Government ordered to release telecommunications lobbying records

AP via SFGate ^ | 11/28/7 | KIM CURTIS, Associated Press Writer

[SmithL]

San Francisco (AP) -- An electronic privacy group challenging President Bush's domestic spying program scored a minor victory after a judge ordered the federal government to release information about lobbying efforts by telecommunications companies to protect them from prosecution.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation in January 2006 filed a class-action suit against AT&T Inc., accusing the company of illegally making communications on its networks available to the National Security Agency without warrants.

Congress is now considering changing the law to grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that would protect them from such court challenges.

"Any attempt for immunity is aimed at getting these very important cases swept back under the rug," EFF spokeswoman Rebecca Jeschke said Wednesday.

The EFF wants to know about "discussions, briefings or other exchanges" telecommunications companies and members of Congress have had recently with the Officer of the Director of National Intelligence regarding changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, according to Tuesday's court order. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said the information must be turned over by Dec. 10.

[SmithL]

Illston, Susan Yvonne

Born 1948 in Tokyo, Japan

Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U. S. District Court, Northern District of California
Nominated by William J. Clinton on January 23, 1995, to a seat vacated by Barbara A. Caulfield; Confirmed by the Senate on May 25, 1995, and received commission on May 26, 1995.

Education:
Duke University, B.A., 1970

Stanford Law School, J.D., 1973

Professional Career:
Private practice, Burlingame, California, 1973-1995

Race or Ethnicity: White

Gender: Female

[live+let_live]

This is real simple:

If they spied on my phone call to another country, ok with me.

If they spied on my phone call to my grandma in another state, they committed a crime.

[KingKenrod]

Well, this decision will probably hasten immunity legislation. Congress doesn’t like anyone snooping around lobbyists.

[Tarpon]

First off it’s not a domestic spy program. The rest is San Fran-Nan BS as well.

CALEA should be the next stop for this soon to be overturned Judge. Odd that when Clinton was putting in the dreaded Echelon system, these EFF loons didn’t sue then. Oh that’s right, they are a leftists interest group shilling for the Democrats.

What would Hillary Matters do, how much would she expand the eavesdropping — Obviously other than tracking BJ she would put the monitors on the Conservative talk radio hosts and their callers.

[steve-b]

Ruh-roh. Somebody’s (maybe lots of somebodies’) payoffs are going to be exposed to the light of day....

[catpuppy]

Nominated by William J. Clinton

It has gotten to the point that with any questionable decision it is likely that Clinton selected the judge ... except when Carter did.