Constitutional Scholar (Jonathan Turley) Slams Hillary For Fleeing From FISA Fight.

[AtomicKitten]

Constitutional lawyer Jonathan Turley criticized the Senate for bowing to President Bush's demands for more spying power and amnesty for potentially law-breaking telecommunications companies.
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Turley_The_fix_has_been_in_0214.html

"The fix has been in for some time on the unlawful surveillance program and the torture program," he said Wednesday on Countdown with Keith Olbermann. "Many Democrats and Republicans were aware of the program and they are actively helping the White House to try to shut down any confrontation on the issue. This is also helped by the fact the telecoms are one of the five most powerful lobbying forces in Washington, and many of these members have close ties to those lobbyists."

Turley panned presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who skipped the politically tricky and controversial Senate vote on the spy law Tuesday even though she had been campaigning in Washington that day.

"It really, I think is symbolic of this disconnect ... here you've got someone who is campaigning for the President of the United States, making pitches to civil libertarians, but doesn't even show up -- when she's in the neighborhood -- to vote against telecom immunity," Turley charged. "I'm not just dumping on her. The fact is there has been a lot of really duplicitous work being done by both parties."

Republican John McCain and Barack Obama both voted on amendments to the measure; Obama opposed telecom immunity, while McCain supported it. Clinton left town early to get to a campaign stop in Texas.

* snip *

Olbermann and Turley had some especially harsh words for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

"Harry Reid made some decisions that made it virtually impossible for civil libertarians to win," Turley said.

[bluethruandthru]

1. Jonathan Turley needs to be on the Supreme Court! n/t

[Purveyor]

2. Thank you for posting this. K&R eom

[ShortnFiery]

3. Thanks for the Info AK. I enjoy listening to Jonathan Turley, One Each, Constitutional Scholar.

This man is "no slouch!" (understatement :blush:)

[AtomicKitten]

4. love the Turley ;)

[TexasObserver]

5. Hillary would be as abusive of executive power as Bush, which is why she cannot be president.

[AtomicKitten]

6. agreed

[TexasObserver]

8. That's why she doesn't care about Bush spying on us. She intends to continue his excesses.

Now, more than ever, we must have a break in the insidious hold the Bushes and Clintons have had on presidential records and actions the past 20 years.

[AtomicKitten]

9. sunlight versus cronyism and secrecy

You speak the truth.

[TexasObserver]

14. Remember how hard we fought for Open Records, for candidates to disclose their tax returns?

Hillary runs her campaign and her executive issue voting like a Bush ward heeler, and that's indisputable.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

11. You are delusional ... get help soon.

http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/details.cfm?i...

February 12, 2008

Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on the FISA Amendments Act of 2007


"I believe we need to modernize our surveillance laws and give our nation’s intelligence professionals the tools they need to fight terrorism and to make our country more secure. At the same time, smart, balanced reform must also protect the rights and civil liberties of Americans. In my opinion, the FISA Amendments Act of 2007 falls short of these goals, and for that reason, I oppose the bill.


As I have maintained for months, I oppose the provision contained in the bill that grants blanket retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that allegedly cooperated in the administration's warrantless wiretapping program. I believe granting retroactive immunity under these circumstances is wrong and undermines accountability. To that end, I have supported and cosponsored Senator Dodd’s strong efforts to strip this provision from the FISA bill, and was discouraged to see the amendment fail by such a significant margin.


Over the past seven years, the Bush Administration has blatantly and systematically disregarded Americans' civil liberties. It cannot be trusted to protect Americans’ privacy rights. That is why I strongly believe we need to pass balanced legislation that protects our civil liberties and the rule of law while giving our law enforcement and intelligence agencies the tools they need to protect our country."

[JimGinPA]

15. It's Easier To Issue A Statement Than To Cast A Vote I Guess nt

[SaveOurDemocracy]

17. BO wasn't there for the final vote either.

Do you people EVER look in the mirror??

It's easier to sit there and type some idiot response than use your brain to do a little critical thinking.

[JimGinPA]

19. I Find...

Supporting Hillary Clinton for presdent & "critical thinking" somewhat ironic.

[Egnever]

10. Thats it in a nutshell

Her abuse of the rules at any opportunity in the primaries should stand as a stark warning.

[TexasObserver]

18. Hillary differs with Bush on some key domestic issues, but not on imperial presidency.

I don't want her anywhere near the controls of the executive.

[Egnever]

21. Clearly

and neither do I

[Mme. Defarge]

7. K&R!

[SaveOurDemocracy]

12. Too bad you wasted 1 of your 3 on a dupe...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4587552

February 12, 2008

Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on the FISA Amendments Act of 2007


"I believe we need to modernize our surveillance laws and give our nation’s intelligence professionals the tools they need to fight terrorism and to make our country more secure. At the same time, smart, balanced reform must also protect the rights and civil liberties of Americans. In my opinion, the FISA Amendments Act of 2007 falls short of these goals, and for that reason, I oppose the bill.


As I have maintained for months, I oppose the provision contained in the bill that grants blanket retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that allegedly cooperated in the administration's warrantless wiretapping program. I believe granting retroactive immunity under these circumstances is wrong and undermines accountability. To that end, I have supported and cosponsored Senator Dodd’s strong efforts to strip this provision from the FISA bill, and was discouraged to see the amendment fail by such a significant margin.


Over the past seven years, the Bush Administration has blatantly and systematically disregarded Americans' civil liberties. It cannot be trusted to protect Americans’ privacy rights. That is why I strongly believe we need to pass balanced legislation that protects our civil liberties and the rule of law while giving our law enforcement and intelligence agencies the tools they need to protect our country."

http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/details.cfm?i...

[Uncle Joe]

13. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, AtomicKitten.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

16. A few months ago...

Clinton was quoted as saying something about giving up rights as a necessary step in fighting terrorism.

I'll see if I can dig it up.

[AtomicKitten]

20. Ben Franklin said: "Those that would sacrifice Freedom for Security deserve neither."

Hillary, yet again, has it exactly tragically wrong.