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"There Are No Hereditary Kings in America" - Judge
Rules NSA Warrantless Spy Program Unconstitutional
Can Journalists Be Prosecuted for Receiving Classified Information?
"More Propaganda Than Plot" - Former British Ambassador
on Alleged UK Terror Plot
Arrest Warrants Issued for Over 50 Grassroots Leaders in
Oaxaca, Mexico
"There Are No Hereditary Kings in America"
- Judge Rules NSA Warrantless Spy Program Unconstitutional
A federal judge in Detroit has ruled that the Bush administration's
warrantless surveillance program is unconstitutional and must
be halted. In her 43-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Anna
Diggs Taylor wrote "There are no hereditary kings in
America and no powers not created by the Constitution."
We speak with constitutional law attorney Glenn Greenwald.
[includes rush
transcript]
A federal judge in Detroit has ruled that the Bush administration's
warrantless surveillance program is unconstitutional and must
be halted. President Bush secretly authorized the National
Security Agency program in 2001 and it was revealed in the
media last year.
U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor found that the program
violated freedom of speech, protections against unreasonable
searches and a constitutional check on the power of the presidency.
In her 43-page ruling, Taylor wrote "There are no hereditary
kings in America and no powers not created by the Constitution."
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales held a news conference
after the decision came out to defend the surveillance program.
- Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General, speaking August 17,
2006.
The wiretapping suit was filed in Michigan by the American
Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a number of journalists,
lawyers and scholars who believed their communications had
been monitored.
The Justice Department has appealed the decision and a hearing
is set for September 7th. The ruling is on hold while the
appeals process is under way.
- Glenn Greenwald, constitutional law attorney specializing
in presidential power and First Amendment issues. He is
the author of the new book "How Would a Patriot Act?"
and runs the blog Unclaimed
Territory.
Can Journalists Be Prosecuted for Receiving Classified
Information?
A federal judge ruled last week that private citizens could
be prosecuted if the government decides they have received
or disclosed information harmful to national security. We
take a look at the significance of the ruling and its implication
for investigative journalists. [includes rush
transcript]
Last week a federal judge ruled private citizens could be
prosecuted if the government decides they have received or
disclosed information harmful to national security. The ruling
comes in the case against two former employees of the American
Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. They've been charged
with passing on classified information to the Israeli government.
- Glenn Greenwald, constitutional law attorney specializing
in presidential power and First Amendment issues. He is
the author of the new book "How Would a Patriot Act?"
and runs the blog Unclaimed
Territory.
"More Propaganda Than Plot" - Former British
Ambassador on Alleged UK Terror Plot
Questions have been raised over whether British authorities
were pressured by the United States to make the arrests last
week in the alleged terror plot to blow up transatlantic airliners.
We speak with former British ambassador Craig Murray who says,
"The one thing of which I am certain is that the timing
is deeply political. This is more propaganda than plot."
[includes rush
transcript]
A judge in Britain has ruled police have until next week
to continue to hold 23 suspects arrested in the alleged plot
to blow up airplanes bound for the United States.
British police arrested 24 people in raids last week. One
person has since been released. No one has been charged with
a crime.
Questions have been raised over whether British authorities
were pressured by the United States to make the arrests. A
senior British official told NBC News that British police
were planning to continue to run surveillance for at least
another week to try to obtain more evidence. The British official
suggested the attack was not imminent, saying the suspects
had not yet purchased any airline tickets. Some did not even
have passports.
Now, a former British ambassador is suggesting that the timing
of the arrests has been deeply political and should be viewed
with skepticism. Craig Murray is Britain's former ambassador
to Uzbekistan. He was removed from the post two years ago
in part because of his outspoken criticism of Uzbekistan's
human rights record.
The British government is reportedly considering an airport
screening system that would include identifying passengers
by their ethnic or religious background. Security at British
airports was radically tightened last week after authorities
claimed they foiled the alleged terror plot. Increased passenger
searches have caused significant delays at airports in Britain
and calls have increased for profiling to select travelers
for searching.
- Gareth Crossman, Director of Policy at the British civil
rights group Liberty.
Arrest Warrants Issued for Over 50 Grassroots Leaders
in Oaxaca, Mexico
We go to Oaxaca in southern Mexico where over 50 arrest
warrants have been issued for grassroots leaders who have
mobilized to demand that the state governor be removed. In
June, Oaxaca's governor, Ulises Ruiz, ordered a police crackdown
on more than 70,000 teachers on strike, who had staged an
encampment in the city center. [includes rush
transcript]
We turn to Mexico where massive street demonstrations continue
in the capital in support of populist presidential candidate,
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
Monday marked the first day that police used tear gas and
truncheons to break up the demonstrators. But while the world's
attention is on Mexico city, another battle is gaining intensity
in the south of the country, in the state of Oaxaca.
In June, Oaxaca's governor, Ulises Ruiz, ordered a police
crackdown on a peaceful encampment of 70,000 teachers on strike
in the city center.
Since then, others have joined the teachers to create a broad
movement opposed to Ruiz's government. Over the past month
the Oaxacan People's Assembly, known as APPO, has launched
a campaign of civil disobedience aimed at forcing Ruiz to
step down. Protesters have blockaded streets and government
buildings. This past week a group of women took over the state
run Television station Canal 9.
Since the uprising began, the state has intensified its use
of force. As many as four members of APPO were fatally shot
this past week. Nearly ten people have been injured and many
more detained. Allegedly state-backed gunmen have also raided
media outlets critical of the government.
We are joined on the line from Oaxaca by three guests:
- Jill Freidberg, filmmaker who has spent several years
in Oaxaca. She is producer of the film "Granito De
Arena", which documents the Oaxaca teacher's union
movement. More information at Corrugate.org.
- John Gibler, journalist whose articles have been published
on ZNet, and will appear in Z magazine as well as in These
Times Magazines next month. John is also a Human Rights
Fellow with Global
Exchange.
- Sergio Beltran, general coordinator for Universidad de
la Tierra in Oaxaca, or Unitierra, an NGO for alternative
education. Through Unitierra he has been a participant in
the Oaxaca People's Assembly. He also is part of the broadcasting
team of Oaxaca's community radio station: Radio Planton,
where he produces a show on the mass media.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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