Federal Court Upholds Wiretap Law

[The Straight Story]

Federal Court Upholds Wiretap Law
Warrantless Eavesdropping On International Communication Within Bounds Of The Law, Appeals Court Rules

(CBS) A U.S. Foreign Intelligence court released a ruling Thursday upholding the right of the president and Congress to wiretap private international phone conversations and intercept e-mail messages without a court-issued warrant.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Appeals Court released an unclassified version of an August 2008 ruling that seems to validate President George W. Bush's claim that the government can act without court orders in gathering foreign intelligence.

The Bush administration came under heated criticism three years ago when a National Security Agency's program for warrantless eavesdropping was revealed. In 2007, Congress passed the Protect America Act, which authorized the executive branch to eavesdrop on international communication without court orders. The ruling released Thursday dealt with that law.

An unnamed telecommunications company challenged the constitutionality of the Protect America Act law last year, but the FISA court ruled that Congress acted within its authority when it passed the law.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/15/national/main4723800.shtml

[orleans]

1. ...ok...how 'bout when they listen to my phone conversation with a friend in chicago?

is that legal too?

[DCKit]

2. If that call is routed off-shore it is.

And that's how they've been circumventing these laws.

We'll never know the full extent of the damage done by the maladministration, but we need to investigate, prosecute, shut them down and kick their asses out the door.

[orleans]

3. did you see turley on rachel's show tonight?

basically he said that was a weird little bullshit court. and it doesn't forgive the fuckhead for anything he was doing before this "law" was passed--maybe see if you can find the turley clip from rachel's show on youtube.

[DCKit]

4. Rachel is too intense for my non-political, highly stressed S.O..

Suffice to say anything the Republics do is considered EVIL at our house, so no discussion necessary.