Kennedy resolution demands Bush wiretap probe

[struggle4progress]

Article Launched: 01/21/2006 06:39:21 AM

By EVAN LEHMANN, Sun Washington Bureau


WASHINGTON -- ... Kennedy's resolution rejects the administration's claim that a congressional resolution passed days after Sept. 11 attacks, authorizing the use of military force against terrorists inherently permits the White House to listen in on American phone conversations without a warrant ...

Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee and a cosponsor of the resolution said: "Spying on Americans without first obtaining the requisite warrants is illegal, unnecessary and wrong. No president can simply declare when he wishes to follow the law and when he chooses not to."

Kennedy said the "exclusive" authority to wiretap American phones is possessed by secret courts created under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Those courts can issue warrants for domestic wiretaps ...

Kennedy's non-binding resolution could not force an end to the program. But Leahy said it would "set the record straight." ...

http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_3424691

[IndianaGreen]

1. How about an impeachment resolution in the House?

Pelosi, where are you??????

[VegasWolf]

2. It will be intersting to see if any of our "leadership" has ANY balls to

actually do such a thing.

[Greeby]

4. Correct me if I'm wrong

But Articles of Impeachment have to come from the Judiciary Committee, and they can't even hold a meeting unless this pig Sensenbrenner calls it

[VegasWolf]

5. Don't know, but Republicans were certainly calling for an impeachment

of Clinton very loudly in the public media long before a formal resolution was introduced. Publicity and offense, two things that unsettle the Republicans.

[Dr Fate]

21. But Kennedy's bill "makes the case." n/t

n/t

[rodeodance]

3. Cheney says it is NOT a domestic surveillance program.

....Cheney omitted any mention of the 2001 resolution authorizing force as a justification for the program in comments yesterday. Instead, Cheney emphasized that he and the president have "all the authority we need" under Article II of the Constitution. He also said "previous actions of the Congress" justify the program.

"This is not a domestic surveillance program, as it's been referred to frequently by the press or some of our critics," Cheney said, according to a White House transcript. "At least one end of the communications involve al Qaeda and a connection outside the U.S."

Kennedy's non-binding resolution could not force an end to the program. But Leahy said it would "set the record straight."

[struggle4progress]

8. Let's hear Cheney said that under oath.

[rman]

15. yeah, it's a government surveillance program

targeting US civilians

[f-bush]

6. Go for it Ted...

let's turn up the heat and shed light on all these gop coackroaches hiding under their protective rocks!

[pinto]

7. I admire the Senator for working to keep the issue in focus.

[savemefromdumbya]

9. Good old Ted!

[IndianaGreen]

17. A long time ago, all Democrats were like Ted Kennedy

except for the Southern segregationists. Democrats had the White House and both houses of Congress. Today, there are only a handful of Democrats like Ted Kennedy. Democrats do not have the White House or Congress. Most of today's Democrats sound and act more like Republicans used to before the Christian Jihadist takeover of the GOP.

[HuffleClaw]

10. there SHOULD be a CHORUS of democrat voices calling for this stuff

every damn day too, and calls for impeachment. resolutions introduced every day, press conferences, speeches...

[mom cat]

11. This should intensify the Alito debate. I do not want Alito on the court

that decides this!

[ailsagirl]

12. kick

[greiner3]

13. It will pass like b*** will resign after the state of the union speech;

:sarcasm:

[Vidar]

14. Good for Kennedy.

[bonito]

16. K&R

[Letitbeme]

18. Bush's Unauthorized Wiretaps is An Impeachable Offense!

Bush's Illegal, Unauthorized, Wiretaps of Free Innocent American Citizens is certainly without any doubt whatsoever a Highly Impeachable Offense!
Call your Congressmen and get the Process started, once it's started, the evidence will flow in like a stream of water!

[Zan_of_Texas]

22. The wiretaps are also a felony, punishable by up to 5 years in jail.

.

[sonias]

19. keep it front and center

Do not let this regime get away with this impeachable offense. bu$h broke the law!!

Sonia

[Imagevision]

20. Currently Bush is investigating himself on this one...(Gonzalez)

[struggle4progress]

23. Oh, be still, my heart!

:P