Communications trade group opposes retroactive immunity.
In a letter to Congress late last week, the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) — which represents groups such as Google and Microsoft — said that it “strongly” opposes retroactive immunity for firms that cooperated with the administration’s warrantless wiretapping. CCIA President and CEO Edward Black writes:
CCIA dismisses with contempt the manufactured hysteria that industry will not aid the United States Government when the law is clear. As a representative of industry, I find that suggestion insulting. To imply that our industry would refuse assistance under established law is an affront to the civic integrity of businesses that have consistently cooperated unquestioningly with legal requests for information. This also conflates the separate questions of blanket retroactive immunity for violations of law, and prospective immunity, the latter of which we strongly support.
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These Congress critters have so many in opposition to retroactive immunity ; why are they even considering it ?
Guess their coffers need to be filled for upcoming election(s) , eh ?
The hell with that………..
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:48 pmI oppose legalizing Nixonian warrantless wiretapping thru retroactive immunity.
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:51 pmANY Democratic Congressman or woman who signs on for retroactive immunity had better get ready for a primary challenge from their home district in 2010.
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:53 pmThe Dems are going to roll over and give immunity to them anyway.
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:53 pmANY Democratic Congressman or woman who signs on for retroactive immunity had better get ready for a primary challenge from their home district in 2010.
Comment by RUCerious
I wish I could believe that this would happen, but I am starting to think that a majority of Americans don’t give a damn about freedom and privacy. Very sad.
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:55 pmIf the computer companies disagree, then they should be shouting this from the rooftops.
They have the media, internet, & the juice to do that.
At the very least, make the Telco’s cough up some start dates to verify when this began. If it was pre-9/11, they’ve got more ’splain’n to do.
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:56 pmWell said!
Democrats are STILL trying to roll over for Bush, though!
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:57 pmComment by Fritz — March 3, 2008 @ 2:53 pm
Fritz,
Just curious, have you done anything to help the dems stand up for the constitution or are you just pessimistically going to sit back and wait for the worst thing that could happen to our constitution in our lifetime come to pass?
Call these BlueDogs and urge them to do the right thing.
No Immunity!
Rep. Leonard L. Boswell, D-Iowa — Phone: (202) 225-3806, Fax: (202) 225-5608
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:58 pmRep. Marion Berry, D-Ark. — Phone: (202) 225-4076, Fax: (202) 225-5602
Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark. — Phone: (202) 225-3772, Fax: (202) 225-1314
Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D. — Phone: (202) 225-2611, Fax: (202) 226-0893
Rep. Robert E. “Bud” Cramer, D-Ala. — Phone: (202) 225-4801, Fax: (202) 225-4392
Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Ill. — Phone: (202) 225-3711, Fax: (202) 225-7830
Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C. — Phone: (202) 225-6401, Fax: (202) 226-6422
Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga. — Phone: (202) 225-2823, Fax: (202) 225-3377
Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Fla. — Phone: (202) 225-5235, Fax: (202) 225-5615
Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif. — Phone: (202) 225-6161, Fax: (202) 225-8671
Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla. — Phone: (202) 225-2701, Fax: (202) 225-3038
Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn. — Phone: (202) 225-4714, Fax: (202) 225-1765
Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah — Phone: (202) 225-3011, Fax: (202) 225-5638
Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn. — Phone: (202) 225-4311, Fax: (202) 226-1035
Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn. — Phone: (202) 225-6831, Fax: (202) 226-5172
Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind. — Phone: (202) 225-4636, Fax: (202) 225-3284
Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa. — Phone: (202) 225-5546, Fax: (202) 226-0996
Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-La. — Phone: (202) 225-4031, Fax: (202) 226-3944
Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Kan. — Phone: (202) 225-2865, Fax: (202) 225-2807
Rep. Christopher Carney, D-Pa. — Phone: (202) 225-3731, Fax: (202) 225-9594
Rep. Zack Space, D-Ohio — Phone: (202) 225-6265, Fax: (202) 225-3394
Where else has Congress granted retroactive immunity for likely lawbreaking?
This would seem to be a helpful line of inquiry.
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:58 pmSo much for “government for, of and by the people”, huh? 63% of the American people are OPPOSED to immunity for telecoms and yet, Congress decides again that they know better!
This is why I like Obama. He at least intimates he will listen to the American people and take back our government. God knows, someone needs to!
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:01 pmWhy do the telcos need immunity if they did nothing wrong?
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:04 pmThanks, TRRIRW!
