Bush was denied wiretaps, bypassed them, other news

Bush was denied wiretaps, bypassed them, other news
by UPI Wire
Dec 27, 2005


WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush decided to skip seeking warrants for international wiretaps because the court was challenging him at an unprecedented rate.

A review of Justice Department reports to Congress by Heart newspapers shows the 26-year-old Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court modified more wiretap requests from the Bush administration than the four previous presidential administrations combined.

The 11-judge court that authorizes FISA wiretaps modified only two search warrant orders out of the 13,102 applications approved over the first 22 years of the court's operation.

But since 2001, the judges have modified 179 of the 5,645 requests for surveillance by the Bush administration, the report said. A total of 173 of those court-ordered "substantive modifications" took place in 2003 and 2004. And, the judges also rejected or deferred at least six requests for warrants during those two years -- the first outright rejection of a wiretap request in the court's history.
(snip/...)

http://www.postchronicle.com/news/breakingnews/article_2122504.shtml

Maybe he was getting his requests denied because they were without merit.


And, I honestly think that part of the reason he bypassed the process and possibly part of the reason he had requests denied is because they were spying on political opponents.

makes it look like the chimp is getting picked on. DO THE MATH. 13,000 in 22 years, under shrub almost 6,000 in 4. Suck my dick UPI spin machine

I see it as evidence that blivet** trying to over reach on his requests and the court bringing him back in line by asking for the modifications and outright denying some warrants.

I see it as evidence of why he eventually skipped the court altogether. They were demanding that he follow the letter of the law, show just cause for the actions that he was requesting, and cease action when could not do so. Not the other way around.

Remember the word blivet** used to describe what he was doing was "detect" not monitor, as the law allows you to monitor but not to detect. Probable cause is a powerful basis for any search and the court was holding his hand to that flame. He didn't like the heat, so he bypassed the kitchen. Simple as that.

Perhaps Gov. Richardson could speak to why he thought he was being monitored now too?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5692549

He couldn't get his way so he bypassed the courts.

If he thought the taps were within his Constitutional power, then why did he even bother to use the FISA court at all?

Now, who'd like to lay odds on ANY reporter or news program connecting those two dots and actually making the same observation or asking a related question? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

Mostly

Since the courts were too bothersome, it would be more efficient to break the law and trash the Constitution, again.

Like when Litte Dubby knows mommy will say "No!" to pretzels and scotch before dinner, so he just has some anyway without asking, figuring he can charm his way out of trouble later, as he always does.

The domestic spying case is particularly egregious, though, in that it appears Little Dubby did seek mommy's permission and was explicity rebuked. He really has no defense...relying on the opinions of his own advisors over the ruling of the court is about as arrogant and out-of-touch with reality -- and fascist -- as it gets. And he's right there in our house, the people's house, lying to us, spying on us, laughing at us all the while.

And we let him.

*sigh*