No Telecom Amnesty

Chris Dodd, Democratic Presidential candidate has put a hold on the FISA bill that would provide amnesty for telecom companies who gave up private info to the government.

The Military Commissions Act. Warrantless wiretapping. Shredding of Habeas Corpus. Torture. Extraordinary Rendition. Secret Prisons.

No more.

I have decided to place a "hold" on the latest FISA bill that would have included amnesty for telecommunications companies that enabled the President's assault on the Constitution by illegally providing personal information on their customers without judicial authorization.

I said that I would do everything I could to stop this bill from passing, and I have.

It's about delivering results -- and as I've said before, the FIRST thing I will do after being sworn into office is restore the Constitution. But we shouldn't have to wait until then to prevent the further erosion of our country's most treasured document. That's why I am stopping this bill today.

  

Click this link to see what a “hold” means. Click this link to offer words of support for Senator Dodd.

But....did Ron Wyden already insert a "poison pill" into the bill, effectively stopping it anyway? And if so, does that make Chris Dodd's hold a mere presidential campaign ploy?

Update 10/20/07: Russ Feingold co-wrote that amendment.