Bush Taint on FISA Court Sends Judge Running

Spy Court Judge Quits In Protest

A federal judge has resigned from the court that oversees government surveillance in intelligence cases in protest of President Bush's secret authorization of a domestic spying program, according to two sources.

U.S. District Judge James Robertson, one of 11 members of the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, sent a letter to Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. late Monday notifying him of his resignation without providing an explanation.

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.

It's unfortunate Judge Robertson lacked the courage to provide an explanation in his resignation letter, but quitting on principle far exceeds the actions of other public servants who know all too well what kind of despotism is being cultivated at the hands of our One Party State.