ACLU Asks for Documents Explaining Warrantless Wiretapping

According to ACLU, Congress allowed warrantless wiretapping for international phone calls and e-mails called the "Protect America Act". The Executive Branch praised the legalization but still asked for more warrantless wiretapping. The powers are currently giving only to the National Security Agency and ACLU argues simply giving the power to another branch is no better than before as they lack "vision and is unable to set objectives and meet them."

This leads to a slippery slope of power and warrantless searches. Who knows where Congress could go with these new found powers.

ACLU has hoped that the Democratic side will stop the continued growing powers in the Executive Branch given by Congress. Democrats were elected to stop a president who is out of control - not grease the wheels for further abuse. Hopefully it won't take the full six months to pass legislation that will protect American communications. With any luck, congressional leadership will grow a spine before then," said Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU.

For the first time ever, ACLU is now trying to get Congress to reveal the legal documents involved in these decisions. The specific documents targeted are the opinions that show why it is necessary to increase the scope of the government. They have filed legal papers with Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to find these documents.

"Unless the FISA court discloses the documents leading up to the recent law and shedding light on the government's claimed surveillance authority, an informed and meaningful debate - the cornerstone of our democracy - cannot occur. said Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU.

Although this is the first time an organization has requested the release of such documents, it is not the first time such documents have been released. ACLU argues that because this is not the first time, it shows that there is no security risk from the release of such documents. In 1980's, the courts released the secret documents showing why they allowed physical searches.

"The views of the judiciary on legal questions of national importance, like the scope of the government's surveillance power under FISA, or whether the executive branch has overreached in violation of constitutional limits, should be as open and accessible to the public as possible," said Melissa Goodman, a staff attorney with the ACLU's National Security Project. This is to ensure the continued existence of rights and freedom in America.