“We would be aiding and abetting the President in his illegal actions, his contempt for the rule of law, and his attempt to hide his lawbreaking".

Ted Kennedy gave a great speech denouncing Bush's demand for retroactive immunity for the Telecoms in the new FISA bill...

"It's painfully clear what the President's request for retroactive immunity is really about. It's a self-serving attempt to avoid legal and political accountability and keep the American public in the dark about this whole shameful episode. Like the CIA's destruction of videotapes showing potentially criminal conduct, it's a desperate attempt to erase the past.

The Senate should see this request for what it is, and reject it. We should pass this amendment to strike Title II from the FISA bill. Our focus should be on protecting national security, our fundamental liberties, and the rule of law—not protecting phone companies that knew they were breaking the law."