Why Times Ran Wiretap Story, Defying Bush

New York Observer ^ | 12/21/2005 | Gabriel Sherman

[Peach]

From a Chicago Tribune article today:

FISA contains a provision making it illegal to "engage in electronic surveillance under color of law except as authorized by statute." The term "electronic surveillance" is defined to exclude interception outside the U.S., as done by the NSA, unless there is interception of a communication "sent by or intended to be received by a particular, known United States person" (a U.S. citizen or permanent resident) and the communication is intercepted by "intentionally targeting that United States person." The cryptic descriptions of the NSA program leave unclear whether it involves targeting of identified U.S. citizens. If the surveillance is based upon other kinds of evidence, it would fall outside what a FISA court could authorize and also outside the act's prohibition on electronic surveillance.

And, I note, that every president since at least Jimmy Carter has maintained the authority to use whatever means at their disposal to find enemies of the United States, including Clinton who used warrantless wiretaps and physical searches of homes.

The left just loves to pretend that this is all new, what's going on and the truth of the matter is, it's not new at all. Their selective moral indignation and amnesia is actually amusing to watch.

[LavaDog]

Me thinks that the Bush Administration should give Mr Risen an exclusive on the conditions in the "Secret CIA Prisons" in Eastern Europe. Let him experience them firsthand as well as the leaker.

[Galveston Grl]

A Clinton judge just resigned from the panel that reviews these requests for foreign wiretapping. I wonder if he is the leaker...

[Mike Darancette]

That Dec. 6 session with Mr. Bush was the culmination of a 14-month struggle between The Times and the White House—and a parallel struggle behind the scenes at The Times—over the wiretapping story.

If Bush were the monster the Times claims he is these guys would be in jail or worse.

[hipaatwo]

send that quote with the link to Drudge.