I just called my closest ‘Blue Dog’ to urge him not to vote for immunity.
I urged him not to support any bill, because Bush already vetoed it.
Why is Congress still letting a 3 year old make demands on them?
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:06 pmCommunications trade group opposes retroactive immunity.
Do I hear the market speaking?
I called Melissa Bean and gave her staffer an earfull. She’s as bad as Kirk. The worst of the worst for IL.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:06 pmThe retroactive immunity stinks to already done very bad deeds. They want badly a laundry of all their dirty bussines.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:07 pmSays Google/NSA
Says Microsoft/NSA
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:11 pmthis is ot but two weeks ago gg smeared obama with this man’s story. the polygraph results are in and of course the man lied:
http://2164th.blogspot.com/ 2008/ 02/ larry-sinclair-lied-fails-lie-detector.html
gg?
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:12 pm“Thanks, TRRIRW!
I just called my closest ‘Blue Dog’ to urge him not to vote for immunity.
I urged him not to support any bill, because Bush already vetoed it.
Why is Congress still letting a 3 year old make demands on them?”
Comment by Zimzone — March 3, 2008 @ 3:06 pm
You’re welcome, Zim I’ve spent most of the day calling as many Dems in Congress that I’ve had time for, figured I wouldn’t waste my time on the Repugs as it would only fall on deaf ears. But the Dems need to know that We will not be frightened any longer and that we support them if they do the “right” thing!
This is a great resource for calling:
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:18 pmhttp://www.congress.org/ congressorg/ directory/ congdir.tt
Google and Microsoft are terrorist lovin’ hippy/commie/fascists who want to see America destroyed to ensure their own continued world domination ;)
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:19 pmI wish I could believe that this would happen, but I am starting to think that a majority of Americans don’t give a damn about freedom and privacy. Very sad.
Comment by Fritz
Unfortunately I think you are right. I saw a great bumper sticker the other day and I am buying one to put on my car. It says:
No, you can’t have my rights
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:21 pmI’m still using them
Google and Microsoft are terrorist lovin’ hippy/commie/fascists who want to see America destroyed to ensure their own continued world domination ;)
Comment by J
Ok, I’m a little confused here. How could Google and Microsoft dominate if America is destroyed? Why would they want their market destroyed? That doesn’t make any sense at all.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:23 pmJust curious, have you done anything to help the dems stand up for the constitution or are you just pessimistically going to sit back and wait for the worst thing that could happen to our constitution in our lifetime come to pass?
Call these BlueDogs and urge them to do the right thing.
No Immunity!
Comment by TheRadicalRightisRadicallyWrong
Yes, of course.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:24 pmWhere else has Congress granted retroactive immunity for likely lawbreaking?
torture was one
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:25 pmthis is ot but two weeks ago gg smeared obama with this man’s story. the polygraph results are in and of course the man lied:
http://2164th.blogspot.com/ 2008/ 02/ larry-sinclair-lied-fails-lie-detector.html
gg?
Comment by joe cantwell
I certainly hope you aren’t expecting an “I was wrong” from gg. Not going to happen.
What amazes me about that story is that it has not been reported on Faux Noise. I would have thought they would be all over it.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:25 pmRockefeller and the Republicrats are selling us out on retroactivity. The only remaining question is whether you care enough to not support ANY House incumbent who sells out!
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:26 pmComment by bilbobaggins — March 3, 2008 @ 3:23 pm
I’ll give you a hint - it may be sarcasm.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:28 pmThe United States government want to Data Mine all communications. There is now a presumption of guilt for all Americans.
If the Bush government and the Telcos do not pay for their crimes AND stop the Data Mining and Pattern Recognition our country is finished.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:28 pmDoes that mean the secret room at AT&T that is getting a carbon copy of all Internet traffic that goes through AT&T’s Internet servers will be legal
http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/ government-spying-on-all-att-whistleblower-mark-klein
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:30 pmAn exact copy of all Internet traffic that flowed through critical AT&T cables — e-mails, documents, pictures, Web browsing, voice-over-Internet phone conversations, everything — was being diverted to equipment inside the secret room.â€
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:32 pmThey want to know what books you read and they want to know whom you talk to.
And as long as you’re not doing something they don’t like then they consider your privacy NOT VIOLATED.
This is total bullshit. And they cannot do it without the goddamn phone companies.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:32 pmwith Google being NSA and microsft firewall being NSA
well thats all your right s gone in one democratic vote ( literally ) ha ha
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:33 pmI still think the moral issues (right to redress, etc.) trump this argument.
