WASHINGTON-Two powerful Senate Democrats asked executives of three telecom giants with major mobile-phone units to turn over information on their alleged participation in the Bush administration’s warrantless domestic surveillance program.
Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent letters requesting company documents to Edward Witacre, chairman of AT&T Inc., which owns 60 percent of Cinglular Wireless L.L.C.; Gary Forsee, president of Sprint Nextel Corp.; and Ivan Seidenberg, chairman of Verizon Communications Inc., which is the majority owner of Verizon Wireless.
“As you know, wiretap orders under the Wiretap Act or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act are usually required before the government may intercept the domestic or international calls of individuals in the United States,” the lawmakers wrote. “Providers of telecommunications and Internet service are permitted to assist the government in the implementation of such wiretaps if they have been provided with either a court order, or a written certification from a high-ranking Justice Department official that no court order is required, that all statutory requirements have been met and that the assistance is required.”
Kennedy and Feingold then referenced a recent USA Today article stating that telecom carriers cooperated on FISA wiretaps based on oral requests from senior government officials.
“We believe that understanding your company’s participation in the NSA’s domestic surveillance program is critical to congressional oversight efforts,” the two lawmakers stated.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales defended the legality of what the administration calls its terrorist surveillance program, insisting wiretaps without a special FISA court’s approval are covered by federal statute and presidential powers.
