Telecom Immunity bill dying, thanks to you -- KEEP IT UP!

Hurrah! The Telecom Immunity Bill -- which will let the phone companies off the hook for helping the NSA to illegally spy on Americans -- is dying in Congress, thanks to your calls and letters.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation's Danny O'Brien sez, "Harry Reid just announced that given the complexity and contentiousness of immunity (which he says he backs Dodd in opposing) the bill will be taken off the floor, and not return before the holidays. Your calls, your letters, and Dodds' filibustering did their work. Now we need to keep the pressure up, and keep telecom immunity off the table forever."

Here's the thing: EFF and others are suing the telecoms for participating in the wiretapping program. These lawsuits are the best chance we have of getting the details of the program into the public, so we can finally find out what the NSA have been doing to us all these years. The reason the government wants to grant the telecoms immunity is to keep the dirty laundry in the closet -- to keep us from finding out how they've been breaking the law.

If we stop telecom immunity, we'll probably get to call the NSA and the government to account, too. If the telecoms get immunized, the government could get a walk as well. Link

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erindipity

“IT’S ILEEEEGAL!”
verySmartApe

What a weird vote. Only 10 democrats voted against advancing the bill with telco immunity. Stalwarts like Feinstein and Schumer voted ‘yea’. Then Dodd becomes an unlikely hero with a virtual 1-man filibuster. Thanks Dodd!

Kerry actually voted against the bill, despite him receiving tons of money from AT&T (http://www.opensecrets.org) . Weird weird weird.

I think the telco money must run deep on both sides of the aisle.
noen

This is hardly over, the bill has merely been tabled until the Senate reconvenes in January. It is a small victory though and Sen Dodd is to be congratulated for his hard work. Be sure to let him know how much you appreciate it.

January is a long time away and there is plenty of time for arms to be twisted. It is important to remember that this isn’t really even about immunity for the Telecoms. This is about protecting this administration. They have committed crimes that would be revealed in discovery if the lawsuit against ATT goes forward. That is what this is ultimately about and this admin will do whatever it takes to keep those secrets.

George Bush committed a felony when he chose to ignore FISA. Telecom immunity keeps discovery frozen so that it cannot be used again in the next case and it also keeps his article II wartime powers claim alive. “Team Dick” will not allow that to happen because this administration cannot survive discovery.
Bazilisk

Wow! You mean citizens can actually have some sort of an impact on politics? Holy shit, I feel so cool for having called my senators and emailed them the other day. This is the first time I have seen this whole “call your senator while masses of other people call their senators too” thing actually WORK. Thanks for spreading the good news. I will keep it up. I mean, erm, WE will keep it up. :D
Teresa Nielsen Hayden / Moderator

Hey, I phoned my senators.
mdhatter

Show Chris Dodd some love, he is swinging hard for our side.
albedo

@THIVAI

I agree that it’ll eventually pass. But they’ll use substitution as a compromise–where the government sits in with them in court and fights the telcos’ battle. That way, the telcos don’t have to sue the Administration and we foot the bill while they buy time!

Meanwhile, this administration comes and goes and the next one, who’ll likely be in just as(s) deep with the telcos gets to stall discovery further.

Dodd is a hero, leaving his campaign to work for all of us. QWEST is also heroic for telling the Administration to show them the court order first; and where did it get the CEO? …prosecuted for some other questionable shit.
thivai

This bill is going to pass. If the telecom lawsuits are allowed to go forward, there’s a likelihood they’ll turn around and sue the government, which is why so few legislators are trying to block the bill. Dems will rattle swords about “immunity” and then roll over. Again.

This is such a critical issue, and it’s disheartening but not surprising to see our “representatives” doing so very little to protect our rights or carry out our will. Can someone tell me again why we can’t just fire all these clowns?