Senators Respond to Dodd's FISA Filibuster

Christopher Dodd's live chat on putting a hold on the FISA bill has caused a stir in the netroots. The candidates' aides have been paying attention. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have been forced to take a stance.

Obama's spokesman Bill Burton issued this statement.

"Senator Obama has serious concerns about many provisions in this bill, especially the provision on giving retroactive immunity to the telephone companies. He is hopeful that this bill can be improved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. But if the bill comes to the Senate floor in its current form, he would support a filibuster of it."

Hillary Clinton was directly asked about the FISA bill.

Q: Can you discuss your position on the reauthorization of the FISA bill?

Hillary Clinton: I am troubled by the concerns that have been raised by the recent legislation reported out of the Intelligence Committee. I haven't seen it so I can't express an opinion about it. But I don't trust the Bush Administration with our civil rights and liberties. So I'm going to study it very hard. As matters stand now, I could not support it and I would support a filibuster absent additional information coming forward that would convince me differently.

Joe Biden has come out against the bill. That's three Senators. How this hurts the Bush administration is Dodd, Clinton, Obama, and Biden are presidential candidates and can give increased media attention to how awful an idea giving retroactive immunity to telephone companies that illegally released private information.

Biden serves on the Judiciary Committee. Arlen Specter has already expressed reservations the bill. Specter and Patrick Leahy couldn't hide their frustration of the White House's refusal to release documents relating to warrantless wiretapping.

You have now had more than ample time to collect and process the relevant documents. Responsive information to those subpoenas is long overdue. You have made commitments to provide responsive information over the last several months and even recently, but no such information has yet been provided.

Instead, we read that a White House spokesperson has now conditioned the production of information on prior Senate agreement to provide retroactive immunity from liability for communications carriers. That is unacceptable and would turn the legislative process upside down. If the Administration wants our support for immunity, it should comply with the subpoenas, provide the information, and justify its request. As we have both said, it is wrongheaded to ask Senators to consider immunity without their being informed about the legal justifications purportedly excusing the conduct being immunized. Although the two of us have been briefed on certain aspects of the President's program, this cannot substitute for access to the documents and legal analysis needed to inform the legislative decisions of the Committee as a whole.

One Senator and bloggers started an avalanche against BushCo. This FISA bill would have been a done deal before the age of blogging an online chats. This is grassroots mobilization that has potential longterm consequences oon civil liberties. If Dodd defeats this bill, this will be proof that political apathy is inexcusable.

I have never seen apathy as a justifiable excuse in politics or one's personal affairs. Every person, I have known whom is apathetic has serious issues in believing in themselves. There is the cynical saying that you can't fight city hall. Right now Chris Dodd and bloggers are fighting the White House an winning.