The Military Commissions Act. Warrantless wiretapping. Shredding of Habeas Corpus. Torture. Extraordinary Rendition. Secret Prisons.

No more.

I have decided to place a "hold" on the latest FISA bill that would have included amnesty for telecommunications companies that enabled the President's assault on the Constitution by illegaly providing personal information on their customers without judicial authorization.

I said that I would do everything I could to stop this bill from passing, and I have.

It's about delivering results -- and as I've said before, the FIRST thing I will do after being sworn into office is restore the Constitution. But we shouldn't have to wait until then to prevent the further erosion of our country's most treasured document. That's why I am stopping this bill today.

Link:http://action.chrisdodd.com/signUp.jsp?key=1570

No problem with the duplicate post while we are all happily doing our "Snoopy" dance.

[Pun intended: http://tinyurl.com/29czun ]

This was just posted on the blog on Dodd's website:

Since Senator Dodd announced that he would be placing a hold on FISA legislation that includes retroactive immunity for telecom companies that enabled the President's assault on the Constitution by providing personal information on their customers without judicial authorization, we have been overwhelmed with praise for Dodd's leadership. Over 10,000 people have signed on to stand with Senator Dodd.

Today has been truly exhilarating as we have watched a concept become concrete through a unique combination of concern, insight, discussion, collaboration and then persuasion turn into action. That over 10,000 people can sign onto a cause in a single day, I think, signals both the dire threats our country has been facing and the desire on the part of true patriots to do something about it. Today has been a cathartic outpouring of emotion on an issue many have anguished over for a very long time.

As many have already pointed out, we cannot simply rest on this highly encouraging development. Now we must push, and push hard. If you signed up for the campaign, start now. Contact as many people as you can and urge them to join in. Get uncomfortable.

I hope that the Dodd campaign announces how much they have raised today based on this heroic action. I suspect that today may well set a record for fundraising for a day not previously planned for concerted fundraising.

Pointedly, Mr. Rockefeller refused to include in his plan immunity from civil or even criminal prosecution for government officials who took part in the security agency’s program.

Link: http://tinyurl.com/283dnx

I guess those government officials just didn't contribute enough money to him.

Seriously, though, this is an improvement. The language I remember from previous proposals looked like it was also aimed at government types and I thought that was the main reason they were trying to get it. Let's hope that Dodd's hold (with Feingold's support?) prevents this whole issue from coming up.

Reid's office in Washington. Let him know!

I had no problem calling Reid's office, but decided to send an email as well, so that they will have a written record:

Dear Senator Reid,

Please clear up the public confusion regarding your planned actions on the FISA bill. Surely you cannot be contemplating bringing flawed legislation including retroactive amnesty for telecom companies to the floor over the hold of Senator Dodd. Such an action would not be fitting of a Senate Majority Leader, so please clear this up and let us know that that is not your intention.

However, should you be planning such a move, I suggest you resign now, both from your role as Majority Leader and from your role as a Senator. Our Constitution is now in danger from those who would grant immunity to companies that have already been determined by a judge to have broken the law. For you to be a part of an attempt to grant amnesty for known crimes violates the separation of powers provisions of the Constitution. Should you wish to familiarize yourself with this concept, please visit either Senator Dodd or Representative Kucinich. Both are known to carry copies of the Consitution with them and I am sure they would be glad to share it with you.

Please do the right thing in this matter for your country.

Link for sending email: http://reid.senate.gov/contact/email_form.cfm

Dan,

Acutally, I probably wasn't as polite as you rightly suggested we should be. If Reid steps up and does the right thing, I will send an apology and post it here as well.

If all of this does not work out, Brisbane is my exile of choice.

Glenn,

Was Bobby Kennedy able to block retroactive immunity? If so, how did he do it? If not, are there lessons to be learned from the failed effort?

In other words, are there lessons to be learned from the previous efforts that can be applied in the telecom immunity issue?