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EFF files another lawsuit over US internal spying

Personally sues Bush, Cheney, Addington and others
Friday, 19 September 2008, 05:42

US PRESIDENT George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney head up the list of federal officials named in a lawsuit filed Thursday by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) over the government's continuing warrantless wiretapping of citizens' phone and Internet traffic.

The EFF's lawsuit came just a day before the government is expected to get similar lawsuits against the US telecom giant AT&T dismissed on a "get out of jail free" immunity provision in US foreign surveillance law that President Bush bullied Congress into rubber-stamping.

By filing a second lawsuit against the government itself and personally against the officials who ordered and oversaw wholesale spying on US citizens without court orders, the civil rights group hopes to get around the ex post facto immunity given to the telecom carriers.

The EFF filed its complaint (PDF) in US District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of five named plaintiffs, requesting class action status and demanding a jury trial.

The lawsuit names as defendants the US National Security Agency (NSA), it's current and former directors Keith Alexander and Michael Hayden, George Bush and Dick Cheney, Vice Presidential aide David Addington, the US Department of Justice (DOJ), current and former US Attorneys General Michael Mukasy, Alberto Gonzales and John Ashcroft, and the current and former Directors of National Intelligence John McConnell and John Negroponte, along with up to 100 John Does not yet unidentified by name.

The lawsuit alleges that the wiretapping pursued by the NSA without court orders violates US federal anti-wiretapping statutes, First Amendment free speech protections and Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches.

EFF senior staff lawyer Kevin Bankston said, "In addition to suing AT&T, we've now opened a second front in the battle to stop the NSA's illegal surveillance of millions of ordinary Americans and hold personally responsible those who authorized or participated in the spying program." ยต

L'Inq
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Comments
More crazies protected by our Freedoms

I wouldn't be surprised to find out that this so-called "Foundation" is funded by left-wing (in other words, mainstream) British liberoids.

It is astonishing that these same groups nearly swoon at the sight of folks like Obama, Pelosi, and Reid - whose life goals are to see the government control ever aspect of our lives.

The case will be dismissed for the obvious reasons. It is bogus.

Thank god our Constitution still carries SOME power.

posted by : Bill, 19 September 2008 Complain about this comment
Puh-lease...

Please don't politically polarize the argument in to partisan politics. A constitutional violation is a constitutional violation. They could have done it legally, they choose not too. Pay the price. FISA warrants are not that hard to get and it doesn't take long to get one either.

And to Mr. "More crazies protected by our Freedoms" above me. You are cheapening those constitutional freedoms that were paid for by our forefathers in blood. Stay classy....

posted by : axiomatic, 19 September 2008 Complain about this comment
Kooks

These people are left wing idiots but I bet they are cheering the adoption of Islam law in the UK. The UK is heading for disaster and will be split up into two countries (one Muslim one English) within 50 years thanks to left wing marxist kooks like this. Look at history if you don't believe me.

posted by : regulas, 19 September 2008 Complain about this comment
Do you know who EFF is?

I'm sorry, but Bill and regulas sound like clueless idiots.

Seriously, take the time to understand the situation as well as the consequences, BEFORE pouring on the pre-judgement.


posted by : aussiebear, 19 September 2008 Complain about this comment
Well Ireland did get split up.

Islamophobia. What a nazi twit. come on Black people, Asian people etc. are a minority the white people are still the majority. Outside of the major citys there are hardly any non-white people in the U.K.

Now the BNP and other retards keep trying to stir up some racial hatred saying their country is being taken from their hands.

The reality is. If all the minority people left the county couldn't function... Come on go into any hospital, dentist etc. etc you'll see after the white lot, after a night out and some heavy drinking (23hour license remember), the police is picking up these loosers and taking them to A&E. Who's at the desk? Well look dumbass. It's a indian, asian or black person.

And what is the doctor? Again forign! You see by that sort of time (evening or night) especially Fridays and Saturdays most white folks (some very intellegent but still a slave to alcohol) are at the pub.

What does minority mean? Look at your dictionary. One other thing they are also british citizens, that means when the russians (also white) come to wipe their feet on your face, these minority people will do their duties as any other citizen.

