Emergency Alert: Senate Set to Cave on FISA

Dear Friend,

The ACLU Washington Legislative Office has just sent the urgent message below regarding legislation in the Senate that would completely eliminate warrants and court review of government spying. We urge you to read the message below and call Senator Levin and Senator Stabenow. We are still waiting to hear whether the U.S. Supreme Court will hear our lawsuit to stop the illegal spying of the National Security Agency; we must ensure that the Senate does not pass this damaging legislation in the meantime.

Sincerely,

Kary Moss, Executive Director
ACLU of Michigan

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12/13/07 - Emergency Alert: Senate Set to Cave on FISA

As soon as tomorrow, the Senate will begin to debate legislation that would give the president greatly expanded powers to spy on Americans. There isn't a moment to lose. Call now.

Even though the Senate Judiciary Committee passed legislation that provides greater protections for privacy and doesn’t give amnesty to telecommunications companies, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has decided to move the bad Senate Intelligence Committee bill. This is not good news for those of us who respect freedom, the rule of law and the Constitution.

Tell your senators and Senator Reid to vote against this awful legislation.

This Intelligence Committee bill, negotiated closely between the Bush administration and Senator Rockefeller, contains retroactive immunity for the phone companies that illegally turned over private phone and email records to the government and completely eliminates warrants and court review of government spying.

Instead of capitulating to the White House, senators should be listening to you. Recent polls show that 61% of American voters believe the government should have to get a warrant from a court before wiretapping the overseas conversations of U.S. citizens. And 59% of American voters reject amnesty for phone companies that may have violated the law.

Sadly, Senator Reid is asking senators to decide where they stand on spying after a secret meeting taking place today with Attorney General Mukasey and Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, a day before voting is scheduled to take place. Director McConnell played a central role in negotiations around the Protect America Act and, acting on behalf of the White House, used questionable tactics and misinformation to convince members to eviscerate the Fourth Amendment.

Because this meeting is secret, we obviously don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors. But if history is any guide, this meeting could be used to provide misleading information about the current threats facing America to scare your senators into continuing the Bush Administration’s secret spying free-for-all.

There isn't a moment to lose. Call now.

We each need to do our part. Senator Reid needs to lead. All of our senators need to vote against the Intelligence Committee bill, anything resembling the Protect America Act or any bill that grants immunity to telecommunications companies that have broken the law over the past six years. We are also asking senators to join the filibuster of any bill with telecom immunity.

Your call today could mean the difference between our continued freedom as Americans and a secret government operation with no accountability. Please join us now in fighting this bad bill, which goes against our democratic values.

Your continued actions and support have carried us this far; we cannot give up now. Don’t let history repeat itself. Make the calls, tell your friends and family and continue to carry the torch of liberty. Our country is counting on you.

Sincerely,

Caroline Fredrickson, Director
ACLU Washington Legislative Office

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