Action Alert: Can the NSA hear you?

Tell the Senate:

No amnesty for AT&T and Verizon

In recent weeks, Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee caved to the Bush administration and cut a deal to grant retroactive immunity to telecom giants who colluded in Bush's illegal program to spy on Americans.

The bill -- a so-called "fix" to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act -- has now been forwarded to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Fortunately, a few members of the committee, including Chairman Patrick Leahy and ranking member Arlen Specter, appear willing to challenge Bush's strong-arm approach.

Our friends at Working Assets are running a campaign to stop any FISA "reform" bill that grants retroactive immunity to lawbreakers and they need our help. At least one of your Senators sits on the committee. Will you send a message asking the committee to stand up and prevent this unacceptable violation of our civil liberties?

     Tell the Judiciary Committee to oppose amnesty for lawbreaking telcos in the FISA reform bill.

Why amnesty? Bush wants retroactive immunity for the telecom companies to thwart civil liberties lawsuits that threaten to expose his own violations of the original FISA law. If these lawsuits aren't allowed to go forward, we may never know the extent of the Bush administration's illegal efforts to spy on American citizens without the required warrants.

Our work seems to be paying off; several Senators have already pledged to filibuster the bill if it reaches the Senate floor containing amnesty provisions. However, we don't have to let it get to that point, and the Judiciary Committee is still the best chance to amend the legislation in a way that prevents terrorism AND protects the civil liberties of American citizens. Tell the Judiciary Committee to fix FISA without telco amnesty.

Sincerely,

Ben Kroetz
TrueMajorityAction.org Online Organizer