Ctr for Constitutional Rights: Dems Complicit in Broad Expansion of Warrant-less Spying on Americans

[babylonsister]

http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/0806-05.htm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
:AUGUST 6, 2007
11:41 AM


CONTACT: Center For Constitutional Rights
David Lerner or Ateqah Khaki, Riptide Communications, 212.260.5000

CCR Condems FISA Modernization Law
Democrats Complicit in Broad Expansion of Warrant-less Spying on Americans


WASHINGTON - AUGUST 6 - The "FISA Modernization" bill that passed both houses and was signed into law by the President on Sunday night broadly expands the federal government’s power to conduct surveillance on Americans without a court warrant. The bill went beyond earlier reports that the new law would merely allow the government to listen in to communications between two overseas parties that just happen to route through a switching circuit located in the U.S. Under the new statute the Attorney General and Director of National Intelligence may approve listening in on the conversations of Americans so long as the target of the surveillance is “reasonably believed” to be abroad, with no prior review by the courts.

“The Democratically controlled Congress has now joined forces with the Bush Administration in undermining the Constitution,” said CCR Executive Director, Vincent Warren. “Make no mistake, this law is not merely a technical fix, rather it enshrines in law the ability of the NSA to listen in to the conversations and read the emails of millions of Americans.”

This legislative development comes in the wake of recent media reports that a secret ruling by a federal judge who sits on the FISA court reversed a January 10th ruling from the same court that had allowed the administration to carry out the NSA’s warrantless surveillance program in almost exactly the same manner as before. This reversal is supposedly what prompted the Bush administration's current push for “emergency” legislation to expand its wiretapping powers and legitimate the NSA Program and let to the passage of the FISA Modernization Act, although the decision appears to have occurred in April, several months ago.

According to CCR attorney Shayana Kadidal, “This new act effectively deprives federal judges of their rightful role in the warrant process. As agents of accountability and oversight, judges ensure that law enforcement will do a more rigorous job and, in the long view, that makes us all more safe.”

The issue of the constitutionality of the original spy program is still wending its way through the Courts. On August 9th, CCR’s challenge to the program, CCR v. Bush, will be the subject of oral argument before a federal district court in San Francisco.

About CCR

The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) is a non-profit legal and educational organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Founded in 1966 by attorneys who represented civil rights movements in the South, CCR is committed to the creative use of law as a positive force for social change.

[Solon]

1. The CCR is an Anti-Democratic organization...

obviously filled with freeper trolls, destroy them! :sarcasm:

[MrCoffee]

2. Complicit my ass...they gave it the seal of approval.

[peacetalksforall]

3. Thank you - a new acronym and a new site to check in on. = I approve

of their press release. I will follow them more closely. I wish them a win in court. We are now fighting both Parties. This county deserve five Parties if Dems cannot be relied on for basic principles of our Constitutional heritage.

[babylonsister]

4. The more, the merrier. People who aren't paying attention need to

know what happened; Congress needs to hear how angry we all are, too.