Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): “I Don’t Know Of Any Legal Basis†For Bush’s Secret Spying Program
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): “I Don’t Know Of Any Legal Basis†For Bush’s Secret Spying Program
It’s not just liberals who are suggesting that Bush’s secret domestic spying program was illegal. Here is conservative Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) this morning on Face the Nation:
SCHIEFFER: The Secretary of State said this morning that the president has statutory and constitutional authorization to do what he did. So I’ll start with Senator Graham. Does he have that authority, Senator?
LINDSEY GRAHAM: If he has the authority to go around the FISA court, which is a court to accommodate the law of the war of terror, the FISA Act was–created a court set up by the chief justice of the United States to allow a rapid response to requests for surveillance activity in the war on terror. I don’t know of any legal basis to go around that. There may be some, but I’m not aware of it. And here’s the concern I have. We can’t become an outcome-based democracy. Even in a time of war, you have to follow the process, because that’s what a democracy is all about: a process.
Graham isn’t the only conservative Senator concerned. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), the chairman of the judiciary committee, said “there is no doubt that this is inappropriate” and promised to hold hearings next year.
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62 Responses to “Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): “I Don’t Know Of Any Legal Basis†For Bush’s Secret Spying Program”
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Typo: Sen. Graham is not from Tx.
December 18th, 2005 at 7:58 pmhey judd you idiot, he is the senator from SC not TX. Why don’t you pull your head out of your butt.
December 18th, 2005 at 7:59 pmCheck this http://WWW. May be this Graham is also an ungodly Lib.
December 18th, 2005 at 7:59 pmThis is the second time this month I find myself praising Lindsey Graham.
He spoke out against torture, and now look at him. Going for, of all things, the truth.
I say give him credit, where credit’s due.
Way to go Senator Graham!
December 18th, 2005 at 8:01 pmHe is an ex judge in the Military, sounds like the GOP (08) VP nominee to me.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:02 pmhey judd you idiot, he is the senator from SC not TX. Why don’t you pull your head out of your butt.
Comment by dagon — December 18, 2005 @ 7:59 pm
dagon, Why can’t you just correct an obvious typo, withoutbeing a butt?
December 18th, 2005 at 8:03 pm#5 - NO WAY. Graham is has a problem with needing love and affection from the MSM. It’s a disorder that will doom his fate. Unlike Bush, he is not a leader.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:07 pmYeah, Bush is leading them alright - leading them to a long prison sentance, he is…
December 18th, 2005 at 8:09 pmYea, Graham is too busy dealing with facts to be a leader like Dubya.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:11 pm“It’s in our country’s interests to find those who would do harm to us and get them out of harm’s way.”
December 18th, 2005 at 8:13 pm—George Bush Washington, D.C., April 28, 2005
yeah, Bubble boy is a real leader. He sought out, captured, tried and convicted Osama Bin Laden.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:15 pmYea, wonder why he said that unbelievable? Freudian slip perhaps?
December 18th, 2005 at 8:15 pmKOL, how bout Jimmy Carter, see there is a cycle phrase you should hold on to. We are about to do a repeat of 1974, with real public concern.we are going to have to stop and get everything answered and then we will as an electorate, over-respond, thus Jimmy Carter JR. Sen. Graham has the military connect, read what Newt has to say sometime. The middle right wants McCain in any form they can get.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:15 pmI am getting scared now. I think I am starting to admire Lindsey Graham.
Hold mee…..
December 18th, 2005 at 8:16 pmWhen is Osama Bin Laden’s execution date?
Anyone know?
December 18th, 2005 at 8:16 pmNot until sometime in 2041 I hear, but I could be wrong.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:18 pmZarqawi was recently captured in Iraq.
He was detained. He was questioned. He was not tortured.
He was released.
Bubble boy a real leader.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:19 pm#12 WORFEUS, sounds about normal for him, eh?
Figured it was relevent to this argument that the man doesn’t function properly. How can we expect him to be a good leader if he can’t even complete a single sentance coherently? And the trolls wonder why we don’t trust him.
