Monday, January 28, 2008
...And Another Plea: "Senators set to cave on accountability - don't let them!"
<><><><><><><><>
Forward this e-mail | Subscribe to PFAW Action Alerts
PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY January 28, 2008
Dear Don,
Our timeline's been accelerated -- an important vote is happening in the Senate TODAY that could end debate on the Intelligence Committee version of FISA Amendments Act (S. 2248) and send this terrible bill toward passage.
After several days of debate, the bill still includes retroactive immunity for telecom companies and undermines due process rights by not guaranteeing individualized warrants.
A cloture vote (requiring 60 votes to pass) on a "managers' amendment" is coming up and will decide if S. 2248 is to move forward. Your senator may be a critical swing vote and that one vote could make a difference.
Tell your Senator to vote against cloture on the managers' amendment and stop S. 2248.
Please call NOW. In a few hours it might be too late.
Find your senator on the target list below and call now:
Arkansas - Sen. Mark Pryor: 202-224-2353
Colorado - Sen. Ken Salazar: 202-224-5852
Connecticut - Sen. Joe Lieberman: 202-224-4041
Delaware - Sen. Tom Carper: 202-224-2441
Florida - Sen. Bill Nelson: 202-224-5274
Hawaii - Sen. Daniel Inouye: 202-224-3934
Indiana - Sen. Evan Bayh: 202-224-5623
Louisiana - Sen. Mary Landrieu: 202-224-5824
Maryland - Sen. Barbara Mikulski: 202-224-4654
Missouri - Sen. Claire McCaskill: 202-224-6154
Nebraska - Sen. Ben Nelson: 202-224-6551
South Dakota - Sen. Tim Johnson: 202-224-5842
West Virginia - Sen. Jay Rockefeller: 202-224-5323
(If you have trouble with any of these numbers, try the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.)
Here's some extra talking points that may be of use:
By authorizing government spies to bypass the process mandated by FISA, President Bush told them to break the law.
The so-called "Protect America Act," which passed in August, made the situation worse by sanctioning a legal infrastructure under which American citizens might unwittingly be subject to daily, repeated invasions of privacy or violations of other constitutional rights.
All parties involved must be held accountable for any illegal activity, including telecommunications companies (telecoms) that satisfied government requests for information about private communications.
It is unacceptable that the FISA reform being debated now seeks blanket immunity for the telecoms' alleged complicity in the administration's actions.
In protecting the telecoms, the Bush administration is protecting itself.
Immunity compromises will not serve the interests of the American people.
Congress should err on the side of our Constitution and not bow to political pressure by signing off on telecom immunity.
Thank you for your activism!
-- Your Allies at People For the American Way
Link
Forward this e-mail | Subscribe to PFAW Action Alerts
PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY January 28, 2008
Dear Don,
Our timeline's been accelerated -- an important vote is happening in the Senate TODAY that could end debate on the Intelligence Committee version of FISA Amendments Act (S. 2248) and send this terrible bill toward passage.
After several days of debate, the bill still includes retroactive immunity for telecom companies and undermines due process rights by not guaranteeing individualized warrants.
A cloture vote (requiring 60 votes to pass) on a "managers' amendment" is coming up and will decide if S. 2248 is to move forward. Your senator may be a critical swing vote and that one vote could make a difference.
Tell your Senator to vote against cloture on the managers' amendment and stop S. 2248.
Please call NOW. In a few hours it might be too late.
Find your senator on the target list below and call now:
Arkansas - Sen. Mark Pryor: 202-224-2353
Colorado - Sen. Ken Salazar: 202-224-5852
Connecticut - Sen. Joe Lieberman: 202-224-4041
Delaware - Sen. Tom Carper: 202-224-2441
Florida - Sen. Bill Nelson: 202-224-5274
Hawaii - Sen. Daniel Inouye: 202-224-3934
Indiana - Sen. Evan Bayh: 202-224-5623
Louisiana - Sen. Mary Landrieu: 202-224-5824
Maryland - Sen. Barbara Mikulski: 202-224-4654
Missouri - Sen. Claire McCaskill: 202-224-6154
Nebraska - Sen. Ben Nelson: 202-224-6551
South Dakota - Sen. Tim Johnson: 202-224-5842
West Virginia - Sen. Jay Rockefeller: 202-224-5323
(If you have trouble with any of these numbers, try the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.)
Here's some extra talking points that may be of use:
By authorizing government spies to bypass the process mandated by FISA, President Bush told them to break the law.
The so-called "Protect America Act," which passed in August, made the situation worse by sanctioning a legal infrastructure under which American citizens might unwittingly be subject to daily, repeated invasions of privacy or violations of other constitutional rights.
All parties involved must be held accountable for any illegal activity, including telecommunications companies (telecoms) that satisfied government requests for information about private communications.
It is unacceptable that the FISA reform being debated now seeks blanket immunity for the telecoms' alleged complicity in the administration's actions.
In protecting the telecoms, the Bush administration is protecting itself.
Immunity compromises will not serve the interests of the American people.
Congress should err on the side of our Constitution and not bow to political pressure by signing off on telecom immunity.
Thank you for your activism!
-- Your Allies at People For the American Way
Labels: FISA, illegal spying, warrantless wiretapping
Link
