In New National Ad, ACLU Calls for Investigation

ACLU ^ | ACLU

[mosquitobite]

NEW YORK – In a full-page advertisement in today's New York Times, the American Civil Liberties Union intensified its call for a special counsel to be appointed to determine whether President George W. Bush violated federal wiretapping laws by authorizing illegal surveillance.

The ACLU said President Bush's actions were a clear violation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which was passed by Congress in response to revelations that former President Nixon was using "national security" claims to spy on American citizens he considered his "enemies."

"President Nixon was not above the law and neither is President Bush," said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero. "President Bush cannot use a claim of seeking to preserve our nation to undermine the rules that serve as our foundation. The Attorney General, who may have been involved with the formulation of this policy, must appoint a special counsel to let justice be served."

The advertisement, as well as a similar ACLU ad that ran last Thursday, was spurred by revelations earlier this month that Bush authorized the National Security Agency (NSA) to conduct electronic surveillance of people within the United States, including U.S. citizens, without a warrant.

The text of today's advertisement compares the words of President Nixon and President Bush, both of whom denied allegations of illegal spying. Next to the image of Nixon, the advertisement says: "He lied to the American people and broke the law." Below that is an image of President Bush, with the words, "So did he."

The FISA wiretapping law made it a crime to intentionally engage in electronic surveillance without court approval. The president clearly violated the law when he authorized, and then repeatedly reauthorized, the NSA to spy on Americans without first obtaining a warrant, the ACLU said.

In a formal request sent last week to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the ACLU called for the appointment of "an outside special counsel with the independence to investigate and prosecute any and all criminal acts committed by any member of the Executive Branch in the warrantless electronic surveillance of people in the United States over the past four years by the NSA," noting that "such crimes are serious felonies and they need to be fully and independently investigated."

[loboinok]

"Damn shame..."

Don't lose heart... http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/ACLU/

http://stoptheaclu.com/archives/2005/12/28/ex-aclu-attorney-wants-you-to-stop-the-aclu/

[television is just wrong]

Actually, nothing will come of it, because Democrats are above the law...

[IonInsights]

How do you know the leak investigation is proceeding full speed? How do you know that a couple of NYT reporters and government leakers won't be frog-marched in-front of the cameras in a few weeks?

Remember that Bush is a poker player and doesn't telegraph his moves.

[Cinnamon]

clearly the ACLU is engaging on a political hit piece. isn't this against the law?

[Jay777]

PING!

[b4its2late]

I hope they enjoyed my Christmas card. It looks like they got it.

[Howlin]

Good lord; that describes them even today, doesn't it?

[mewzilla]

There's the ACLU and something affiliated called the ACLU Foundation. That's how the ACLU gets around the rules.

[freeperfromnj]

The New York Times and the ACLU...... America's number one enemies.

[Jay777]

Spreading the word at Stop The ACLU

[eureka!]

"Actually, nothing will come of it, because Democrats are above the law..."

Actually, there has been no hesitation on the part of the DOJ to indict 'rats under W. The exception (and hence your cynicism and frustration which I share) are 'rat Senators. They do appear to be immune. Hopefully, W has had enough of their supporting the terrorists in undermining the WOT and Iraq to let the chips fall where they may. Time will tell....

[polymuser]

Just how long do we continue to allow the elitist, pervert neoMarxists in the ACLU, DNC, NEA, PETA, moveon, Tides Foundation, etc. to take America down?

How much longer?

[Wild Irish Rogue]

" The exception (and hence your cynicism and frustration which I share) are 'rat Senators. They do appear to be immune. "

I don't know anyone who thinks that Gonzales will be able to summon the fortitude and take the political heat , if he dares to prosecute a sitting Senator.
The outcry from the Democrat Senators and unfortunately, many Republican Senators, will be deafening.
As you say, time will tell...

[eureka!]

Agreed. As to the outcry, it would be something of historic proportions. Here's hoping...

[polymuser]

Print that bold part, make credit card size copies, and leave them everywhere you go.

[reagan_fanatic]

Up yours, ACLU.

[FormerACLUmember]

The ACLU makes a fortune on settlements of its thuggish litigation extortion endless lawsuits. This has to end.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The Enemy is becoming clearer:

*********************************************

Unholy Alliance : Radical Islam and the American Left

And a very good review:

*********************************

Vastly Illuminating, September 25, 2004

Reviewer:

Kat Bakhu (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews

I had long wondered why people on the Left had the propensity to speak more positively about people who would slit their throats than they do about their own country, which affords them more freedom and opportunity than anywhere else. David Horowitz has answered that question thoroughly and convincingly in his Unholy Alliance. Where I felt bewildered and confused, I now feel crystal clear. Unholy Alliance is such a great book.

It begins with the leftist movements at the beginning of the 20th Century, and works its way up to the present day, exploring the anti-American attitude of these movements in detail. Horowitz shows that the enemies of the US back then are largely the same group today, operating under the same misperceptions, making the same mistakes, and pursuing the same impossible utopia.

Individual chapters are included on the Patriot Act (I was persuaded that it is a GOOD thing); the democratic flip-flop on Iraq once G.W. Bush implemented what they agreed with Clinton needed to be done; the driving components of the current anti-war movement; as well as chapters on individual personalities who are major spokespeople of the Left. Horowitz covers a lot of ground, and he covers it concisely and clearly. Unholy Alliance is richly informative without ever being boring or plodding.

This book is so illuminating that I simply cannot do justice to it here. I love people who reason so clearly that they help me get my own reasoning clear. Horowitz is just that type of person! In the terrain of mindless clichés (no-blood-for-oil, etc.), he is a breath of real fresh air.

[BlueNgold]

Just in case anyone had any remaining lingering hanging thoughts that the ACLU was non-partisan...