White House says phone wiretaps back on "for now"

[UpInArms]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration said on Saturday U.S. telecommunications companies have agreed to cooperate "for the time being" with spy agencies' wiretaps, despite an ongoing battle between the White House and Congress over new terrorism surveillance legislation.

The Justice Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a joint statement saying wiretaps will resume under the current law "at least for now."

"Although our private partners are cooperating for the time being, they have expressed understandable misgivings about doing so in light of the ongoing uncertainty and have indicated they may well discontinue cooperation if the uncertainty persists," the statement said.

On Friday U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey and Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell said telecommunications firms have been reluctant to cooperate with new wiretaps since six-month temporary legislation expired last weekend. As a result, they told Congress, spy agencies have missed intelligence.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2229053420080224

[gateley]

1. They paid the bill? nt

[Warpy]

13. It appears so

QWest refused to cooperate and dashed my hopes of having somebody listen in on my wrong numbers and calls from doctors confirming appointments.

[peacetalksforall]

2. Dick and George find Congress irrelevant.

By the way, where is Dick.

By the way, how do we get the word out (the truth out) to the country that we are operating under FISA law - just not the newest gift that Dick wants to give his partners in spying, retroactively. That CYA gift.

[Metta]

3. Call for you *. It's from the Hague. Come as you are.

If there were any justice.

[L0oniX]

4. Spy on Spy off ...the Spier ...only $9.99 plus S&H

:sarcasm:

[bigbrother05]

5. Oh, thank the lord

that we are once again safe, from George's business partners.

[kcass1954]

19. Nah - junior's business partners are safe from us. n/t

[sakabatou]

6. YAY!

:sarcasm: :puke:

[drm604]

7. Replace "uncertainty" with "illegality"

in the above quote and the statement would be nearer to the truth.

They are asking to be given immunity for breaking the law.

[ozymandius]

8. "spy agencies have missed intelligence"

How do they know they've missed intelligence? Have they been listening to communications anyway, despite its illegality?

[UpInArms]

17. then, did they really "miss intelligence"

or is this just another lie?

[NikolaC]

31. Uhhmmm

Yup! I never thought for one second that they stopped when the FISA extension expired. Since when have they given a damn about laws and restrictions? As usual, they did whatever they damn well pleased because they knew that they could get away with it and that Congress has no intention of stopping them.:banghead:

[ixion]

9. Hooray! Big Brother is spying on us illegally once again

I feel so safe! :sarcasm: :puke:

[bigbrother05]

11. Hey

[ixion]

15. lol

:rofl:

[opihimoimoi]

10. "Adults in Charge" my ass.......

[Bright Eyes]

12. And the official Democratic response will be:

Shake fists indigently and proceed to cash paychecks.

[Gman]

14. They probably threatened the telcos with abandoning immunity if they didn't cooperate

made it a damned if they do, damned if they don't situation.

[struggle4progress]

21. !

[NikolaC]

32. Awww

Poor telecoms. The suffering and invasion of privacy that they have had to endure truly breaks my heart :sarcasm: .

[blackspade]

16. What Crap.

These guys totally suck.

This is my favorite quote:

On Friday U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey and Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell said telecommunications firms have been reluctant to cooperate with new wiretaps since six-month temporary legislation expired last weekend. As a result, they told Congress, spy agencies have missed intelligence.

This is total bullshit and they know it.

[VP505]

18. Ya, they know it

but being how RePukes are, they have to keep playing the fear card. Unfortunately for them few people are believing that crap anymore.

[santamargarita]

20. What's a little more treason and criminal activity among friends

You really didn't think they would stop their illegal spying did you?

[Gonnuts]

22. Just another ...

"FUCK YOU - what are you going to do about it?", From the most arrogant creeps to every walk the planet.

[austinhook]

23. So we didn't need to extend the law anyway....

Well, it seems that this proves that there was no need for a law authorizing the wiretaps. May as well go on to another topic. Maybe we don't have to pass any other laws either, or have elections? Apparently the president has announced that he can rule by fiat. Someone please tell me that I am missing something?

[EFerrari]

25. Welcome to DU, austinhook.

I don't think you've missed anything. :(

[Qutzupalotl]

24. Time for another Orange Alert.

It is an election year.

[aggiesal]

26. Can you say DICTATOR!!!! n/t

[truthisfreedom]

27. Nice to know they're monitoring Obama once again.

Hey ho, way to go bushco.

[jonnyra]

29. That was my first thought...

of course they are back on. Theres an election campaign under way and the criminal republicans need all the information they can to fuel the dirty tricks machine and the media smear efforts. Has nothing to do with catching terrorists and everything to do with stealing elections.

[flashl]

28. Like they actually stopped. nt

[demnan]

30. They are breaking the law

We should impeach and law suit the perpetrators or we'll never get our freedoms back.