U.S. Is Weighing Wide Overhaul of Wiretap Laws

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/08/us/politics/obama-may-back-fbi-plan-to-wiretap-web-users.html?pagewanted=all

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: barry levine 
Date: Wed, May 8, 2013 at 8:11 AM
Subject: re: U.S. Is Weighing Wide Overhaul of Wiretap Laws
To: "letters@nytimes.com"

To the Editor:

   It is reasonable that internet companies and telecom companies should be compelled to comply with court-ordered wiretaps. Likewise, it is reasonable that they should comply with the FISA statute of 1979. And yet tens of thousands of Americans suffered unreasonable searches through warrantless wiretaps in violation of that statute and of our constitution. Congress subsequently immunized telecom companies from civil suits over the matter. It remains for the U.S. attorney general to prosecute these crimes.

   Any executive who would promulgate new laws in this area while disdaining to enforce existing statute is a fool, too far removed from the reality to execute his office.

Barry Haskell Levine