Congress Won't Investigate Illegal Wiretap/Data-Mining Scheme -- an Unconstitutional Moment (Edmundson)

The Senate has capitulated to the Bush adminstration's secret, lawless surveillance program.  The depressing story is told in the Washington Post (Feb. 17), "Senate Rejects Wiretap Probe."  Meanwhile, the House Intelligence Committee shows signs of caving under pressure as well, as the New York Times (Feb. 17) reports, under the deceptively sunny heading, "Accord in House to Hold Inquiry on Surveillance."  The American Bar Association has taken the extraordinary step of pleading with the White House to obey the law, even as Congress decides that its role is to amend FISA to accomodate the lawbreakers, and never mind the nature and extent of their lawbreaking.  (Imagine Congress amending the DC burglary statute to accomodate Nixon's "plumbers,"  or amending the Boland Amendment to allow Reagan to continue selling arms to Iran to fund the Nicaraguan Contras.)  Those with the stomach for further details should consult Federation of American Scientists' "Secrecy News."  (Richard Bartholomew's cartoon is good for comic relief.)