FCC says NSA illegal spying with AT&T is OK

Posted by Deanna Zandt at 8:11 AM on May 25, 2006.

Well, it's just like watching dominoes fall, isn't it? First the Feds blocked the Justice Department from investigating the NSA, and now the FCC is saying it also won't investigate AT&T and the NSA because of "national security issues." FCC Commissioner Kevin Martin sent this letter (PDF) to Rep. Ed Markey explaining:

I know that all the members of this Commission take very seriously our charge to faithfully implement the nation's laws, including our authority to investigate potential violations of the Communications Act. In this case, however, the classified nature of the NSA's activities makes us unable to investigate the alleged violations discussed in your letter at this time.

Oh, it's just all so frighteningly Orwellian, isn't it? We can't investigate the people gathering all kinds of classified, personal and/or private information on you because that information is classified, personal and/or private. Markey responded:

"We can't have a situation where the FCC, charged with enforcing the law, won't even begin an investigation of apparent violations of the law because it predicts that the administration will roadblock any investigations citing national security." "If the FCC initiates an investigation and gets blocked by the White House, then the White House is stonewalling. But if the FCC refuses to even demand answers, then the White House never has to block the enforcement agency from getting to the bottom of this. The American people deserve answers."

I can't wait to see what happens next. Which agency will be next in line to wash their hands of this abomination?

Deanna Zandt is a contributing editor at AlterNet.