Con. Ruppersburger,
I hate to have to disagree with you, but the FISA ‘compromise’ you helped pass neither gives the intelligence community the tools they ‘need’ nor protects our forth ammendment rights. The intelligence community had all the tools required to stop 9/11 and other terrorist attacks, the failed to use them. Their failure is now being used to justify a further grant of power and a further invasion of privacy.
As far as immunity goes, I think you need to Read the Bill. It does not require that telephone companies prove that their actions were lawful, but rather that they show that they were ordered by the administration (even if they know such orders were unlawful) to violate our privacy? If the administration orders other violations of the law will you support retroactive immunity for other criminal?
I am not afraid of terrorism. Driving is far more dangerous to Americans than terrorism. I ask that you do not fearfully give away my rights for a false sense of security. We are Americans and should act courageously to defend freedom, and the Constitution, as you are sworn to do. We shouldn’t piss away our freedoms, and let violators of those freedoms run free, for the sake of security. I am not afraid. I ask that you not be afraid on my behalf.
Yours,
Eli Senter
— On Thu, 7/31/08, Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger <imamd02@mail.house.gov> wrote:
From: Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger <imamd02@mail.house.gov>
Subject: Reply from Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger
To: esente1@yahoo.com
Date: Thursday, July 31, 2008, 6:16 PM
Dear Mr. Senter:
This letter acknowledges receipt of your communication regarding the
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
On June 20, 2008 the House of Representatives considered a bipartisan bill
that updates the laws that govern how intelligence agencies like the National
Security Agency conduct wiretapping and other surveillance activities within the
United States.
We are a nation of laws. While we are all committed to doing everything
necessary to keep our country safe, we must do so within the framework provided
by our Constitution. I voted for this bipartisan version, which passed by a
vote of 293 to 129, because it will give our intelligence community the tools
they need to do their jobs while protecting Americans’ Fourth Amendment
rights. This bipartisan measure makes it clear that the government cannot
wiretap American citizens on American soil without an individual court warrant
based on probable cause.
The new version of the bill approved by the House of Representatives does
not provide automatic, blanket, retroactive immunity to phone companies. It
allows U.S. District courts to hear secret, classified information in civil
suits against the companies and requires the phone companies to substantially
prove that their actions were lawful before immunity is granted. Also, the
limited immunity provision of this legislation does not give immunity to any
government official.
The legislation also means we will also gain a better understanding of how
this program has been functioning. The bill as passed requires the Inspectors
General (IG) of the Department of Justice, Director of National Intelligence,
National Security Agency, and the Department of Defense to conduct a
comprehensive review of the President’s warrantless surveillance program and
provide those reviews to the Intelligence and Judiciary Committees. This report
will review “all of the facts necessary to describe the establishment,
implementation, product, and use of the Program,” as well as “communications
with, and participation of, individuals and entities in the private sector
related to the Program.”
As a member of the House Committee on Intelligence and the Chairman of the
Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence, which oversees the National
Security Agency, I know that the men and women who work for our nation’s
intelligence agencies work hard every day to keep our nation safe. However, the
intelligence agencies must do their work within the laws of this country. I do
not support warrantless domestic wiretapping of Americans. We must keep our
country safe while respecting the fundamental rights granted by the
Constitution.
I appreciate hearing your views on this matter. Please do not hesitate to
contact me again in the future if you have any questions or comments. To
receive additional information about issues that are facing Congress, Maryland
and the Nation that may affect you and your community, please visit my website
at www.dutch.house.gov and sign up for my periodic e-mail newsletter.
Sincerely,
C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger
Member of Congress
Please do not respond to this e-mail. This mailbox is unattended. You can
e-mail me by going to my website at www.dutch.house.gov