Here’s another that fits in this context:
“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”
December 18th, 2005 at 8:21 pm—G.W. Bush Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004
Susan,
I’m convinced that as long as bin Laden stays at large, Georgie will use it to attack Syria, Iran, Korea, and eventually France…
Maybe a few Republicans turning on Bush is a sign that we can get the man out of office before he does declare jihad on another country.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:24 pmI’d like the repubs a lot more if the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence reports its progress on Phase II. But calling Bush a traitor is a pretty good start too.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:26 pmI think even a UBL question is blowing smoke. Forget UBL, for now, concentrate on under what authority, especially before Alito gets seated, did the Attorney General apply that this action was legally acceptable?
December 18th, 2005 at 8:27 pmAs long as Bin Laden is at large, I am convinced that he was not involved with the attack on America.
Either that or Bubble boy is just too weak to capture him.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:29 pmMuch of Bush’s philosophy is “out-come” based, to hell with democracy and its process.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:31 pmSEn Graham simply finds himself in the untenable position of having to remain honest to his constituents. Remember folks, the internet is the great equalizer. BUT- every single media outlet must be encouraged to keep this on the front burner. IT MUST BE KEPT THERE FOR AS LONG AS IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:32 pmDon’t stop E- mailing every senator and congressperson- over and over again.
AND- get your marching shoes ready because the streets are looking more and more like the last remaining choice.
Sorry Fly-man, I will not sit idley by and allow the neocons to say that Bubble boy spied on Americans for the good and safety of our nation when Bubble boy refuses to capture the so-called mastermind of the 9-11 attacks.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:34 pmColin Powell finally speaks!
December 18th, 2005 at 8:36 pmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4538788.stm
#26 beep52, 60 Minutes just did a piece on the renditions.
I don’t know the neocons name that supports the renditions but he said “oh well” when referring to the guy that is sueing the U.S. for mistakenly taking him to be tortured. The neocon says “its my job to protect American’s, mistakes happen”. No remorse at all. Sick motherf’er.
Bubble boy and his regime took innocent people to be boiled.
Naaaa, Bubble boy is nothing like Saddam Hussein.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:43 pmIsn’t the USof A not catching UBL, really the linch pin in all of this. He is a bad guy but we can’t catch him. He must be El-Diablo. But who is this guy with our freedom at his will spying on us? If we are that bad tell us. I think Neighborhoods might improve. Prove it legally,even with your judges and I will respect the part of the Law that suits my endeavors.
December 18th, 2005 at 8:44 pmMaybe this latest illegal and imoral move by Bush will finally wake Congress up. Wasn’t it a wire tap that brought Nixon down?
December 18th, 2005 at 8:47 pmThe Repugs themselves are starting to line up _against_ Bush.
Gosh, could it be, just maybe, quite possibly be a fact that the stronger Dems (those who sat on the Intellegence Committee and questioned Bubble Boy’s “evidence” about Iraq) were right all along?
It’s beyond time to impeach this b****d! Maybe the Repugs themselves will do it to save themselves further embarassment(sp?).
Anyone who defends criminal actions is either uneducated, uncaring, or has something themselves to hide.
December 18th, 2005 at 9:13 pm#30 Graham and Biden were on Larry King after ‘the speech’ sounding more like allies in agreement than the usual partisan combatants.
Graham also spoke about the civil unrest in Iraq that Bush failed to address tonight in his speech, and how volatile the internal situation in Iraq is. Wonderful. Even worse over there, and that’s come from the right.
December 18th, 2005 at 9:43 pmJCGofW, The pugs know that if they do not support impeachment they will be out of a job.
The American People have let it be known that all BushCo conspirators will be voted out of office.
They (the ones that wont be in jail at election time) have no choice but to bail on Bubble boy.
December 18th, 2005 at 9:46 pmSo IMPEACH HIM!
December 18th, 2005 at 10:21 pmSpecter promised to hold hearings “as soon as they can get to it” or something like that. With the other business before the Judiciary Committee come January being Alito’s nomination, the Dems need to be sure that we don’t pack the Supreme Court with people who believe that, yes, the executive is immune from oversight by either Congress or the courts.
December 18th, 2005 at 10:29 pmPat RobertSun Was Overheard Telling Jerry Fallswell;
December 18th, 2005 at 10:42 pmPR;”Lets Play Army”
JF; “Okay”
PR; “Okay, Im gonna lay down, and you BLOW me up”
Pat RobertSun Was Overheard Telling Jerry Fallswell;
December 18th, 2005 at 10:45 pmPR;”Lets Play Army”
JF; “Okay”
PR; “Okay, Im gonna lay down, and you BLOW me up”
JF; “O’Liely MAN the Falafel.”
