FISA--Top Democrat, Silvestre Reyes: Close to giving telecoms blanket immunity

We saw reports two days ago about a House deal that would allow the Protect America Act, updating the amendments for FISA, to be passed through the House. The Senate had already passed a bipartisan version with 19 Democrats voting for it, but congress failed to pass it and let the 6 month temporary measure they passed in August, expire on February 16, 2008, (after passing an extension to the one that expired February 1st, to keep America protected)

Now we see the left, having a meltdown because Silvestre Reyes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, finally doing his job, told CNN that the House is very close to passing a measure that does include telecom immunity. (Video at C&L-- who is one of those having the meltdown)

Reyes:

We are talking to the representatives from the communications companies because if we’re going to give them blanket immunity, we want to know and we want to understand what it is that we’re giving immunity for,” he said. “I have an open mind about that.”

Regarding a compromise deal, Reyes said: “We think we’re very close, probably within the next week we’ll be able to hopefully bring it to a vote.”

Hot Air puts it nicely:

Reyes may not be one of the House members to take advantage of the opportunity. He sounded as though he may have changed his mind and fallen in line with Jay Rockefeller, his counterpart on the Senate Intelligence Committee. He spent last week doing something he apparently hadn’t considered doing before announcing his opposition to the bill — talking with the telecoms and reviewing the documentation supplied by the White House. Something in those efforts reopened Reyes’ mind, and that may prove very influential in scheduling the vote.

Weekly Standard has a little fun at Glenn Greenwald's apparent depression over this latest development.

If they are not having a temper tantrum, stomping their feet or whining, then they are just not happy people and the House will pass this bill because, after looking at information that they (Greenwald and Co.)obviously have not and can not, are seeing the need, so the far left crazies are despondent because Reyes sees the need for this bill and more to the point, for the telecom immunity.

(Question for the far left- Ever think there is information that YOU are not privy to and do not have the "need to know", or in your arrogance do you think you know more than those that are privy to said information?)

I have to admit, it is kind of fun watching the the talking heads on the left completely explode right in front of us.

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