WASHINGTON - May 12 - Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH), Ranking Member of the House Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, sent a letter to the United States Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, seeking a Department of Justice investigation into possible, “illegal coercion by NSA employees to force Qwest Communications into complying with NSA demands for phone records despite the illegality of the request.”

The letter sent late last night, in part states:

According to today’s article in the USA Today, the NSA has been illegally collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans. The USA Today article quotes anonymous sources that claim, “it’s the largest database ever assembled in the world," and the agency's goal is "to create a database of every call ever made". In essence, the NSA now has detailed records of most domestic calls. The information apparently includes the originating phone number, destination phone number, and length of time for each call.

The only phone company to comply with the law of the land and refuse the NSA demand for records was Qwest Communications. However, the USA today article clearly suggests that at least one NSA employee attempted to illegally coerce Qwest Communications by suggesting that Qwest’s refusal to comply would harm future Qwest efforts to secure contracts with the government.

We cannot allow government officials to coerce companies who do not comply with illegal requests. The NSA employee or employees who attempted to coerce Qwest Communications should be prosecuted under Title 18. Chapter 41. Sec. 872. Extortion by officers or employees of the United States or Title 18, Chapter 95, Sec. 1951. Interference with commerce by threats or violence.

In your capacity at Attorney General, you should use the full force of these and any other federal statutes to protect those who stand up and do the right thing. Qwest Communications correctly saw the illegality of the NSA program and they should not be punished for their patriotic stand. The NSA employees who attempted to coerce Qwest should be prosecuted.

“The very essence of the NSA program, as reported, threatens every American’s most basic of rights,” stated Kucinich. “If this program was started, or assisted by, coercion than those responsible must be brought to justice.”

Separately, also late last night, Kucinich sent a letter to United States Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH) urging him to vote against the confirmation of Air Force General Michael Hayden for the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) due to the General’s role in overseeing the NSA’s illegal domestic wiretapping.

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