FISA Judge Quits in Protest

U.S. District Judge James Robertson, a Clinton appointee to the federal bench who was selected to serve on the FISA court by former Chief Justice Rehnquist, has resigned from the court. His resignation letter addressed to current Chief Justice John Roberts did not provide an explanation for his decision, but:

Two associates familiar with his decision said yesterday that Robertson privately expressed deep concern that the warrantless surveillance program authorized by the president in 2001 was legally questionable and may have tainted the FISA court's work.

The same story also notes that GOP senators Chuck Hagel (Neb.) and Olympia J. Snowe (Maine) have joined Democratic senators Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Carl M. Levin (Mich.), and Ron Wyden (Ore.) in calling for an investigation into the spy program, which Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) is promising early next year.

Hopefully the investigations will be another bipartisan success for the White House.

(Hat tip to Shaker Dean.)