<![CDATA[Gawker: valleywag, fisa]]> http://tags.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/gawker.com.png <![CDATA[Gawker: valleywag, fisa]]> http://gawker.com/tag/valleywag/fisa http://gawker.com/tag/valleywag/fisa <![CDATA[Mad about AT&T's wiretapping? Try suing your congressman]]> HR 6304, the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, cleared the U.S. Senate in a 69-28 vote today, including retroactive immunity for AT&T, Sprint, and other telecom carriers that helped the U.S. spy on people for five years. Is the fight over? No. Who voted for or against it? See the tidy summary by Congressional Quarterly and our hard-charging intern Alaska Miller:

The bill, cleared by a 69-28 vote, would grant telecommunications companies immunity if a federal district court determined they received assurances from the government that the program was legal and authorized by the president. According to a Senate Intelligence Committee report, they did receive such assurances.

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama of Illinois voted for the bill, while his former opponent, Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, voted against. Presumptive GOP nominee John McCain did not vote.

How did your local representatives vote?

Nay CA-1 Thompson, C. [D] (Napa)
Nay CA-6 Woolsey, Lynn [D] (Marin)
Aye CA-8 Pelosi, Nancy [D] (SF)
Nay CA-9 Lee, Barbara [D] (Oakland)
Aye CA-10 Tauscher, Ellen [D] (Contra Costa)
Aye CA-11 McNerney, Jerry [D] (East San Jose, San Joaquin)
Nay CA-12 Speier, Jackie [D] (South SF)
No Vote CA-13 Stark, Fortney [D] (Fremont, Alameda)
Nay CA-14 Eshoo, Anna [D] (South Bay)
Nay CA-15 Honda, Michael [D] (San Jose)
Nay CA-16 Lofgren, Zoe [D] (Santa Clara)

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<![CDATA[Is Barack Obama's online campaigning truly interactive, or just an ATM?]]> While political pundits gasp with awe at the amount of money Barack Obama has been able to raise online, the leftist wonks at Alternet are ringing the alarm bell over the candidate's support of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act amendments pending in Congress. The bill would broadly expand executive powers to conduct warrantless wiretaps, as well as grant immunity to telcos which voluntarily participated in the illegal surveillance of American citizens at the current administration's request.

A group of supporters are lobbying the Democratic senator to change his position on the bill on his campaign social network, MyBO. The question is, will Obama actually take serious policy suggestions from supporters using the same website he's already using to mobilize volunteers and, more importantly, raise more cash than any presidential candidate in history? The Magic 8-Ball says "very doubtful." (Photo by AP/Jae C. Hong)

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<![CDATA[TelCos bought wiretapping immunity for a song]]> The average contribution from AT&T, Verizon and Sprint to the 94 Democratic congresscritters who change their votes from "no" to "yes" on the bill which would grant the companies immunity from charges of illegally wiretapping American citizens? $8,359. How much for all 293 "yes" votes, total? $2,830,087. Eleven California dems changed their votes — Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who represents San Francisco, scored $24,500 in sweet, sweet lobbyist contributions. [MAPLight.org] (Photo by AP/Susan Walsh)

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