Write, Call, E-mail Your Representatives

Thank you all for your support, I received a strong response to my recent article on my disgust with American government.   I plan on drafting a response to the negative themes I noticed in e-mails and comments, but first I’d like to update you on the FISA legislation that inspired my article.

Yesterday, as you know the Senate voted to provide immunity to telecommunications that  provided support for illegal surveillance on American citizens over the years.   It was a clear violation of the FISA legislation of 1978 and our civil liberties and fundamental constitutional rights have never been threatened like they are now.

If you have not yet done so, please contact your representative.

Finally, while I rarely do this, here’s a full copy of the content of a website on how best to fight this battle.   Because a lot of the Republicans (especially the neo-conservative variety) are beyond hopeless on this issue, you should probably look up your undecided democratic representatives.

There are 21 democrats that remain undecided on the matter of giving retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies while legalizing warrantless surveillance.  We need seven conversions to get the job done.

• Rep. Leonard L. Boswell, D-Iowa — Phone: (202) 225-3806, Fax: (202) 225-5608
• Rep. Marion Berry, D-Ark. — Phone: (202) 225-4076, Fax: (202) 225-5602
• Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark. — Phone: (202) 225-3772, Fax: (202) 225-1314
• Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D. — Phone: (202) 225-2611, Fax: (202) 226-0893
• Rep. Robert E. “Bud” Cramer, D-Ala. — Phone: (202) 225-4801, Fax: (202) 225-4392
• Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Ill. — Phone: (202) 225-3711, Fax: (202) 225-7830
• Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C. — Phone: (202) 225-6401, Fax: (202) 226-6422
• Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga. — Phone: (202) 225-2823, Fax: (202) 225-3377
• Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Fla. — Phone: (202) 225-5235, Fax: (202) 225-5615
• Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif. — Phone: (202) 225-6161, Fax: (202) 225-8671
• Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla. — Phone: (202) 225-2701, Fax: (202) 225-3038
• Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn. — Phone: (202) 225-4714, Fax: (202) 225-1765
• Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah — Phone: (202) 225-3011, Fax: (202) 225-5638
• Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn. — Phone: (202) 225-4311, Fax: (202) 226-1035
• Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn. — Phone: (202) 225-6831, Fax: (202) 226-5172
• Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind. — Phone: (202) 225-4636, Fax: (202) 225-3284
• Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa. — Phone: (202) 225-5546, Fax: (202) 226-0996
• Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-La. — Phone: (202) 225-4031, Fax: (202) 226-3944
• Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Kan. — Phone: (202) 225-2865, Fax: (202) 225-2807
• Rep. Christopher Carney, D-Pa. — Phone: (202) 225-3731, Fax: (202) 225-9594
• Rep. Zack Space, D-Ohio — Phone: (202) 225-6265, Fax: (202) 225-3394

Below is some information that might help you understand the issue further and what you can use as a framework for writing letters or making phone calls.  Source of the article: “Stop Telco immunity and warrantless spying”

• Vote NO on any spying bill with telecom immunity. Lawsuits must be allowed to proceed or we’ll never know the truth about what laws were broken and how many Americans rights were violated.
• Vote NO on any spying that allows the government to spy on Americans without getting a warrant. America doesn’t need a bill that needlessly expands the President’s ability to spy on innocent Americans without a warrant.
• Don’t let the Senate or President Bush steamroll the House of Representatives. Any bill to regulate spying on Americans must respect the Constitution and must not let phone companies off the hook for warrantless spying.
• Telecommunication companies already have immunity for good-faith situations: they don’t need immunity for knowingly breaking the law
• Warrantless spying is unconstitutional: the 4th Amendment requires that our privacy cannot be infringed unless government officials obtain an individualized warrant based on probable cause:

  “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

• Giving people immunity for laws they’ve willfully broken undermines the rule of law in our society.
• The rule of law makes us stronger by ensuring that decisions will be tested, studied, reviewed and examined through the processes of government that are designed to improve policy. And the knowledge that they will be reviewed prevents over-reaching and checks the accretion of power.
• The bill passed by the senate is not up for review for 6 years - reforming it will be extremely difficult for the next president.
• This bill isn’t just about warrants or immunity for telcos - the underlying issue is whether or not the President is above the law.

Please do your part to spread the word, even if you are unable to contact a representative.   Again, thanks for all of the e-mails and I’ll be back to discuss this issue further in the next 24 hours.

Fred Soto is an Attorney and Entrepreneur from the Silicon Valley.
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