Being A litigious Society Has It Merits

I hope, I hope, I hope.

A lawyer who sued Verizon last week on claims it violated privacy laws by turning over calling records to the National Security Agency said Sunday that customers of AT&T and BellSouth want to join the lawsuit.

New Jersey public-interest lawyer Bruce Afran said he and Carl Mayer, an associate of consumer activist Ralph Nader, will decide this week whether to expand the federal lawsuit they filed Friday. It seeks to stop Verizon from providing any more records without a warrant or a subscriber's consent.

"This program is without question the largest intrusion into civil liberties committed by any American administration," Afran said. If other telecommunications companies are named, "it may be the largest class-action ever filed," he said.

The lawsuit seeks $1,000 for every violation of the Communications Act, first passed in 1934, or at least $50 billion for Verizon customers alone.

Sue the bastards!

(read more)