Senator Byrd to call for special commission to investigate wiretaps

[kpete]

Senator Byrd to call for special commission to investigate wiretaps
RAW STORY
Published: February 15, 2006


Senator Byrd is set to deliver a scathing indictment of the President’s secret wiretapping operation and will call for a special commission to investigate, RAW STORY has learned.

The speech will be delivered around 4pm ET. Excerpts follow. More soon.

…We cannot continue to claim that we are a nation of laws and not of men if our laws and, indeed, even the Constitution of the United States itself, may by summarily breached because of some determination of expediency or because the President says “trust me.”

…In the name of “fighting terror” are we to sacrifice every freedom to a President’s demand? How far are we to go? Can a President order warrantless house-by-house searches of a neighborhood, where he suspects a terrorist may be hiding? Can he impose new restrictions on what can be printed, broadcast, or even uttered privately, because of some perceived threat to national security? Laughable thoughts? I think not. For this Administration has so traumatized the people of this nation -- and many in the Congress -- that some will swallow whole whatever rubbish that is spewed from this White House, as long as it is in some tenuous way connected to the so-called war on terror.

…I plead with the American public to tune-in to what is happening in this country. Please forget the political party with which you may usually be associated, and, instead, think about the right of due process, the presumption of innocence, and the right to a private life. Forget the now tired political spin that, if one does not support warrant-less spying, then one may be a bosom buddy of Osama Bin Laden.

more at:
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Senator_Byrd_to_call_for_special_0215.html

[babylonsister]

1. So, can the old coot redeem himself?

:popcorn:

[bryant69]

3. I would guess so

People here at Democratic Underground have as short a memories as anybody else; they'll focus on his positive points when he is doing something they agree with.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[wicket]

12. Did you see the "coot off" between Byrd and a repuke on the Daily Show?

HILARIOUS! :rofl:

[babylonsister]

13. Yes, it was Byrd vs. Stevens (AK); so appropriate! nt

[LSparkle]

2. Presume this will be given on Senate floor?

Are they in session today? (Will tune in to C-Span 2 just in case.)

[understandinglife]

4. LBN link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2111306&mesg_id=2111306

Should be some good C-SPAN viewing, shortly ...


Peace.

[Strawman]

5. Will it be headed by Sam Alito?

[Roland99]

10. I see many of us had the same initial reaction.

[orleans]

14. exactly! or will alito say: No, you don't need to investigate this! n/t

[AndreaCG]

17. Totally! I am still pissed at Byrd

I don't think he is corrupt but a combination of hardheaded and naive.

[seabeyond]

6. good. couldnt believe they were letting nsa go. hear a lot last couple

of days, but stayed calm. jsut sure it isnt true. good for byrd. and those still pissed at him and saying he can redeem self, bullshit,..... not bullshit to byrd,.... to those that will pee their pants in hissy fit and now come on here and pat on back with a wussy, redeem himself

go byrd, kick ass

[TheDebbieDee]

7. He can CALL for these hearings but since

he is not a Repuke, nothing will happen!

[Just Me]

8. EVERY Democratic Senator should stand with Byrd on this one.

No excuses. None.

[Raffi Ella]

9. Glad to hear someone is saying this and atleast trying

to do something about it and make the public understand.


:kick:

[RufusEarl]

11. Byrd screwed up the Alito case,

but he's on the money with this one. Personally i'll take it, i'm still pissed about Alito, but this needed to be said.

[lastknowngood]

15. To hell with Byrd he put Scallito on the court to ensure his own

reelection. He doesn't give a damn about the Constitution or America.

[RufusEarl]

16. Byrd

Hey, i'm not here to defend Byrd. But what he's saying needs to be said, over and over again.