Anil Gangolli

Executive Power Grab

According to the press, the Justice Department has released a “white paper” rationalizing the Administration’s wiretap operations against citizens within the U.S. without warrants required for such surveillance under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

I’ve been unable to find a copy of the actual paper at the DOJ site . If anyone finds a link, please let me know.

The New York Times describes the white paper as stating:

Some presidential powers, particularly in the area of national security, are simply “beyond Congress' ability to regulate,” it said.

which is to say, beyond the representatives of the People of the United States to regulate.

Wrong. Certainly with these powers, and probably in general. I really hope that the authors will be strongly corrected both by Congress and the Supreme Court.

Technorati tags: Liberty U.S. Constitution Bush Administration FISA Domestic Wiretap Scandal NSA Executive Powers

Posted at 07:52AM Jan 20, 2006 in dogma  |  Permalink