But at the same time, if the industry doesn’t want immunity, why are we even considering it.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:33 pmWhat amazes me about that story is that it has not been reported on Faux Noise. I would have thought they would be all over it.
Comment by bilbobaggins — March 3, 2008 @ 3:25 pm
even they wouldn’t touch an overt smear like that, but not our gg!
(apologies again for being ot)
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:33 pmFor their part, AT&T is not denying anything, issuing a pablum-weak public statement saying only that “AT&T is fully committed to protecting our customers’ privacy. We do not comment on matters of national security.â€
It’s rumoured that with news of this breaking week, some people with AT&T accounts have started switching to other providers. Of course, with so many peering agreements, it’s not likely to make much of a difference, but it is still a statement. That said, the government likely has similar installations at other major providers - in fact Qwest is the only provider known to openly refuse government requests for wholesale, warrantless access to date.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:34 pmListen even your mobile switched off they can still listen in ….. and they dont need a warrant because there are no cables to get a spying order for
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:36 pmIf these phone companies are allowed to Data Mine Amercians, for the government, unchallenged, then it will become time for Patriotic Americans working for phone companies to stop this. The only reason we know about this secret room is a patriotic phone company employee.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:37 pmThey do not consider Data Mining and Pattern Recognition encroachments on civil liberties.
This is a presumption of guilt for All Americans.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:38 pmJohn Edwards has some free time now.
Mr. Edwards, how about a class action suit on warrantless spying?
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:52 pm‘Yes, of course.”
Comment by Fritz — March 3, 2008 @ 3:24 pm
Glad to hear it! Good on ya!
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:55 pm‘The only remaining question is whether you care enough to not support ANY House incumbent who sells out!”
Comment by Doc Rock — March 3, 2008 @ 3:26 pm
I will vote against any that do! In fact I’m toying with the idea of Running against Tim Murphy (R) PA for getting up and walking out of the house 2 weeks ago with the rest of the enablers when the Dems were bringing up the contempt issue right before the last break. And Also for his support if Telecom immunity.
March 3rd, 2008 at 3:59 pmBush saying that the telecoms will not cooperate is effectively stating that they would break existing law. With a proper warrant, they have no choice. They MUST cooperate. It’s time that Google, etc. along with the people mount a vociferous campaign AGAINST telecom immunity. We know what Bush is up to on this and it has zippo to do with him caring what happens to the telecoms.
Here’s the way it will go: The class actions against the telecoms will eventually pierce through to George W. Bush - The telecoms will simply state that they assumed Bush was following the letter of the law with appropriate warrants for the spying and off the hook they slide - leaving Chimpy totally responsible and vulnerable…..the Emperor without his clothes.
This has everything to do with keeping Bush’s butt out of jail someday for breaking existing FISA laws; it has nothing to do with the telecoms. Besides, with all the money these monopolies have, it’s small potatoes to any of them to have to “lawyer up” if need be.
Why do we not hear these telecoms screeching about this heinous violation of the law? Could it be because Bush never promised them immunity which presupposes that he was asking them to violate the law but, instead, he told them that it was perfectly “legal” and he had appropriate “warrants”?? It’s beginning to look that way if one reads between the lines.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:16 pmCouple that with Dana Airhead’s claim that what Bush did was “legal” and I believe herein lies the answer. It’s the pat answer given to the telecoms which implied that what he was doing was perfectly legal according to FISA laws and with warrants. So this probably has more to do with Bushocchio’s lie about the immunity factor than his lie to the telecoms about the legality of what he was doing.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:18 pmAnd what it distills down to is that this is all about Bush’s Immunity for himself and no one else if that’s the way it all went down.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:19 pmThe administration was tapping conversations of people they should not have tapped, and we need to know who they tapped.
March 3rd, 2008 at 6:47 pm.
One of the defining principles to what it means to be an American, is the freedom from a form of Government that needs to spy on it’s own people; THE FREEDOM FROM TYRANNY. Thus The Fourth Amendment.
R E M E M B E R:
THEY(sic) HATE US FOR OUR FREEDOMS…
And so, THEY(sic) lobby and debate the merits to undermining that characteristic, that freedom, that Right. When Americans and America lose that Right and freedom, who wins?
WHAT DOES CONGRESS SUPPORT AND DEFEND IF NOT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE USA?
.
March 4th, 2008 at 1:04 am