BO; “Yay Yay. Loofah loofah doobity doo”
[…] Think Progress: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): “I Don’t Know Of Any Legal Basis” For Bush’s Secret Spying Program LINDSEY GRAHAM: If he has the authority to go around the FISA court, which is a court to accommodate the law of the war of terror, the FISA Act was - created a court set up by the chief justice of the United States to allow a rapid response to requests for surveillance activity in the war on terror. I don’t know of any legal basis to go around that. There may be some, but I’m not aware of it. And here’s the concern I have. We can’t become an outcome-based democracy. Even in a time of war, you have to follow the process, because that’s what a democracy is all about: a process. […]
December 18th, 2005 at 11:32 pmWe can’t become an outcome-based democracy. Even in a time of war, you have to follow the process, because that’s what a democracy is all about: a process.
–Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Translation: The end does not justify the means. In fact, we might be shooting ourselves in the foot.
I obviously like Sen. Graham’s wording best.
December 19th, 2005 at 2:26 amCan we call them Spy and Spend Republicans?
December 19th, 2005 at 2:28 amEveryone must contact their Representative and Senators in DC to demand that Pres. Bush’s Watch List be publicly released to the press, so we all can see who George is wiretapping & spying upon!
If names on the list are Cindy Sheehan and other anti-war
December 19th, 2005 at 4:14 ampeople, then Bush must resign or be impeached >PERIOD.
In my view the jury’s still out on Sen. Graham.
Why?
Several days after Sen. McCain rolled out his anti-torture legislation, Sen. Graham jumped in with his anti-habeas corpus amendment.
In other words, how can any detainee possibly air that they’ve been subject to torture if there is no hearing?
So, while Sen. Graham’s statement is highly commendable, the proof of whether he really believes what he said or not will be how vigorous the Republican senators are about subpoenaing the White House and dragging anyone in the Rogue executive branch before Congress…under oath.
If they pull the same stunt they did with the oil company executives, then we will know that the Republican senators and congresspeople see themselves as being “above the law” just as their fellow Republicans in the White House do already.
We’ll just have to wait and see if the democratic “process” Sen. Graham claims to value works for a change, or if it just more of the same Republican smoke and mirrors fascism we are being fed.
December 19th, 2005 at 8:25 am[…] Think Progress It’s not just liberals who are suggesting that Bush’s secret domestic spying program was illegal. Here is conservative Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) this morning on Face the Nation: […]
December 19th, 2005 at 9:39 amGraham is full of crap, but even he believes in the Constitution.
December 19th, 2005 at 9:43 am#44 I was getting that message too for about an hour. I thought it was a problem with my system.
December 19th, 2005 at 12:55 pmWhile there seems to be an across the board agreement (patrtially because, unless one suspends the constitution, the Congress and the judiciary, then the actions were illegal: and illegal means (SHOULD mean) that the guilty must be found and punished, by law. Of course, Bush admitted it, so we will accept his confession), it still remains to be seen. I don’t particularly trust Spectre, who I think is, like most Republicans, loyal to his party first, and to America and the American people somewhere considerably lower on his list. Vague promises that some kind of investigation at some undisclosed point in the future are pretty insubstantial.. Let’s see some action. Anyone (American) who was spied on, yet where NO TERRORIST ties can be conjured, should be immediately informed that their own government was watching them. Period. And anyone involved in illegal activities of this nature should be tried - all who gave orders (e.g. Bush) and all who followed them (e.g. agents). It is clear that the agents who did this SHOULD have known better, as we already have a number of them who admitted to REFUSING to participate in these activities because they believed them to be illegal (and, lo, they are).
December 19th, 2005 at 1:05 pmJudd - I am also getting a message from some site “Word Press” - it popped up when i tried to post that last messg. What gives?
December 19th, 2005 at 1:08 pmCHIMP THE PUPPET want’s ever scap of paper and document him and his cronies write to be kept from congress and public view.But george want’s to know American peoples private life and every thought.RUNS country on credit card, TAXES the middle class gives all to wealthy,and has never told the truth since he was selected.How much more can AMERICA TOLERATE?????
December 19th, 2005 at 2:32 pmUBL is operating a mini mart gas station in New Jersey. I saw the dude….reallly….
