A CEO who resisted NSA spying is out of prison. And he feels ‘vindicated’ by Snowden leaks...

[OnyxCollie]

85. 2007 letter from Conyers to McConnell & Wainstein re: Qwest

October 15, 2007

The Honorable Michael "Mike" McConnell
Director of National Intelligence
Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Washington, DC 20511

The Honorable Ken Wainstein
Asst. Attorney General for National Security
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530

I am writing because of disturbing revelations over the past several days about
warrantless Administration surveillance activities that allegedly occurred months before 9/11,
and about claims that a company that did not participate in potentially unlawful surveillance
activities may have been subject to retaliation by the Administration, including federal
prosecution. According to news reports and papers filed with a federal court in Denver, as early
as February, 2001, the NSA asked Qwest Communications and other telecommunications
companies for some form of warrantless access to records concerning Americans' private
communications. Although the precise nature and scope of the intercepted communications has
not been revealed, one report suggests that it may have involved "monitoring long distance calls
and Internet transmissions and other digital information." S. Shane, "Former Phone Chief Says
Spy Agency Sought Surveillance Help Before 9/11," New York Times (Oct. 14,2007). Although
Qwest apparently refused the request, which a former Qwest executive claims led to retaliation
against him and his company, it is unknown what access to confidential customer information
was provided by other telecommunications companies.

I appreciated your testimony several weeks ago on behalf of the Administration in
connection with proposed improvements to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). It
is crucial, however, that Congress be fully informed of all the Administration's surveillance
activities involving telecommunications companies, particularly in tight of the AdmInistration's
request that retroactive immunity from liability be provided to these companies and
Administration officials. Accordingly, I ask that you provide the Committee with an immediate
briefing on the facts behind these recent revelations, and that you then provide us with any
documents concerning the nature and scope of these pre-9/11 activities and the legal basis for
conducting them. (emphasis in original)