If the president does it, that means it is not illegal?
FISA was the Senate's response to Nixon's illegal warrantless spying on Americans. The Church commission understood that it wasn't enough for ...more »
FISA was the Senate's response to Nixon's illegal warrantless spying on Americans. The Church commission understood that it wasn't enough for it to be illegal for the government to do it - it also had to be illegal for phone companies to collude with illegal spying, otherwise the law would never be enforced. They placed a legal duty on telecom companies to refuse to comply with illegal surveillance. Now that phone companies have broken that law, they see that when a White House can pressure them into collusion, that same White House can pressure Congress into excusing their crimes if it ever becomes public.
Congress has ratified and expanded on Nixon's saying. Do you believe that "if the president asks you to do it, that means it is not illegal?" How can you reconcile Congress' action with the concept of rule of law, as opposed to rule by kings?
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