

As for Harper, he scares a lot of people. He's much too close in ideology to Shrub than is comfortable for me. And no, we're not about to be taken in by the neocons. Their ideas are foreign to us.

Enjoy your stay in beautiful BC! Never been there and that's my shame, although I've been almost everywhere else in Canada.

Talk to you later, I hope!

[trogdor]

80. Here's another wanker justifying the Bush gestapo.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/20/AR2005122001053.html

This is what Richard A. Posner had to say:

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act makes it difficult to conduct surveillance of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents unless they are suspected of being involved in terrorist or other hostile activities. That is too restrictive. Innocent people, such as unwitting neighbors of terrorists, may, without knowing it, have valuable counterterrorist information. Collecting such information is of a piece with data-mining projects such as Able Danger.

:scared:

[President Kerry]

100. Dear Mr. Posner,

I don't know what world you live in, but in our world, there is this thing called Constitution. As for your idol, well he's done a heck of a job on terrorism hasn't he. With all the powers he granted himself. Now, you fucker advocate spying on innocents, but your own admission. How about jailing them (us), to be just a little more sure. Fucking nazis! :grr:

[burrowowl]

3. Good Man!

:toast:

[Scout1071]

4. Good find, but it's already a dupe!

[madfloridian]

27. I searched LBN...please give me a link.

I did an LBN search, did not see it.

[Scout1071]

38. It appears they've now been combined.

Again...good find!

[madfloridian]

58. Ok, I see. They changed the headline. They were combined.

Then they were combined. I did not want to think I was crazy. :evilgrin:

[Scout1071]

39. dupe

[Rose Siding]

5. WP: Spy Court Judge Quits In Protest

By Carol D. Leonnig and Dafna Linzer
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, December 21, 2005; Page A01

A federal judge has resigned from the court that oversees government surveillance in intelligence cases in protest of President Bush's secret authorization of a domestic spying program, according to two sources.

U.S. District Judge James Robertson, one of 11 members of the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, sent a letter to Chief Justice John D. Roberts Jr. late Monday notifying him of his resignation without providing an explanation.

Two associates familiar with his decision said yesterday that Robertson privately expressed deep concern that the warrantless surveillance program authorized by the president in 2001 was legally questionable and may have tainted the FISA court's work.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/20/AR2005122000685.html

[spindrifter]

6. Bravo!

That is an outstanding, gutsy move for a guy with a life-time appointment. Maybe others will follow.

[Demeter]

8. Or Maybe A Rat Leaving A Sinking Ship

It's hard to tell the players without a scorecard.

[baby_bear]

10. I wouldn't make that assumption by any means

Let's hope this guy has a conscience and is offended by Bush's transgressions, and go from there.

b_b

[Gregorian]

12. He ruled against Bush on Guantanamo

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34519-2004Nov8.html

[Warren Stupidity]

15. Who cares? We should welcome them all with open arms.

Once The Cabal is dethroned there will be plenty of time to sort out who goes to the Hague for trial and who gets to stay home and retire in comfort.

[onenote]

93. not even remotely a rat

I first met Judge Robertson more than 25 years ago and he's as good and principled a man as I know.

onenote

[rodeodance]

17. yes, bravo indeed.

[Whereweat]

96. Gutsy? Not in my opinion

He gave up any authority he may have wielded to make a statement. He would have better served fighting what he protested against. If it was a protest at all, he gave no explanation of his resignation.

[Gregorian]

7. My word. Things appear to be unravelling.

Someone with a conscience and commitment.

[primavera]

21. It's too soon for me to dare hope

So many egregious crimes by this administration have come to light, each one worthy of impeachment and a nice, long, cozy stretch behind bars, yet nothing seems to make an impact. I pray this one finally brings people to their senses, but I'm not going to hold my breath just yet.

[radio4progressives]

46. I hear ya! so many crimes, and still no time? n/t

[Trillo]

9. Guess that's what one Judge thinks of

the White House ignoring FISA.

Can this be considered an "expert" legal opinion?

[spindrifter]

13. Well, I'd call it a ruling from the bench.

[radio4progressives]

42. LOL! "Ruling from the Bench" ! Yeah!

:applause:

[Pithy Cherub]

11. Applaud the amazing integrity!

Now he becomes a most valuable witness in the bush misadministration's conduct during this time! :applause:

Is it me or is it all crumbling right before our eyes...

