Federal Judge: NSA Program is Unconstitutional

^{Category: War on Terror}

Earlier today, U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor declared the NSA wiretapping program to be an unconstitutional violation of both the Fourteenth Amendment and the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and ordered that it be stopped. A stay has been granted until a September 7th hearing, allowing the government to continue use of the program until then. At the hearing, the government will request another extension as it appeals the ruling.

Whatever happens, an eventual Supreme Court ruling on this case--ACLU v. NSA--is fairly certain.

I'll have more to say about this in my weekly top ten. Meanwhile, here's what the ACLU has to say about the case.

See also:

• Judge Rules NSA Eavesdropping Program Unconstitutional
• NSA Wiretaps Unconstitutional
• Big Brother 101
• The Imperial Presidency