The Bush administration again threatened President Bush will veto any new surveillance legislation sent to him that does not include a provision for retroactive telco immunity for participation in the federal government's warrantless wiretapping program. It's at least the second formal veto threat within the last several weeks, after Bush's vow to veto a 30-day extension of the current surveillance act (Congress went with a 15-day extension instead).
The latest threat came to Senate leaders in the form of a 12-page letter from Attorney General Michael Mukasey and National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) criticized the threat as premature, though Congress has less than 10 days until its extension on the existing surveillance law is up on Feb. 15.
For more:
- check out this report from the Associated Press
Related articles:
- President Bush promised late last month to veto a longer extension