Amicus Afternoon Edition - Can You Hear Me Now?

With less than 24 hours to go on the Senate vote for/against granting immunity to the phone companies, this edition is dedicated to the Fourth Amendment. We will miss you, big guy.

• How a Congressman Should Act: Morgan Bowen Takes on Hatch, Bennett, and yes (gasp!) even Matheson over Telecom Immunity. (Show him some love for coming out on the right side of this one)


• Getting FISA Right: Bloggers Respond to Senator Obama.


• Telecom Campaign Donations Tied Directly to Reps Voting in Favor of Immunity.


• The Rule of Law: 1974 vs. 2008


• Stand up and Deliver on FISA (They work for us!)


• Full Page Ad Against Retro-Active Immunity in Today's Washington Post.


• Democrats Capitulate to President, Call it Compromise.


• There's Still Time. Call Your Senator.

Urgent: Dialing for the Rule of Law

Tomorrow the US Senate will vote on H.R. 6304, a bill sent to them via a compliant Congress, eager to hand President Bush full discretion over our right to privacy and an open government process. Beyond setting a tragic precedent (sending "break the law now, we'll make it legal later" message to everyone, not just phone companies), the new bill would:

• Grant complete retro-active immunity for phone companies who have broken the law in violating the privacy of law-abiding American citizens.


• Allow the "bulk collection" of all international communications (even those calls not targeted for surveillance) in a "storage facility" system of questionable integrity against outside breach.


• Strip court oversight over the use of illegally collected information.

In the interest of transparency and respect for the US Constitution, I'm urging Utah voters to pick up their phones and contact Senators Hatch and Bennett to tell them you oppose the protection of phone companies being placed before the protection of our most basic Constitutional rights.

Senator Hatch: (202) 224-5251

Senator Bennett: (202) 224-5444

Citizen patriotism can stop this abuse of power. Make some time, make some calls. Stand up for the Rule of Law.

Amicus Morning Edition: The Warrantless Wire-Tapping Episode

Reactions to Friday's FISA vote from the blogosphere:

• Blue America strikes back. See the ad.


• Dailykos: If the Bush Administration Directs Them to...


• FireDogLake: Unconstitutional Travesty.


• Greenwald: What They Meant By "Bipartisan."


• OpenLeft: The System Melts Down.


• TalkLeft: FISA Wasn't Broke, It Needs No Fix.


• Me: Mad As Hell.


• JM Bell: 104 Democrats Need to Step Down.


• One Utah: Tell Obama to Honor His Pledge.


• RedState: We Like It!