| Hank Chinaski |
12-20-2005 09:45 AM |
Punishing the Guilty
Quote:
Originally posted by Gattigap
This, together with (my understanding) that FISA permits retroactive hearings, actually argues that the Administration decided to bypass FISA simply because it was administratively inconvenient. If the chances of being rejected are vanishingly small because you've never lost, you tell me why they couldn't be bothered with it.
|
I believe "retroactive" means within 24 hours. There are 8 judges spread across the country. On average they'll each see hundreds of requests- anyone ever work in Crim law enough to know how quickly you can get standard warrents- I've seen TV where the cops go wake the Judge up.
Anyways, if you accept that the Admin only does it if there is a clear tie to AQ (and I know none of you guys accept much about the admin), and there are some 1500 per year that go through the normal path, isn't it possible that the ones where they don't follow are just too sensitive to risk the chance of the Judge leaking it? I mean, I not Spanky anti-press, or even expect the press to keep stuff quiet, but there seems to be a lot of leaks of things that probably shouldn't have leaked. If they have a possible tap on some line where an AQ guy has been communicating to the US, and they know its live, I don't know that I want that risked (regardless of how many vowels are in his last name Ty).
I know you guys are better lawyers than the way you analyze stuff here. If the admin is actually getting 1500 warrents a year, it's not like they need to go looking for more. Why potentially or arguably cross a line, unless there is a really good reason to, and the only really good reason I can imagine is the info CAN'T get out, under any circumstance.
Sorry Wonk, I just don't see a dept getting 1500 warrents wanting more, and chasing some where they lack a good reason. If there is no good reason, why risk this controversy? The standards are not that high if they're 1500-0.
http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/fisa/ (actually 1700-0)
|