Here is a response from Senator Bob Corker to a letter I sent him asking him not to vote for S. 2248, an act that would grant telecoms immunity for spying on their customers.

Dear Mr. Cooper,

Thank you for taking the time to contact my office regarding     , the FISA Amendments Act of 2007. Your input is important to me, and I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts.

Like you, I believe that protecting our civil liberties is a fundamental responsibility of the federal government. However, I believe that we must strike a balance between preserving civil liberties and having the resources necessary to protect our country.

On February 12, 2008 I voted to pass S. 2248 as approved by the Senate Intelligence committee. In this particular case, because the federal government asked the telecom companies to comply with allowing surveillance, it does seem reasonable that the federal government should provide them protection from lawsuits stemming from compliance. Furthermore, I strongly believe that Americans can be assured that their constitutional rights will be protected while our government retains the tools necessary to track terrorists throughout the world.

Thank you again for your letter. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me.

 Sincerely,

Bob Corker
United States Senator

Congrats. You just lost my vote.

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