Always feels like bashing my head against the wall, doing this, but I did it, and here's how it went:

Called her D.C. office number (202.224.3841), got phone-answerer.

Identified myself as a constituent of the Senator and asked if the Senator had decided to grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies who violated the law by spying on Americans without a warrant. Was told by phone answerer that she would pass along my thoughts.

Said, no, I hadn't given a thought, I had asked a question: "had the Senator decided to grant immunity... (etc.)?" Was told that the Senator had not yet announced her stance on that question.

Said that it would appear, then, that the Senator had at least not *ruled out* granting retroactive immunity to those accused of violating federal law. Phone answerer hemmed and hawed. I asked if I, as a constituent, could please be told why my Senator had not ruled out granting retroactive immunity to lawbreakers. Was put on hold.

Was transferred to second-level phone answerer, who said same thing as first phone answerer. Asked if I could please be told why my Senator had not ruled out immunity for federal lawbreakers, and asked if she could either confirm or deny the WaPo story that Senate Intelligence Committe Democrats had reached consensus that the telecoms should receive some form of immunity. Was told that the Senator simply had not decided which way she would vote, yet.

Said that I was simply dying of suspense as to which way my Senator would vote on this, but, as a constituent, I'd really like to know why my Senator is, evidently, even considering retroactive immunity for federal lawbreaking. Was told, by second-level phone answerer, that I had already been told all that I could be told on this matter, and that I could always feel free to write them a letter.

Said that I'd tried writing the Senator letters on past issues, for example, before the Senate vote to authorize the invasion of Iraq, and that I had found the results unsatisfactory. Asked if I could at least speak to a legislative aide of the Senator's who has Intelligence Committee responsibilities, so as to be favored with some insight into my Senator's thought process on this issue, or am I, a constituent, entitled to nothing more than to sit in ignorance on such matters and await my elected representative's enlightened decision. Was put on hold again, and then transferred to the voice mail box of someone named Dan Sapphire (Safire?), who, I hope, is a legislative aide. Left my questions and contact information on the voice mail, and now await a return call.

Patrick Meighan

Culver City, CA

I already called DiFi's office once last week, got the runaround, and posted the rough/paraphrased transcript of the call here at Glenn's blog (link below):

http://tinylink.com/?Ck4tm1ik0U

Looks like it's time to call again and get some more runaround. To the phones!

Patrick Meighan

Culver City, CA