While the tut-tutting has become deafening, people would do well to remember that the recent FISA re-authorization bill did not provide criminal immunity for telecoms (there is no question that the act of turning over information about subscribers to the government was not a violation of law by the telecoms). It provide “immunity” for civil actions against the telecoms.

Civil actions … lawsuits … sleezy trial attorneys filing class action lawsuits to give every AT&T subscriber .40 while they earn millions. That sort of thing.

Sheesh people. Get a clue.