ACLU Launch Propaganda Over NSA
Posted on December 29, 2005
NEW YORK – In a full-page advertisement in today’s New York Times, the American Civil Liberties Union intensified its call for a special counsel to be appointed to determine whether President George W. Bush violated federal wiretapping laws by authorizing illegal surveillance.
The ACLU said President Bush’s actions were a clear violation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which was passed by Congress in response to revelations that former President Nixon was using “national security” claims to spy on American citizens he considered his “enemies.”
“President Nixon was not above the law and neither is President Bush,” said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero. “President Bush cannot use a claim of seeking to preserve our nation to undermine the rules that serve as our foundation. The Attorney General, who may have been involved with the formulation of this policy, must appoint a special counsel to let justice be served.”
The advertisement, as well as a similar ACLU ad that ran last Thursday, was spurred by revelations earlier this month that Bush authorized the National Security Agency (NSA) to conduct electronic surveillance of people within the United States, including U.S. citizens, without a warrant.
The text of today’s advertisement compares the words of President Nixon and President Bush, both of whom denied allegations of illegal spying. Next to the image of Nixon, the advertisement says: “He lied to the American people and broke the law.” Below that is an image of President Bush, with the words, “So did he.”
The FISA wiretapping law made it a crime to intentionally engage in electronic surveillance without court approval. The president clearly violated the law when he authorized, and then repeatedly reauthorized, the NSA to spy on Americans without first obtaining a warrant, the ACLU said.
In a formal request sent last week to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the ACLU called for the appointment of “an outside special counsel with the independence to investigate and prosecute any and all criminal acts committed by any member of the Executive Branch in the warrantless electronic surveillance of people in the United States over the past four years by the NSA,” noting that “such crimes are serious felonies and they need to be fully and independently investigated.”
It makes me sick. Groups like the the ACLU and CAIR wanting sensitive, classified information released is as irresponsible a position as I can think of. It would only lead to our enemies obtaining the information, and avoid the trap. Perhaps this is what the ACLU wants.
It isn’t what the vast amount of Americans want. Michelle Malkin points out the latest Rasmussen Reports.
Sixty-four percent (64%) of Americans believe the National Security Agency (NSA) should be allowed to intercept telephone conversations between terrorism suspects in other countries and people living in the United States. A Rasmussen Reports survey found that just 23% disagree.
Blogs for Bush focus on the number of Democrats that support it. 51 % of Democrats support it.
Notice that the ACLU have already made up their mind that Bush is guilty? This is nothing but a political hit piece. Rick Moran focuses on the newest outgrowth from the controversy.
Via a commenter at Free Republic:
The problem is that groups such as the ACLU are hitting the airwaves and print media demanding an investigation into the Bush admin. Meanwhile Repubs are not demanding an investigation into WHO leaked this info. We need to get the message out loud and clear cause it doesn’t look like our Congress critters are going to. Sign the petition calling for an investigation into the national security leaks!
Others: Gateway Pundit
The Political Teen has a video of discussion on O’Reilly.
» Filed Under ACLU, News, War On Terror
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9 Responses to “ACLU Launch Propaganda Over NSA”
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Syndicate Me
The ACLU would better serve the interests of the general public if it used its resources to FIRST determine if there was an “ABUSE” by someone in a position of government authority versus solely pointing the finger at President Bush. What happened to due process?
Deleted for profanity and banned for personal attacks!
Lobo
Of course the ACLU leaves off the first sentence of that quote which says that what the President is refering to is “roving” wiretaps or the ability to change the phone you are taping without getting a new court order because the criminal changed phone numbers.
There is always an error of omission by the left when they try to make a point!
Phil I would tell you to go to hell but I see that you have already chosen that path.
Seems like ol’ Phil is making his rounds today.
Maybe you’d like to share your blog “Phil” so that we can fairly share our sentiments. But then, you support the ACLU so you’ll just duck and run anyway.
God bless you Phil,
Jay Adkins
The blogger with “eroding dignity”
Of course the majority of Americans want the NSA to intercept communications between foreign agents reasonably suspected of terrorist activity and American citizens on American soil.
I’m surprised the number is as low as it is.
The issue isn’t the wiretap, it’s the wiretap WITHOUT A WARRANT, WITH NO COURT SUPERVISION. That wasn’t the question that the poll asked.
And for the type of intercept described–involving a foreign agent actually suspected of terrorist activity–FISA suffices. IN a real emergency the DOJ can retroactively apply for the warrant within 72 hours.
Unfortunately, the poll is therefore not relevant to the issue, and your citation of these numbers is nothing but a red herring.
The issue is not really terrorism or wiretapping, it’s the rule of law and our constitutional system itself. To defend this administration’s course of conduct, you must advocate an unchecked executive power that resembles totalitarian rule more than republican democracy.
FISA was passed by bicameralism and presentment; President Bush himself admitted that he authorized what amounts to the systematic violation of that law.
There is nothing more to say.
When I click the “About Us” box, nothing comes up. Who are you and why won’t you identify yourselves?
Oh, by the way, you need a warrant. Reagan needed a warrant, Bush I needed a warrant, Clinton needed a warrant. In april of 2004 Bush stated, with regards to the FISA, “Nothing has changed.”
So you condone illegal wiretaps? How Stalinist of you.
And what information, intelligence methods or sources, are being exposed that seriously jeopardizes anti-terrorism activity????
That people know that one’s phone calls may be monitored, or that one’s email may be intercepted?
Everyone knew this before. Under the wiretapping laws, you don’t have to tell the person you’re wiretapping them. You just go to the court first and get the warrant.
Certain persons make it out like exposing these NSA wiretaps– this violation of the law –has suddenly alarmed terrorists that their communications are subject to interception. Stop fooling yourselves, and trying to fool the rest of us. We know better.
Did they accidentally forget to put President Clinton’s picture in that ad? Or did they forget that the man is guilty of perjury?