FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Media@dcaclu.org
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today strongly rebuked
President Bush for his direct involvement with the suspension of an
investigation by the Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility
(OPR) into the warrantless surveillance program conducted by the National
Security Agency (NSA).
The following can be attributed to Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU
Washington Legislative Office:
"In America, no one, not even a president, is above the law. And, no one -
even the president - should interfere with an investigation into whether laws
have been broken and the Constitution was subverted. OPR’s own top lawyer noted
that the office has never before been prevented from investigating, even when
dealing with highly classified information. Clearly, the president has concerns
about the legality of the NSA warrantless wiretapping program and the possible
consequences of his disregard for the rule of law.
"This latest revelation shows all the more reason why the Attorney General
must appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the program. Such steps are
necessary to ensure that the inquiry will be free from political agendas. The
American people and the Constitution deserve an independent investigator who
can, and will, get to the truth.
"Even as these revelations come before the Senate Judiciary Committee, that
panel is poised to consider legislation absolving the president of his illegal
actions. S. 2453, drafted by Vice-President Dick Cheney and Chairman Arlen
Specter, would give the administration a blank check to conduct warrantless
surveillance and approve the NSA program. Representatives Heather Wilson, Peter
Hoekstra and James Sensenbrenner have introduced legislation that also allows
for the NSA warrantless surveillance to continue. Abuse of power must be
curtailed, not rewarded."
To read more about the ACLU’s concerns with warrantless NSA
spying, go to: www.aclu.org/nsaspying
