Are Dems backing down on holding telecoms accountable?

[Echo In Light]

ACLU scoffs at reported 'unconstitutional' wiretap deal
Nick Juliano Thursday June 5, 2008

Congress may be nearing a detente in its nearly yearlong standoff over what to do about phone companies that let government spooks warrantlessly listen in on phone calls crossing their wires, but civil libertarians are worried Democrats may be backing down from demands that the telecoms be held accountable.

Since last summer, Congress has been deadlocked over whether to grant legal immunity to these phone and internet providers as part of a long-term update to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. An immunity provision was shoved through the Senate late last year, but House Democrats have remained steadfast in opposing such a provision.

Now, though, a deal seems near; House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes, an influential Democratic voice in the debate, told CongressDaily that he is "fine" with language from Senate Republicans that leaves the door open to retroactive legal immunity for companies that participated in President Bush's warrantless wiretapping program. The American Civil Liberties Union slammed the proposed compromise.

“Congress should remember that the majority of Americans are against unwarranted and warrantless surveillance,” said Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. “They are against slamming the courthouse doors and letting the phone companies off the hook for selling out their privacy. If that’s where most Americans stand, who exactly is Congress representing?”

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/ACLU_scoffs_at_reported_unconstitutional_wiretap_0605.html

[KharmaTrain]

1. I Think There's More To What's Happening...

Steny Hoyer is the key here...

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/04/reyes-open-to-gop-compromise-on-fisa/

But he said House Majority Leader Hoyer told him that House Democratic leaders want to have the liability of the telecoms reviewed in federal district court as opposed to the FISA court.

A senior Reyes aide clarified his boss’ positions by saying that while Reyes thinks Bond’s proposal is a positive one, he remains supportive of Hoyer’s efforts to improve on it.

If Hoyer agrees, the bill comes to the floor, if he doesn't, it stays burried until after the election. He may also play with it...he saw how weak the GOOP in the House really are and may whip up outrage with letting a watered down version come up for a floor vote to wedge Repugnicans. It's a dangerous poker game, and I'm very skeptical of Hoyer, but the above statement indicates that the Bond bailout may make it out of committee but Hoyer won't move it in that form...it would need to be "improved".

We definitely need to keep our eyes on this one...

[Echo In Light]

2. Thanks for the info