Tentative accord on spy bill, immunity: sources

[babylonsister]

Tentative accord on spy bill, immunity: sources
Fri Jun 13, 2008 7:00pm EDT
By Thomas Ferraro


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House and congressional negotiators have reached a tentative agreement on an anti-terror spy bill that would permit court dismissal of potentially billions of dollars in lawsuits against phone companies, sources familiar with the talks said on Friday.

Under the possible accord, a federal court could immunize a company by ruling it had been given written assurances that its participation in the U.S. government's warrantless domestic spying program was legal and authorized by President George W. Bush, one source said.

It was unclear what would happen with suits against the government. But the government could claim state secrets, arguing information needed to prosecute was confidential and that suits should thus be dropped, the source said.

About 40 civil lawsuits have been filed accusing AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and Sprint Nextel Corp. of violating Americans' privacy rights in the surveillance program begun by Bush shortly after the September 11 attacks.

"This is a terrible deal," said Caroline Fredrickson of the American Civil Liberties Union. "It's just a quick way to dismiss the cases. They (phone companies) just have to show that the president told them to break the law."

more...

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN1327160320080613?sp=true

[barbtries]

1. so they have it in writing

that the president instructed them to break the law? another article of impeachment?
i am so incredibly sick of hearing how the bushies keep getting away with everything. everything!
:nuke:

[madokie]

2. You know what pisses me off in all this is I felt I knew they would ultimately cave

in to the criminal crew before it was all said and done and it looks like I may be right :grr:

nancy and harry should be caned