Unsung Hits of the FISA Debate: A Blank Check for Bush's Spy Program

Congress will be back in session next Tuesday, and one of the top orders of business is debating the FISA Amendments Act of 2007 in the Senate. Every day until Congress returns, we’ll be blogging on the best and most overlooked FISA-related news stories in our DailyKos Diary.

Today’s hit: Telecom immunity could protect President Bush from accountability for authorizing the warrantless wiretapping program.

By granting immunity to the telecoms for their participation and cooperation in the administration’s domestic spying program, Congress would be also acknowledging that President Bush had the authority to order the program, thereby legally insulating him.

Tomorrow’s installment: using libraries for surveillance. To catch up on all of the FISA action that’s taken place thus far, read yesterday’s installment on pre-9/11 wiretapping, and check out our FISA page. Also, yesterday Caroline Fredrickson blogged on the chatter that Congress might temporarily extend the Protect America Act (PAA) instead of try to push a real FISA bill through before the PAA expires on February 1. She discusses why this is a bad idea.