Fun With Jay Rockefeller
Thanks to Kagro X at daily kos, I learned that Jay “Fourth Amendment for Sale, getcher Fourth Amendment for Sale!” Rockefeller has “studied the evidence” and believes that the telephone companies that helped the Bush administration spy on Americans, breaking the very law they helped write, deserve immunity from prosecution.
We closely studied the facts, the documents and the alternatives to liability for the companies. Ultimately, we concluded that if we subject companies to lawsuits when doing so is patently unfair, we will forfeit industry as a crucial tool in our national defense.
Helpfully, Kagro X points out what happened the LAST time Jay Rockefeller examined the evidence:
But after a great deal of consultation and soul-searching, I have come to the conclusion that the risks of doing nothing — for our citizens and for our nation — are too great to bear.
There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years. And that may happen sooner if he can obtain access to enriched uranium from foreign sources — something that is not that difficult in the current world. We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction.
When Saddam Hussein obtains nuclear capabilities, the constraints he feels will diminish dramatically, and the risk to America’s homeland, as well as to America’s allies, will increase even more dramatically. Our existing policies to contain or counter Saddam will become irrelevant.
Armed with this information, I called the Senator’s office.
Ring….Riiiiiiiiing
“Hello Senator Rockefeller’s office.”
“Hi, this is Brendan Skwire calling. I was just reading the Senator’s comments about why his generous friends at AT&T. Apparently, he’s examined the evidence, and has decided they need protection from prosecution. I’d like to add a comment to that. Do you remember what happened the last time Senator Rockefeller examined the evidence the Bush adminsitration gave him?” And I read from the floor statement quoted above. “We all know how THAT turned out: there were no weapons of mass destruction. There was no effort to get uranium from Nigeria. The war did not last 6 months. And given all of this, how can I be assured that Senator Rockefeller isn’t making the same bad decision now?”
“Well sir…. I don’t know. I guess you’ll have to draw your own conclusions.”
“Really? Are you SURE you want me to do that? Because if I have to draw my own conclusions, I have to conclude that the Senator is an easily duped fool, who’s so out-of-it he can get tricked by someone as dumb as George W. Bush. And if Senator Rockefeller’s truly that stupid, what business does he have sitting in the Senate?
“You don’t have to answer that one,” I added. “Just pass my message along. Our Fourth Amendment Rights aren’t for sale, and Senator Rockefeller should back off this effort to indemnify AT&T against prosecution for breaking the law.”
