Another Clinton Lackey Overturns Part of FISA

Isn’t this the same state that allows terrorists to form a terror training camp?

Mike’s America, the right-wing apologist, wrote, “Still not ONE case of any American citizen whose rights have been violated by the Bush Administration for ‘abusing’ FISA.”

This appears to be a case of the “big lie” strategy. It involves a speaker repeating a falsehood, in an attempt to have people believe that it must be true.

However, anyone who has read the decision (I did, every word) knows that the central issue was PRECISELY whether this use of FISA was an abuse by the Executive Branch, because it was a VIOLATION of the Fourth Amendment.

The plaintiff, American citizen Brandon Mayfield, won a summary judgment and was granted declaratory relief.

The judge definitely supported the claim that this American citizen’s rights were violated by the Bush Administration.

The Administration itself claimed FISA as justification for this violation, but as the judge pointed out, FISA does not trump the Constitution. (It’s the other way around, if they are found to be in conflict.)

So let’s review:

“ONE case” — This case is one case.

“of any American citizen” — Brandon Mayfield is an American citizen.

“whose rights have been violated” — The Fourth Amendment rights of Mr. Mayfield were violated.

“by the Bush Administration” — It’s absolutely uncontroversial who the defendants were in this case.

“for ‘abusing’ FISA.” — Yes, they followed FISA procedures, and they abrogated fundamental human and legal rights of Mr. Mayfield.

So whine all you want about the liberal judge, or your disagreement with the analysis. Keep your hopes up that another court will see it differently, if you think your due process rights are less important than the convenience of the Executive Branch when conducting criminal investigations.

But you’re only fooling yourself if you actually believe that no American’s rights have ever been trampled by FISA abuse. That’s what this case was ABOUT. Duh.