[NYTr] Bush's Impunity Demand for Telecoms Wins Senate Test Vote

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

sent by anon at mouse.com - activ-l


Reuters via Yahoo - Dec 17, 2007
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071217/pl_nm/usa_security_phones_dc_1

Bush's immunity demand wins Senate test vote

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush's demand for immunity
for telephone companies that participated in his warrantless domestic
spying program won a test vote on Monday in the Democratic-led U.S.
Senate.

On a vote of 76-10, far more than the needed 60, the Senate cleared
a procedural hurdle and began considering a bill to increase
congressional and judicial oversight of the electronic surveillance
of enemy targets.

It includes a provision to grant retroactive immunity to any
telecommunication company that participated in Bush's warrantless
domestic spying program begun shortly after the September 11 attacks.

Nearly 40 lawsuits have been filed accusing AT&T, Verizon and Sprint
Nextel Corp of violating U.S. privacy rights.

Backers of immunity, who include some Democrats as well many of
Bush's fellow Republicans, contend that companies should be thanked,
not punished, for helping defend the United States.

But civil liberties advocates and a number of Democratic lawmakers
argue that the courts should determine if any company violated the
privacy rights of law-abiding Americans.

Regardless of Monday's vote, Democrats vow to offer amendments to
remove the immunity provision while maintaining new surveillance
safeguards that enjoy broad support.

(Editing by Patricia Zengerle)