December 19th, 2005 at 6:12 pmI see a great movie coming out of this. “The Madness of King George - the George W. Bush Story”
Starts out in his early youth, Dimson as a pampered little dilitente with a silver coke spoon up his nose; through his Yale cheerleading days; his AWOL days; his insider trading days; his executioner days as Texas Governor; his nomination by Poppy’s Big Oil buddies to front the Republican Syndicate. After stealing the Florida election, we find him sleeping at the wheel on 9/11; then lies to start an elective war; following up another stolen election, and the shredding of the Constitution.
Final Scene, ala “Scarface”…deranged pResident holed up in the Oval Office, babbling on that the “terrorists are in the White House” and “we’re winning the war, we’re winning the war.” Cut to Poppy shaking his head in K’Port watching Fox Live News, muttering to Babs, “Keeerist Barb, why’d you ever offered him up when Jeb was available?”
December 19th, 2005 at 6:52 pmSen. Graham is still a Reserve Judge in the Air Force. He is being honest and true to his oath of office. He is exactly the type of Senator (or VP) this country needs. He has always been ohonest.
December 19th, 2005 at 9:27 pmSpin it to death!!!! BUSH THINKS HE IS A KING AND A DICTATOR! HE BROKE THE LAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 20th, 2005 at 10:41 amThere are some evil evil people who are running/ruining this country,and they must be held accountable, or kiss democracy and our civil rights away. This is our country too.
December 20th, 2005 at 11:58 am[…] McCain is the latest addition to a growing list of prominent conservatives — including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) — who have expressed serious concerns about the legality of the program. […]
January 22nd, 2006 at 12:16 pmi am taking a wait and see aproach to senator graham.i doubt his sincerity to follow thru but am hoping he has the right thoughts about just who he works for,”The People”.
January 22nd, 2006 at 3:00 pmbr3n
[…] But it’s not a partisan issue. Some of the harshest criticism have come not from Senate Democrats but Senate Republicans: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): “The FISA Act was–created a court set up by the chief justice of the United States to allow a rapid response to requests for surveillance activity in the war on terror. I don’t know of any legal basis to go around that.” […]
January 23rd, 2006 at 8:21 amALL BARK no bite
January 23rd, 2006 at 9:48 am[…] Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): “The FISA Act was–created a court set up by the chief justice of the United States to allow a rapid response to requests for surveillance activity in the war on terror. I don’t know of any legal basis to go around that.†[…]
January 23rd, 2006 at 10:15 amGraham is usually as partisan as they come. I remember him well when he was a rep in the house calling for the impeachment of Clinton for the lies about the B/J.
It was refreshing however to watch him yesterday on C-Span questioning Gonzalez about the Bush apparent disregard for law and doing what he darned well pleased. Circumventing the rules of law. When are these fools going to realize that they cannot cover this crap up as long as there is still freedom of the press in the country? Nixon tried it and failed. Reagan tried it and failed in Iran-Contra. clinton tried it about a B/J and was impeached for that. Bush lies so far are well on the way to 2300 dead in Iraq and well on the way to a trillion dollars in war profiteering expenditures.
Bravo to Graham for standing up to this tyrannical Fascist would be dictator.
February 7th, 2006 at 9:19 amI urge you as my elected represaentaiveto reqiue that all perons hiring ILLEGAL aliens be charged with a crime. This will cause the Mexicans to return totheir own country. I also think thaat the constitution ahouls be followed that does not permit the child of an illegal ilien to automatically become an American citizen. The Mexicans are taking over our country, so please let’s stop them now as it will only get worse. Thanks, Bill
April 25th, 2006 at 3:34 pmMy dad served in the II world war and he said that if they had not listened to the Hitlers Storm troopers that thosands more american soldiers would have been killed. What is the difference today, listening to the terroist
September 14th, 2006 at 3:52 pmWell Its Illegal and so far many Courts have Agreed that its Illegal and yet Bush still continues his actions. I know hes going to face Legal Action soon, President or not with 15 Class Action cases pending already. I know if I am ever wiretaped illegaly there will be a small riot.
October 14th, 2006 at 6:13 pmLindsey Graham is not conservative. He supports the invasion of Iraq by US soldiers and of the US by Mexicans, Indians, and Chinese. Nothing could be LESS conservative than implementing the program of Leon Trotsky..
December 12th, 2006 at 7:56 am