Orrin Hatch has this to say on retroactive immunity for the telcos in the FISA [gag] Reform Bill:

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), also on the Judiciary and Intelligence panels, said the documents did not change his position that the surveillance activities “were and are” lawful.

Senator, you’re threatening my cranial integrity.

Because if the surveilllance was so lawful, what the Fuck do they need retroactive immunity for???  Read more 

Patrick, Patrick.

Leahy Set to Schedule Hearings on Mukasey
Demand for White House Papers Dropped

What are you thinking?  Read more 

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee has sent a letter to President Bush’s nominee to replace Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General.

The Senator expressed many of the concerns that Fellows of and contributors to The Mighty Corrente Building have written about.

From the Senator’s letter to Mr. Mukasey:

The Attorney General who recently resigned apparently believed that the President has a commander-in-chief override of the laws of this country, which contributed to his violations of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), his signing statement reservations, and other overreaching. We must explore those topics. For example, do you believe that the President has authority to override legal requirements and immunize acts of torture contrary to our treaty obligations and laws? Do you believe that before Congress amended the FISA this summer, the Authorization for the Use of Military Force passed in the days following September 11, or Article II of the Constitution gave this President authority to override the requirements of that law with respect to wiretapping Americans?

In connection with these matters the Judiciary Committee has been seeking the historical legal analysis of the Department of Justice and this Administration. We have made numerous requests and have even had to subpoena the FISA documents. I want to know whether you will work with us and provide those materials so that we can examine the legal justifications that have been utilized by this Administration to excuse its conduct.

Well done Senator Leahy. Now follow through – please!  Read more 

What a surprise. AP:

The White House on Friday asked a Senate panel for more time to produce subpoenaed information about the legal justification for President Bush’s secretive eavesdropping program.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy had set Monday as the deadline for administration officials already subpoenaed to provide documents and testimony about the National Security Agency’s eavesdropping program.

In Fielding’s letter to Leahy, which was released by the White House in Crawford, Texas, where Bush is staying at his ranch, the president’s lawyer said that while the White House had identified a core group of documents in response to the subpoenas, the work is “by no means complete” and could not be completed by Monday.

Naturally, Leahy will say “Give us what you’ve got,” right?

And now the kicker:  Read more