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Dodd: It's up to The House
Speaking to a conference call of reporters this afternoon, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) said that, reflecting on the string of defeats in the Senate today, he thought the House was the best hope for stripping retroactive immunity from the final surveillance bill.
"We've lost every single battle we had on this bill [in the Senate].... We're not getting anywhere at all" he said. "The question now is can the House do better." After the bill passes in the Senate, as is expected late today or tomorrow, the bill would head to a conference. There, conferees from both houses will try to hash out the significant differences between the House and Senate versions, the issue of retroactive immunity chief among them.
However, Dodd said, if the final bill emerging from that powwow does contain retroactive immunity, he said he'd "absolutely" filibuster that bill; he'd use "whatever vehicles we can" to stop it.
The Senate had "just sanctioned" the "single largest invasion of privacy in the history of the country," he said. When asked why he thought so many Dem senators had crossed over, he replied: "Unfortunately, those who are advocating this notion that you have to give up liberties in order to be more secure are apparently prevailing. They seem to be convincing people that you're at risk politically or we're at risk as a nation if we don't give up rights."
Update: And right on cue, here's Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) saying that he can't support retroactive immunity.
Comments (27)
I am going to start working on a recall of my democrat senators.
February 12, 2008 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good to see Dodd's still on board. At least someone's looking out for our interests.
I also forgot to mention how glad I am that Obama was there to put his words into action (in saying a word... ironically). I hope he sticks by Dodd if a filibuster should come.
And... Hillary was nowhere to be seen. Too busy trying to save her campaign, maybe?
February 12, 2008 3:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
So much for the rule of law. We once faced a similar crisis with the Nixon White House. A bipartisan group finally forced Nixon's resignation in lieu of impeachment. Laws were enacted to put an end to the abuse of presidential power with wire taps, infiltration of political groups and the excuse that if could not be a crime if the president did it. Just as our economy has returned to the Robber Baron days, our political system has returned to the system that Nixon wished he had had.
February 12, 2008 3:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Whew! At least we know we have Pelosi in the House to continue her fight to hold the Bush administration accountable. Oh wait ...
February 12, 2008 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
As I and many have said in the comments section before, "we will need leaders like Chris Dodd in congress for any progressive agenda to move forward!" Thanks to Chris Dodd and the other Senators who took on Telecom immunity, and to those that voted the other way I hope that you can fully explain the rationale of giving this administration or any future adminstration the rationale to legislate retro-active laws where nefarious activities supported by 'ticking-time bomb" type scenerios is the only thing that can move forward.
Sometimes I just want to yell at the apethetic masses who are missing the boat which carries their liberties away while sitiing on-shore with a patriot with a gun to your head telling you about possible enemies.
February 12, 2008 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Because Dick Cheney's got nukes, and he's prepared to use 'em.
February 12, 2008 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Shouldn't one (or even both, god forbid) of our Democratic Presidential candidates be out in front of this with Senator Dodd?
February 12, 2008 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
We now have a lawless country....is it any wonder that the "peasants" feel as though they can commit crimes of any sort..murder, rape, fraud and all manner of horror on each other..? Our "leaders" are pathetic, disgusting, miserable caricatures of a working, accountable, representative government. The "peasants" are committing crimes against the wrong group.
February 12, 2008 3:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's a watershed moment. It's a mini Iraq Resolution. I am a Clinton supporter -- but if Obama does throw in with Dodd and get this issue some traction, I'm going to vote for him.
February 12, 2008 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
On one channel of Cspan I listened as our civil rights of privacy were stripped away by a act of Congress granting immunity as requested by the DOJ. I then switched to Cspan3, another channel on my TV, only to listen to a DOJ US Atty arguing that the reducing of the Cocaine penalitys, the difference between rock and powder laws, would in fact be a granting of Immunity, and that the DOJ did not think that Congress Immunity was legal or a good idea.
Talk about a DOJ doing only what it feels is right for them when convenient.
One last point I want to make is about Hillary not showing up for the vote against Immunity. It is the height of triangulation to just not show up so she can claim at any given time which way she would of voted had she been there. That vote only failed by 3 votes, her's and 2 of the Democratic Senators that claim to be her supporters. I hope that those supporters of Hillary, and any fence-sitters are willing to rethink their support after this.
February 12, 2008 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dodd would have gotten my vote for Pres.
Reid is a worthless coward.
February 12, 2008 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
He was my first choice as well; his entire campaign was focused on restoring the constitution. That's issue number 1 for me.
February 12, 2008 4:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good for Dodd! He's really making a good name for himself on these issues.
February 12, 2008 3:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Paul,
Did Senator Clinton deliberately skip the FISA vote? If she voted yes for telecom immunity, the left would have been all over her. If she voted no, the right would have labeled her soft on terrorism.
