Senate Caves on FISA

The Senate passed H.R. 6304 amending the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, granting telecom immunity. You can view the roll call vote here.

The New York Times reports:

More than two and a half years after the disclosure of President’s Bush’s domestic eavesdropping program set off a furious national debate, the Senate gave final approval on Wednesday afternoon to broadening the government’s spy powers and providing legal immunity for the phone companies that took part in the wiretapping program. [...]

The plan, approved by a vote of 69 to 28, marked one of Mr. Bush’s most hard-won legislative victories in a Democratic-led Congress where he has had little success of late. Both houses, controlled by Democrats, approved what amounted to the biggest restructuring of federal surveillance law in 30 years, giving the government more latitude to eavesdrop on targets abroad and at home who are suspected of links to terrorism.

The issue put Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, the presumptive Democratic nominee, in a particularly precarious spot. After long opposing the idea of immunity for the phone companies in the wiretapping operation, he voted for the plan on Wednesday. His reversal last month angered many of his most ardent supporters, who organized an unsuccessful drive to get him to reverse his position once again. And it came to symbolize what civil liberties advocates saw as “capitulation” by Democratic leaders to political pressure from the White House in an election year.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, who was Mr. Obama’s rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, voted against the bill.

Hummmmmmmm ...

Democrats Cave on FISA

Is this really news to anyone?

For more on the story.

Hillary Clinton to Vote No on Cloture

Sen. Hillary Clinton will be in the Senate and voting "no" on cloture on the FISA bill.

Mcjoan at DailyKos writes:

Jane breaks the great news that Senator Clinton will be on the floor tomorrow to vote against McConnell's cloture vote on the Intelligence Committee's pro-telco amnesty FISA bill. Beating this vote is critical, and good for Clinton for taking the time out of the campaign to do her current job. The Obama campaign hasn't yet said if he will be there, too, though he is scheduled to have a fundraiser in DC at 4:00. [Update: That was fast! Jane is now reporting that Obama will be there to vote no, too. This is great news. Thank you, Senators, for listening to us, and in turn, sending this critical message.]

It's great that Sen. Clinton is coming back for the vote -- it's as if she had two votes!