[Triana]

14. he probably has too much integrity

to be a party to a gov't that wants to spy on its own citizens. Good for him. Recommended.

[baby_bear]

16. Some more telling information

from the same article

<snip>
The news also spurred considerable debate among federal judges, including some who serve on the secret FISA court. For more than a quarter-century, that court had been seen as the only body that could legally authorize secret surveillance of espionage and terrorism suspects, and only when the Justice Department could show probable cause that its targets were foreign governments or their agents.

Robertson indicated privately to colleagues in recent conversations that he was concerned that information gained from warrantless NSA surveillance could have then been used to obtain FISA warrants. FISA court Presiding Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who had been briefed on the spying program by the administration, raised the same concern in 2004, and insisted that the Justice Department certify in writing that it was not occurring.

"They just don't know if the product of wiretaps were used for FISA warrants -- to kind of cleanse the information," said one source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the classified nature of the FISA warrants. "What I've heard some of the judges say is they feel they've participated in a Potemkin court."

</snip>

Sounds to me like a few in the judiciary may not like this turn of events at all.

b_b

[Demeter]

67. What an Amazing Concept! Turning Crime into Law

Laundering illegal wiretaps into legal ones is a brilliantly Machiavellian way to give the appearance of democracy in a totalitarian state. This is much more sophisticated than redefining torture to make it a non-issue. I'd hate to own the mind that came up with that perversion of Constitutional law.

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

83. Judge CKK?

I never thought I'd hear that name again.

Three years ago, CKK ruled on an appeal in the Microsoft antitrust case. MS had cut a deal with the DoJ where they basically got to pick which wrist they'd be slapped on. A handful of state governments (Massachusetts and 8 others, *not* including Illinois or Ohio) appealed, saying Microsoft wasn't being punished harshly enough.

There was months of speechifying, evidence of wrongdoing, accusations of unpatriotism (Guess which came from which side! C'mon, guess!), yadda yadda. In the end, CKK sighed and said the "punishment" imposed by the DoJ was fine the way it was, leaving many with the impression that she had't actually been paying attention.

Of course, that case involved issues that are obscure and controversial even to people in the know, so it's possible the whole thing was just way over her head. Still, speaking as a geek, she's not the first person I'd trust to decide whether it's okay for the feds to snoop my email.

[Tactical Progressive]

98. The Microsoft case was the first assault of the Bush admin

against justice. They let the biggest corporate criminal of the 1990's off the hook in their first few months in office, after nearly ten years spent bringing them to justice, thereby leaving the computer software industry dead to innovation, probably for good except for free software and games.

Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, a supposedly liberal judge, replaced Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson, the second of two federal judges who really understood what a corrupt, dishonest and thuggish corporation Microsoft is. But the third judge, CKK, was the charm for Microsoft, and she just let it all slide by. She had some antitrust experience but I too think she was in way over her head on the Microsoft case. And though it wasn't all her fault, as the Bush DOJ just backed off and sided with Microsoft who they were supposed to be prosecuting, she simply folded and bowed her head to the Bush machine, later using 9/11 to justify her lousy performance. Apparently we have bigger things to worry about than blatant antitrust violations at the heart of the tech economy. Like terra, the all-purpose excuse for criminal behavior.

I agree, she's not the first person I'd trust to stand up to right wing corruption.

[Warren Stupidity]

18. U.S. District Judge James Robertson: next to be swiftboated.

By noon tomorrow we will be learning just what a questionable sort of fellow the formerly honorable Judge Robertson is.

[Synnical]

23. Yeah, secret court

and "two sources" - "Two associates familiar with his decision"

Definitely.

Will the real journalists please stand up, please stand up?

At least the WaPo has gone back to demanding two sources - when will the NYT?

[buddysmellgood]

19. I'm afraid due to the secrecy of the lies regarding the sabatoge to the

constitution, that Bush and his overlords will not be able to cooperate with the investigation. You see, the lies are all part of the secret, and the secret is that they have been telling buttloads of lies.

