Rockefeller’s position on FISA scrutinized

[maddezmom]

Posted: 02/26/08 07:54 PM
Earlier this month, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) issued a stern warning to his congressional colleagues: Support retroactive legal protections for the phone companies that participated in the Bush administration’s warrantless surveillance program or watch the nation’s intelligence become “degraded.”


Despite grave reservations from Democratic leadership and the party’s base, the powerful chairman of the Intelligence Committee got his wish, successfully pushing a landmark surveillance bill through the Senate with immunity for the telecoms.



But with House Democrats still refusing to grant immunity to the phone companies, Rockefeller and his staff have spent the last week holding closed-door negotiations with other Democrats, who are trying to broker a compromise on a bill to overhaul the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). On Monday, he coauthored with other top Democrats a Washington Post column that accused Republicans of employing “scare tactics,” including false charges that Democrats left the nation vulnerable by allowing a temporary surveillance law to expire earlier this month.


Although the senator is not hinting what he will do, his recent actions have given hope to Democrats that they will win his support for changes to hot-button provisions in the bill — and surprised Republicans with whom he worked closely to steer the legislation through the Senate.


more:http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/rockefellers-position-on-fisascrutinized-2008-02-26.html

[Preston120]

1. FISA

Didn't Mr. Rockefeller get a rather sizeable campaign
contribution from Verizon?  I wouldn't look for any change of
heart from the junior senator of West Virginia

[MasonJar]

2. His stand on this legislation speaks volumes, West Virginia.