NYT: Facing Pressure, White House Seeks Approval for Spying

[PhilipShore]

New York Times
Facing Pressure, White House Seeks Approval for Spying
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG and DAVID E. SANGER
February 20, 2006

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/20/politics/20nsa.html

After two months of insisting that President Bush did not need court approval to authorize the wiretapping of calls between the United States and suspected terrorists abroad, the administration is trying to resist pressure for judicial review while pushing for retroactive Congressional approval of the program.

The administration opened negotiations with Congress last week, but it is far from clear whether Mr. Bush will be able to fend off calls from Democrats and some Republicans for increased oversight of the eavesdropping program, which is run by the National Security Agency.

The latest Republican to join the growing chorus of those seeking oversight is Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

In an interview on "Fox News Sunday," Mr. Graham, a former military prosecutor whose opinion on national security commands respect in the Senate, said he believed there was now a "bipartisan consensus" to have broader Congressional and judicial review of the program.

[FloridaPat]

1. This sure would look good in the election: vote for xx - he wants to

spy on you. Think the Democrats can use that idea? Assuming most of them don't vote for the retro legal OK themselves.

[catnhatnh]

2. So,like,they STILL don't get it????

Ex-post facto applies to LAWS-not actions????Actions are judged based on existing laws AS OF THE ACTION!!!If he broke the law it is impeachable and nothing changes that...Ex-post facto means they can not change the law and then apply it to a prior act-not that you can break the law and then change it to make yourself innocent....

[kentuck]

3. You caught 'em !

That seems to be their game plan ?

[shance]

4. Lindsay Graham of course has an agenda and a motive.

And it is not in the interest of most Americans, and certainly our freedoms.