The Washington Independent

Posts Tagged telecom immunity

Bill Introduced to Repeal Telecom Immunity

By | 09.29.09 | 3:02 pm

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and committee members Christopher Dodd (D-Ct.), Russell Feingold (D-Wis.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) are expected to introduced in the Senate today a bill that would repeal the immunity granted to telecommunications companies under the FISA Amendments Act (FAA) passed

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Patriot Act Renewal Debate Kicks Off Over Party Lines

By | 09.23.09 | 6:00 am

Eight years after it was passed, the USA Patriot Act remains among the most controversial pieces of counterterrorism legislation in the so-called “war on terror.” On December 31 of this year, some of its more controversial provisions will expire, forcing Congress to revisit it More…

Judge Dismisses Wiretapping Cases Against Telecoms, but Al-Haramain Can Proceed

By | 06.04.09 | 9:04 am

A federal district court judge in California yesterday dismissed a slew of lawsuits filed against telecommunications companies that allegedly helped the U.S. government engage in warrantless wiretapping.

Judge Vaughn Walker in San Francisco dismissed the cases because Congress explicitly gave the telecom companies immunity from civil suits in More…

Specter: Telecom Immunity Remains a “Festering Wound”

By | 11.19.08 | 5:35 pm

Who said “telecom immunity?”

With the economy in the tank and Washington distracted by gazillion-dollar industry bailouts, it seems like forever since that buzz-phrase — ubiquitous earlier in the year — was uttered in this town.

You recall the issue: The White House wanted not only expanded powers to spy More…