Blanket Pardons Proposed for Illegal NSA Spying

[kpete]

Blanket Pardons Proposed for Illegal NSA Spying

Specter Offers Compromise on NSA Surveillance
By Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, June 9, 2006; Page A04

Glenn Greenwald explains:


A bill proposed yesterday by Arlen Specter to resolve the NSA scandal -- literally his fifth or sixth proposed bill on this subject in the last few months -- would drag the Congress to a new low of debasement. According to The Washington Post,http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/08/AR2006060801992.html Specter has introduced a bill "that would give President Bush the option of seeking a warrant from a special court for an electronic surveillance program such as the one being conducted by the National Security Agency." This proposal is the very opposite of everything Specter has saying for the last several months:

Specter's approach modifies his earlier position that the NSA eavesdropping program, which targets international telephone calls and e-mails in which one party is suspected of links to terrorists, must be subject to supervision by the secret court set up under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

A law which makes it "an option" -- rather than a requirement -- for the Government to obtain a warrant before eavesdropping is about as meaningless of a law as can be imagined.

But that complete change of heart by Specter is not even nearly the most corrupt part of his proposed bill. For pure corruption and constitutional abdication, nothing could match this:

Another part of the Specter bill would grant blanket amnesty to anyone who authorized warrantless surveillance under presidential authority, a provision that seems to ensure that no one would be held criminally liable if the current program is found illegal under present law.Text

The idea that the President's allies in Congress would enact legislation which expressly shields government officials, including the President, from criminal liability for past lawbreaking is so reprehensible that it is difficult to describe. To my knowledge, none of the other proposed bills -- including those from the most loyal Bush followers in the Senate -- contained this protective provision. And without knowing anywhere near as much as I would need to know in order to form a definitive opinion, the legality of this provision seems questionable at best. It's really the equivalent of a pardon, a power which the Constitutional preserves for the President. Can Congress act as a court and simply exonerate citizens from criminal conduct?

more at:
http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/2006/06/new-low-senate-seeks-to-pardon.html

via:http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/6/9/11205/30795

[unpossibles]

1. wow.

Just wow. I wonder if Nixon will be posthumously vindicated as ..well, as not a crook.

[Gman]

11. Nixxon was a great president and should be canonized

compared to these real crooks.

---on edit

God, I can't believe I just posted this. In my wildest dreams or worst nightmares up to and after August, 1974 I never thought I would even say something like this in jest or whatever. What have we come to?

[spag68]

13. Nixon

Don,t forget that Cheney and Rummy are two of Nixons spawn.

[unpossibles]

17. sadly, I don't think I could.

But was Papa Bullsh Nixon's man or was it the other way around?

[Nickster]

2. My, my, my..look at that, just as predicted....c'mon someone tell me how

Arlen is such a good man and can be taken at his word. All of his worthless blustering is just to save his own worthless arse come November. When it comes down to it, ole Arlen plays ball just like the rest of those worthless hacks. Grrrrrrr

[rodeodance]

3. Lots of talk, and in the end Specter caves to the WH---KOlberman had

a great segment about this last night.

[Bandit]

4. Gee another "Magic Bullet" only this one dodged by Bush*

:shrug: Anyone that thought Spector would do less is pretty naive IMO.

[rodeodance]

5. I admit--I had hopes this time around. I was fooled.

[kpete]

15. no hope

until THEY are gone

This NOT Zarqawi is the story of the day!

[acmejack]

6. I will always remember him by his arrogance the day he refused

To swear in the Ag before the Judiciary Committee. A day which, as we later learned, Gonzales lied his sorry ass right off. Arlen Specter is just as bad as the rest, perhaps worse, in that he presents a face of moderation while working behind the scenes to completely accede to the Administrations every wish.

[rodeodance]

7. the Glen Greenwald artitle leads to a NOT Found.

[kpete]

9. seems to be working now

http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/2006/06/new-low-senate-seeks-to-pardon.html

way down on page though...

[Mandate My Ass]

8. The good news is, there'll be no need for a signing statement

way to go, arlen, you freakin' sell-out creep.:grr:

[originalpckelly]

10. This is unconstitutional:

The President cannot pardon himself of an impeachable offense. The Congress may, but in this case it is controlled by the same party as the Presidency. This might very well be the basis for a court case. It is a profound conflict of interest because the same party controls the two branches, it is possible to state these people have the same interest in pardoning this crime.

It would be like Congress in the early '70s, had it not been under Dem control, pardoning Richard Nixon because they were afraid prosecuting him would hurt their election chances. That is what is going on today.

The only reasons Arlen Specter is even somewhat standing up to the President are he:
1. Had cancer may not survive to next term to run for Senate again.
2. Had cancer may have made him rethink his legacy and whether he wanted to destroy America by supporting Bush's power grabs.
3. Getting old doesn't care about running in a few years.

[spag68]

12. pardons

As an old guy, I've seen this before. What bothers me is, is why this is the least bit surprising to any of us. Scooter and rove are sure to get this treatment also.

[flyarm]

14. I JUST CALLED HIS OFFICE..AND ASKED ..

what is specter being blackmailed on...doing it to children?? i was pissed snd the guy answering the phone got an earful from me..

i appologised to the guy for calling up rude before..and the guy said everyone is entitled to their own opinion ..so i nicely said ..good..because this is my opinion...i said..is specter boinking little children is that what the white house is blackmailing him on..just like all other rethugs are getting blackmailed on..and i said i guess.the republican motto should be we are all closet sexual dievants...
..and we get blackmailed for it...

i told him specters closet has just screwed my country , and m childrens constitution..and my childrens childrens constitution..and that he has a hell of alot of nerve telling anyone he is a constitutional senator..i said he is a a sick sob..

and i said history will shred him to pieces...and then some...

i said i always wondered how far specter
would bend over..and how bad specters closet was...

i said now i know!!

a very angry fly

[ralps]

19. Wow!!! Great Rant flyarm!!

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo: :applause: :applause: :applause: :patriot:

[originalpckelly]

20. I love the pic in your sig line...

that is so cute!

[Supersedeas]

16. Whoa, blanket pardons!!!

[Solly Mack]

18. Color me

not surprised

I guess if you don't have the integrity or desire to hold a criminal accountable...you make their crimes legal. That way history reads...it was legal for Bush to do that

Nice.