McCain-Bush DOESN'T Have Legal Authority To Engage In Warrantless Wiretaps

[kpete]

McCain: Bush Does Not Have “The Legal Authority To Engage In These Warrantless Wiretaps”
Today on Fox News Sunday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said Bush’s warrantless domestic wiretapping program is illegal:



WALLACE: But you do not believe that currently he has the legal authority to engage in these warrant-less wiretaps.


MCCAIN: You know, I don’t think so, but why not come to Congress? We can sort this all out. I don’t think — I know of no member of Congress, frankly, who, if the administration came and said here’s why we need this capability, that they wouldn’t get it. And so let’s have the hearings.



McCain is the latest addition to a growing list of prominent conservatives — including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) — who have expressed serious concerns about the legality of the program.

Karl Rove doesn’t want to spin it this way but concern about the warrantless domestic spying program is bipartisan.

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/01/22/mccain-wiretaps-illegal/

[stepnw1f]

1. Ooooops... Truth Caught Up with Them

Running out of excuses... Bush broke the law and needs to be held accountable. In fact every Neo-con should be convicted for treason.

[FreedomAngel82]

4. Yep

I hope so. And I hope that it really is in a bi-partisan way and not just a whitewash. Hopefully the Turley guy from Conyers hearing will be there. He seemed to really know his stuff.

[elehhhhna]

2. WTF:

"I know of no member of Congress, frankly, who, if the administration came and said here’s why we need this capability, that they wouldn’t get it."

[brainshrub]

3. I wonder what Bush has on McCain?

He's one of the few Republicans I can listen to without needing to vomit after-wards.

Yes, he's an evil Republican... but he does have a scruple buried somewhere deep.

[FreedomAngel82]

6. Nothing would surprise me

I think they do have something on him and he also wants to be president. Remember sometime last October it was reported on crooksandliars.com that he met with Jerry Falwell.

[Jade Fox]

5. Good news....

This may also be a sign that key Republicans are starting to distance themselves from Bush because of his upcoming IMPEACHMENT.

At least I hope so.

[global1]

7. * Will Not Be Held Accountable - What They Are Setting Up Is.....

an excuse for *. Remember the old adage "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission." * will come to Congress - hat in hand and say - we thought we were doing the right thing - we thought we were protecting the 'merikun people. We may have overstepped our bounds but we were doing it for all the right reasons. Now can you change the laws to allow us to wiretap. They will shame the Dems into a position that the Dems are weak on security. A new law will pass that will let * do what he damn well pleases and he will get off scott free - with maybe just a handslap.

[Solly Mack]

8. So McCain claims if Bush goes to Congress that Congress would give Bush

the go ahead for warrantless taps...

and I'm supposed to be happy about this?

McCain's a piece of shit.

Got that Congress? McCain is saying it's not the illegality that bothers you - it's because Bush didn't come to you first before be broke the law anyway.


McCain is saying Congress doesn't have a problem with Bush doing something illegal - they have a problem with being left out of it.

Nice.

[Wordie]

9. Well, why the h*** is McCain voting for Alito, then?

Alito could very easily decide that such things are constitutional. Alito believes in the unitary executive and in the power-grabbing signing statements.

Why would McCain recognize that the wiretaps are illegal, but not see that by voting "Yes" on Alito, he is shooting himself in the foot?

[Zeke]

10. McCAIN IS NUTS...

He hangs out with Bush in San Diego
when Katrina destroys the gulf coast.

He lets Bush get away with a whispering
campaign in South Carolina against him
in 2000: "fathered a black child. Fathered
a black child..."

But he's pro-Iraq, supporting Bush, and will
vote for Alito, a judge who wants the Prez
to wiretap & arrest anyone any time.

If Mac and the other alleged conservatives
named herein reallt think Bush cannot
wiretap without warrants, then they should
all publicly be denouncing Alito and
vote against him, and denounce Bush for
nominating him.