Bush administration forced to turn over spying documents by Friday

[cali]

Posted by Declan McCullagh
A federal judge has ordered the Bush administration to divulge documents related to immunizing telecommunications companies from lawsuits, saying they illegally opened their networks to the National Security Agency.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco gave the Office of the Director of National Intelligence until November 30 (Friday) to turn over documents relating to conversations it had with Congress and telecommunications carriers about how to rewrite wiretapping laws.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation had filed this case to seek faster processing of a Freedom of Information Act request it filed, which could help buttress its ongoing lawsuit against AT&T. There are approximately 250 pages of unclassified material and 65 pages of classified material, which would be redacted, that the administration has identified but said could not be turned over until December 31.

Note that Illston's order doesn't deal with the NSA's wiretapping program itself (how it works, what companies are involved, whether there really is a secret room at AT&T's 611 Folsom Street location). Instead the documents relate only to conversations and communications about retroactive immunity for companies like AT&T that are accused of violating the law.

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http://www.news.com/8301-13578_3-9825170-38.html?tag=nefd.top

[wake.up.america]

1. Will it happen? They are not forced to do anything.

[cali]

2. Who knows?

maybe they'll turn over some items and withold others. In any case, it'll be interesting to see what happens tomorrow.

[malaise]

3. K & R

Everyone should watch Jonathan Turley on KO.

[MiniMe]

4. WH response will be: "We'll look at our options"

That is their response every time a court slaps them down. They will file an appeal as late as possible on Thursday, and won't provide the documents. They possibly might if the Supreme Court upholds the order, several years from now. I'm sure the documents are "state secrets" also known as "things that could take the bush admin down"