GOP Infighting Deals WH Setback on Wiretapping

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Although the White House succeeded in getting its detainee treatment bill through Congress, it failed to win support for its other “must-pass” proposal, one that would provide legal cover for its dubious warrantless wiretapping program.

The House yesterday passed an NSA surveillance bill, but it is so different from the legislation considered by the Senate that, even if the upper body were to pass their version before recess, nobody thinks they could negotiate a compromise before leaving town.

Reports of the legislative effort’s demise may have been premature, but they were borne out by events. “Leaders concede that differences between the versions are so significant they cannot reconcile them into a final bill that can be delivered to Bush before the Nov. 7 congressional elections,” the Washington Post noted this morning.

Democrats haven’t crowed about the defeat, largely (I suspect) because they didn’t have anything to do with it. Conflicts within the GOP led to the bills going off-track.

A few weeks ago, a federal judge ruled the program unconstitutional, but has allowed it to continue for a short period pending an appeal from the government.

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