San Francisco (CA) - The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) filed a lawsuit against the National Security Agency (NSA) and five top government officials in its crusade to stop what the organization calls “unconstitutional, and ongoing dragnet surveillance” of the communications of AT&T customers. The EFF aims to hold President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Cheney's chief of staff David Addington, former Attorney General and White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales liable for past surveillance and the damages it caused demands the destruction of communications inventory that has been seized.  

The suit follows a previous class-action suit filed by the EFF against AT&T in 2006, which demands to stop the telecom giant's participation in the surveillance program. The organization said that Congress passed a law earlier this year trying to “derail” its case by granting immunity to AT&T. Now the EFF is going after the NSA as well as President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Cheney's chief of staff David Addington, former Attorney General and White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales, which the organizations believes should be held personally liable for the “illegal surveillance” that started in October 2001 under the description of the “terrorist surveillance program” (TSP).

According to the EFF, the government created a “shadow network of surveillance devices” targeting AT&T customers, “indiscriminately intercepted the communications content and obtained the communications
records of millions of ordinary Americans” and “acquired and continue to acquire the content of a significant portion of the phone calls, emails, instant messages, text messages, web communications and other communications, both international and domestic, of practically every American who uses the phone system or the Internet.”

The suit asks the court to “enjoin [the defendant’s] unlawful acquisition of the communications and records of Plaintiffs and class members, to require the inventory and destruction of those that have already been seized, and to obtain appropriate statutory, actual, and punitive damages to deter future illegal surveillance.”

"In addition to suing AT&T, we've now opened a second front in the battle to stop the NSA's illegal surveillance of millions of ordinary Americans and hold personally responsible those who authorized or participated in the spying program," said EFF attorney Kevin Bankston. "For years, the NSA has been engaged in a massive and massively illegal fishing expedition through AT&T's domestic networks and databases of customer records. Our goal in this new case against the government, as in our case against AT&T, is to dismantle this dragnet surveillance program as soon as possible."

The filing can be downloaded from the EFF website.

Send 'em to federal pound me in the ass prison...

Sep 19, 2008 13:24     

With the big hard heavy hittin mofo's
Henrik report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +2

stupid lawsuit

Sep 19, 2008 13:54     

I think it is a stupid lawsuit. What we give up we gain in security.
TomLeeM/BigWarpGuy report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -14

Won't go anywhere

Sep 19, 2008 14:39     

The government will claim the 11th ammendment and nothing will happen. Plus this was covered under the Patriot Act and International Calls. It would be interesting to see if your rights extend into foreign places. Either way, I would like to see how a judge would rule on this.
Headward report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +2

doesnt need to be won

Sep 19, 2008 16:06     

All it has to do is become very public. With everyone knowing that they are being spyed (even if only potentially) while with AT&T, they wont probably want to choose them! Remember sometimes more then winning a courtroom decision is just educating people about what really happens. And what could be worse then being spied upon by your own country and then losing a court case for some damn privacy? Thats something damning right there!

skythra report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +3

@tomleeM

Sep 20, 2008 11:22     

lol, show me the statistics of how much this program has worked? ummm none. I don't need the government listening to me trying to convince my gf of "further access".
Craig report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

Patriot Act is unconstitutional

Sep 20, 2008 13:13     

This needs no further comment. The US PATRIOT Act is unconstitutional as it violates the 4th Amendment. Since you're probably too lazy to go find it, and because it is short and sweet, here it is: "Amendment IV The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." This means citizens can't be surveiled or searched without a warrant sworn with probable cause. It doesn't mean its ok to spy on us because the government wants to, nor does it mean its ok to spy on us if SOME of us THINK it makes us all "safer". Read the Constitution. The EFF is right to sue the bumbs who are traitorous Constitution shredders. Go EFF!!

sjdude report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +2

Finally...

Sep 22, 2008 10:35     

Finally someone is taking these idiots to task. How is it that the ones who yell the loudest about 'protecting freedom' are also the first ones to take it away if it suits them?
Patrick report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0