Not just this case, but the whole use of the FISA law and misuse of the state secrets privilege.

Why doesn't the media start framing the story this way?

And why are the Democrats helping the administration hide their law-breaking?

What do they know, and when did they know it?

Why hasn't the mainstream media picked up on this? Instead of talking about Rev. Wright,or McCain's service that is forty years old already,let's get to the (many)root of the problem(Bush)that has totally ruined our country,foreign and domestically. Why this administration has been allowed to run rampant over our citizenry with no reprocussions is a national disgrace. Hopefully this case will rip open the criminal acts that Bush has committed. How fitting it would be to his legacy,other than the absolute worst president never elected,being hauled away in an orange jumpsuit.

Thank you Mr Eisenberg for writing this and for your dedicated work.

back in 8th grade, mrs harrison pointed out that the founding fathers gave the power to declare war to the senate, and the power to support the army to the house of reps. unitary presidential power over foreign affairs? why was there no universal laughter from every citizen? have things changed, while i wasn't watching?

they have somewhat- politicians no longer pretend to morality, and voters no longer care. the existence of the bush regime is a precise measure of the character of the american people.

you do get the government you deserve, and you're going to get a lot more of it, for a debased electorate and a corrupt political ethos can only result in more 'bush regimes'.

i would rejoice, you richly deserve what's coming, were it not that your discomfort commonly results in bombs falling on wedding parties all around the world. what a blot on the planet you have become!

Your country may well never recognize what you are doing here, but I do. The fact that our somnabulant countrymen have watched idly over the past six years as our Executive Branch has so flagrantly abused its powers is beyond my comprehension. Yet you fight on- and I can only hope that your fight is not in vain. (Both for the country my children will live in, and for the security we were promised some two hundred and forty years ago...)

May you sleep well at night secure in the knowledge that you have done your country proud, and that many of us are proud of you. Your country has abused your common sense and your wisdom with abandon and little or no remorse, yet you remain an eloquent and passionate defender of same. I only wish I were capable of such magnanimity and otherwise unworldy patience.

Safe Travels,

dce

The right wing loves to demonize lawyers because they know that when we have good lawyers on our side we can battle nonsense like this.

You mentioned the EFF. They are a great organization that has a bunch of smart lawyers working with them. I've heard some of their stories battling with the government in the AT&T case. They aren't as funny as yours, but just as chilling.

I'm very grateful for dedicated lawyers like you pushing back against these naked power grabs from this administration.

I hope you win. And then I hope that there are consequences for them breaking the law. They might try and pardon themselves but if the case is wrapped up after 2009 that might prove harder than they imagine.

Good Luck!

LLAP

Spocko

This silliness about FISA reminds me so much of Whatwater or Whitewater. The Left is going berserk over warrantless wiretapping because it resonates well in the Left echo chamber, for whatever reason, but is a non-starter to rest of us. It really does remind me of Whitewater, which went absolutely nowhere.

When Obama is #44 (McCain is a joke), he will very quietly move to the right on all significant matters related to national security which includes FISA nonsense. If it suits Obama to work around FISA in exchange for national security, he will do so in a heartbeat because he knows the art of survival and one thing that he cannot have on his watch is anything even close to a repeat of 9/11. This political reality will color everything he does even though he goes on and on about "change". He is very coy on national security matters and you can bet that his idea of "change" means more and not less national security programs (some friendly and some not-so-friendly to the Left).

I'm sure this story must have been funnier in the original Russian.

Wait - you mean to tell me this happened in the US?

I have heard it suggested by a lawyer (but IANAL, so I don't really know if it's legitimate) that the retroactive immunity that will likely be passed tomorrow would not pass constitutional muster, due to not having any sort of victim's compensation (a la the 9/11 victim's compensation fund).

Can you speak to that? And if that does seem true, would you all pursue that line of attack?

Now! In international papers - send it to Glenn Greenwald. PUBLISH IT! Once it's out all over the place they can't do shit to you.

And a note to "they" from me. Fuck you. You realize once Obama is president you're all fucked. And "Just following orders" doesn't work as a defense.

If the accounting of this case were not so scary, it would remind me of an implausible Keystone Cops script. But as an I.T. Professional, I find the description on page 3 of the DOJ goofballs trying to clean a hard disk to be utterly unbelievable. It makes me pray the government has more reliable procedures for destroying electronic data that could be of some actual security risk.

Best of luck to your team in getting some justice against long odds, and take some comfort in knowing that at least a few others know that you are fighting the good fight.

ps-Am I going to have to smash my computer after I post this?