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A letter.
By Tom | August 19, 2007
Senator James Webb
United States Senate
Washington, DC
About two weeks ago, I asked what you were thinking when you voted for the FISA fixup requested by the White House at the last minute before your current recess. In your statement explaining your vote, you said:
This distinction and the threats to national security were stated clearly by Admiral McConnell as well as four of the eight Democratic members of the Senate Intelligence Committee. These members, Senators Feinstein, Mikulski, Bayh, and Bill Nelson, have extensive experience on intelligence matters and are respected champions of civil rights and liberties. They chose to give significant weight and deference to the intelligence community on FISA reform, and so did I.
We now learn that not only does the law you voted for give the White House power to seize business records and engage in other egregious activities without warrants, it wasn’t needed in the first place — since a.) the White House claims it has these powers anyway and b.) the FISA court ruling that triggered this panic was legally dubious from the start.
You and Congress once again have been tricked in the worst way. You’ve given a formal endorsement to what the White House wanted to do but knew would tread on the Constitution you’re sworn to protect.
You can let this FISA law expire in a few months, but when the White House exercises this extreme power it asserts is has, they’ll be sure to remind you that you voted for it when you had the chance.
You trusted that your Democratic colleagues weren’t lied to, in the face of repeated lies from this White House and its “intelligence” community.
You’ve been had, you’ve failed in your duty to protect the Constitution and I’m worse than disappointed.
Topics: General |
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