 The revelation about President Bush's electronic eavedropping program has generated two lawsuits that have been filed in federal court. The lawsuits seek to have the snooping ended. One of the suits was filed in New York by the Center for Constitutional Rights. The other was filed in Detroit by the American Civil Liberties Union and other plaintiffs. Both suits contend that the eavesdropping program bypasses safeguards included in a 1978 law requiring court approval of electronic monitoring of American citizens. The Center for Constitutional Rights is suing Bush, the had of the National Security Agency and the chiefs of some other intellegence agencies as well. The organization also represents hundreds of men that are currently being held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as combatants. The President maintains that the eavesdropping program Bush maintains the program is legal under a Congressional resolution passed after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The resolution approves and authorizes eavesdropping on international phone calls and e-mails of people deemed terror risks at the present time. |
