Just got off the phone with DiFi's DC office (202.224.3841). I last called 'em on Thursday about this subject.

Got phone-answerer (a guy, this time) and asked if the Senator was in favor of granting retroactive immunity to telecoms who violated federal law by spying on Americans without a warrant. Was told, of course, that the Senator simply had not made an announcement on this issue, and that he'd be happy to relay my thoughts to the Senator.

I noted that the House Judiciary Committee, clearly, had, itself, made an announcement on this very issue, by virtue of the fact that it has now drafted a bill that does *not* contain retroactive immunity. Was told that the bill the Senator will vote for will certainly be one that conforms to the House bill.

I expressed my surprise at the above statement, given the fact that the WaPo reports that House Democrats lean against granting retroactive immunity (not to mention the House's recent draft bill which fails to grant retroactive immunity), while Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee (of which the Senator is a member) favor granting some sort of retroactive immunity... again, per the WaPo. Was told, by phone answerer, that he had misspoken in his previous answer. That what he meant to say is that there will likely be a conference committee, down the line, marrying these two bills, and that that bill is gonna be the one the Senator ends up supporting.

I said that I understood these bills will be reconciled in conference committee, and that my fear is that, at that point, it will be too late to effectively influence my Senator, particularly if she keeps her position secret until that time. I continued by confessing my fear that that may, in fact, be the Senator's strategy: to keep her position secret as long as possible (in contrast to my representative and my other Senator, who've already declared their stance on this issue), until such time as it's too late for constituents such as myself to respond effectively. Was responded to with silence.

I asked if the Senator, or any of her staffers, could confirm or deny the WaPo report that Democrats in the Senate Judiciary Committee favor some form of retroactive immunity. Was told that no one could confirm or deny that.

I asked for confirmation that the Senator's staffer, Dan Safire (sp?), is the staffer most responsible for coordinating the Senator's action on this specific issue. The phone-answerer confirmed. I noted that that I'd left a message for Mr. Safire (sp?) last week, and had not heard back. I asked to leave another message. Was transferred to said staffer's voice mail.

Left message on voicemail of Dan Safire (sp?), asking him to please explain to me why my Senator was unwilling to do what my Congressperson and my other Senator were already willing to do: declare an opposition to the granting of retroactive immunity to telecoms who violated federal law by eavesdropping without a warrant.

Am now waiting, breath held, for 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