Rush Holt: Safeguarding the US Constitution

What is the Protect America Act reauthorization debate all about? According to Congressman Rush Holt (D NJ) its about changing a bedrock principle of the American form of democracy that would allow the executive branch to spy on American citizens without the check of a warrant from the judicial branch. That is, the Bush White House intends

... to fundamentally change the relationship between the people and their government... and that's scary and it's troubling and it could be long lasting.

In response to a recent essay of mine on warrantless fear mongering, a commenter recently asked "Who is going to protect Americans from the Protect America Act.?" My reply was,

The PEOPLE. AND, apparently Congressman Rush Holt is doing a pretty good job of it.

Below is a video interview with Holt by Robert Kennedy, Jr. It was conducted prior to last weekend's show down between the House Democrats and the White House. Holt was pessimistic in the interview, but still fighting. Holt apparently won a short term victory, because the House leadership decided it would let the Protect America Act expire rather than vote on it.


Interview by Robert Kennedy Jr. of Congressman Rush Holt

Much attention has been focused on whether or not Congress would use the Protect America Act as a vehicle for giving the telecommunications industry immunity from prosecution for being party to Bush's violation of the 4th amendment to the constitution against warrantless searches (surveillance). Holt, as noted above, points out that the implications are much deeper.

The fight is not over. Contact your representative. Tell them you Do NOT want the Protect America Act to be reauthorized. No action is good action in this case.

Also, contact Rush Holt and thank him for his service to the Nation: 202-225-5801.

Sources:

Ring of Fire Radio and GoLeft.TV.

Warrantless Fear Mongering

Will the Democrats stand up to Bush's warrantless fear mongering on domestic wiretapping? It appears that they have, for the time being.

It appears that the fear mongering of Bush and the Republican Congress is warrantless.

Many intelligence scholars and analysts outside the government say that today's expiration of certain temporary domestic wiretapping laws will have little effect on national security...

With the Protect America Act expiring this weekend, domestic wiretapping rules will revert to the ... Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which requires the government to obtain a warrant from a special court to conduct foreign intelligence surveillance in the United States.

Gotta love the name, "Protect America Act." That's the law that lets the president intercept domestic phone calls and emails without a warrant. Do you trust the president, Republican or Democrat? I don't.

It's always worth re-reading the fourth amendment to the U.S. Constitution at times like these:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

shall not be violated, period. Warrants are only issued if there is "probable cause," not just for curiosity sake, to to see if, maybe somebody is thinking about maybe doing something to resist the US empire.

So, Bush turns to the fear card... again. But even the conservative Washington Times is reporting that the FISA law, updated in 2001, is sufficient; we don't need the additional Protect America Act, which allows unconstitutional warrantless surveillance.

The House Democrats are wise to take no action on reauthorizing Protect America Act. The Senate has passed a version that includes retroactive immunity for the telecommunications industry from prosecution for their role in warrantless spying on American citizens, that is, violating the fourth amendment to the Bill of Rights. The House Democrats know that, if they reauthorize the Protect America Act, even without an immunity amendment, reconciliation of the House and Senate versions by a conference committee would likely result in immunity.

We need to support the Democratic House members who are taking a stand to protect our civil liberties. Now is the time for all good citizens to contact their US Representatives:

CLICK to Contact Your House Member. Ask them to let the "Protect America Act" expire for good. Don't reauthorize it, period. FISA is sufficient.

Update:

One of the tireless members of Congress fighting on our behalf is Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ). Learn more and watch an interview with him.

Sources:

Washington Times, Analysts say FISA will suffice, Sean Lengell, February 16, 2008.

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