My e-mail to Sen. Herb Kohl

The text of my letter to Sen. Russ Feingold was different because he already has a statement on his webpage indicating his stance against immunity for the telecom industry. I encourage you all to write to your elected representatives and urge them to hold the collaborators accountable and vote against any imunity from civil action.

As a member of the Judicial committee I implore you to not include any provision in the domestic spying program to give the telecom industry immunity from prosecution. I ask you to hold them responsible for their actions in eroding the rights of the American people. If the White House will not give the committee the documents they require, I humbly suggest the committee not approve any program for domestic spying. The way I see it the administration doesn't really have a bargaining chip here. The Judicial Committee says to them "we need these documents to give you the program you want." And the administration replies by demanding the committee wright the legislation the way it wants or they wont release the documents you need. It sounds like the administration is putting the cart before the horse. I haven't really heard any arguments in support of immunity, which makes me nervous. It is as if everyone believes the immunity is a foregone conclusion. The only serious argument I have heard in favor of immunity from prosecution for the telecom collaborators is that; if sued, the companies may have to testify about issues of national security. Which may be a legitimate concern, how would one know unless one receives the information from the administration, but couldn't the portions of any civil trial involving matters of national security be made secret? One need not throw the baby out with the bath water and hold these wrongdoers immune from action.