The Executive Members of DFNYC issued the following press release this afternoon, June 24, 2008, regarding the House of Representatives vote on amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that would give immunity from prosecution to telecommunications companies who participated in the president's illegal domestic surveillance program.

We urge you to contact NY Senators Hillary Clinton & Charles Schumer, and Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and tell them to support efforts in the Senate to strip these immunity provisions from the final bill.

Democracy for NYC is severely disappointed that the House of Representatives has voted to pass a bill that is unnecessary at best, and a severe blow to freedom at home and abroad. The House vote on H.R.6304, the "FISA Amendments Act of 2008," indicates a denial of reality among both Democrats and Republicans, and a repudiation of the foundation of the American way.

Under current law, the President may already authorize wiretaps before even asking for a secret warrant. There is absolutely no chance that a potential terrorist operation will go undetected because of a legal technicality. As such, the 1978 law still upholds the American system of checks and balances while also allowing the government agencies charged with protecting us to act quickly whenever they believe that quick action is needed. The law as it exists today works very well, which is why both left- and right-wing groups and publications have stated that we don't need to change it.

Unfortunately, too many people in the House of Representatives don't understand how well the current FISA law works. They apparently believe that our freedom, and our Constitution, are not strong enough to withstand the threat of terrorism. We vehemently disagree. We believe that freedom can withstand the threat, as it has withstood threats from monarchs, Nazis, and Communists for over 200 years. The failure--or refusal--of members of the House of Representatives to believe in and support freedom and the Constitution renders them unfit to serve in Congress. As Benjamin Franklin is crediting with publishing, "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." The 293 members of the House of Representatives who voted to sacrifice liberty for the phony promise of safety deserve neither liberty nor safety, nor do they deserve to hold a leadership position in our society.

A PDF version of the official press release may be viewed/downloaded HERE...