I haven't seen this question asked anywhere else but it is an important one for me as I consider the FISA issue to be of the utmost importance.
Can TPM please check on why Clinton skipped the FISA vote?
Thanks.
February 12, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I guess those low level drug offenders should have fenced mobile phones instead. The maybe they could get covered under the telecom immunity.
We don't have two systems of justice; it's just that the one we have is crap.
I'm glad my D senator was on the right side. So, are any of these Bush Dog senators up for reelection this year?
February 12, 2008 3:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
What exactly is America, any more?
February 12, 2008 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
America is dead and gone. Long live the Fascist States of America.
We are going to need a new athem and brochures, but everything else will remain the same.
February 12, 2008 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Big Brother Knows Best.
He has to take away your freedom in order to keep you free.
Once you are in his cage, you will be safe from everything, including your crazy impulses to behave like you are actually a free born person. You are only a bird in a gilded cage.
February 12, 2008 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
On to the House:
http://firedoglake.com/2008/02/12/frustrations-on-fisa/
February 12, 2008 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think that we have to remember something here. The Democratically controlled Congress can only do some much against Bush's veto. They do not have the votes to overrule a veto on this one. Many of the "spineless" senators have gone along with it, because they do not want the right to use the Dem controlled Congress' inability to conduct business against them, especially with many of their seats up for grabs next election. Many of these senators are still waiting for the right moment to strike...like say when they get a Dem in the oval office. In Sun Tzu's Art of War, he says do not fight a battle you will not win. If we get Obama or Clinton in office, rest assured that the floodgates will open and legislation will get pushed through. I agree that it is weasely to go along with a vote because you know Jr. won't back down, but some of the guys have to make it through the next set of elections if anything is to get passed under a dem president. Just my thoughts...
February 12, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is absurd. The Framers intended for there to be two [2] separte chambers in the legislature. Dodd's "delegation to the House" on this FISA immunity/amnesty defies that intent. The Senate might as well close up, and have a joint session with the House. One Rubber stamp is better than two.
More broadly and disturbingly is this apparent misguided notion that the DNC as a majority power is "stuck" with the GOP "block". Huh? The DNC, when it was the minority power didn't block the FISA violations, NSLs, Patriot Act, or habeas destruction. What is the DNC not doing as a majority party that the GOP was doing; and what did the DNC as a minority part not do that the GOP is now doing?
February 12, 2008 5:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
As long as I can remember I have been told that the reason why citizens have the right to keep and bear arms is to be ready to take on a tyrannical regime that would try to take away their freedoms. You know, all that Braveheart guff. What ever happened to all those fierce well prepared Minute Men.
Not a peep from them, while their President, the one that they adore, snuffs out their freedoms of expression and privacy, and they are as silent as if they all lie grasping their patriotic fervor in their "cold dead hands".
February 12, 2008 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
The American Stasi has taken over. They have secretly gathered up all that happens in the lives of many of your elected representatives, and they now can make many of them vote they way they want them to. That is the power of totalitarian regimes. We are lost. Chris Dodd is a very brave man. Cherish him for you may not see his likes again.
A long dark night has fallen on us. The light of American freedom has been dimmed, and the Sunshine Patriots, wrapped in their comfort blankets of second amendment bluster, now lie silent and listless beside their cold blue steel sweethearts.
February 12, 2008 5:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
well said Liam.
yeah, where are those weekend warriors with their bluster to wrap themselves in the flag and protect the borders. Howabout protecting INSIDE the border?
I for one have no illusions of the will of the people to have a voice in 'their government anymore. We're only good for the taxes they collect and then we'll get a nice long prison term if we stop paying. But THEY can break the laws.
February 12, 2008 5:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Willyam, you are not making sense. There is nothing more important at this point in our history than defending the constituion. These spineless Dems continue to allow the administration and the Republicans to frame the debate - this is NOT about protecting us from terrorisim. It is NOT about winning the Dem v. Repbulican battles. This is about upholding the rule of law. This about protecting our right to privacy. There comes a time when a man must stand and fight for what he knows to be right, regardless of his chances of "winning". To not fight guarantees that you will lose. Let Bush veto the damn bill. Grow some balls.
February 12, 2008 5:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
What is this country coming to? And Hellary did not even vote. I am absofuckinglutely not voting for her. I don't give a shit if she loses by one vote.
February 12, 2008 6:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Donna Edwards's big win in the Maryland primary send sa message to the bluedog Dems in the House, but some of them need to be told. If you're in a district cursed with one, it might be a good time to remind them with reference to the RESTORE Act.
February 13, 2008 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink