Digging in to Illegal Wiretaps: "

The Senate Judiciary Committee has sent subpoenas to the White House to investigate the administration's warrantless wiretaps.

WASHINGTON (Wednesday, June 27) - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), in consultation with Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), issued subpoenas Wednesday for documents relating to the authorization and legal justification for the Administration's warrantless wiretapping program.

Chairman Leahy issued subpoenas to the Department of Justice, the Office of the White House, the Office of the Vice President and the National Security Council for documents relating to the Committee’s inquiry into the warrantless electronic surveillance program. The subpoenas seek documents related to authorization and reauthorization of the program or programs; the legal analysis or opinions about the surveillance; orders, decisions, or opinions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) concerning the surveillance; agreements between the Executive Branch and telecommunications or other companies regarding liability for assisting with or participating in the surveillance; and documents concerning the shutting down of an investigation of the Department of Justice’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) relating to the surveillance.

More via the NYT. I hope they'll do a vigorous investigation, including debate on the public record to blow down the 'state secrets' screen that's been thrown up against private lawsuits against the spying.

"

(Read Original Article - Via Wendy's Blog: Legal Tags.)