Administration appeals domestic spying decision

AP ^ | 7/31/6

[SmithL]

SAN FRANCISCO - The Bush administration appealed a court decision Monday that allowed a lawsuit to go forward challenging the president's warrantless domestic spying program.

In rejecting government claims that the suit could expose state secrets and jeopardize the war on terror, U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled July 20 that the eavesdropping was so widely reported there appears to be no danger of spilling secrets.

The case, which names AT&T Inc. as a defendant, is among three dozen lawsuits alleging telecommunications companies and the government are illegally intercepting communications without warrants. Walker is the only judge to rule against the government's claim of a "state secrets privilege."

A federal judge in Chicago dismissed a similar case last week, agreeing the government could invoke the privilege the U.S. Supreme Court first recognized in the McCarthy era.

The San Francisco lawsuit filed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation privacy group challenges President Bush's assertion that he can use his wartime powers to eavesdrop on Americans without a warrant. It accuses AT&T of illegally making communications on its networks available to the National Security Agency.

The government argued in court papers filed with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that Walker's ruling "placed at risk particularly sensitive national security interests."

Bush confirmed in December that the NSA has been conducting warrantless surveillance of calls and e-mails thought to involve al-Qaida terrorists if at least one of the parties is outside the United States. The administration contends the program is legal and necessary.

The case is Hepting v. AT&T Inc.

[EagleUSA]

Hopefully, this suit will be squashed soon. When a government cannot act covertly to protect its people, then it is finished. Opposition to this is very liberal, but that is no surprise...they have alot to hide, I am sure, given the horrid anti-American attitude of the radical left and the ThugoRat party.

[Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit]

^Opposition to this is very liberal, but that is no surprise...they have alot to hide,

So you are saying that if you are not so comfortable with the executive branch claiming the power to spy on American citizens without a warrant you are a liberal?

What if the President were a Clinton? How would you feel then?

Sounds to me that if you are in favour of this you might just not actually be someone who believes in freedom and democracy. Perhaps you should check out the DU, there are lots of people there like that.

[EagleUSA]

So you are saying that if you are not so comfortable with the executive branch claiming the power to spy on American citizens without a warrant you are a liberal?
-----
No. You said that. The "liberal" comment comes from the fact that the LIBERALS will complain about ANYTHING that Bush does to ensure the safety of this country. No matter how appropriate it is. The libs, including Carter and Clinton, demonstrated a consistent disdain for the abililty of this country to protect itself, to operate intel agencies to the full extent, and to be strong militarily.

[Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit]

Ok, but what if I am not so darn comfortable with the powers this President is claiming during the course of an undeclared war without end? A war during which the only sacrifice he asked Americans to make is of a bit of their liberty?

I don't trust any politician. They all think they need more power and can handle more power; but power corrupts.

[EagleUSA]

They all think they need more power and can handle more power; but power corrupts.
------
I agree, and with today's Washington, there is reason for alot of concern. But at the same time, even if we were in a declared war, the government needs to have the ability to covertly monitor INTERNATIONAL traffic that could be a threat to this country. That is what this was about. Sadly we are fighting a war, and it is a war, against an "invisible" enemy. Fighting such a war requires equally covert activity to counter a very covert enemy. In that perspective, it must be done.

9/11 was a classic example of government complacency and incompetence. The sham that was the 9/11 commission and the subsequent findings and uncovering of facts, proved that. I think all we can do presently is hope that the government is fixing the weaknesses that allowed 9/11 to happen and is fighting back to discover the methods and paths that our enemy is using to work against us.

I certainly appreciate your concerns. They are valid.