It can now be violated with impunity. All one needs is a “get out of jail free” card from the President.
Senate nears end of debate over surveillance bill
By PAMELA HESS, Associated Press Writer
6 minutes ago
The Senate signaled an end Wednesday to months of rancorous debate over surveillance legislation that would protect from civil lawsuits the telecommunications companies that helped the government wiretap American lines.
By an 80-15 vote, the Senate turned back a last-ditch effort to kill the bill, setting up a vote to approve the measure on Thursday.
If anyone can get the roll-call vote, please post it here.
UPDATE: Here’s the roll call vote.
15 Senators voted to uphold the Constitution:
Biden (D-DE)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Harkin (D-IA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Wyden (D-OR)
Five didn’t bother:
Byrd (D-WV) — understandable absence, health issues
Clinton (D-NY) — no excuse
Kennedy (D-MA) — understandable absence, health issues
McCain (R-AZ) — no excuse
Obama (D-IL) — no excuse
Those who voted against the Fourth Amendment, the Constitution, and our freedoms need to be replaced.
Zooey
6 Comments
June 25, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Thanks for the update, Zooey.
For the full roll-call, go here:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00158#position
June 25, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Oops, I forgot to add the link. Thanks!!
June 26, 2008 at 4:21 am
This sucks. Two years ago, I would have voted for anyone to replace Rick Santorum and got Bob Casey as my Senator. Most of the time Casey does the right thing. For some reason this damn fucking FISA bill has the Democrats fainting. My other Senator, Arlen Spector isn’t up for re-election until 2010. Spector is going to have a tough race, he usually does, but I believe he will be retired by the voters in 2010. This past year, Pennsylvania became bluer, even in the Pennsyltucky parts of the state.
In the House, my representative, Tim Holden is a blue dog and he marches in lock step with whatever Nancy tells him to do. I already have someone in mind that I am going to encourage to run against him in the primary.
June 26, 2008 at 4:38 am
In case you missed reading this opinion,
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/06/unwarranted.html
June 26, 2008 at 5:52 am
Just read Bill’s letter to Bush….
http://bill-in-portland-maine.dailykos.com/
Bill just earned himself a Klondike bar.
June 26, 2008 at 4:26 pm
It’s been put on hold until after July 4th.
I called Durbin and Feingold today to ask them to put a hold on it.
Call your Senators and ask them to step up to the plate and put a hold on this awful piece of pending legislation.
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/