UPDATE: After some pretty quick resistance from the Progressive Caucus, Hoyer's press conference has been postponed. Don't get complacent, though. They won't rest until they get what they want or until they are publicly shamed.
That stuff about "fixing" FISA? Incorrect. Via Matt Stoller at Open Left, we learn that once again, Steny Hoyer plans a press conference this afternoon at 1:30 to announce a new bill to amend FISA, presumably even worse than the one before, and this time containing retroactive immunity for the good Germans who gave up personal information to a gang of two bit thugs without a fight. Like the previous bill passed by the usual gang of idiots before slinking out of town on vacation, this one was drafted without any consultation with the ACLU or civil liberties groups. Although specifics of the bill are not yet known due to the secrecy with which it is being launched, one can safely assume that this is another sellout being marketed as "protection for the Freshmen."
What's ironic is that, generally speaking, the Freshmen don't want it. They are more attuned to what their constituents are asking for. They are also our best hope for interfering with the plans of Messrs. Hoyer and Emmanuel. That's where you come in.
Here they are:
1. Harry Mitchell (D), AZ-05
2. Gabrielle Giffords (D), AZ
3. Gerald "Jerry" McNerney (D), CA-11
4. Laura Richardson (D), CA-37
- Ed Perlmutter (D), CO
6. Chris Murphy (D), CT-05
7. Joe Courtney (D), CT-02
8. Kathy Castor (D), FL-11
9. Tim Mahoney (D), FL-16
10. Ron Klein (D), FL-22
11. Hank Johnson (D), GA-04
12. Mazie Hirono (D), HI-02
- Phil Hare (D), IL
14. Joe Donnelly (D), IN-02
15. Brad Ellsworth (D), IN-08
- Baron Hill (D), IN-09
- Bruce Braley (D), IA
- Dave Loebsack (D), IA
- Nancy Boyda (D), KS
- John Yarmuth (D), KY
- John Sarbanes (D), MD
- Tim Walz (D), MN
- Keith Ellison (D), MN
- Paul Hodes (D), NH
- Carol Shea-Porter (D), NH
- Albio Sires (D), NJ
- Yvette Clarke (D), NY
- John Hall (D), NY
- Kirsten Gillibrand (D), NY
- Michael Arcuri (D), NY
- Heath Shuler (D), NC
- Charlie Wilson (D), OH
33. Betty Sutton (D), OH-13
34. Zack Space (D), OH-18
35. Jason Altmire (D), PA-04
36. Joe Sestak (D), PA-07
37. Patrick Murphy (D), PA-08
38. Chris Carney (D), PA-10
39. Steve Cohen (D), TN-09
40. Nick Lampson (D), TX-22
41. Ciro Rodriguez (D), TX-23 (Good luck.)
42. Peter Welch (D), VT
43. Steve Kagen (D), WI-08
Will add more contact links later but don't want the diary to be eaten.