July, 01 2013, 11:22am EDT
Daniel Ellsberg and CREDO Call for New NSA Investigation
WASHINGTON
CREDO Mobile announced today that it is supporting a petition launched today by Daniel Ellsberg, the heroic whistleblower of the Pentagon Papers, calling on Congress to launch a new Church Committee to investigate the abuses of the NSA and make public its findings.
Daniel Ellsberg, whose leak of the Pentagon Papers altered public attitudes about Vietnam, said the recent revelations provides the U.S. with an opportunity to: "roll back a key part of what amounts to an executive coup against the Constitution."
Ellsberg and CREDO Mobile are urging Congress to launch an independent Church committee that is fully empowered to investigate the abuses of the NSA and make public its findings, and recommend new laws to ensure the U.S. government does not violate our Constitutional rights.
"Daniel Ellsberg's patriotic act to release the Pentagon Papers changed the course of American history," said Becky Bond, Political Director at CREDO Mobile. "We're proud to stand with him in his call for a new Church committee in Congress to investigate the NSA's secret spying programs and restore the protections of the Bill of Rights." Daniel Ellsberg's petition was launched on CREDO's member generated petition site this morning and will continue to gain support in the coming days. Read Ellsberg's petition here.
CREDO Mobile, America's only progressive phone company, has been a longtime advocate in the fight to protect civil liberties from government overreach. In light of the revelations of the NSA's spying programs, CREDO launched a petition urging President Obama to explain his legal justification for the secret spying programs.
CREDO activists have so far put in nearly 1,000 calls to their senators and representatives urging Congress to investigate the secret spying programs and enact new laws to protect privacy rights. And lastly, CREDO Mobile's CEO, Michael Kieschnick, urged companies to take steps to protect their customers' rights to privacy. See Michael's call to action here.
CREDO Mobile is a progressive phone company that makes it easy for its customers to fight for change - and raises millions of dollars for nonprofit groups that do the same. CREDO Mobile has raised more than $72 million for progressive groups, including the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Rainforest Action Network.
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Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas on Tuesday again blocked the passage of House-approved bipartisan legislation meant to shield journalists and telecommunications companies from being compelled to disclose sources and other information to federal authorities.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) brought the Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying (PRESS) Act—which would prohibit the federal government from forcing journalists and telecom companies to disclose certain information, with exceptions for terroristic or violent threats—for a unanimous consent vote.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) argued Tuesday that passing the PRESS Act is "more important now than ever before when we've heard some in the previous administration talk about going after the press in one way or another," a reference to Republican President-elect Donald Trump's threats to jail journalists who refuse to reveal the sources of leaks. Trump, who has referred to the press as the "enemy of the people," repeatedly urged Senate Republicans to "kill this bill."
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Trump has picked Harmeet Dhillon as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. She has stated that it must be "made unsafe" for hospitals to provide trans care, and frequently shares Libs of TikTok posts. She intends to target trans people in blue states. Subscribe to support my journalism.
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— Erin Reed (@erininthemorning.com) December 10, 2024 at 8:14 AM
Reed continued:
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