TOLL FREE efforts to stop the Warrantless Spying and the Torture

efforts to stop the Warrantless Spying and the Torture
/Tribunal bills now hitting the Senate... Mobilizing right
resistance became a part of my "life as art" yesterday when I grasped these bills as significant
linchpins in the power grab now picking up steam in our nation's capital... We may yet require
something along the lines of a Ukraine, Mexico, Thailand, or now Japan-like response... but
meanwhile, here's the latest, and simpler, tactic to fend off these bills FYI, followed by a
sample of my own faxed communique (totally easy via laptop and phone line), also FYI... and that's
all for now! Happy Tuesday -K

THIS JUST IN: Senator Russ Feingold is the most likely to lead a filibuster! Call 202-224-5323.
Tell his staff you want to encourage the Senator to lead a fillibuster against the
Torture/Tribunal bill and, especially, the Warrantless Spying bill.

AND toll-free #s to Capitol switchboard, ask for any senator/rep: 866-340-9281 / 866-340-9279 /
877-851-6437

Key contacts:

Idaho - Larry Craig 202-224-2752 / Fax: (202) 228-1067
Rhode Island - Lincoln Chaffee 202-224-2921 / Fax: (202) 228-2853
South Dakota - Tim Johnson 202-224-5842 / Fax: (202) 228-5765
Louisiana - Mary Landrieu 202-224-5824 / Fax: (202) 224-9735
Michigan - Carl Levin 202-224-6221 / Fax: (202) 224-1388
Arkansas - Blanche Lincoln 202-224-4843 / Fax: (202) 228-1371
New Jersey - Robert Menendez 202-224-4744 / Fax: (202) 228-2197
Alaska - Lisa Murkowski 202-224-6665 / Fax: (202) 224-5301
Florida - Bill Nelson 202-224-5274 / Fax: (202) 228-2183
Nebraska - Ben Nelson 202-224-6551 / Fax: (202) 228-0012
Nevada - Harry Reid 202-224-3542 / Fax: (202) 224-7327
Maine - Olympia Snowe 202-224-5344 / Fax: (202) 224-1946
New Hampshire - John Sununu 202-224-2841 / Fax: (202) 228-4131

and key members of the Senate Armed Forces Committee:

Sen. John Warner (Chairman), VA , Phone: (202) 224-2023 Fax: (202) 224-6295
Sen. John McCain, AZ, Phone: (202) 224-2235 Fax: (202) 228-2862
Sen. Carl Levin, MI, Phone: (202) 224-6221 Fax: (202) 224-1388
Sen. Susan Collins, ME, Phone: (202) 224-2523 Fax: (202) 224-2693
Sen. Edward Kennedy, MA, Phone: (202) 224-4543 Fax: (202) 224-2417
Sen. Lindsey Graham, SC, Phone: (202) 224-5972 Fax: (202) 224-3808
Sen. Robert Byrd, WV, Phone: (202) 224-3954 Fax: (202) 228-0002
Sen. Hillary Clinton, NY, Phone: (202) 224-4451 Fax: (202) 228-0282

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Tuesday 26 September 2006

Dear Senator,

On Warrantless Wiretaps:

California Representative Dan Lungren's amendment to Heather Wilson's House bill (H.R. 5825)
would, among other things, give the government powers equivalent to a court order or subpoena
against telecoms that refuse to hand their customers' records to the government without warrants.
A similar provision has been added to Arlen Specter's Senate bill (S. 2453).

Most Americans oppose warrantless spying: "No Warrant? No Search." Please resist in every way you
can the combination of this bill with the Tribunals bill. Do everything in your power to block,
stop, and/or filibuster this bill. And if it still comes up for a vote, PLEASE vote NO.

On Military Commissions:

The so-called "compromise" on S. 3901 reached between the White House and several Senate
Republicans would allow evidence coerced through torture and abuse to be used if a judge finds it
credible (amazing).

As before, it denies the writ of habeas corpus for detainees, including Guantanamo detainees whose

habeas petitions are pending in U.S. federal courts. Only the Administration would be able to
decide when and whether to try a detainee. It would also prohibit detainees from using the Geneva
Conventions to challenge their detentions or to seek damages for their mistreatment, and it would
insulate the CIA from legal liability for acts of torture used in past interrogations. The bill
would define "cruel treatment" narrowly so that the CIA "program" of coercive interrogation may
continue. The President would have unilateral discretion over what actions besides certain
defined "grave breaches" that violate the Geneva Conventions would be treated as violations under
U.S. law.

Torture is un-American, useless, and counter-productive. Keep the warrantless spying bill
separate. Again, please do everything you can to block, stop, and/or filibuster this bill. And if
it still comes up for a vote, PLEASE vote NO.

On Combination of these bills:

A bill combining warrantless wiretapping and military commissions is a real possibility. If a vote

is taken on such a bill, PLEASE resist combining these proposals.

Your citizens and supporters are watching. We, along with History itself, will judge the actions
of every Senator at this critical time for our Nation. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Constituents of the United States of America

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