telecom immunity news stories on Newser

Obama Playing With Fire Over FISA 'Sell-Out'

John Johnson — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:35:05 CDT

Barack Obama was never the great reformer his supporters made him out to be, but his decision to give telecom companies immunity for spying on Americans is nevertheless "unforgivable," writes Joan Walsh in Salon. She's tired of the "political cave-ins" and says Obama better not to take his base for...

Senate passes FISA, 69-28

Jonas Oransky — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:50:00 CDT

The Senate approved a bill today overhauling the rules on secret US government eavesdropping and granting immunity to telephone companies that helped it listen in after 9/11. The so-called FISA bill passed by a large margin of 69-28. The upper house also voted against three amendments that would have watered...

As Congress Caves on FISA, Coalition Urges Fighting Back

Jonas Oransky — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:43:19 CDT

With a vote set for tomorrow on a new domestic surveillance bill that grants immunity to telecoms involved in warrantless wiretapping of US citizens, Glenn Greenwald urges Salon readers to donate to a "coalition devoted to the preservation of basic constitutional protections and the rule of law." The "money bomb"...

House Passes Compromise FISA Bill

Jonas Oransky — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:45:53 CDT

The House today approved a bill updating FISA law and granting qualified immunity to telecom companies that aided the Bush administration in warrantless wiretapping. A majority of Democrats opposed the bill, which passed 293-129. Nancy Pelosi supported the measure despite serious reservations because it refutes the administration's argument about "inherent...

'Sweeping' House Deal Would Expand Spy Powers

Jonas Oransky — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:40:00 CDT

House leaders brokered a long-awaited compromise on spy powers today, bringing much of the post-9/11 NSA activities—illegal at the time—under law and granting a qualified immunity to telecom companies that participated in the extra-FISA program, the Wall Street Journal reports. The “most sweeping rewrite” of spy law in...