Halle-fucking-lujiah.
Of course, the Bush junta will most likely just ignore this, claiming “National Security,” “Executive Privelege,” or “Because I Said So.” Of course, I’m expecting that the mainstream media will instead breathlessly cover the latest chapter of the JonBenet Ramsey CelebriTragiPorn, so perhaps this story will die a quiet death.
Here’s a PDF of the ruling. Save it. Show it to your kids someday, as a historical document, marking the moment when someone tried to put this nation back on track.
The best quote from the whole thing, which is just begging to be made into a T-shirt, bumper stickers, etc. and plastered everywhere:
“….the Office of the Chief Executive has itself been created, with its powers, by the Constitution. There are no hereditary Kings in America and no powers not created by the Constitution.”
Another friend and I were just talking about this, actually. He wondered if they’d bother to abide by it, and I pointed out that it doesn’t really matter. Any wiretaps obtained illegally are inadmissible in court. So even if they continue tapping they can’t use any information gleaned from that, directly or indirectly.
That is, indeed, a beautiful thing.
D.
You have an excellent point
So even if they continue tapping they can’t use any information gleaned from that, directly or indirectly.
Unless the information being gleaned is the kind that one might use for political blackmail. Politicians are known for their indiscretions and secrets.
You know they will just pillory him for ‘legislating from the bench’ right?
Or unless it’s used as an excuse to detain someone indefinitely without need of evidence nor trial at Guantanimo Bay. It doesn’t really matter whether material is admissible in court if someone never gets their day there, does it?
Two more years of this shit to go. Ugh.
That one’s the key. No trial, no need for admissible evidence.