[unblock]

20. oh great. nice gesture, but now roberts can replace him with a fascist.

abdicating any position of even modest power only works if you can SHAME those with greater power.

unfortunately, the shrubbies are completely shameless, and they'll just take this as an opportunity to get the fisa court they wanted all along.

if the fisa court becomes even more of a rubber stamp, then they won't even need to bypass it.

[annabanana]

65. My reaction too...

Every good guy that steps down leaves a space for a bad guy to step in.

[Straight Shooter]

22. That's a smart move by Judge Robertson.

If the sh*t hits the fan, he doesn't want to be sitting there in its path.

I'm guessing he's mad as hell right now, wondering how many times he's been duped and manipulated by the bush administration.

[Pachamama]

54. What if...

Judge Robertson was the "leak" the "source" in the NYT story?

Just putting on my theory cap....I mean if say he was, maybe this resignation is because he knows more is coming his way? :shrug:

[druidity33]

105. maybe...

the only way he or anyone can talk about any of their experiences with FISA is if they no longer work there. I'm looking for him to pull a Wilkerson in the next few months...

[Wordie]

24. "There's going to be a great national debate on this subject," -Specter

Wow...the wheels of justice are finally moving!
Sens. Chuck Hagel (Neb.) and Olympia J. Snowe (Maine) echoed concerns raised by Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who has promised hearings in the new year.

"There's going to be a great national debate on this subject," Specter told reporters yesterday, while emphasizing concerns over the White House's legal arguments in support of the program.

The hearings, possibly in several committees, would take place at the beginning of a midterm election year during which the prosecution of the Iraq war is also likely to figure prominently in key House and Senate races.

Recommended.

[anotherdrew]

25. he's admited to a crime Specter, now please, "enforce the rule of law"

which is ooohhh soooo important to republicans right? gotta show respect for the rule of law. anyone remember that mantra?

[Synnical]

33. Don't forget that Specter is the "Magic Bullet" Dude

That is, the Warren Commission. JFK - only one assassin. Remember that? Oh and he's equally hated by libs and cons because he just cannot think for himself.

http://www.warriorsfortruth.com/senator-arlen-spector.html

Conservatives are in an uproar over comments by Sen. Arlen Specter warning President Bush of a filibuster of any Supreme Court nominee hostile to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy.

Sen. Specter, who is slated to take on the chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee, denies he made any threats and says he merely noted political reality and promised to support President Bush's judicial nominees.

(Judicial Watch is pursuing a lawsuit over the use of the unconstitutional filibusters against President Bush's judicial nominees.)

The problem for Sen. Specter is that his record does not inspire confidence. He voted against Judge Robert Bork's nomination to the Supreme Court, helping pave the way for other "Borkings" conservative nominees currently face in the U.S. Senate. He refused to convict Bill Clinton during the Senate impeachment trial, voting "unproved." He called Roe v. Wade "inviolate" and has been a steadfast supporter of race-based set asides. In the area of ethics, Judicial Watch has long raised questions about Sen. Specter's relationship with the corrupted Teamsters Union. As chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Specter would be the senator with the single most influence on judicial appointments. Some potential conservative court appointees might never be nominated because of a raised eyebrow by a powerful Chairman Specter.

Senate tradition says that it is Specter's "turn" for the Judiciary Committee chairmanship. Most conservatives say principles are more important, and federal judicial appointments should be controlled in the U.S. Senate by someone who has a better understanding of the proper role of the judiciary in American life

Senator Spector was the author of the "Magic Bullet Theory". He claims that one shooter and one bullet assasinated President John Kennedy and wounded Governor Connelly in Dallas Texas. /div]

[Wordie]

36. Hey...I'm just happy he agrees we must have a national debate on this.

Once the debate begins in earnest, the Republicans will lose the spin game, imho. A debate will draw the attention of the public to what's going on. They only win by avoiding any real debate.

So this is a great thing; whether Spector realizes it or not isn't really the issue.

Let the debate begin!

[Synnical]

44. You're thinking short term

The Repukes have been thinking long term since the 60's. Just sayin' that it is a long time effort. Very determined, they are, those people who hate the American Constitution. So to speak, er, write.

[Wordie]

48. Yes, in a way, I am thinking short term...like 2006, for instance.

Having these scandals hit will help the dems, short term, in 2006. And once we've recovered the House and Senate, then we can deal with G -the dubya stands for wiretap- Bush.

