House Dems Locate Their Kahunas and Pass a Pro-Civil Liberties Surveillance Bill Without Jim Cooper's Help

Nashville's U.S. Congressman Jim Cooper voted against the House version of the FISA bill yesterday even though the House passed the measure as a pro-civil liberties alternative to the Senate's abdication to the Bush Administration's retroactive immunity scheme.

Why would Mr. Cooper oppose an audit of Bush's warrantless wiretapping program, a shorter sunset provision, breaks on presidential circumvention, protection against "reverse targeting" of U.S. citizens, and restrictions on "basket warrants" of entire groups instead of individuals? Most of all, why does he support the idea of putting corporations above the law of the land? (Might the answer lie in the fact that AT&T has headquarters in Nashville?)