McCain Backtracks On ‘Apology Requirement’ For Telecom Amnesty, Supports Retroactive Immunity
McCain Backtracks On ‘Apology Requirement’ For Telecom Amnesty, Supports Retroactive Immunity
Last week, as Wired Magazine reported, Chuck Fish, a lawyer for Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) campaign, suggested that the senator would support immunity for telecoms that aided the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretapping program only if the companies offered “heartfelt repentance” for illegally spying on Americans:
As president, presumptive Republican nominee John McCain would not support immunity for the telecoms that aided the Bush administration’s warrantless spying program, unless there were revealing Congressional hearings and heartfelt repentance from those telephone and internet companies, a campaign surrogate said Wednesday.
McCain’s campaign is now backtracking from the apology requirement. In a response to the Wired interview, the McCain campaign said McCain has “shown a commitment to winning the battle against Islamic fundamentalists,” arguing that the lawyer “incorrectly represented” McCain’s position:
John McCain believes that as part of this battle, companies who assist the government in good faith should not be punished, but he also believes that Congress must put forth clear guidelines for requesting the participation of private companies, provide proper Congressional oversight of any such participation and protect all Americans privacy. After careful and deliberate consideration, fact-finding, and exploration of options, John McCain has continued to support renewal of the Foreign Intelligence and Surveillance Act. The granting of retroactive immunity supports the continuing efforts of participating companies yet should be done with explicit statements that this is not a blessing for future activities.
McCain has already voted for telecom immunity. In February he said it was “disgraceful” that Congress had not approved a bill expanding the Bush administration’s surveillance powers and granting immunity.
Making the same mistake as Vice President Cheney, the McCain campaign’s statement incorrectly suggests that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is set to expire. As Wired points out, “The Protect America Act, passed last August after much fear mongering, did expire in February, but the orders under that authority remain in effect for a year after they were approved by a judge.”
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
McCain is also for retroactive presidential daily briefings so Bush can have another look at the one from Aug. 6, 2001. McCain is “pretty sure” that Bush will understand it’s full meaning now.
Then again…
May 27th, 2008 at 6:05 pmHoly revisionist history, Batman!!
May 27th, 2008 at 6:08 pm‘McCain’ means never having to say you’re sorry
May 27th, 2008 at 6:09 pm…or wrong
May 27th, 2008 at 6:12 pmunless there were revealing Congressional hearings and heartfelt repentance from those telephone and internet companies
This is taking the idea of “corporate personhood” too far. A corporation is not a person, and it does not have a heart, so it would be impossible for a corporation to express “heartfelt repentance”. That’s why we have the expression, “Nothing personal, strictly business.”
John McCain believes that as part of this battle, companies who assist the government in good faith should not be punished,…”
There was no “good faith” assistance provided by the telecoms. The ones who did knew they were breaking the law. The only “faith” hey had was that Bush would not prosecute them. But whereas Bush can pardon someone for violating the law, I do not know if he can pardon someone who violates the constitution, since his primary responsibility is to preserve, protect and defend the constitution (not his friends and subordinates, and not corporations.)
…but he also believes that Congress must put forth clear guidelines for requesting the participation of private companies, provide proper Congressional oversight of any such participation and protect all Americans privacy.
We already have that protection – it’s called the Fourth Amendment. And when secrecy is required, we have FISA.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:17 pmre: #4, #5
– - McCain’s strategery on every issue is to “box the compass.” Most people are too stupid to know the difference and what sticks in their gray matter is whatever version they prefer.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:17 pmHmmm, or #3, #4.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:18 pmNothing like making illegal activity legal in hind-sight just to protect the Shrub.
Most criminals get caught eventually because they inevitably do something stupid which leads to their being caught.
Too bad we don’t have an honest SCOTUS, or this would be a slam-dunk.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:19 pmGrampy McSame says – My friends back in the day we didn’t have immunity, nope, a small cut could get infected and there you’d be with a wooden peg for a leg, and now those constitution loving liberals don’t want immunity for those telecoms, why would they do that, do you want your telecoms to have wooden peg legs, I had a dog with a peg leg, he would chew on it all the time, but I put an ear of corn on it one day and he stopped it, I love corn, creamed corn….uh, oh, I creamed corned my pants again.
Clean up on isle 9, geez grampy why not give murderers immunity also, does this mean I can shoot my neighbor and not go to jail for it?
May 27th, 2008 at 6:23 pmHow does this guy not get whiplash from his constant 180 degree turns.
No wonder he can’t keep anything straight. He wouldn’t know straight answer if it slapped him across the face with a dead fish.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:27 pmCongress must put forth clear guidelines for requesting the participation of private companies, provide proper Congressional oversight of any such participation and protect all Americans privacy
All Americans except Liberals, Democrats, Leftists, Progressives, Union organizers, Feminists, antiwar activists, Environmentalists, Constitutionalists, Pagans, Gays, vegetarians, Muslims, Socialists, Hippies, cyberpunks, and Beatniks.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:28 pmLOL, Buckie! ;o) You’re a genius, my friend.