[UTUSN]

26. The Problem, If the Good Guys Resign, the Bad Guys Rule n/t

[MagickMuffin]

37. That's what concerns me

Now the Bush Regime gets to replace him. Maybe Heck of a Job Brownie could fill his shoes!

[Inland]

81. Yep. Bushites thrilled the ethical deadenders finally leaving

They are tired of having to end-run around them.

[Pirate Smile]

43. Resigning is probably the only way he can get his protest out.

They are so boxed in by their requirement that they never tell anything that this was probably about the only way he could do it.

[rooboy]

51. Good. then it will crash and burn faster. n/t

[Octafish]

103. Agreed. Perhaps not if more good guys become aware of the bad guys ...

...as a rsesult of the action.

A well-timed resignation can alert enough new good people to the danger.

Then we can sink the BFEE.

PS: Me? I'd stay on the bench and kvetch about the turdball traitors.

[Peter Frank]

28. I just saw this on Nightline...

The FISA court is already at the brink of our Constitution. I guess Robertson couldn't stand things going even further.

[madfloridian]

29. I just noticed they changed the headline at the WP...

I put the exact one when I posted.
Now it says:
Spy Court Judge Quits In Protest

Maybe they thought their readership would not understand.

[Pachamama]

56. 95% of the DU knows what FISA is - 95% of America doesn't-thus the WP did

a smart move in changing their headline title of the article....Spy Court....Now that its been simplified, the other 95% can understand...

[madfloridian]

57. You may be right.

Probably a good idea.

[understandinglife]

30. That is an honorable and patriotic decision.

Peace.

[progressoid]

31. Are we sure it was in protest?

The article says, " his resignation without providing an explanation."

Perhaps the two associates are 'reading' into this. I hope more info comes out about this.

Just thinking out loud.

[Brundle_Fly]

32. Ahhh Bush

is damaging national security AGAIN.

[babylonsister]

34. Thank you, MadFloridian, for this. We still have honorable

men with consciences.

[WillyT]

35. Bravo Judge Robertson, Bravo !!!

A True American Hero!!!

:toast::patriot::toast:

[stepnw1f]

40. A Witness!!!!!!

Oh this could be good. Almost too good to be true.

[NightOwwl]

45. "may have tainted the FISA court's work"

hmmm...could that be because GW was spying on citizens like Cindy Sheehan, Micheal Moore, John Kerry, etc..., instead of hunting down Osama Bin Laden.

Oh, I'm sure of it.

[Octafish]

102. Ashcan never brought Moussaoui case before FISA court

The late, great TruthIsAll spelled it out quite nicely with hellacious links...

Denial of Moussaoui FISA Warrant: The Smoking Gun?

From The Wilderness Publications...

EXCERPT...

According to The Wall Street Journal, the FBI did not tell the White House about Moussaoui until after Sept. 11.

But it is a safe bet that the CIA's Tenet did. Even before learning about Moussaoui, Tenet's President's Daily Brief of Aug. 6 bore the title 'Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.' When analysts working in Tenet's Counterterrorist Center were warned about Moussaoui a few weeks before Sept. 11, it is inconceivable that they would not have told Tenet. He is, by law, 'the principal advisor to the president for intelligence matters related to national security,' and is entitled to 'all intelligence related to the national security, which is collected by any department, agency or other entity of the United States.'

Tenet's people learned about Moussaoui in a back-door message from the FBI Field Office in Minneapolis enlisting the CIA's help in obtaining information on Moussaoui from French intelligence. The French promptly pointed out Moussaoui's affiliations with radical fundamentalist groups and Osama bin Laden. (The French service had been keeping close tabs on the likes of Moussaoui, having foiled a plan by Algerian terrorists to crash an airplane into the Eiffel Tower in 1994.)<29>
This was not news to anybody who had read the Rowley Memo, but it really was newsworthy, because it came from someone closely associated with the Agency. And McGovern has been generous with his political capital on more recent occasions; he spoke at the 9/11/03 second anniversary events in New York, and though he concentrated his fire on the Neocons' Iraq fiasco, the event at which he spoke (the panel, the agenda, the literature in the lobby, the subjects of the other talks, even the date of the event) was entirely focused on 9/11.<30> Even if Mr. McGovern had adjusted his tie and quietly recited the alphabet, there would still be heavy symbolism in the sight of an ex-CIA analyst seated on a dias with Mike Ruppert, John Judge, Kyle Hence, and Cynthia McKinney.<31> The sight of McGovern on the stage was more significant than anything he was at liberty to say.

