Federal Judge Finds National Security Letters Unconstitutional, Bans Them

[white_wolf]

"U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ordered the government to stop issuing so-called NSLs across the board, in a stunning defeat for the Obama administration’s surveillance practices. She also ordered the government to cease enforcing the gag provision in any other cases. However, she stayed her order for 90 days to give the government a chance to appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

“We are very pleased that the Court recognized the fatal constitutional shortcomings of the NSL statute,” said Matt Zimmerman, senior staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which filed a challenge to NSLs on behalf of an unknown telecom that received an NSL in 2011. “The government’s gags have truncated the public debate on these controversial surveillance tools. Our client looks forward to the day when it can publicly discuss its experience.”"





http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/03/nsl-found-unconstitutional/

[indepat]

1. Surely the Honorable U.S. District Judge Susan Illston must realize the U.S. is at war with

unholy and ubiquitous terra, that citizens must sacrifice their liberty and freedom and possibly their lives for a little more security, all the while hoping no administration will ever abuse its right to scuttle the Bill of Rights by developing a Nixon-styled enemies list for addition to their kill list.

[Coyotl]

5. Nixon burglared his enemies and rained war upon the ungodly non-capitalists.

He didn't have drones, kill lists, and an offshore prison facility in Cuba, of all places.

[woo me with science]

2. K&R

[woo me with science]

3. kick

[CK_John]

4. This will be overturned before the 90 days.

[Coyotl]

6. In the Ninth, it may get knocked again to move on to the Supremes.

Where horrible precedent may be set in stone. Beware what you plead for when others have greater powers.