Posted on 02/08/2006 7:39:39 PM PST by jmc1969
Congressional Republicans are threatening to force a legal showdown with President George W. Bush over his claim that he has the constitutional power to order domestic surveillance of Americans in the name of national security.
Arlen Specter, Republican chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, said on Wednesday he was drafting legislation that would require the administration to seek a ruling from a special US intelligence court on whether the spying programme was legal.
The move could put the Republican-controlled Congress on a collision course with the administration, which has insisted that it is acting legally in monitoring calls and e-mails that might help disrupt future terrorist plots.
Mr Specter's threat is only the latest sign that the NSA spying revelations have divided Republicans, with some in the party fearing that Mr Bush's expansive claims may pose a danger to civil liberties. The administration has also been criticized for briefing only congressional leaders and senior members of the intelligence committee on the programme.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.moneycentral.msn.com ...
Bring it on Arlen...ya RINO putz.
Fools and traitors. Different motive, same result.
I'm hoping that Specter is just posturing for his liberal base. He did a good job with Roberts and Alito, right after he gave a pro-abortion interview to the press.
Maybe he's establishing his liberal credentials with all this talk but will not put it through. If he's "persuaded" that it's legal a little later, after taking this "tough" stand, that could actually be helpful.
We'll see.
Anyone want to do anything to protect this country from terrorist attacks?
This comes from that RINO woman who is worried about being reelected, she will lose her bid for reelection because of her stand on this issue.
Only a fool would call for binding the hands of the President to eavesdrop on international phone calls inbound and outbound to known or suspected Terrorists
Arlen and what army? The story doesn't provide many specifics as to who's with him on our side of the aisle.
Appeals panel rejects secret court's limits on terrorist wiretaps
From Terry Frieden
CNN
Tuesday, November 19, 2002 Posted: 1:24 AM EST (0624 GMT)WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States has broad authority to use wiretaps and other surveillance techniques to hunt for suspected terrorists, a federal appeals court panel ruled Monday.
In a 56-page opinion overturning a May decision by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the three-judge panel said the expanded wiretap guidelines sought by Attorney General John Ashcroft under the new USA Patriot Act law do not violate the Constitution. (More on the USA Patriot Act)
The ruling by the special panel from the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia gives broad surveillance authority to counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism investigators to track individuals considered potential national security threats.
"Our case may well involve the most serious threat our country faces," the panel declared.
The reversal of May's decision by a federal judge represents a victory for the Justice Department and the FBI, which were harshly criticized by the lower court judge for its handling of wiretap applications, and their interpretation of the authority granted the government by the USA Patriot Act.
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/LAW/11/18/spy.court.ruling/
So what is Specter going to do about it? Have more hearings to more fully expose these "secret" programs??
Maybe they're thinking ahead to President Hillary.
if it goes anywhere, its going right to the SCOTUS. we've got a good chance at a 5-4 win there.
Congress is revolting, all right.
The Financial Times, although a business paper, is no friend of the USA.
The Congress could easily pull the plug either through budget or through amending the original UOFR.
That argument should not wash with any thinking Repub. The Toons did whatever they wanted while they had the WH and there is no law going to stop her if she regains WH. All Repubs should just stop with that nonsense. Where are the 900+ FBI files, if anyone wants to have a discussion on SPYING.
Just because murderers get away with it is no reason to abolish laws against murder.
Great find Howlin, That should be used in the next hearing when Russ Feingold starts calling this program illegal. The Democrats are really digging a hole they can't get out of on this issue
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