http://www.house.gov/johnlewis/05pressreleases/pr121905.htmlRep. John Lewis Says No Justification for NSA Spying on American Citizens
December 19, 2005 - During the White House press briefing today, President Bush tried to justify his domestic spying program, recently revealed in reports by The New York Times, which indicated the President signed an order in 2002 allowing wiretapping and eavesdropping on American citizens without court approval as required by law. Rep. Lewis responded to these reports and the President’s recent comments on his domestic spying program:
“The President has offered no substantive justification for the National Security Agency’s domestic spying program on American citizens. Neither has he provided the legal foundation for this controversial program, the specific statutes and constitutional authority alluded to by his former National Security advisor, Condoleeza Rice.
“In my opinion, the President has violated the law, and the House and Senate must pursue their inquiries into this illegal program. The President must stop using the threat of terrorism and the tactics of fear to invade the privacy of American citizens. George W. Bush is the president. He is not a king. He is not above the law.
“This executive order takes us back to the dark past when our government spied on Civil Rights leaders and Vietnam War protestors. Without obtaining the judicial authorization required to wiretap American citizens, the American people have no protection against the misuse of this program for illegal or vindictive means. The very system of democracy the President seeks to protect is undermined by this controversial program. Principles fundamental to our Constitution and values central to the American way of life have been violated in this situation--the separation of powers, the right to privacy of American citizens, as well as the freedom of the press. In this country we have a press that operates independently from the government and its duty is to act as a check on government activity. The President should not chastise the press for exercising its Constitutional authority.
“President Bush and Vice President Cheney have said that the White House informed the leadership of Congress and ranking members of the intelligence committee about this questionable program. However, it seems clear that there was no respect for the objections of those elected representatives who raised concerns about this domestic spying program. I look forward to further inquiry in the House and Senate on these matters. The American people deserve the truth. We must gather the facts and determine once and for all whether the law was violated. There is no question that the U.S. Congress has impeached presidents for lesser offenses.”
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