Warrentless wiretapping in place prior to 9/11

In what might be the least surprising development ever (after all, we already knew Bush wanted to attack Iraq before 9/11), it appears Qwest was approached by the government to spy on Americans several months before that big event that allegedly “changed everything”, and has been used to justify virtually everything this Administration has attempted.

A former Qwest Communications International executive, appealing a conviction for insider trading, has alleged that the government withdrew opportunities for contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars after Qwest refused to participate in an unidentified National Security Agency program that the company thought might be illegal.

Former chief executive Joseph P. Nacchio, convicted in April of 19 counts of insider trading, said the NSA approached Qwest more than six months before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, according to court documents unsealed in Denver this week.

Terrific.