TPMMuckraker

Mukasey: I’m Open to Compromise… As Long As The Telecoms Get Retroactive Immunity

Attorney General Michael Mukasey has an open mind. Way open. From The Legal Timesblog:

“We need to stay engaged here because the stakes are tremendous,” Mukasey said. “We’re willing and happy to work with Congress on a workable bill. The Senate passed a workable, bipartisan bill that contains some compromises. The House passed a bill that was neither bipartisan nor workable.”

While Mukasey offered no hint that a compromise is in the works, he said the House proposal does not offer guarantees to the communications industry.

“The people we work with need to know that they can be secure in working with us,” he said. “That would introduce the same level of uncertainty that would be introduced by having litigation go on in public…If you tell somebody that you’ve received assurances, but the propriety of your conduct is now up for grabs, that’s not exactly reassuring.”

Michael Mukasey, Surveillance

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