Dear Speaker Pelosi:

I am writing to implore you to support Congressman Holt's FISA Modernization Bill with the full weight of the House Democratic leadership. It is imperative that Congress act to fix the so-called "Protect America Act" passed earlier this year. That law violated the Fourth Amendment by allowing George W. Bush to spy on Americans without first obtaining a search warrant. What's more, it gave then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales authority over the program. Gonzales was on record opposing Habeas Corpus, opposing due process, and supporting torture. Impeachment proceedings began against him earlier this year, and he resigned in disgrace.

When Bush first enacted this program, it was illegal, and did not lead to any terrorists being monitored or captured. But Bush, and those who carried out his illegal orders, faced no criminal penalties. Instead, Congress passed an unconstitutional law enabling and protecting him.

In 1974, Congress learned that Nixon's Committee to Re-Elect the President had burglarized the Democratic headquarters at the Watergate hotel. Congress investigated the burglary, and the investigation eventually led to Nixon's resignation.

In 1974, Congress did not pass a law giving CREEP unlimited authority to commit burglary. If today's Congress had been in office then, you would have done so, and you would have called the law "The Protect America Act."

Madam Speaker, this is disgusting. I know that you have opposed Bush's criminal behavior, but your Republican colleagues have all done their best to empower him -- and dozens of your Democratic colleagues have been too frightened to stand up to him. George W. Bush and his supporters are going to call the Democrats "soft on terrorism" no matter what you do, so there's no point in giving in to him. Bush's wiretaps have failed to find terrorists -- but they have succeeded in violating the privacy of thousands, if not millions, of innocent Americans. Bush refuses to acknowledge that we can defeat terrorists while upholding our values and the rule of law. Bush's solution to every problem is to seize more power, legally or illegally.

I ask you to support the FISA Modernization Bill. It will protect our liberty without surrendering our privacy to do it.

As always, I remain yours sincerely,

C. Colvin