Monday, December 19, 2005

Investigate Domestic Spying


Louise Slaughter Demands Answers!

Another opportunity to demand accountability from the Bush Administration.   Louise Slaughter stood with John Conyers and AfterDowningStreet.org and the Big Brass Alliance in seeking an explanation for the DowningStreetMemo.   Now we can stand by her in forcing answers about Bush's Illegal Spying on Americans.   Please join me in signing this petition as well as the petition by Act For Change.   - fc


Update:   By the way of Action Alerts :: Barbara Mikulski is calling for an investigation also.   Please take the time to visit my friends at Action Alerts and see what Cedwyn and George Washington Hayduke and the crew have found on this issue.   - fc


Louise Slaughter
Demand Hearings for Domestic Spying




Last week, we learned from the New York Times that President George W. Bush signed a presidential order in 2002 allowing the National Security Agency to spy on US citizens without court-approved warrants.



Our law forbids warrant less surveillance of American citizens, and it provides the Government with a set of procedures to follow in emergency situations, when federal agents do not have enough time to get a warrant. (Foreign Intelligence Service Act, 50 U.S.C. Chapter 36, Subchapter I) If the Times report is correct, the Bush government may have acted illegally by not following these procedures.



Moreover, this report raised serious constitutional questions as to whether the President’s order violated the Fourth Amendment, and the requirement that the President "shall take Care that Laws be faithfully executed." (Article II, sec. 3)



Congress has the responsibility to call out the Administration, determine the facts of this story, and find out whether the Bush Administration did in fact take actions which violated the constitutional and legal parameters for the Executive Branch. The House of Representatives must do their part in holding this Administration accountable if in fact it acted with total disregard of our laws.



We the undersigned urge Congressman James Sensenbrenner Jr., Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Congressman Peter Hoekstra, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, to hold hearings demanding answers on Bush's domestic spying.








Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

FISA :: Wikipedia

FISA Info :: EFF

FISA :: ACLU :: Action

FISA :: ACLU :: Action