ACLU SUES !!

[Blutodog]

Just came over the NET the ACLU is suing Bu$hCO and the NSA for an immediate halt to the they charge the ILLEGAL NSA monitoring program.

[grateful581]

1. Right on!

http://www.aclu.org/safefree/nsaspying/23486prs20060117.html

[KansDem]

2. YEOW!

Every journey begins with a single step. Let's hope with each step of one foot they kick Bu$hCo ass with the other!

edited for spelling

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Glad I pay my membership dues to the ACLU every year!!

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. Here's a snip from the article. JAMES BAMFORD is a PLAINTIFF!

and Greenpeace too!



ACLU Sues to Stop Illegal Spying on Americans, Saying President Is Not Above the Law (1/17/2006)


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: [e-mail]

Prominent Journalists, Nonprofit Groups, Terrorism Experts and Community Advocates Join First Lawsuit to Challenge New NSA Spying Program

NEW YORK – Saying that the Bush administration’s illegal spying on Americans must end, the American Civil Liberties Union today filed a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against the National Security Agency seeking to stop a secret electronic surveillance program that has been in place since shortly after September 11, 2001.

“President Bush may believe he can authorize spying on Americans without judicial or Congressional approval, but this program is illegal and we intend to put a stop to it,” said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero. “The current surveillance of Americans is a chilling assertion of presidential power that has not been seen since the days of Richard Nixon.”

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a group of prominent journalists, scholars, attorneys, and national nonprofit organizations (including the ACLU) who frequently communicate by phone and e-mail with people in the Middle East. Because of the nature of their calls and e-mails, they believe their communications are being intercepted by the NSA under the spying program. The program is disrupting their ability to talk with sources, locate witnesses, conduct scholarship, and engage in advocacy. The program, which was first disclosed by The New York Times on December 16, has sparked national and international furor and has been condemned by lawmakers across the political spectrum.

In addition to the ACLU, the plaintiffs in today’s case are:

Authors and journalists James Bamford, Christopher Hitchens and Tara McKelvey

Afghanistan scholar Barnett Rubin of New York University’s Center on International Cooperation and democracy scholar Larry Diamond, a fellow at the Hoover Institution

Nonprofit advocacy groups NACDL, Greenpeace, and Council on American Islamic Relations, who joined the lawsuit on behalf of their staff and membership<snip>

http://www.aclu.org/safefree/nsaspying/23486prs20060117.html

[noahmijo]

5. Whoa Whoa Christopher Hitchens???????

What happened is he drunk or did he turn into a "butterfly" again?

[in_cog_ni_to]

8. THAT is BIZARRE!

Unless he's been bugged, wiretapped and threatened? Hitchens was a "behind the scenes" player with the repukes during Starr's 8 year witch hunt on Clinton. WTF? I'll never figure those people out. What has motivated Christopher Hitchens to join in this law suit? Hmmmm. Very interesting!

[noahmijo]

10. Truth is deep down I hated to see this guy fight for the dark side

Say what you will about his character he is not stupid he is brilliant and he is the only brilliant person I've ever seen on tv or otherwise to ever stick up for the bush crime family and quite frankly it made me a little sad.


If he sobered up and joined the light side I would personally welcome him.

[in_cog_ni_to]

12. He USE to be a Liberal, no?

It was during the Clinton witch hunt he did his about face. I remember the night he came out against Clinton....I was SHOCKED. It was so weird. One day he was supporting him, the next he was trashing him. It was like he had been....BLACKMAILED? Hmmmmm....

He's also a wife/girlfriend beater DRUNK.

[ewagner]

24. Hitchens heard to say:

"whadafuckamIsigninganyway" :evilgrin: :sarcasm:

[Czolgosz]

29. Hitchens + Chance for Publicity = No Surprise

[peacetalksforall]

11. The list of supporters from the right is really fascinating:

Hitchens, Barr, Turley, Fein.

CONGRATULATIONS to the ACLU and their partners in this act. The discovery process and the 'tendency' of this administration to lie is going to be interesting.

My wish is that this administration will be hit with so many lawsuits that they won't have enough Theodore Olsons to go around and that Alberto Gonzales, Harriet Meirs, John Ashcroft and their staff will end up having to go from one law office and courtroom to the other all day long.

