72 HOURS
On the ‘Today’ show yesterday morning, in arguing that the President was right not to seek wiretap warrants from the FISA court, Pat Buchanan said: ‘You cannot go to a bureaucratic court and wait 72 hours for a warrant after we’ve been hit by something like 9/11.’
Katie Couric just let it pass and that was that.
Well, the ’72 hours’ part was right, but otherwise it’s quite the opposite: the law says you can do the wire taps FIRST, so long as you go to the FISA court within 72 hours for retroactive approval.
Kinda totally different, no? But the millions of viewers who watch the ‘Today’ show may never know it. On to the story of the missing penguin.
And so does democracy erode.
TWO GREAT QUOTES
The first by Tom DeLay, the second about Tom DeLay. As noted by David Sirota:
[1995]
‘The time has come that the American people know exactly what their Representatives are doing here in Washington. Are they feeding at the public trough, taking lobbyist-paid vacations, getting wined and dined by special interest groups? Or are they working hard to represent their constituents? The people, the American people, have a right to know.’ –Tom DeLay (R-TX), House floor speech, November 16, 1995[2005]
‘Donors underwrite jet-setting, luxury travel for DeLay, aides . . . at least 48 visits to golf clubs and resorts; 100 flights aboard company planes; 200 stays at hotels, many world-class; and 500 meals at restaurants, some averaging nearly $200 for a dinner for two. Instead of his personal expense, the meals and trips for DeLay and his associates were paid with donations collected by the campaign committees, political action committees and children’s charity the Texas Republican created during his rise to the top of Congress.” – AP, 12/20/05
