AT&T sued over NSA spy program

[im10ashus]

AT&T has been named a defendant in a class action lawsuit that claims the telecommunications company illegally cooperated with the National Security Agency's secret eavesdropping program.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in San Francisco's federal district court, charges that AT&T has opened its telecommunications facilities up to the NSA and continues to "to assist the government in its secret surveillance of millions of ordinary Americans."

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, which filed the suit, says AT&T's alleged cooperation violates free speech and privacy rights found in the U.S. Constitution and also contravenes federal wiretapping law, which prohibits electronic surveillance "except as authorized by statute."

Kevin Bankston, an EFF staff attorney, said he anticipates that the Bush administration will intervene in the case on behalf of AT&T. "We are definitely going to have a fight with the government and AT&T," he said.

AT&T said Tuesday that it needed to review the complaint before it could respond. But AT&T spokesman Dave Pacholczyk told CNET News.com last week in response to a query about NSA cooperation: "We don't comment on matters of national security."

cont'd...

http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-6033501.html?part=rss&tag=6033501&subj=news

[Atman]

1. This too shall pass

Watch for legislation soon that says no one can be sued for complying with Bush's illegal orders.

"Ve ver onlee followink orderz!" is the new republican slogan.

[Just Me]

2. Excellent! Now, we need someone to step up and do a class action,...

,...against Verizon, as well.

[leveymg]

5. Verizon was Abramoff's client and privatized NSA's IT infrastructure

See, http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/25/132559/979

[im10ashus]

12. Holy crap!

Thanks for the link! :hi:

[leveymg]

3. Dupe. This is already on the Greatest page at two places

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2077405
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x291401

Mods need to tie these threads together, please.

[im10ashus]

6. Interesting.

When I did a search for "AT&T" nothing came up. My apologies.

[leveymg]

11. OK - Not meant as criticism.

Thanks for posting this! :hi:

[iamthebandfanman]

4. ooh lord

does anyone have info on AT&T donors and to what party they majorally support money wise?

"we dont comment on matters of national security"

wow the bush administration couldnt have said it better! thanks for doing it for them AT&T!
sheesh!

[leveymg]

9. The recipient's of AT&T-PAC money ($millions) mostly Repub. Here:

http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/com_supopp/C00185124/

[wtmusic]

7. donate to EFF

what, you thought it was free?

https://secure.eff.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=DON_splash&JServSessionIdr006=9lvh4xbjb2.app6a

[BuyingThyme]

8. Corporate spokesmen don't comment on national security?

Sounds like fascism to me.

[kentuck]

10. AT&T has moved a lot of its business to India and overseas...

I used to have them as an ISP . Until they sent me a bill for over $800 out of the blue?? I could never get it resolved with them. They shut me down without notice and turned off ISP service. But, I personally would not be surprised if they were doing the eavesdropping from another nation and that would give cover to those in NSA that say they do not eavesdrop on Americans..?