TPMMuckraker | Talking Points Memo | Deal in the Works for FISA Law?

Deal in the Works for FISA Law?

By Andrew Tilghman - June 4, 2008, 3:28PM

House Intelligence Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) may have agreed to a compromise on a deal to rewrite the nation's electronic surveillance laws.

A report in Congress Daily says Reyes is "fine" with the Republican-brokered deal that would "leave it up to the secret FISA court to grant retroactive legal immunity" to telecoms that helped the Bush administration's warrantless conduct surveillance on U.S. citizens.

But an aide for Reyes appeared to backpedal, saying Reyes still supported a proposal being pushed by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) to shift the decision-making about immunity from the secret FISA courts to traditional federal courts.

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Maybe he forgot this:

I, Silvestre Reyes, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

Posted by pajarito
June 4, 2008 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink

Welcome to the New Regime! Heil Bush!

JT
http://www.FireMe.To/Udi

Posted by RedFoxOne
June 4, 2008 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink

We need to really work them over on this. I already emailed my rep, Pelosi, Obama, and wrote Reyes. If they get enough grief from enough people on this maybe they'll realize it isn't 2002 anymore.

Wonder if Sylvestre waited for the din of Obama's win to earn his bribe?

Posted by Kalkaino
June 4, 2008 4:29 PM | Reply | Permalink

Reyes has been pretty good up until this. I hope the "backpedaling" means he'll go on record holding out for open, federal courts deciding this issue rather than secret courts that will have no accountability.

It may be that there are very good and ethical people on the FISA court—which would be a reason why the Bush Admin has wanted to skirt them—but this is too important to gamble on.

You're right, Kalkaino, it's time to apply the pressure.

Posted by The Facilitatrix
June 4, 2008 10:27 PM | Reply | Permalink

This is bat shit crazy. Reyes better watch his step or he'll be back working Border Patrol. Not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, he's known for missing votes and not knowing whether al-Qaeda or Hezbollah are Sunni or Shiite. Let's hope Reyes synapses are misfiring and act as if they are not.

Telecom immunity is inappropriate. Period. It's doubly inappropriate to grant secret courts the power to make this type of unconstitutional decision.

-AF
Andrew Sullivan Is Fraud

Posted by AnacherForester
June 5, 2008 1:00 AM | Reply | Permalink

NO telecom immunity.

NONE whatsoever.

NONE.

Tell your House Representative.
Tell your Senators.

Tell them NO retroactive immunity for telecoms.

Any deal brokered and approved by republicans will have that super, double-secret loop-hole that will be used to get out of this.

Let the current FISA law stand until Little Georgie and the Big Dick are gone.

Posted by Jim the cynic
June 5, 2008 8:53 AM | Reply | Permalink

Deal? Sound more like the usual capitulation by pussy Democrats to me.

Someone please explain to me why Democrats make deals with criminals instead of insisting that the telecoms AND the administration be left wide open and exposed for the criminal violations of law they committed?

The Republicans are scum, but the Congressional Democrats are cowardly scum who don't have the the moral courage of their supposed convictions. It is sickening. I hope the few real Demcrats in Congress can scuttle this outrageous sell out.

Posted by oleeb
June 16, 2008 11:19 AM | Reply | Permalink