Pg A03 of Tuesday's WP: Gore Says Bush Broke the Law With Spying

[Rose Siding]

Warrantless Surveillance an Example of 'Indifference' to Constitution, He Charges

By Chris Cillizza
Special to The Washington Post
Tuesday, January 17, 2006; Page A03

Former vice president Al Gore accused President Bush of breaking the law by authorizing wiretaps on U.S. citizens without court warrants and called on Congress yesterday to reassert its oversight responsibilities on a "shameful exercise of power" by the White House.

"The president of the United States has been breaking the law repeatedly and insistently," Gore said in a speech at Constitution Hall in Washington. "A president who breaks the law is a threat to the very structure of our government."

To restore a system of checks and balances to government, Gore proposed appointing a special counsel to look into the domestic surveillance program, developing new whistle-blower protections and not extending the Patriot Act. He urged members of Congress, only one of whom -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) -- was present, to "start acting like the independent and coequal branch of government you're supposed to be."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/16/AR2006011600526.html

Interesting note that Feinstein was there. I hope she listened carefully.

[ananda]

1. Feinstein's phone number: 202-224-3841

Call her tomorrow and urge her to filibuster Alito!

[Rose Siding]

3. Thanks - I will call

:thumbsup:

[hang a left]

2. Couldn't it have made A01.

I guess I shouldn't bitch.

[tsuki]

4. And expose that Cmdr Bunnypants has no clothes. Nay, Nay. n/t

[rzemanfl]

5. If the person who got the most votes in an election in Bumfuckis-

tan called the person who took office as President in his place a criminal it would be front page news. Not here though.

[Olney Blue]

6. I'm glad its getting covered in Section A as a serious story.

I was afraid it would be mentioned in the Style section as a "sour grapes" rant by Gore.

[pacalo]

7. Another WP lie: That Feinstein was the only congressperson there.

I read on another DU post that Sen. Boxer was there. I'm sure there were others.

[janx]

8. YEP--

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x159407

[pacalo]

9. That's the one.

Thanks, janx. :hi:

[hedda_foil]

10. The poster corrected himself and said it was Feinstein, not Boxer.

Sorry.