Bush administration refuses to turn over telecom documents.
Bush administration refuses to turn over telecom documents.
Newsweek’s Michael Isikoff reports that the Bush administration is “refusing to disclose internal e-mails, letters and notes showing contacts with major telecommunications companies over how to persuade Congress” to back telecom immunity in a recent surveillance bill. Court declarations show extensive contacts between industry officials and the administration:
One court declaration, for example, confirms the existence of notes showing that a telecom representative called an Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) lawyer last fall to talk about “various options” to block the lawsuits, including “such options as court orders and legislation.”
Another declaration refers to a letter and “four fax cover sheets” exchanged between the telecoms and ODNI over the surveillance matter. Yet another discloses e-mails in which lawyers for the telecoms and the Justice Department “seek or discuss recommendations on legislative strategy.”
The administration has claimed that releasing certain documents “would provide our adversaries with a road map” to help them thwart surveillance.
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
36 Responses to “Bush administration refuses to turn over telecom documents.”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Register
RSSLogin
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog RollAbout Think ProgressContact Us
Donate
This would imply that the White House doesn’t trust members of Congress if the WH thinks that revealing these documents to Congress “would provide our adversaries with a road map” to help them thwart surveillance.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:40 pmToo many Crooks in the Kitchen.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:41 pmUnder the threat from Islamofascist terrorist boogeymen, we can obviously no longer afford such decadent luxuries as the FOIA.
We must destroy our freedoms in order to save them.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:42 pmOne word: subpoena. Not that the Dems will do that…
May 1st, 2008 at 1:43 pmAre you serious? Since when had anyone in this administration considered a subpoena anything more than toilet paper?
May 1st, 2008 at 1:45 pmI think that we’re all agreed that this calls for a very strongly worded memo.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:45 pm“The administration has claimed that releasing certain documents “would provide our adversaries with a road map” to help them thwart surveillance.”
This is true, given that ‘our adversaries’ means ‘the American Public’. Once ‘The people versus George W. Bush’ commences, this will be all the more clear.
I’m sick of fact that we’ve gotten to the point that any argument is considered legitimate, just because someone is willing to commit it to paper.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:46 pmIt’s Executive Privilege for the White House to tell the telcos where to send their Congressional PAC contributions.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:53 pmLet’s see, he works for the public, therefor those are public property, but he won’t give them up because it will prove his criminal intent….
…..THE WORST, MOST CRIMINAL PRESIDENT IN HISTORY.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:53 pmHey - I like this game - if it’s not “ecexutive priviledge” it’s “national security.”
Remember when W ran on a platform of “being a uniter, not a divider” and “restoring honor to the White House?”
How’s that working out, again?
May 1st, 2008 at 1:53 pmA roadmap to thwart surveillance
**tweeeeet** 15 yard penalty on the defensive team for illogical use of mouth.
The only place an investigation is likely to take us to the White House as the source of illegal use of government agencies and resources to engage in surveillance. So if you add the word “illegal” between “thwart” and “surveillance”, then perhaps the administration’s stances is, technically, correct.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:56 pmSo they have to spy on me to keep me safe? Is that how it works? That would suggest I should spy on THEM, to keep them safe. I think my head hurts now….
May 1st, 2008 at 1:57 pmExcuse me, but how could communications from the telcoms to the White House over immunity from prosecution have anything to do with terrorist surveillance. Is there anything on gods green earth that Bush won’t claim is under EP due to having to do with National Security. Someone needs to stop this now. Since it won’t be Congress, who can do it?
May 1st, 2008 at 1:58 pmJust the fact they refuse to turn over any documents proves how guilty they are. One if this mis-Administrations talking points is “if you have nothing to hide you have nothing to worry about”, by not showing any documents is proof they are hiding all the illegal wiretaps not just from us or “tyhe terrorists” but even Congress. I would have probably never heard of this if it wasn’t for the internet I doubt there will little to nothing in the media.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:02 pmIf information ‘provides our adversaries with a roadmap’, it should be classified. What is this administration doing sending classified information via faxes and e-mail? Are they so callous with our national security???
/snark off
May 1st, 2008 at 2:02 pmDon’t we EVER get to a tipping point where the lawlessness of this adminstration is so outrageous that the populace DEMANDS a remedy? Or, are they counting on us all being so numb to the pain that nothing happens.
They’ve completely redefined ‘outrageous’.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:05 pmThe administration has claimed that releasing certain documents “would provide Democrats with a road map” to help them thwart surveillance of Democrats.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:05 pmHow to thwart their surveillance???????
Don’t use a phone.
That.
Was.
Hard?
