Telecom Immunity Update

It has come to this:

Monday will see the Senate Intelligence Bill come before the house, and all proposed amendments will receive a vote. The bill itself includes a provision providing retroactive immunity to those companies who participated in warrantless surveillance of Americans. Senator Dodd and Senator Feingold have proposed an amendment that will strip the bill of this provision. If they can manage to find 51 votes, then there will be no immunity provision in the final bill. Contact your Senators (even if they are dedicated Republicans) and ask them to support the Dodd/Feingold amendment.

**UPDATE**

Glenn Greenwald is claiming that the Dodd/Feingold amendment will need to get 60 votes, per the agreement. There is almost no chance of this happening. Tune in Monday to see our Senate sanction a crime against the American people!

I should note that the House passed version of the FISA bill that is substantially different from the one before the Senate. If the Senate passes the Intelligence Committee's bill on Monday, with the immunity provision, then there will have to be some reconciliation. There will be pressure on the House to pass a bill identical to the Senate version. So this fight isn't over yet.