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Constitutional expert Turley on FISA bill: ‘The fix is in’
David Edwards and Muriel Kane
Raw Story
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
The United States Senate is about to vote on a FISA bill that would not only expand the president’s powers of surveillance over American citizens but would also forestall civil suits against the telecoms that illegally participated in past surveillance.
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, substituting for Keith Olbermann on Countdown, expressed amazement at the sweeping victory that is being handed to President Bush. “I’m betting that his wildest dreams did not include the prospect that Congress — a Democratic-led Congress — would help him cover up his crimes,” she stated. “That is exactly what the US Senate is poised to do.”
In Senate debate, Patrick Leahy (D-VT) argued strongly against telecom immunity, because it would make it almost impossible to ever find out what really happened and “the American people ought to know who in the White House said, ‘Go break the law.’”
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Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) noted that, “We’re considering granting immunity when roughly 70 members of the Senate still have not been briefed on the president’s wiretapping program. The vast majority of this body still does not even know what we’re being asked to grant immunity for.”
Maddow spoke with Constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley, who explained, “What the Democrats are doing here with the White House is they’re trying to conceal a crime that is hiding in plain view. … Nobody wants to have a confrontation over the fact that the president committed a felony. … That’s a very inconvenient fact right now in Washington.”
“The Democrats have learned well from Bush,” Turley said in amazement. “They’re just going to change the rules. … It’s otherworldly. … I am completely astonished by Senator Obama’s position — and obviously disappointed. All of these senators need to respect us enough not to call it a compromise. It’s a cave-in.”
“It’s like all those stories where someone is assaulted on the street and a hundred witnesses do nothing,” continued Turley. “In this case, the Fourth Amendment is going to be eviscerated tomorrow, and a hundred people are going to watch it happen because it’s just not their problem. … There’s not an ounce of principle, not an ounce of public interest in this legislation.”
Turley added that even though the telecoms could still be prosecuted criminally, it’s unlikely to happen. “The fix is in,” he concluded. “Tomorrow night, there’s going to be a lot of celebrating among telecom lobbyists. … What we will lose tomorrow, it’s something very precious.”
This video is from MSNBC’s Countdown, broadcast July 8, 2008.
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18 Responses to “Constitutional expert Turley on FISA bill: ‘The fix is in’”
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July 9th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
American Constitution…FINISHED!
July 9th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Nothing but lying, swine, whores in Congress and the White House.
July 9th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
What may one expect?
What US Senator is worth his salt?
The answer to that: NONE.
The only thing left is revolt: ANOTHER AMERICAN REVOLUTION TO REAFFIRM THE FIRST!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
THIS WAS PASSED LAST WEEK PEOPLE. ALEX JONES AND MANY OTHERS HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT THE LEFT RIGHT ISSUE AND THE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS ARE THE SAME SHIT!!
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE DO NOT SEE THAT THERE IS NO GOOD GOVERNMENT IN THESE HERE UNITED STATES AND THAT DC(DISTRICT OF COLOMBIA)IS NOTHING MORE THAN ANOTHER PROPERTY OF THE BRITISH CROWN.
WAKE UP NOW AND UNDERSTAND LAW AND CHANGE THINGS!
July 9th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I am dismayed but not discouraged. I am angered but not fearful. At the bottom of these comments is one posted by a man named j. He writes that the “American Constitution…Finished!” I say an emphatic hell no! Our Constitution is timeless and it’s essence is far greater than those who would dare soil it with their evil. Yes, we must fight on, but we know that this is an uphill battle, and we know what we are facing. Our Constitution will never die so long as there is one man who desires freedom to live on!
July 9th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
It’s done! … along with the deal in the Czeck Republic and with a new nuclear deal with India … I wonder how far Bush and cronies can push it before they tkae their hats and leave? Pissing Russia off is not a thing to be taken lightly …
July 9th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
This world has no hope as long as we are looking to current so-called ‘leaders’ to lead us. We don’t need to be led. We need to start leading ourselves —- AWAY from the lunatic, insane world controllers of today.
Want to learn more about the govt. and what they’re REALLY doing to us? Come here:
https://www.intl-alliance.com/forum/index.php
These folks have the knowledge, experience, and inside information to help us realize what’s really going on.
This is a very secure, private and trustworthy forum to talk and discuss. Come express your views. Your views are valuable. We need to hear from you there. Please? Check it out. People need to know the truth.
Thank you.
July 9th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
I am registered as an independent voter and cant wait for those democrats to ask for my vote. I will remind them how they have continued to betray all those people that voted for them hoping for an end to the war,the impeachment of Bush,Cheney,Rice,Gonzales,Rove,and now Mukasey.
Bottom line….I am not voting
July 9th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
So now that they are immune from litigation, the government can start using the information they gathered to arrest US citizens.
July 9th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
no laws passed by congress superseed the constitution. It is still illegal except for the 10 square mile allowed in the constitution. Get those law suits into the appropriate courts,an article 1 court
July 9th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Seems to me the entire act is elegal anyway, first article 1 sec.9 states clearly congress shall, pass no bill of attainder or expost facto law, and unless their has been an amendment to change the 4th amendment then what ever stroke of pen or wish they want it is still elegal and void…. just my 2 cent’s
July 9th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
that’s right Dennis.
that goes for the patriot act
john warner national defense & authorization act
freedom is slavery
ignorance is strength
most soldiers consider iraqis “hadji’s”
all them hadji’s aint no good.
July 9th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Unfortunately, this world has no hope as long as we are looking to current so-called ‘leaders’ to lead us. We don’t need to be led. We need to start leading ourselves —- AWAY from the lunatic, insane world controllers of today.
Do you want to learn more about the EVIL government and what they’re REALLY doing to us? Come here:
https://www.intl-alliance.com/forum/index.php
These hi-tech folks have the knowledge, experience, and inside information to help us realize what’s really going on. This site is private, it’s on private, secure, off-shore servers so everything is ANONYMOUS on their site; you cannot be tracked. This is their business!
This group is very private and trustworthy. Come express your views. Your views are valuable. We need to hear from you there. Please? Check it out. People need to know the truth and share the truth.
Thank you!
July 10th, 2008 at 1:07 am
I hear that the ACLU is sueing. I certanily don’t agree with everything the ACLU does but I sure am with them on this one!
July 10th, 2008 at 1:55 am
I would have to agree, https://www.intl-alliance.com/forum/index.php is the place to be.
July 10th, 2008 at 4:55 am
Ex post facto laws are ones which make actions retroactively illegal in order to prosecute someone. This Telcom bill is reversed from that, so it’s not an Ex post facto law. Also, a Bill of Attainder is a law specifically written about one person. This Telcom Bill is also not a Bill of Attainder. The Forth Amendment is the only place where this travesty of law can be declared unconstitutional, if the Federal Courts have the courage to do so.
July 10th, 2008 at 10:13 am
COME HEAR THE TRUTH MUSIC JONES IS SLEEPING ON
http://www.myspace.com/payze
July 12th, 2008 at 3:13 am
I don’t know man. Any site on the net “intl-alliance” that claims to be anonymous must be treated as suspicious. Anything transmitted over the net can be intercepted so I personally never talk about anything I would not be willing to shout from the roof top. Even if the site was secure the data still travels over the net and you can be sure goes through “the super computer” in Virginia. The other thing is, what better way to trap someone than to start a web site that claims to have anonymity? In this age the only privacy you will find is face to face in a secure, spontaneous location. Be careful out there.