Ooops, is that a baked potato I just sat on…??
May 27th, 2008 at 6:30 pmOnly if you’re Karl Rove, or some other Bush schnucknick, or if you’re sucking said schmucknick.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:33 pmbuckie Boy, you deserve a wider audience…
May 27th, 2008 at 6:37 pmIf you don’t like John McCain’s position on a particular issue, wait a minute.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:38 pmWho’s kidding who? With all the special interests/lobbyists that are part of his campaign, of course he’s for it. Bush 3 would be too. Oh wait, he IS Bush 3.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:38 pmLower the bar! Lower the bar! Lower the bar! Geez, what happens when you become a power in the Republican party, you check your ethics and honor at the door? I’d ask if this can get worse, but they’re Way too busy showing the world that there’s no limit to their insanity!
May 27th, 2008 at 6:42 pmImpeach Cheney and Bush and Save the Constitution!
Abu Ben Hussein Leporello.
Buckie Boy Says:
uh, oh, I creamed corned my pants again.
I think you’ve outdone yourself this time. I’m rolling here
May 27th, 2008 at 6:43 pm:)~
Ms_Joanne Says:
How does this guy not get whiplash from his constant 180 degree turns.
No wonder he can’t keep anything straight. He wouldn’t know straight answer if it slapped him across the face with a dead fish.
Just think about all those executive orders he can give and then take back. This isn’t as much 180 degree changes as much as others telling him “you really meant…” or “you should have said…” This guy has puppet strings attached all over his body.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:45 pmCaption: “Ouch, my friends! Putting those turds back in hurts more than putting them out. This flip-flopping is hard, my friends.”
May 27th, 2008 at 6:47 pmLOL, Buckie! ;o) You’re a genius, my friend.
Ooops, is that a baked potato I just sat on…??
Agreed. McSame was overheard asking “The egg roll didn’t look like that when I ate it, how come it looks like that now?”. I fear he will never know.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:47 pmThere was a crooked man and he talked a crooked mile,
May 27th, 2008 at 6:47 pmHe was given a crooked sixpence with a crooked smile.
He took from a crooked lobbyist, which was a crooked louse.
And they all lived together in a big crooked house.
Exit Stage Left Says:
Buckie Boy Says:
uh, oh, I creamed corned my pants again.
I think you’ve outdone yourself this time. I’m rolling here!
I just sprayed my monitor again. Our IT department is going to ban me if I short out another one. The dog with a peg ear of corn leg – my gawd!!!!
You’re going to make me pee my pants, Buckie!!!
May 27th, 2008 at 6:50 pm*
at C&L:
MoveOn: Take the Bush-McCain Challenge
May 27th, 2008 at 7:01 pm.
Hmmm. I wonder how many of McPander Bear’s pet lobbyists are active promoters of the telecom industry?
May 27th, 2008 at 7:04 pmHmmm. I wonder how many of McPander Bear’s pet lobbyists are active promoters of the telecom industry?
That’s easy – all of them. Lobbyists are basically whores for whomever will pay them to advance their argument and get them access to decision makers. If McSame’s ‘advisors’ advised dictators and criminals, then it is a very short drive to the telecom’s front door.
May 27th, 2008 at 7:22 pmMcbush is saying that nobody will take credit for the spying mess. All go free because they are corporate. The people do not deserve any answers. It’s propritary information. We bill, you pay. Shut up!
May 27th, 2008 at 7:23 pmThe real reason that Bush wants telecom immunity is because he made himself a felon by his illegal action under the US Code. This began befor 9/11. The pres of Qwest, who refused to participate in what was clearly illegal to all the lawyers of the respective telecoms was brought under investigation, which he, and others believe was solely because he did not cooperate. Its simply a misused action, abuse of power that should not be tolerated. Continually exempting large corporations romr the law is a consistent theme of this administration. The Democrats need to stop it sometime.
May 27th, 2008 at 7:45 pmI’m still struck at times, in amazement, that McCain is nominated for POTUS.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:38 pmBuckie Boy, you are a national treasure. :-D
May 27th, 2008 at 9:39 pmLast week, as Wired Magazine reported, Chuck Fish, a lawyer for Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) campaign, suggested that the senator would support immunity for telecoms that aided the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretapping program only if the companies offered “heartfelt repentance” for illegally spying on Americans
We don’t need apologies anyway. What we need is true accountablity so that further lawbreaking is discouraged. But what we need mostly is for the lawsuits against the telecoms to move forward so we can finally uncover the full story behind Bush’s lawlessness. It’s to prevent these law suits from continuing that is the real reason for the immunity.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
May 28th, 2008 at 11:31 am