The President is Breaking the Law
By Jennifer Mustoe
This morning, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testified about the president’s illegal domestic spying program. His testimony came one day after Senator Arlen Specter, the Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said that the president violated the law1 and the Washington Post debunked a key Bush administration claim, reporting that the program tapped thousands of innocent Americans and almost no terrorism suspects.2 The White House has already set the stage to stonewall.3 So it’s important that our senators demand real answers from the administration.
Here is the bottom line: the president is breaking the law. He already has the authority to wiretap suspected terrorists—and we support that—but he chose to reach beyond that. We need to know why he refuses to get warrants and he needs to be held accountable.
Respecting the rule of law isn’t a partisan issue, it’s a core American principle. That’s why prominent conservatives like David Keene, Paul Weyrich and Grover Norquist are outraged by the president’s illegal program.4 Even leading Republicans like Chuck Hagel, Lindsey Graham, and Sam Brownback have seriously questioned the president’s authority.5 With public criticism mounting, the Bush administration knows they’re in big trouble.
If the president can get away with breaking the law now, there’s no limit to what he or any other president can do. Together we can stop it now. While you may not agree with the politics of moveon.org, they do have a petition you can sign. I strongly urge you do so if you value the liberties you are guaranteed under the Constitution. The petition is at:
If you would rather contact your Senators and Representative directly, please do so.
In case you are not sure, here is a quick fact-check on some of the arguments that the Bush administration has used to justify their illegal program:
The administration has claimed that the program only spies on those with clear links to Al Qaeda 6
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Fact: The program had FBI Chasing “thousands of tips a month,” with many leading to dead ends or innocent Americans.7
The administration has said that obtaining a warrant is too time consuming.
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Fact: They can already immediately place wiretaps and obtain a warrant up to 3 days later. 8
They’ve argued the program was authorized by Congress in the September 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF)
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Fact: A Congressional Research Service [CRS] report concludes that the AUMF doesn’t authorize the program.9
They’ve claimed that Congress was informed of the Program.10
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Fact: the Congressional Research Office concluded that “the Bush administration’s limited briefings for Congress on the National Security Agency’s domestic eavesdropping without warrants are ‘inconsistent with the law.’” 11
They’ve said the NSA spying program stopped possible terrorist attacks in the United States 12
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Fact: Programs Uncovered “No imminent plots..inside the United States.” 13
Sources:
1. “Specter Criticizes Rationale for Spying,” Associated Press, February 5, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1440
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1440
2. “Surveillance Net Yields Few Suspects,” Washington Post, February 5, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1441
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1441
3. “Senate Panel Rebuffed on Documents on Spying,” New York Times, February 2, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1442
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1442
4. “FACT: Members of Both Parties Believe Bush Broke the Law,” Thinkprogress, January 23, 2006
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/01/23/both-parties/
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/01/23/both-parties/
5. Leading Conservatives Call for Extensive Hearings on NSA Surveillance; Checks on Invasive Federal Powers Essential, January 17, 2006
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=59381
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=59381
6. “Surveillance program protects country, Bush says,” USA Today, January 23, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1443
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1443
7. “Spy Agency Data After Sept. 11 Led F.B.I. to Dead Ends,” New York Times, Jan 17, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1444
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1444
8. “A Better Way to Eavesdrop?” Time, February 2, 2006
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1155835,00.html
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1155835,00.html
10. “Gonzales defends wiretaps amid protest,” CNN.com, January 26, 2006 http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/24/nsa.strategy/
11. “Report Questions Legality of Briefings on Surveillance,” New York Times, 1/19/06
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1445 (Subsciption required)
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1445 (Subsciption required)
12. President Bush’s Radio Address, Dec 17, 2005
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1446
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1446
13. “Spy Agency Data After Sept. 11 Led F.B.I. to Dead Ends,” New York Times, Jan 17, 2006,
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1444
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1444
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