Judge rejects Bush wiretapping plea

[Subdivisions]

Judge Won't Dismiss Eavesdropping Suit

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/07/AR2006090701060.html

PORTLAND, Ore. -- A federal judge Thursday rejected a Bush administration plea to throw out a lawsuit over the government's warrantless surveillance program, saying he is not convinced going ahead with the case would harm national security.

It is the latest of several differing rulings on a program the administration says is essential to fight terrorism, but that civil-liberties groups decry as an overreaching of presidential authority.

U.S. District Judge Garr King said he believes there may be a way for the lawsuit, filed by a now-defunct Islamic charity, to proceed without releasing information that could harm national security.

The lawsuit was filed by the Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation, which had a chapter in Ashland that went out of business after the U.S. government labeled it a terrorist organization.

The foundation charged that two of its lawyers and at least one official were under electronic surveillance in March and April 2004. The foundation asked King to rule the surveillance a violation of a federal law that requires a special court to approve intelligence-related wiretapping.

Looks like the heat my finally be on for Bushco.

[babylonsister]

1. Bravo, Judge King, and thanks for this! nt

[savemefromdumbya]

2. Bush is not getting his way so far....

[Imagevision]

14. Bush is not getting his way? especially w/elections render him lame duck

[Spiffarino]

3. One big, fat security hole a la Bush.

If a judge gets it right and declares that the Administration broke the law, it could give actual terrorists a way out.

Way to make us safer, asshole. So far your batting average is zero. Maybe next time you could use the damned rubber-stamp FISA court and then you might get a conviction.

[merh]

4. thank you Judge King

and thanks for posting this :hi:

[fooj]

5. Right on!

[Nikki Stone 1]

6. Interesting that the press calls spying "eavesdropping"

That is one courageous judge.

K & R

[lonestarnot]

7. Yes! and heh heh heh bushitler.

[PatrioticLeftie]

8. Hopefully this means

that more and more people will be standing up to having their constitutional rights violated.

[ThomCat]

9. Is this the first time that a "National Security"

defense has been turned down?

[Pierre.Suave]

13. NO, it is not

it is one more decision agaisnt the Bush admin. Lets hope there are many more, and they are finally held accountable for their actions.

[blogslut]

10. Maybe the checks and balances of this country

...do work. I sure as hell hope so.

[Lasher]

11. Handy for Junior, how lots of people are focused on the Disney flap

Lots of folks will miss this important development because they are focused on ABC's PT911 propaganda, wherein Disney is swiftboating Clinton. And I wonder how many have noticed how swimmingly everything is going in Afghanistan?

[civildisoBDence]

12. A simple solution:

try the whole cabal in a super secret underground military tribunal in a gulag somewhere in Eastern Europe...

News and commentary, left to right

[merh]

15. kick

:kick: