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Judge Orders Bush Admin. to Halt Illegal Wiretapping


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Judge Orders Halt to Warrantless Surveillance

Bush Administration Says It Will Appeal the Ruling

DETROIT (Aug. 17) - A federal judge ruled Thursday that the government's warrantless surveillance program is unconstitutional and ordered an immediate halt to it.

U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor in Detroit became the first judge to strike down the National Security Agency's program, which she says violates the rights to free speech and privacy as well as the separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution.

Read more at AOL News

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"The Government appears to argue here that, pursuant to the penumbra of Constitutional language in Article II, and particularly because the President is designated Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, he has been granted the inherent power to violate not only the laws of the Congress but the First and Fourth Amendments of the Constitution, itself.

We must first note that the Office of the Chief Executive has itself been created, with its powers, by the Constitution. There are no hereditary Kings in America and no power not created by the Constitution. So all "inherent power" must derive from that Constitution." [my emphasis]

Finally! Read some of the highlights from the decision - they're devastating to the Bush Administration:

Source: TPM Muckraker.com

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Bush Vows to Fight Wiretapping Ruling

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 — President Bush said today that he is confident that a federal court ruling against his administration’s electronic surveillance program will be overturned, and he described those who hailed the ruling as naïve.

“I would say that those who herald this decision simply do not understand the nature of the world in which we live,” Mr. Bush said in a question-answer session at Camp David, Md. “I strongly disagree with that decision, strongly disagree. That’s why I instructed the Justice Department to appeal immediately. And I believe our appeals will be upheld.”

“We believe, strongly believe, it’s constitutional,” the president added. “And if Al Qaeda is calling into the United States, we want to know why they’re calling.”

Read more at the NYTimes

What a moron! There is a process in which he can apply for a warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Courts - its essentially a rubber stamp operation. In fact you can do so retroactively. The suggestion by the President that outlawing his surveillance program would curtail knowing what calls Al Qaeda was making....is a boldfaced lie - there's a legal process in which this information can be had. The fact is that the President wants to expand his own powers...and whether its at the expense of our civil liberties is of no concern to him.

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