I think we should start counting the number of times Victoria Toensing type lawyers go on tv to thwart the suit on the basis of national security and the forms of persuasion and brainwashing they attempt.

The right wing is going to say that the ACLU is unpatriotic - again.

[Blutodog]

14. Smart move by ACLU

It's a smart move to have ex-Bu$hCo flacks like Fein and Hitchens signing off on the complaint. They now see their boy has gone way way over the line and they've all been sucked into backing a petty dictator in his attempt to grab total power.

[Kansas Wyatt]

6. Will Rush Limpballs denounce the ACLU

As a group of communistic terrorist traitors against the United States, who should be sent to Gitmo?

[NYC Liberal]

7. Probably. And he'll of course forget that they defended him before.

[TheFarseer]

25. only everyday, like usual n/t

[Canuckistanian]

35. Not while they're fighting FOR him

The ACLU supported the Pigboy is his quest to keep medical records confidential.

[CornField]

9. Now, let's ask ourselves the most important question

Why hasn't Congress already launched its own investigation as to why our executive branch has become little more than a power grubbing mob?

In other words, if we are a government that is for the people, of the people and by the people, why aren't our representatives fighting for us instead of running, tail-between-legs to cower in the administration's shadow?

[EuroObserver]

13. Quoting Al Gore:

I call upon Democratic and Republican members of Congress today to uphold your oath of office and defend the Constitution. Stop going along to get along. Start acting like the independent and co-equal branch of government you're supposed to be.

But there is yet another Constitutional player whose pulse must be taken and whose role must be examined in order to understand the dangerous imbalance that has emerged with the efforts by the Executive Branch to dominate our constitutional system.

We the people are-collectively-still the key to the survival of America's democracy. We-as Lincoln put it, "ven we here"-must examine our own role as citizens in allowing and not preventing the shocking decay and degradation of our democracy.

Thomas Jefferson said: "An informed citizenry is the only true repository of the public will."

[peacetalksforall]

16. Pelosi has asked to have her response to their announcement that

they contacted Congress declassified. Her response is written and she also refutes that they had the blessing of Congress which she wants to prove?

[LSK]

20. because they need their month vacation n/t

[chat_noir]

15. crossreference: AOL poll

http://articles.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20060117095409990009

[Mr_Spock]

28. Post that poll as a separate post

Looking good though!

[Wilms]

17. Good.

[PleadTheFirst]

18. GO ACLU!!!

[Rainscents]

19. This is great news!

[samhsarah]

21. Woo Hoo!!!!!!!

Goddess I love the ACLU!:bounce:

[Triana]

22. Woot! I'm SO glad I renewed with them!!!

We need to support them in this, folks...

[Strangefire]

26. FANTASTIC news! Thank you, ACLU! (nt)

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

23. Glad to see our donations to the ACLU are being well spent.

[noahmijo]

32. We have the ACLU the fools use the NRA

Amazing how not only does our side claim they stick up for the American people they actually ::gasp:: do it with their actions.

NRA on the other hand claims to stick up for Americans and their rights yet what the fuck have they done in the last 10 years to further freedom from government oppression and tyranny?

If anything they have furthered the cause of the complacent neo-con coward agenda.

[FreedomAngel82]

27. Good news!

What all will happen now with the suit? GO ACLU!

[AuntiBush]

30. Thank God, for the ACLU!

How anyone can "not" be thankful for this group, is beyond me!

[Surya Gayatri]

31. God speed to the ACLU...

As someone said further up the thread, they need some serious backup on this one. How lucky we are to have them riding forth into battle for us. SG

[DanCa]

33. Yehaw !

[mcscajun]

34. Wah-HOOOOOOOOO!!!!

"The American Civil Liberties Union on Tuesday said it had filed suit against the National Security Agency, alleging that its warrantless wiretapping program is unconstitutional and that President Bush, in authorizing it, exceeded his constitutional authority."

This news is worth every penny I've been sending them every month!

[sonias]

36. The ACLU fights for me

Remember when the reich wing would call us card carrying members of the ACLU as an insult. And now the likes of Bob Barr have joined us in fighting this imperial government.

Proud card carrying member of the ACLU!
:applause::applause::applause:


Sonia