ACLU Vs. NSA Lawsuit Begins On Monday
Posted on June 11, 2006
NEW YORK (Reuters) The National Security Agency’s domestic spying program faces its first legal challenge in a case that could decide if the White House is allowed to order eavesdropping without a court order.
Oral arguments are set for Monday at U.S. District Court in Detroit at which the American Civil Liberties Union will ask Judge Anna Diggs Taylor to declare the spying unconstitutional and order it halted.
The case goes to the heart of the larger national debate about whether President Bush has assumed too much power in his declared war on terrorism.
Bush said he authorized NSA intercepts soon after the September 11 attacks, allowing the NSA to monitor the international phone calls and e-mails of U.S. citizens without first obtaining warrants if in pursuit of al Qaeda suspects.
The ACLU sued the NSA on behalf of scholars, journalists and attorneys, claiming that warrantless wiretaps violate the U.S. Constitution and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, or FISA.
“The NSA has the capability of eavesdropping on anyone, anywhere, anytime,” said James Bamford, an NSA expert and author who is supporting the ACLU suit.
Justice Department lawyers have asked the judge to dismiss the suit because it would reveal state secrets.
Regardless of how the judge rules on state secrets, the government lawyers say Congress granted Bush surveillance privileges by authorizing the use of force against al Qaeda following the September 11 attacks, and that he has the inherent right to order the wiretaps under presidential war powers.
Meanwhile Congress are working out compromises on their approach towards this much needed security program. This of course has the ACLU upset as well. So tomorrow is the day for the ACLU to present its side of the argument. We hope the judges will have the common sense to see how this program is needed, and a vital tool in protecting America. The ACLU’s goal of completely shutting the program down is insane, and shows that they have no concern for the safety of America. If the ACLU wins this, America loses. We will be keeping a close eye on it all.
» Filed Under ACLU, News, War On Terror
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10 Responses to “ACLU Vs. NSA Lawsuit Begins On Monday”
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Syndicate Me
Weren’t you guys going to intervene in this? whatever happened there?
It didn’t work out for us gfactor, we came to some major disagreements with the lawyer lady, and I contacted everyone that donated and gave them refunds. As far as I know Debbie will still intervene, but I don’t talk to her anymore so you’d have to ask her.
“It didn’t work out for us gfactor, we came to some major disagreements with the lawyer lady, and I contacted everyone that donated and gave them refunds.”
Too bad y’all can’t work with each other. I was looking forward to seeing the judge smack down some standing doctrine on you guys.
I have an idea for you gfactor. Go write something on your own blog that is an empty shell with a title.
“I have an idea for you gfactor. Go write something on your own blog that is an empty shell with a title.”
You’re welcome to comment there. Isnt that why you have the rule that we need a blog?
gfactor it these anti american judges keep it up they are not going to get some doctrine smacked down on them but instead something smacked up in them.
“gfactor it these anti american judges keep it up they are not going to get some doctrine smacked down on them but instead something smacked up in them.”
What judges do you eman, and what smacked up?
It is most likely a fishing expedition by the ACLU who serves the U.N. which I consider a foreign government. Considering that Human Right Watch is another partner of the U.N. and their view of Guatemala Bay Prison and there adversary position on us having prisoners there makes me suspect the UN’s unbiased status. The American Bar Association is also an NGO of the UN. We also has a federal judge order the release of detainee’s names which was definitely a security issue. I can see why Bush does not trust our judges.
So the question is what do you do when a fifth column has infiltrated one branch of the federal government?
A related question is why are liberals and terrorist allied? I heard that the individual known as the American Taliban accused Osama Bin Laden of not being sincere in his religion.
“Guatemala Bay”
First time I heard this one.
In 2004 there were an average of 5.5 murders committed per 100,000 population in the United States. I am not sure whether that is victims or events. In any case do we expect American troops to act any more righteous than civilians do under less adverse circumstances. What needs to be checked is that the due process of law is carried out in those cases that our troops are accused or committing crime. The Main Stream Media does not seem to understand that its job is to make sure the due process of law is honored by our government at both the military and civilian level.