Federal Judge Orders Halt to NSA Wiretapping

Dan Eggen of the Washington Post reports at 5.18 pm EST

U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor wrote in a strongly-worded 43-page opinion that the NSA wiretapping program violates privacy and free-speech rights and the constitutional separation of powers between the three branches of government. She also found that it violates a 1978 law set up to oversee clandestine surveillance.

"Obviously, of course I'm disappointed," Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said at a briefing for reporters. "I believe very strongly that the president does have the authority to authorize this kind of conduct, particularly in a time of war, conduct that's very consistent with what other presidents have done in a time of war. And we believe the authority comes from the authorization to use military force and from his constitutional authority as commander in chief."

Of course the little runt is unhappy, 43 pages of legal arguyment to upset his tawdry script that the President casn do any goddam thing he wants, because there is a "War on terror".

"Today's ruling is a landmark victory against the abuse of power that has become the hallmark of the Bush administration," said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero. "Government spying on innocent Americans without any kind of warrant and without congressional approval runs counter to the very foundations of our democracy."

He called the ruling "yet another nail in the coffin of the Bush administration's strategy in the war on terror. . . . The judge very clearly points out that this, at its core, is about presidential powers."

Three cheers for Democracy and the separation of powers!!!!