Do the telecommunications corporations deserve to get sued six ways to Sunday for their decision to illegally cooperate with the federal government in the immediate aftermath of 9/11? Not necessarily. It depends. I think almost all Americans can understand the climate of fear and patriotism that prevailed in those early days. But this is the wrong way of looking at the issue of immunity. Let me pose the question a different way.
Do the American people deserve to know, not every specific, but the extent to which their rights were violated? Do they have a right to know what the legal basis was that the telecommunications corporations relied upon when they decided to help the government violate the law?
If we are honest with ourselves, we’ll realize that the issue of immunity for telecommunications corporations is more complex than whether or not they should be held accountable and pay financial penalties for breaking the law. The law suits are the only avenue we have to get to the truth about what happened.
Let me stipulate something right now. The truth about what was done is more important than whether or not anyone is held accountable for what was done. Once we know the truth, we can figure out the rest. If Congress is determined to grant retroactive immunity to the telecommunications corporations, they should make a deal. If the Bush administration will wave all objections to the disclosure of classified information, state secrets, executive privilege, and the like…and the telecommunications corporations and the NSA will testify fully and truthfully about what they did, we’ll offer them the following.
1) The information can remain classified. Have all information provided to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, the chairmen and ranking members of the Judiciary committees, and the Congressional leadership. They can issue a report for general consumption that, without revealing sources and methods, let’s the American people know the extent of the surveillance.
2) In return, Congress will substitute the federal government as the defendant in all pending cases against the telecommunications corporations.
As an incentive for the Bush administration to cooperate, Congress can agree not to bring criminal complaints against those that were merely following orders.
All Americans should set aside some time to peruse the findings of the Church Committee. Take special note of the reports on the Huston Plan, Mail Opening, and The National Security Agency and Fourth Amendment Rights. Email these reports to your congressional representatives, your mom, and all your friends.
We’ve been through this before. We know what happened. We must protect our rights, just as our mothers and fathers protected our rights in the 1970’s. It’s our patriotic duty. And it is totally missing the point to ask whether the telecommunications corporations deserve to be sued. We deserve to know the truth. Armed with the truth the American people can make good decisions. If we grant immunity to the telecommunications corporations now, we’ll never know the truth.
If you live in Iowa, reward good behavior. Don’t caucus for anyone that didn’t stand with Senator Dodd, who didn’t filibuster with Senator Dodd, or who isn’t Senator Dodd.
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Immunity? Just following orders.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."You got it Boo. However, I didn’t realize that you like dueling windmills! Rmember, we live in one reality while they have already left that reality!
Every time I log on to the net i visit a series of sites. all I can tell everone is that when I checked out “Think Progress” headlines I realized just how scewed we all are. They were simply a litany of the insanity that we all are living in now.
Given the state of the Dem leadership today, there is zero chance that things will get better even ifthe dems winn the WH.ZERO!
We have to go back to step one. The Constitution is dead! The Rubber Stamp Party (RSP) controls the country and I gotta tell ya – It ain’t good!
Booman leaving to see the Flyers tonight in Philly. Cut me a break. I’m a stupid man what should I do come Monday? The whole replacement bill deal is confusing (see stupid man part).
Simplify this please. I should email the reports you recommend, the Church committee etc? If I call which is nerve racking to me I don’t want to sound like an idiot if possible. What should I say? Support Senator Dodd’s filibuster? I will read the reports Sunday night and e-mail them to Webb, Warner and Wolf. Then what? I know we have been over this ground before but I appreciate your patience.
The administration needs to feel the heat on this issue. Its our fundamental freedoms they are screwing with that much is clear to me. They cannot just monitor everything this is not the book 1984 as far as we know.
the simple answer is that you want Reid to introduce the Judiciary bill as the base bill, not the Intelligence bill. But, he has already announced that he not do this.
You can complain about it if you want.
The next step is to ask senators to support Chris Dodd’s filibuster. And once that fails, you want to tell the House not to approve the conference report if it includes immunity.
Got it. Thanks
“Congress can agree not to bring criminal complaints against those that were merely following orders.”
Forget it if you cross the border illegally. You are a criminal for life.
Forget it if you have any drug convictions, you are no longer worthy of student grants or public housing.
They’ve just told every big corporation to go along with illegal requests. If you help them out, you get immunity and lots of government business. If you obey the law, you get shut out of the bidding process.
This points to a need for a truth & reconciliation commission. No amnesty for corporations who have not told the truth about their complicity.