A Federal Judge has ruled that the NSA’s warrantless wiretap program is — shock! — unconstitutional.
A federal judge ruled Thursday that the government’s warrantless wiretapping program is unconstitutional and ordered an immediate halt to it. The White House said it “couldn’t disagree” more with the ruling.
U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor in Detroit became the first judge to strike down the National Security Agency’s program, which she says violates the rights to free speech and privacy as well as the separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution.
The Justice Department said it would appeal. The Bush Administration suggested that perhaps they could staple a signing statement to the bottom of the judgment that would let them ignore any of its provisions if they wanted to.
The U.S. Justice Department appealed the ruling and issued a statement saying the program is “an essential tool for the intelligence community in the war on terror.”
“In the ongoing conflict with al-Qaida and its allies, the president has the primary duty under the Constitution to protect the American people,” the department said. “The Constitution gives the president the full authority necessary to carry out that solemn duty, and we believe the program is lawful and protects civil liberties.”
The President has (if you read that statement) the full, primary, necessary, and constitutional authority to do whatever he wants if it’s for the protection of the American people. Isn’t that great? I feel much safer.
(via Les)