Only ignorant people are scared of something not known to them. Back in the days they used to burn you for having a disease they didn't know like smallpox. I say go study something you have little or no Knowledge of and it'll make sense.

By the way did you know there are very many sects in Islam as is the case with Christianity.

When that Christian missionary guy (african origin) comes around we talk plenty and he cant even answer my questions about his own religeon and his own book the bible.

When i ask him about his ancestors and their religeon and when the white people converted them so they can control them better (and maybe they'll turn the other cheek) he was quiet. You understand?!

The guy looked as though he was cracking up.

How many christians have you met that know their own book, even a few pages? They're closing down the churches and some are being extended into pubs because your young are not too bothered. Please read your book where it says you should kill gays.... come on. stop this Islamophobia bullsh*it.

Can't we all just get along? You respect peoples bullsh*it and people respect your bullsh*it. Simple really.

You can keep your christian "eye for an eye" and "tooth for a tooth" ruling ....... except britain doesn't follow these the Americans do.... You're not following your book!

Have you seen the God channel? I see some fat gangster complete with tattoos, he claims Jesus has somehow come into him... I'm thinking the only thing that has come into you is the damn devil and i see all these people worshipping the guy. If no man was greater than another man then they are calling him Jesus. But then they think everyone is Jesus - i feel sorry for Jesus, all these lies being put on him... God help these morons and zombies, amen.

I've said plenty, I'm off.

Jon.

posted by : Some Body 2008, 19 September 2008 Complain about this comment
@regulas

Where do you get your information about the rest of the world from? Fox news?

I assume they must also have a history channel I don't know of.

posted by : Steve, 21 September 2008 Complain about this comment
"Freedom isn't free."

Unfortunately laws aren't flexible enough to adapt to a changing world. 

Theoretically speaking though, if you knew that a terror cell was planning a nuclear/biological attack say on Christmas in Chicago. What personal freedoms would you be willing to forgo to assist the authorities in apprehending the suspects prior to a 10 million person homicide? Frankly if your saying stuff over the phone that's too sensitive for government ears, then perhaps anything other than meeting in person is irresponsible on your part.

posted by : Leggir, 20 September 2008 Complain about this comment
Freudian perspective

I presume the word "idiots" is only being used as a medical term. Indeed, the brain can be altered by constant exposure to propaganda. The Chinese government is forcing many of its people to attend an 1-hour presentation every day. I know that from my Chinese colleagues. One of them was forced by Mao to work on a farm back when he was a young scientist. Today he works in the USA, but this event is still haunting him, after so many years. But the younger people easily produce arguments following the same pattern in support of the Chinese government. The Nazis used similar methods, and constantly hit the Jews, Roma, Sinti, foreigners and left-wing parties. We know how that ended. I am wondering if ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, NBC et al. have the same impact. We see a very typical response from certain people at this forum. I am afraid these poor fellows are being exposed to far more than just one hour of propaganda every day. Honestly, for how long do you sit in front of the TV per day? Fascinating medial research topic.

posted by : Dr. Cerebric, 20 September 2008 Complain about this comment
Axiomatic knee-jerk sock puppet

The Constitution was never violated, nor was anything in this regard done differently than under the Clinton administration. To "Axiomatic" and the other sock-puppets who keep repeating this mantra wishing it were true, I can only say that if you had actually spent time DEFENDING that Constitution as I did for 9 years instead of trying to BURN it, perhaps you would not be quite so angry all the time.

posted by : Bill, 20 September 2008 Complain about this comment
oops

Whoa, seems the mentally severely challenged have discovered the inq comment system, over to them then.



posted by : W.-, 22 September 2008 Complain about this comment
It's a good thing, keeping a check on governemt.

People in positions of extreme power need to be checked and brought into line if they misbehave.

It's a good thing that USA has a legal system and a Constitution that provides this protection.

A reasonable balance will be struck, providing justice.

British Airways cancelled 2 flights from UK to Pakistan, why was that? Maybe the wire tapping is proving useful?

posted by : interested_party, 23 September 2008 Complain about this comment
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