Telcos secretly lobbying for wiretap immunity

Danny O'Brien of the EFF says,

Newsweek is reporting that companies like AT&T, working with the White House are using their money to push for blanket retroactive immunity for their involvement in the administration's warrantless wiretapping schemes:

But critics say the language proposed by the White House—drafted in close cooperation with the industry officials—is so extraordinarily broad that it would provide retroactive immunity for all past telecom actions related to the surveillance program. Its practical effect, they argue, would be to shut down any independent judicial or state inquires into how the companies have assisted the government in eavesdropping on the telephone calls and e-mails of U.S. residents in the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks.

The plan is to kill by fiat the court case the EFF is running against these phone companies. What's weird is the Democrats appear to be going along with this, even though it would effectively cover up the Bush administration's past crimes. As Glenn Greenwald writes in Salon, quoting a New York Times piece:

Democratic Congressional aides say they believe that a deal is likely to provide protection for the companies.

If you think that the Democrats should stand up to AT&T's lobbyists, you can call them now:

Call Rep. Nancy Pelosi — 202-225-4965
Call Sen. Harry Reid — 202-224-3542

Tips on what to say on EFF's Stop the Spying site.

Image ganked from Williac's Flickr stream.

[#1 posted by Anonymous , September 20, 2007 3:42 PM]

You can state your position and ask for the representitives response. This will require a call back or transfer to a higher level individual.

[#2 posted by phasor3000 , September 20, 2007 3:52 PM]

What's weird is the Democrats appear to be going along with this, even though it would effectively cover up the Bush administration's past crimes.

Gosh, could it be that the Dems have been corrupted by the telco lobbyists, just like the Repubs? Impossible!

[#3 posted by Paul D , September 20, 2007 11:56 PM]

What makes you think any politician in either party (except for Ron Paul) gives a flying fig about your privacy rights?

[#4 posted by Anonymous , September 21, 2007 5:31 AM]

So how does this jibe with:

No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

[#5 posted by Whooooo , September 21, 2007 7:35 AM]

That fun little sticker is from crimethinc.com which also has another sticker that says "You are under surveillance." Of course I don't support vandalism, but they certainly are interesting stickers.

http://store.crimethinc.com/x/stickers.html

[#6 posted by Jezzikuh , September 21, 2007 10:24 AM]

If anyone's interested in getting some "This Phone Is Tapped" stickers of your own, they are available from CrimethInc at http://www.crimethinc.com/tools/stickers.html .

My friends and I slap 'em on every pay phone we see.