Feingold Targets Immunity For Telecoms

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) will offer an amendment tomorrow to remove protections in an update of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for telecommunications companies that allegedly helped the administration monitor electronic communication in the wake of Sept. 11. 

Feingold's measure sets up another potential clash over President Bush’s electronic surveillance program.

“Granting retroactive immunity for companies that allegedly went along with this illegal program is unjustified and undermines the rule of law,” Feingold said in a statement.

“Not only would retroactive immunity set the terrible precedent that breaking the law is permissible and companies need not worry about the privacy of their customers, but it would likely prevent courts from ruling on the President’s illegal warrantless wiretapping program.”

The amendment will be offered as the Senate Judiciary Committee takes up an update of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Feingold’s amendment, however, faces several significant hurdles after the FISA legislation passed out of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee—which has shared jurisdiction on the measure--- with the immunity provisions still intact. 

However, Feingold has plenty of allies in his caucus, including Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), who has vowed to place a hold on the bill if it includes the immunity language.