CONTINUED...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1429777

Truly dynamite information, this FISA stuff.

[still_one]

49. he should NOT have resigned, but stayed and exposed it

and fought it


they will now just appoint their own people

[WatchWhatISay]

50. The future of this country

depends on whether or not the American people can finally see the light about this administration before they are able to completely dismantle the courts.

They have pretty much neutered large parts of the Democratic Party, the media, and the voting machines. If they can get control of the courts, that will be the dagger in democracy's heart.

[Nutmegger]

62. We have to take back the country

And would like to see Bush Inc leave. And not in '08 but by an embarrassing impeachment procedure.

[shaniqua6392]

66. MSNBC just showed the story.

I hope the MSM will continue to report on this story.

[democrank]

68. Judge Robertson`s protest resignation

will probably be overlooked by most corporate media. Why? They`re back on another Michael Jackson story.

Bush has been able to wiggle out of every mess he ever got himself in, but this time maybe he was a bit too king-ly. We have to keep this story alive somehow.

[NeoGreen]

69. Recommended n/t

This is significant.

[leftchick]

70. gack! A Potemkin court!

I hope this gentleman speaks out soon...

<snip>

"They just don't know if the product of wiretaps were used for FISA warrants -- to kind of cleanse the information," said one source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the classified nature of the FISA warrants. "What I've heard some of the judges say is they feel they've participated in a Potemkin court."

Robertson is considered a liberal judge who has often ruled against the Bush administration's assertions of broad powers in the terrorism fight, most notably in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld . Robertson held in that case that the Pentagon's military commissions for prosecuting terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, were illegal and stacked against the detainees.

[lonestarnot]

71. Honorable Roberts, I think you did the right thing, but now they will just

appoint a rethug crony, so upon reconsideration and good cause appearing maybe you should have stayed and fought like the rest of us.

[OKNancy]

72. kick

[PA Democrat]

73. Paper: Judge Resigns Over Bush Spy Program

WASHINGTON Dec 21, 2005 — A federal judge has resigned from a special court set up to oversee government surveillance to protest President Bush's secret authorization of a domestic spying program on people with suspected terrorist ties, The Washington Post reported.

The action by U.S. District Judge James Robertson stemmed from deep concern that the surveillance program that Bush authorized was legally questionable and may have tainted the work of the court that Robertson resigned from, the newspaper said in Wednesday's editions.

The Post quoted two associates of the judge.

Robertson was one of 11 members of the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which oversees government applications for secret surveillance or searches of foreigners and U.S. citizens suspected of terrorism or espionage.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/wireStory?id=1427952

[WhiteTara]

74. okay. This is what we like to see

Judges with honor. Of course, now we have one less honorable judge. But I guess if he hadn't quit he wouldn't be honorable.

[MH1]

76. I'm not sure how it helps for him to resign.

So...rethugs get to appoint one more judge. The resignation itself, which seems so important to this one judge, will be nothing more than a tiny ripple in the ocean of inattentiveness and gullibility of the American public.

Couldn't he find a more effective way to be honorable?

(not beating on the guy...he apparently did what he thought was right...I just don't think the gesture helps. And that means the net effect is that it hurts.)

[WhiteTara]

79. I know what you mean...but perhaps he

can be more effective as an advocate and a spokesman rather than as a judge? If he speaks out loud and long, maybe when we have a democracy again, he will reconsider.

[0007]

108. Sometimes ya do what ya have to do despite the odds.

This will have an embarrassing effect on the president. Things will have to get worse in order for that important "wake up call"

[rodeodance]

75. now that he has resigned maybe he will leak something.

[cantstandbush]

77. I am surprised this isn't making "breaking news" on cable channels.

I guess nothing negative about Bush makes the headlines on the cable channels. If this had been a RW judge resigning because of the 10 commandments or something else inane, it would have been all over FOX this morning.

