spyingHouse Dems Proposing Commission to Investigate Warrantless Spying, Still Reject Amnesty
Not only shouldn't companies that helped the government's warrantless spying on American citizens be given retroactive amnesty, the government should establish a national commission --- similar to the 9/11 Commission --to subpoena documents and testimony in order to find out -- and publish -- what exactly the nation's spies were up to during their five year warrantless, domestic surveillance program.
In other words, House Democrats aren't planning a compromise on telecom amnesty and are actually going on offense to find a way to learn more about President Bush's five-year secret "Total Information Awareness" program.
At least that's what's suggested by a 119-page draft bill being circulated by the leaders of the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees as answer to the Administration-backed Senate spying bill.
The bill proposes a way for the government to issue blanket surveillance orders in order to force American telecom and internet providers to give the government a copy of every phone call, email or instant message that is believed to involve a foreigner. That mimics the Senate version and largely legalizes the president's warrantless wiretapping program.
