2008-02-18 Why Torts Trumped Terrorism

2008-02-18 \Robert Novak\War on Terror\warrantless wiretapping\US/Congress/110 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/17/AR2008021701734.html Why Torts Trumped Terrorism &ldquo;Pelosi could have exercised leadership prerogatives and called up the FISA bill to pass with unanimous Republican support. Instead, she refused to bring to the floor a bill approved overwhelmingly by the Senate. House Democratic opposition included left-wing members typified by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, but they were only a small faction of those opposed. The true reason for blocking the bill was Senate-passed retroactive immunity to protect from lawsuits private telecommunications firms asked to eavesdrop by the government. The nation's torts bar, vigorously pursuing such suits, has spent months lobbying hard against immunity.&rdquo; Novak frames Pelosi's decision as bowing to a special interest group (trial lawyers) rather than being a principled stand against Bush's illegal wiretapping.   