More and Better Dems: Progressives demand rule of law on FISA

Today was supposed to be that day when a new, "fixed" FISA bill was to be announced.  According to Matt Stoller at OpenLeft, it was going to be bad:

I just got word from the ACLU that a new and bad FISA bill is about to be unveiled tomorrow at 1:30pm by Steny Hoyer in a press-only briefing.  Telecom immunity is not in the bill, but the Senate is pressing hard for that to be included.

The dynamic in the House is really odd.  Hoyer and Emanuel seem to be pushing for a FISA capitulation to 'protect the freshmen', even though the freshmen understand their constituents don't want a FISA capitulation.  No one will go on the record on any of this, and Emanuel and Hoyer aren't voting for the capitulation, only orchestrating its passage.

No one knew the details of the bill, including the ACLU, which itself was a bad sign.  But now it looks like the bill may have been scuttled by progressives in the House.

Via the Huffington Post:

Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), the House Majority Leader, postponed a press conference announcing new reforms of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act after progressive lawmakers banded together and said they would fight any legislation that did not include a set of eight principles on wiretapping that preserve the "rule of law."

What's most significant is that the Progressive Caucus came together and said to the leadership that all 72 of us require that these provisions be included," said Caroline Fredercikson, Legislative Director for the American Civil Liberties Union. "This changes the dynamic significantly."

Significant, indeed.  This small but necessary victory was brought to you by the Congressional Progressive Caucus.  Please call or write them today and thank them.  And urge them to continue to stand up for the Constitution.