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Secret Docs Show Telecoms, Admin Talks on Immunity
The Bush administration is refusing to disclose internal e-mails, letters and notes showing contacts with major telecommunications companies over how to persuade Congress to back a controversial surveillance bill, according to recently disclosed court documents....One court declaration, for example, confirms the existence of notes showing that a telecom representative called an Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) lawyer last fall to talk about "various options" to block the lawsuits, including "such options as court orders and legislation....
The declarations were filed in court by government lawyers only after U.S. Judge Jeffrey White in San Francisco, who is overseeing the case, ordered them to fully process the Electronic Frontier Foundation's FOIA request for documents showing lobbying contacts by the telecoms. The government initially resisted even responding to the FOIA request, but White found that disclosure was in the public interest because it "may enable the public to participate meaningfully in the debate over" the pending surveillance legislation.
You can put this in the known unknowns category.













I ache to hear from normal, average, ignorant Everyman-type people rising up and complaining about this kind of sleaze. Did humble, industrious, working folk EVER give a damn about morals? (Asides from the crap shoveled into their heads by the pope and other figureheads for the various religious cults.)
May 1, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Have you ever asked them personally?
May 1, 2008 11:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Another crack in the castle walls.... a small glimmer of light makes it through the walls of lies.
Good thing Bush declared to day "Law Day"... one day a year of the law working is about all Bush can tolerate.
Hard to keep a criminal conspiracy going - "It's a tough job" says cowboy George.
May 1, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
These discussions suggest the telecoms do not yet have immunity, nor have they been promised anything they believe would justify a lazy attitude.
May 1, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just Sad!
May 1, 2008 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
The EFF has really been doing yeomans' work protecting our rights by shining a light on these cockroaches, and this is just one example. If you want to do your part to help save what's left of our Constitution, I strongly urge you to head on over to EFF.org and make a small donation or become a member. (disclosure: i'm a member)
It gets more action than writing your Congressman does, for sure.
May 1, 2008 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
A quick glance at the EFF-hosted documents has some stunning information. See Pages 4 through 8 of 127, and notice the lined-out classifications: "MR". The MR designation on DNI's response potentially raises treaty obligations of Geneva. We don't know how many other US government documents have been designed with MR because of Geneva issues. The telecoms appear to have danced around the illegal capture of information used to commit POW abuses. The MR designation raises potentially grave and serious war crimes issues for the telecoms and DOJ Staff counsel. The next FOIA requests need to focus on the MR designations in re Geneva and alleged war crimes.
May 1, 2008 2:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Correction: Should be 4 through 8 of 124, not 127.
May 1, 2008 2:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Please explain what "MR" stands for. You are way more knowledgeable than I about these intricacies, and I simply can't keep all these abbreviations and acronyms straight. Thanks.
May 1, 2008 2:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you, Judge White. Over these last, long Bush years, it seems that the only way this admin responds is when a federal judge gets involved. This is one reason why I wish the Congress could turn some of its issues over to a strong, impartial judge, particularly for its contempt citations.
May 1, 2008 3:03 PM | Reply | Permalink