Newsweek: WH secretly lobbying to get all private warrant-less surveillance lawsuits wiped out

[sabra]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20884696/site/newsweek/

The secret lobbying campaign your phone company doesn't want you to know about

Web exclusive
By Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball
Newsweek


Sept. 20, 2007 - The nation’s biggest telecommunications companies, working closely with the White House, have mounted a secretive lobbying campaign to get Congress to quickly approve a measure wiping out all private lawsuits against them for assisting the U.S. intelligence community’s warrantless surveillance programs.
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The campaign—which involves some of Washington's most prominent lobbying and law firms—has taken on new urgency in recent weeks because of fears that a U.S. appellate court in San Francisco is poised to rule that the lawsuits should be allowed to proceed.

If that happens, the telecom companies say, they may be forced to terminate their cooperation with the U.S. intelligence community—or risk potentially crippling damage awards for allegedly turning over personal information about their customers to the government without a judicial warrant.

“It’s not an exaggeration to say the U.S. intelligence community is in a near-panic about this,” said one communications industry lawyer familiar with the debate who asked not to be publicly identified because of the sensitivity surrounding the issue.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

1. If the so-called "intelligence community" had fulfilled their obligation to the US Constitution,...

,...it (e.g. WHIG et al) would NOT have engaged in so gosh-damn many violations of it!!!

I believe I will raise almighty hell with congresscritters if they BLOCK enforcement of laws, whether it be in civil or criminal courts.

[truebrit71]

2. Colour me surprised...I hope that this fails...it would be classic if the reason the spying stopped.

...was because the * enabling corporate fascists were shit-scared of being sued into oblivion...

[enough]

3. k&r

[Solly Mack]

4. Gee, let's just give everyone a pass

and pretend nothing criminal or corrupt ever happened

[superkia]

5. Vote for a candidate that is standing against the corrupt system or

expect the same thing but worse for our future.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

6. Recommended. The corporacrats are scrambling to CYA their violations of all of us.

This is relevant shit, people.

Please, don't allow the RW manipulation-machine divert your attention from the BASICS: BASIC CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS BEING STOLEN BY FASCISTS.

There. I said it!!! Corporacrats are fascists. They will do ANYTHING to manipulate your mind/body/soul to their power over, not only you and your community and your country but also "the world".

Please, pay attention.

Please.

[Hydra]

7. Surprise, Surprise!

"But we need to spy on you to protect you from terrorists!"

You never needed that power before, and I don't see many legitimate terrorist arrests as a result of this.

Quit trying to spoon BS to us.

[proud patriot]

8. well it's not a secret anymore now is it ?

:evilgrin:

[ThomCat]

9. They'll get this passed too.

Because they'll complain to our Dem members of Congress that these lawsuits are going to cripple our efforts in the war on terror. They'll threaten to go to the media and say that democrats are traitors. Our members of Congress will quake in their boots and cave in.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. Full Disclosure!

How far did these intrusion go? We have a right to know!

[KoKo]

11. kick...

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

12. Some concerns should NEVER BE LOST in the pile of distractions intentionally imposed. n/t

[0rganism]

13. Watch the ball -- this exemption is going to show up as a rider

on something like SCHIP funding. There'll be a lot of confusion and half the Dems will vote for it in passing because the House leadership has no idea how to set an agenda or limit debate to prevent the Republicans from pulling this ridiculous crap.