You might retain that attorney and get no satisfaction, if Bush gets his way. Yep, he's trying to have a lawsuit against AT&T over the data collection scandal dropkicked out of court.
It pays to cast a wide net through the news. Fortunately, for people like me with very little spare time, commondreams.org provides a delightful clearinghouse of news for progressives. This headline caught my eye: "US Moves in Secret to Quash Suit Against AT&T." It was written by Bob Egelko of the San Francisco Chronicle. Here's the link: http://www.commondreams.org/...
I have a few big problems with this move. One, it closes one of our avenues to protest the invasion of our privacy and violation of our collective rights, an avenue, I might add, that would likely allow those who want to join this fun-fest to hit AT&T where it really hurts -- their pocketbook. That's what these corporations (and their shareholders) notice, a big chunk taken out of their profits for damages.
Two, AT&T should not be protected by the president. This is a private corporation that was co-opted into doing something flat-out illegal, and got caught. They should pay the price and be forced by the courts to comply with the law and respect the Constitution. However, the Bush White House will do their dead level best to paint this as just another instance of those damn trial lawyers picking on poor corporate America again, and risking the safety of state secrets in pursuit of filthy lucre. The reality is far different.
Three -- and you guys are going to love this one -- according to Egelko, "the motion to dismiss and accompanying sworn statements were being filed under seal." In other words, the lawyers who filed the suit do not even get to read the real motion for dismissal. They get the condensed version, and I'd be willing to bet it will be so heavily redacted as to say essentially "no, you can't sue them because we said you can't."
A lot of us have complained over the years that the links between corporate America and the government are too close, that Congress in particular has been much too eager to do the corporations' bidding. Well, folks, here's proof that it cuts both ways. The Executive obviously feels that they can rely upon their private-sector equivalents to do whatever is needed and requested.
This begs the question, where does corporate America end and our government begin? I can't tell anymore, and haven't been able to for some time. This was a long time coming, but now this pattern has emerged, with all its ugly connotations. Chalk up another problem to Team Bush. Unfortunately, now that the pattern has been established -- and running along very nicely until now -- there is precedent. Anyone want to guess as to how difficult it will be to reverse this one?