Action Alert!: Stand Up for
Your 4th Amendment Rights!
Contact your Senator Before
Next Tuesday's Vote and Urge
Them to Vote Against Telecom
Immunity!
Dear GAP Supporter:
In March, GAP client and
computer security expert
Babak Pasdar disclosed to
Congress how a
telecommunications Goliath
flagrantly disregarded
American civil rights and
its own customers' privacy.
While restructuring the
security system of a major
telecommunications carrier,
Pasdar stumbled upon a
"Quantico Circuit," a
high-speed digital line that
provided the federal
government with access to
the carrier's entire
network. This circuit had
neither security controls
nor any usage logs to record
what information flowed
through the system.
Pasdar's whistleblowing
disclosures are credited
with changing the mind of
Representatives in March and
convincing them to deny
retroactive immunity to
telecoms.
Unfortunately, the House had
a change of heart regarding
the privacy rights of the
American people and pushed
through a bill with immunity
provisions. That bill was
expected to pass the Senate
last Friday, but due to an
enormous public outcry
against the proposal, the
vote was delayed. The Senate
is on recess this week, but
is expected to take up the
measure this coming Tuesday,
July 8.
This is where you can make a
difference - Demand that
telecoms not be granted
immunity for their flagrant
betrayal of your privacy and
civil liberties.
Here's how:
There are currently three
proposed Senate amendments
that address the question of
retroactive immunity - if
any of them pass, it would
be a great victory:
-
An amendment by Senators
Feingold (D-WI), Dodd
(D-CT), and Feinstein
(D-CA) would cleanly
strip telecom immunity.
-
An amendment by Senator
Specter (R-PA) would
allow lawsuits against
the telecoms to proceed
if a district court
judge rules that
constitutional rights
were violated.
-
An amendment by Senator
Bingaman (D-NM) would
postpone final approval
of retroactive immunity
until 90 days after
completion of an Office
of Inspector General
report on the full
extent of illegal
surveillance.
These options will only be
"on the table" until next
Tuesday, July 8. It is
vitally important that you
get in touch with your
Senator and insist they deny
immunity to telecoms.
Only with your help can we
uphold true accountability
for those corporations who
flagrantly violate American
civil liberties.
Please contact your Senator
and stand up for your
rights! (See our "mock
script" below) Click on
www.senate.gov
to find the contact number
for your Senator.
Many thanks,
The Government Accountability Project
---------------------------
If you're wondering what to
say to you Senator's office,
try the following:
Hello! I'm interested in
finding out how Senator
______ plans to vote on the
security expansion bill on
Tuesday - specifically what
s/he thinks of the
amendments to it that would
remove retroactive immunity
for the telecoms.
If they support the
amendments:
"Great! Thanks for standing
up for my civil liberties!"
If they do not support the
amendments:
"I'm disappointed in this
decision to ignore my civil
liberties!"
If they state they don't
have a position yet:
"Well, I urge you to vote
'No' on the entire bill. But
if you vote 'Yes,' please
vote for the amendments
removing retroactive
immunity. My rights and
civil liberties were
violated, and these telecoms
shouldn't be let off the
hook."
