Domsteic Wiretap and Censure Hearings Today

The Senate Judiciary Committee will beholding hearings on domestic wiretapping and Russ Feingold's call for censure today. They start at 10 am est. Check out CSPAN today or Olbermann tonight for information. I will post updated when I get home from work later.

**Update**
Check Iowa for Feingold for updates.

Feingold, Russ Feingold

I read a good article from MSNBC on Russ Feingold's censure motion and a meeting involving Bush and Russ. The Senate Judiciary Committee will be holding a hearing on Friday discussing the domestic wiretapping and Feingold's call for censure.

Mr. President, meet your Censurer

Feingold had to leave early from Tuesday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on how to legalize the National Security Agency surveillance program — he had an appointment at the White House to meet with the man he wants to censure.

Then there's Sen. Biden, the Senate's top used-car salesman, who thinks that ignorance is strength. That would be Bush's strength, not the Democrats.

Specter opposes censure, as does Judiciary Committee Democrat Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, who said at Tuesday’s hearing, with exasperation in his voice, “The idea of censuring the president — we don’t know what he did.”

I don't believe that Feingold introduced the censure solely for political gain, the Senator has stood on principle too many times in his career to do that. The article had this interesting to say...

Friday’s censure hearing sets up what both Feingold and Senate Majority leader Bill Frist want: a roll call vote on the Senate floor on censuring Bush.

This would force all 100 senators — and especially the potential Democratic presidential hopefuls — Sens. Biden, Evan Bayh, John Kerry and Hillary Clinton — to go in the spotlight and make their choice: either condemn Bush for taking an action which the president argues is necessary to defend the nation from al Qaida attacks — or give Feingold a potential weapon to use against them in the event that he too seeks the Democratic presidential nomination.

And here is the issue at question according to Arlen Specter (R-PA)...

Specter’s view is that Bush has violated the 1978 FISA law by ordering the surveillance program but he adds, “It may well be that the program is within the president’s inherent (constitutional) authority. But it seems to me that determination has to be made in accordance with tradition by a court, by judicial review.”

For more information on Russ Feingold, check out my other blog, Iowa for Feingold.

Harkin comments about censure

Tom Harkin sent out an email explaining his reasoning behind supporting Sen. Feingold's censure resolution. The first line of the email is fantastic! (emphais added is mine).

Dear Friend,

We have a President who likes to break things. He has broken the federal budget, running up $3 trillion in new debt. He has broken the Geneva Conventions, giving the green light to torture. He has repeatedly broken promises – and broken faith – with the American people. And now, worst of all, he has broken the law.

In brazen violation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), he ordered the National Security Agency to conduct warrantless wiretaps of American citizens. And, despite getting caught red-handed, he refuses to stop.

Let’s be clear: No American – and that must include the President – is above the law. And if we fail to hold Bush to account, then he will be confirmed in his conviction that he can pick and choose among the laws he wants to obey. This is profoundly dangerous to our democracy.

So it is time for Congress to stand up and say enough! That’s why, this week, Senator Russ Feingold proposed a resolution to censure George W. Bush for breaking the FISA law. And that’s why I fully support this resolution of censure.

Nothing is more important to me than the security of our country. Of course, we need to be listening to the terrorists’ conversations. And sometimes there is not time to get a warrant. That’s why the FISA law allows the President, when necessary, to wiretap first, and obtain a warrant afterward. But that’s not acceptable to this above-the-law President. He rejects the idea that he should have to obtain a warrant before or after wiretapping.

We have an out-of-control President whose arrogant and, now, illegal behavior is running our country into the ditch. It’s time to rein him in. And a fine place to start is by passing this resolution of censure. I hope that Senator Feingold’s measure will be brought to the floor. And when it is, I will proudly vote yes.

Best Regards,

Tom Harkin

Sen. Harkin, thank you for standing up for democracy, the constitution, and the rule of law. I have been waiting for a leader to stand up and say the things you just said. Iowa is lucky to have you as their Senator.

Please head over to the Backbone Campaign to print off a Spine Card and send a thank you to Feingold, Harkin, and Boxer.

Harkin backs Feingold's censure resolution

Iowa's Tom Harkin is the first Senator to sign on as a co-sponsor of Russ Feingold's (D-WI) censure resolution.

Harkin Signs on to Censure Measure
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) has become the first co-sponsor to Sen. Russ Feingold’s (D-Wis.) controversial resolution to censure President Bush for authorizing an allegedly illegal domestic surveillance program.

I have also seen on DU that CA's Barbara Boxer has said that she is sponsoring the resolution also. That makes 3. Kerry is strongly considering it, but hasn't announced it.

Head over to the Backbone Campaign and print off a Spine Card and send a thank you to Feingold, Harkin, and Boxer.

Iowa for Feingold has a lot more posts about the Feingold censure resolution including video's of interviews, a mp3 of his speech on the Senate floor on Monday, and petitions to sign in support of the resolution.

Feingold was on the Ed Schultz show today. Check out Ed's site for audio of the interview and take a look at this article that shows what other Democrats have said about Feingold's censure resolution.

Iowa Blog Roundup

So yesterday my high speed cable internet conked out. I have only had it about 3 weeks. I called and after being on the phone almost 2 hours the technician said they would not be able to fix it and would need to schedule a person to come to the house. To top it off, the next available time for a person to come is next Monday! So I called about getting DSL today and I am stuck using dial-up again until this gets figured out.

Here's a look at what other Iowa blogs are saying:
Bacon has an interesting post about the touchplay voting where he actually was at the Statehouse for the debate. I think Bacon has taken Iowa bloggin to a new level. What's next John Deeth live blogging at FAC from Bo James?

Speaking of Mr. Deeth, he has a post about Dave Loebsack supporting Russ Feingold's move to censure President Bush. Way to go Loebsack!

Charlie discusses an ad sponsored by Focus on the Family that links Iowans voting for a marriage ammendment to Iraqi women voting. I think a better comparision would be to link Iraqi women voting to expand the rights of gays and lesbians. Those actually expand people's rights.

And finally, Des Moines Democrat checks in once again to see if Culver has updated his website yet...nope guess not.