Judge keeps states' domestic spying lawsuits alive

Source: Associated Press

Judge keeps states' domestic spying lawsuits alive
By PAUL ELIAS
Associated Press Writer

July 24, 2007, 11:19 PM EDT

SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal judge on Tuesday kept alive
for now lawsuits filed by five states, including New Jersey,
seeking information on the federal government's warrantless
wiretap program.

Stopping short of declaring victory for the states, U.S.
District Court Judge Vaughn Walker declined to address
the federal government's main argument that the cases
should be tossed out because sensitive homeland security
secrets could be exposed.

Instead, Walker said he would wait until a federal appeals
court rules on the issue.

-snip-

"It's significant because the government wanted to kill these
cases and the judge refused," said Cindy Cohn, chief lawyer
at Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil rights group that
will argue the case against the government in the appeals
court.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey/ny-bc-nj--domesticspyinglaw0724jul24,0,2210035.story

How far we have fallen.