To what did they give them access?  That would be every call and ever bit of internet activity on or connected to its network.  That’s right: AT&T gave the government full access to its IP and telephony networks in support of the NSA’s illegal domestic spying program.  It’s quite disturbing on so many levels.  Even the sworn affidavit of an ex-AT&T employee scares the hell out of me.  So many laws are being broken by this administration; so many of our freedoms have been trodden upon and tossed aside.  While we have been assured that this focused on international calls and e-mails, this new information shows a fully tapped-in government listening to every call and reading every e-mail, monitoring every communication possible by every medium conceivable, and all regardless of whether it’s domestic or other.

What’s sad is now the federal government is backing away from it’s previous claims that it was only monitoring international activity.  Even our jellyfish-spined attorney general, Alberto Gonzales, has now shifted positions on the domestic aspect of the spying program while answering questions before Congress.  If the AT&T information bears fruit, and the lawsuit filed by the EFF will certainly bring that to light, it demonstrates a blatant mission to deceive the public, Congress and judiciary on the scope, intent, legality, and constitutionality of this program.

I’m sorry.  I’ve seen the U.S. Constitution.  I’ve read FISA.  This administration is not only violating the very principles upon which this country was founded, and is not only lying blatantly and repeatedly to cover up illegal and extrajudicial activities, but they have sullied every possible freedom Americans hold dear.  Bush has appointed himself king of America.  He and his cronies believes themselves to be above the law and beyond reproach and question, an organization independent of the constitutional checks and balances between the three branches of government, yet they are nothing more than a horde of dishonest people willing to do whatever it takes to support their agenda even when that agenda has nothing whatsoever to do with security or freedom.

For AT&T, this is a breach of privacy, a violation of constitutional rights and freedoms, a breach of contract (take a look at the privacy policies of AT&T to see why this applies), a breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and a horrific breach of trust.

For Dubya et al, this is yet another reason to abhor to the greatest degree possible what our government has become.  We Americans no longer have rights.  The administration declares itself above and outside of reproach and review despite our constitution specifically laying out the premise of checks and balances between the three branches of government.  Censure?  Impeachment?  The man is a danger to the world and a threat to everything America stands for, and he must be removed from office.