Thursday, May 24, 2007

House Intelligence Committee to Probe Phone Companies Cooperation with NSA Wiretapping

Michael Roston writes on The Raw Story:

The House Intelligence Committee has announced that it will investigate the cooperation of telephone companies with the National Security Agency's warrantless wiretapping activities.

"One of [Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell's] proposals is to grant immunity to individuals who and companies that facilitated electronic surveillance activities that were part of the NSA surveillance program disclosed by the President in December 2005," said Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in a press release sent to RAW STORY. "Before granting immunity for any activities, it will be important to review what those activities were, what was the legal basis for those activities, and what would be the impact of a grant of immunity."

A number of lawsuits have been filed against telecommunications companies for their alleged cooperation with the NSA's domestic eavesdropping program. The lawsuit filed by the Electronic Freedom Foundation against AT&T exemplifies the kind of cases that the Director of National Intelligence is seeking to keep out of court.

More here.

(Props, Pogo Was Right.)

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home