[privacy] Citing Four-Day Old Surveillance Law, Bush Seeks Dismissal of Lawsuit Challenging NSA Spying

[Brian Loe]

On 8/9/07, der Mouse <mouse at rodents.montreal.qc.ca> wrote:
> > Four days after President Bush signed controversial legislation
> > legalizing some warrantless surveillance of Americans, the
> > administration is citing the law in a surprise motion today urging a
> > federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the NSA spy program.
>
> Aren't ex post facto laws unconstitutional there?  (Yes, I know that
> wouldn't necessarily stop the current administration....)

You're thinking in reverse. This is removing a legal barrier and
therefore fine - and capable of releasing previously "guilty" persons
from their sentences. What you're thinking of, and are illegal, are
laws that would make you a criminal, guilty, after the fact.

That's my understanding anyway - in a very layman way.