Senate May Vote Monday on Amnesty for Illegal Wiretaps

Last week, I wrote about the effort to give phone companies amnesty for illegal wiretapping. The provisions are part of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) bill currently moving through the Senate. The question then was whether Senate Majority Leader would pick the version of FISA that protects the rule of law, or the one that gives the big phone companies amnesty for illegal wiretapping.

Guess which one he chose?

Sen. Chris Dodd had placed a hold on the bill, but Sen. Reid is choosing to ignore that to move the bill to the Senate floor. Sen. Dodd has promised a filibuster if the amnesty provision remains.

Bill supporters will need a 60% vote of the Senate to shut off debate and move the bill forward. That's a high bar, but there are two things working against Sen. Dodd. First, it's hard for congressmembers to stand up to the phone company lobby, as demonstrated by Sen. Reid's capitulation. Also, supporters are sure to play the "terror card" to rally support for the illegal surveillance of American citizens.

As this issue plays out, I suggest you keep a particular eye on Senators Biden, Clinton, and Obama. When they are on the campaign trail, they speak a tough talk about protecting the Constitution and restoring the rule of law. Let's see what happens when the rubber meets the road.

The EFF is asking people to contact their Senators before Monday, and ask them to oppose phone company amnesty. They've even setup a simple web form to do this. If you have a few minutes this weekend, consider letting your Senators know your position on amnesty for illegal wiretapping.