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Democratic Support For Blocking FISA Provisions Falls Short
An amendment calling for federal courts to review whether telecom companies should get retroactive immunity was defeated in the Senate this afternoon.
The bill sponsored by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) was knocked down by a vote of 61-37.
The main bill would grant sweeping retroactive immunity for telecom companies that provided information to the government about their customers without a warrant.
This amendment would have limited retroactive immunity to instances in which a federal court determines the assistance was provided in connection with an intelligence activity that was constitutional.
Many prominent Democrats voted in favor of the amendment, including Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
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Josh
Zachary
Are Feingold or Dodd planning to force a cloture vote on the main bill, or has that opportunity passed?
July 9, 2008 12:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
The following voted YEA to amend, and remove telecoms immunity:
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Casey (D-PA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Harkin (D-IA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Murray (D-WA)
Obama (D-IL)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)
The only two Senators not voting:
Kennedy (D-MA) - recovering from brain surgery.
McCain (R-AZ) - political cowardice.
31 Dems (2/3 of 49) voted to strip telecoms immunity. Presumably Kennedy would have also, had it been close.
ZERO Republicans voted for the amendment, 100% of Republicans (49) voted to support telecoms immunity.
Indies:
Lieberman (ID-CT), NEA
Sanders (I-VT), YEA
July 9, 2008 1:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
My applause to those who tried their best to support our Constitution.
The remaining were probably bought out by powerful lobbyists . . . a list was posted of "who got how much earlier!" Really sad.
July 9, 2008 2:21 PM | Reply | Permalink