Thursday, July 27, 2006
Officials Urge Law to Allow Eavesdropping
“Senior Justice Department and intelligence officials urged Congress yesterday to approve new laws to accommodate the government's controversial warrantless eavesdropping program,” reports The Washington Post. According to the report, “Arguing that the 1978 law governing surveillance of terrorists is out of step with current technology, the officials, appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, said they previously had not sought new legislation to avoid disclosing a key part of the operation.”
Specter Takes Step to Halt Bush Signing Statements
The Boston Globe reports, “Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Arlen Specter yesterday introduced legislation that would allow Congress to sue President Bush over his use of signing statements to claim the power to bypass laws, saying that lawmakers must push back against a White House power grab.” Claiming the Constitution is clear on this point, the Pennsylvania Republican said, “The president cannot use a signing statement to rewrite the words of a statute, nor can the president use a signing statement to selectively nullify those provisions he does not like.”
Monday, July 24, 2006
Arrested Bush Dissenters Eye Courts
ABC News has this article discussing the collapse of rights at presidential visits since September 11th. According to the report, dissenters of the administration are being evicted and sometimes arrested for attending presidential events with anti-administration messages.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Judge Declines to Dismiss Lawsuit Against AT&T
According to The Washington Post, “A federal judge yesterday rejected the government's effort to throw out a lawsuit about its warrantless surveillance program, arguing that a dismissal of the case would restrict civil liberties without strengthening national security.” “The class-action suit against AT&T Inc., filed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation in January, alleges that the nation's largest phone company collaborated with the federal government in an illegal domestic spying program to monitor Americans' phone calls and e-mails.”
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Experts Differ About Surveillance and Privacy
The New York Times has this article reporting on the various arguments presented to Congress on Wednesday by legal experts on the legitimacy of the National Security Agency’s domestic surveillance program. The experts presented radically different views on whether changes in the law are needed to allow government agencies to eavesdrop on terror suspects without violating Americans’ privacy rights.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Bush Blocked Ethics Inquiry, Gonzales Says
According to The New York Times, “Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday that President Bush had personally decided to block the Justice Department ethics unit from examining the role played by government lawyers in approving the National Security Agency’s domestic eavesdropping program.” “Mr. Gonzales made the assertion in response to questioning from Senator Arlen Specter, Republican of Pennsylvania and chairman of the committee.”
Monday, July 17, 2006
Wiretap Surrender
The Washington Post has this editorial discussing the compromise Senator Arlen Specter has made with the Bush administration dealing with separation of powers and judicial review relating to domestic spying. According to the editorial, “Mr. Specter's bill began as a flawed but well-intentioned effort to get the program in front of the courts, but it has been turned into a green light for domestic spying. It must not pass.”
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Justice Department Claims Eavesdropping Is Legal Despite Ruling
According to The New York Sun, “The Justice Department has concluded that the National Security Agency's program to eavesdrop on phone calls between Al Qaeda operatives and persons in America is lawful, despite a Supreme Court ruling last month denying President Bush some powers he claimed in the war on terror.” William Moschella, the Justice Department’s legislative liaison, explained, “Our initial impression is that the court's opinion does not affect our analysis of the terrorist surveillance program.”
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Another Secret US Intelligence Program?
The Christian Science Monitor explores whether there is yet another secret spy program used by the United States government in this article. According to the report, “The Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said the White House briefed his committee on another ‘significant’ intelligence program only after it was brought to his attention by a government whistleblower.”
Domestic Spying Program Faces First Challenge
“An attempt to halt the National Security Agency's controversial domestic surveillance program generated intense legal debate Monday before a veteran federal judge, with opponents branding it a threat to American citizens and defenders contending it is legal and essential to national security,” reports The Los Angeles Times. According to the report, “The case is the first major legal challenge to the warrantless wiretapping program, with the Justice Department squaring off against lawyers representing several groups and individuals that seek to have the program declared unconstitutional.”
Monday, July 10, 2006
Bag Searches Become Routine on NYC Subway
The Houston Chronicle reports that random searches of backpacks, briefcases and shopping bags is becoming routine to enter the New York City subway system in an attempt to curb terrorism since the mass transit bombings in London.
Friday, July 07, 2006
ACLU Sues Over Security for Bush Protest
“The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Thursday alleging the U.S. Secret Service and state and local police protecting President Bush during a 2004 campaign appearance discriminated against protesters when they cleared the streets outside where the president was eating dinner,” reports The Washington Post. According to the report, “The class-action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court contends that police acting on orders from the Secret Service used unreasonable force to move some 200 people peacefully protesting against the Iraq war in Jacksonville while allowing pro-Bush demonstrators to remain standing on sidewalks.”
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Spy Agency Sought U.S. Call Records Before 9/11, Lawyers Say
According to Bloomberg, “The U.S. National Security Agency asked AT&T Inc. to help it set up a domestic call monitoring site seven months before the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, lawyers claimed June 23 in court papers filed in New York federal court.” “The allegation is part of a court filing adding AT&T, the nation's largest telephone company, as a defendant in a breach of privacy case filed earlier this month on behalf of Verizon Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp. customers.”
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