May 1st, 2008 at 2:07 pmWTF? No HT for me? See Thinkfast #69…
But anyhoo, these fu(kers gots lots to hide.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:24 pmWatch them scurry from the light of day…
Bilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
“Someone needs to stop this now. Since it won’t be Congress, who can do it?”
It sure as hell WON’T be AG Mukasey or the Supreme Court. What other options are there?
May 1st, 2008 at 2:26 pm“a telecom representative called an Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) lawyer last fall to talk about “various options” to block the lawsuits, including “such options as court orders and legislation.”
This is disturbing. Why would a telecom lawyer think that the ODNI would have enough influence to affect court orders? Legislation - yes, but court orders? This would be tantamount to bribing judges, wouldn’t it?
May 1st, 2008 at 2:27 pm“We’re surveilling them here, so we don’t have to surveil them over there.”
May 1st, 2008 at 2:30 pmI’m SHOCKED, I tell you: SHOCKED that the Bush administration would break the law!!!
Not.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:31 pmI
May 1st, 2008 at 2:32 pmM
P
E
A
C
H
?
RUCerious Says:
——————————————————————————–
WTF? No HT for me? See Thinkfast #69…
Big HT for you! I saw your post and went and read the Article over at newsweek via the link you posted, then sat and stewed in my own juices over the lack of accountability being levied against this CRIMINAL administration! So if TP won’t HT ya, I will! ;)
May 1st, 2008 at 2:35 pmDieNowForPeace Says:
How to thwart their surveillance???????
Don’t use a phone.
Also don’t use email, hell don’t even use the internet at all, since is is netted as well. ( comcast and other providers have suits pending for warrantless taps also )
And make sure your lights are off in the bedroom.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:35 pmIf they use nightvision cameras that won’t help though, just make sure you give them a good show in that case.
Again this has to be mentioned referring to all the crime going on:
Hillary would you also continue investigations of criminal activity concerning the Bush administration?
If she publicly agreed would the MSM drop her also?
May 1st, 2008 at 2:42 pmSpying occurred prior to 9/11…lest we forget.
Remember how Bush kept setting deadlines for Congress on this?
I think they’re worried that this one may be the ‘pretzel that broke the Chimp’s back’.
Executive Privilege, Unitary Executive, Unitary Vice-President; these are all new words to the American vernacular. Diversions, lies and truthiness have become the new MO for this gang of thieves. The media knows it. The world knows it. We know it.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:50 pmMost corrupt administration ever.
ive got half a mind to write a harshly-worded letter!!!
May 1st, 2008 at 3:03 pmhad enough Says:
Hillary would you also continue investigations of criminal activity concerning the Bush administration?
If she publicly agreed would the MSM drop her also?
Are you kidding. Hillary is not going to prosecute anyone. Want to know why? She wants the same power for herself that Bush has. More and more I am coming to believe that Hillary as our President would also be another four years of Bush’s policies, at least when it comes to the powers he has bestowed upon himself.
May 1st, 2008 at 3:11 pmMay 1st, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Bilbo Hussein Baggins Says
May 1st, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Is there anything on gods green earth that Bush won’t claim is under EP due to having to do with National Security. Someone needs to stop this now. Since it won’t be Congress, who can do it?
________________________________________________
Your guess is as good as mine. However, I have always believed that the reason we have managed to exist for almost 232 years without violent revolutions, juntas, etc. (with the exception of some rebellious states in 1861) is that our system of government WORKS. This is why we have a constitution. This is why we have checks and balances. This is why we have a system where there are legal ways of dealing with tyrants.
Unfortunately, the fact that the legal ways of dealing with tyrants aren’t being exercised leaves us vulnerable to somebody attempting to stop the madness through illegal means, and turning us into something resembling a banana republic. And this is frightening.
May 1st, 2008 at 3:28 pmprovide our adversaries with a road map” to help them thwart surveillance.
Shrub is right. Our adverseries are the American People quoting the Constitution. We can’t let them win! Victory or Death !
May 1st, 2008 at 4:15 pmHey, we invented GPS here, doesn’t Tom Tom know the way to Victory? I personally do not have a GPS unit but I’m sure the way to Victory will involve a turn to the left!
May 1st, 2008 at 4:27 pmThe administration has claimed that releasing certain documents “would provide our adversaries with a road map” to help them thwart surveillance.
No, it would expose SOME of the TREASON that the Bush WAR CRIMINALS and the Telecoms have committed.
“following orders” is no defense for the Telecoms, as the Nuremburg trials clearly showed…
May 1st, 2008 at 5:11 pmThanks TRRiRW!
May 1st, 2008 at 6:19 pm