[Trevelyan]

97. Someone posted that C-SPAN had re-runs yesterday and questioned why we

weren't allowed to see Congress in action on this. Don't watch TV so don't know. Was C-SPAN part of the media blackout on this 10,000 and 1th scandal of BFEE.

Please sign Rep. Conyers' letter for Impeachment Inquiry:

http://www.johnconyers.com/ - Conyer's Action Items

Join me, below, in the sending: Letter Advising President of Censure and Steps to Begin Special Committee Investigation Every movement has a starting point. I believe this next effort to bring the administration to justice will have an even bigger impact and will lead to change. But I need help from all of you. I need a huge number of people to join me in our message of censure to the President. A big response will force greater news coverage of my legislation to censure the President and Vice President and to create a Special Committee to investigate the White House. The Downing Street petition had a huge number of signatories, but the mainstream media had not yet begun asking the difficult questions of the President.

We are at a different place as a nation now. Our message has a much wider audience and, with a big response to the censure initiative, we can have a greater impact than before. Already we have four Members of Congress who have joined me in this effort, Zoe Lofgren, Maxine Waters, Lynn Woolsey and Charlie Rangel and I expect plenty more to join me in the coming weeks ahead.

Join me in this declaration that we will no longer accept an imperial presidency. Add your name and encourage as many of your friends and family to join as well. With your help and commitment we can succeed in finally bringing the Bush White House to justice.

=============================================================================CONYERS INTRODUCES BILLS TO CENSURE BUSH AND CHENEY
Ask your Congress Member to support these efforts!

CONYERS INTRODUCES BILL TO CREATE A SELECT COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE CRIMES AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING GROUNDS FOR IMPEACHMENT

[myrna minx]

78. I am frightened that all of the honorable people

are leaving our government. :cry: All that we are left with are the corrupt, theoretical or incompetent cronies. :cry:

[Tight_rope]

86. I feel the same way. Who will help us get the crooks out!

[atommom]

90. You took the words right out of my mouth. The good people can't

stay, the competent people can't stay ... what are we left with?

[Maestro]

87. It is too bad it has come to this.

It started soon after his first admin with many good people leaving different posts and just continues today. Our government will just continue to unravel but this is probably what the neocon fools want.

[Jim__]

89. If Robertson doesn't comment, I'm not sure how his resignation

can be taken as a protest. I appreciate the integrity that his resignation shows. But, it seems to me that if he doesn't go public with is concerns, the effect of his protest is moot.

[rd_kent]

91. Makes me wonder.....

If he had ruled against the administartion, he obviously was not afraid of them. In this time when we NEED judges like that, I wonder if they found some dirt on him and that is why he quit.

[Hosnon]

94. The Judicial Branch is the one most dedicated to our Constitution and

amazingly it is the least "elected" branch...

GOD BLESS LAWYERS AS MUCH AS MOST DUMBASSES HATE THEM

[Miss Chybil]

95. If he quit in protest, why didn't he say so in his resignation letter?

This could be coincidence.

[toymachines]

99. It does seem odd that he didnt officially protest it.

Interesting, very interesting.

[lovuian]

101. He's protesting because Bush is The US Gestapo

The role of the Gestapo was to investigate and combat "all tendencies dangerous to the State." It had the authority to investigate treason, espionage and sabotage cases, and cases of criminal attacks on the Nazi Party and on Germany.

The law had been changed in such a way that the Gestapo's actions were not subject to judicial review. Nazi jurist Dr. Werner Best stated, "As long as the ... carries out the will of the leadership, it is acting legally." The Gestapo was specifically exempted from responsibility to administrative courts, where citizens normally could sue the state to conform to laws.

The power of the Gestapo most open to misuse was "Schutzhaft" or "protective custody" — a euphemism for the power to imprison people without judicial proceedings, typically in concentration camps. The person imprisoned even had to sign his or her own Schutzhaftbefehl, the document declaring that the person desired to be imprisoned. Normally this signature was forced by beatings and torture.



Skull & Bones was their insignia...

[W2Hague]

106. Ethics not in style

Nice to see a judge with some integrity. Too bad Colin wasn't the first to begin this precedent.



Peace
D.L. Bruin
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