Legal Commentary

Important FISA Statement by House Judiciary Committee

By Professor University of Miami School of Law

I don’t know if this will be important politically, but it is important intellectually.

The Gavel » Blog Archive » Judiciary Committee Members: Administration Has Not Made the Case for Telecom Immunity Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers and 19 Members of the Judiciary Committee issued a statement regarding telecommunications immunity, as the House prepares to consider the FISA Amendments Act of 2008. Following a review of classified information relating to the warrantless surveillance program and immunity for telecommunications companies, the Members reported their conclusion that the Administration has not established a valid and credible case to justify granting blanket retroactive immunity at this time.

The full text of the statement is quite long and careful.

Not only does it give new details of what’s been going on, but it demolishes the case that there’s some justification lurking in the secret documents that might justify the Rockefeller retreat from legality.

Full post as published by Discourse.net on March 12, 2008 (boomark / email).