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ACLU Sues Over Unconstitutional Dragnet Wiretapping Law

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The American Civil Liberties Union filed a landmark lawsuit today to stop the government from conducting surveillance under a new wiretapping law that gives the Bush administration virtually unchecked power to intercept Americans' international e-mails and telephone calls. The case was filed on behalf of a broad coalition of attorneys and human rights, labor, legal and media organizations whose ability to perform their work - which relies on confidential communications - will be greatly compromised by the new law.

The FISA Amendments Act of 2008, passed by Congress on Wednesday and signed by President Bush today, not only legalizes the secret warrantless surveillance program the president approved in late 2001, it gives the government new spying powers, including the power to conduct dragnet surveillance of Americans' international communications.

"Spying on Americans without warrants or judicial approval is an abuse of government power - and that's exactly what this law allows. The ACLU will not sit by and let this evisceration of the Fourth Amendment go unchallenged," said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero. "Electronic surveillance must be conducted in a constitutional manner that affords the greatest possible protection for individual privacy and free speech rights. The new wiretapping law fails to provide fundamental safeguards that the Constitution unambiguously requires."

In today's legal challenge, the ACLU argues that the new spying law violates Americans' rights to free speech and privacy under the First and Fourth Amendments to the Constitution. The new law permits the government to conduct intrusive surveillance without ever telling a court who it intends to spy on, what phone lines and email addresses it intends to monitor, where its surveillance targets are located, why it's conducting the surveillance or whether it suspects any party to the communication of wrongdoing.
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Full story at link by the American Civil Liberties Union
Hawkmang

8 responses // ACLU Sues Over Unconstitutional Dragnet Wiretapping Law

  • I think there has been surveillance going on for quite some time, it's just they never just came out and said it. Just like torture; you always knew it was going on to some degree but they never openly admitted or glamourized it on shows like "24".
    maasanova
  • Of course, you are right it has been going on and to think otherwise is naive..I feel that it is worse now that the gov is telling us..They are ( trying to) make it seem "normal" for this activity to occur on a regular basis..
    inapickle
  • How do we have so many representatives in our government that would consider this legislation in the best interests of their constituents? This does not add to my sense of security. It frightens me.
    CicatrizJCP
  • http://markcrispinmiller.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-they-...
    Wanna find out who the traitors are?

    How they voted on FISA
    FISA VOTE COUNT

    U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 110th Congress - 2nd Session

    as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate

    Vote Summary

    Question: On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 6304 )

    Vote Number: 168

    Vote Date: July 9, 2008, 02:47 PM

    Required For Majority: 1/2

    Vote Result: Bill Passed

    Measure Number: H.R. 6304 (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 )

    Measure Title: A bill to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to establish a procedure for authorizing certain acquisitions of foreign intelligence, and for other purposes.

    Vote Counts:

    YEAs
    69

    NAYs
    28

    Not Voting
    3

    Vote Summary
    By Senator Name
    By Vote Position
    By Home State

    Alphabetical by Senator Name:
    maasanova
  • The only thing I hate more than unconstitutional wiretapping is the ACLU.
    squilla1123
  • ACLU SUPPORTS CHILD MOLESTORS


    God bless america
    God bless big oil
    mrburns
  • Not a single Republican voted in opposition to this bill. On the other hand 27 out of the 28 votes for nay came from the Democrats. Yet the Democrats nominee for president voted in favor of this bill. Seriously, what the hell is going on with this country?
    Ricky84
  • "How do we have so many representatives in our government that would consider this legislation in the best interests of their constituents? "

    Each and every congressman takes an oath (see below) to " uphold the constitution". Apparently few understand it or believe in it.


    "I 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"
    seeker561

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