FCC commissioners should investigate or resign

I filed a formal complaint with the FCC today regarding the allegations of telephone company collaboration with the NSA's spying programs. Of course, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said last week that the commission would not be investigating anything. So, I decided that if the commissioners can't do their jobs, they should resign. I e-mailed Mr. Martin and the other commissioners and said, in part:

As the chief regulatory agency for the telephone companies, I want to ask that the FCC immediately launch an investigation of telephone companies to ascertain the scope and nature of their cooperation with this government surveillance. The FCC should investigate what information was shared, how it was shared, and by what means it was shared. While the investigation takes place, the FCC should issue an immediate cease and desist order to stop the telephone companies from taking any further actions of this nature.

Now, I know that last week you said the FCC would do no such thing, that the FCC did not have the power to subpoena NSA officials to testify and share information. But if the FCC has no such power, then who does? The FCC is the only logical agency for determining what happened. If indeed you are constrained in launching an investigation, then I would ask that you resign in protest immediately.

I am a proud American and an ardent supporter of the Fourth Amendment. I do not believe that we have to choose between national security and individual privacy. The U.S. Congress has established procedures by which intelligence agencies may legally engaged in surveillance of suspected criminals under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. I expect that all agencies of the U.S. government would respect this law, and that the FCC would enforce it.

Please respond to this message by e-mail or phone to let me know what actions the FCC intends to take as a result of these revelations. I appreciate your attention and your service to the American people.

You can e-mail the commissioners too:

Chairman Kevin Martin: KJMWEB@fcc.gov
Michael Copps: Michael.Copps@fcc.gov
Jonathan Adelstein: Jonathan.Adelstein@fcc.gov
Deborah Taylor Tate: dtaylortateweb@fcc.gov
Robert McDowell: robert.mcdowell@fcc.gov