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Clinton votes against warrantless wiretapping bill

Glenn Thrush

July 10, 2008

WASHINGTON - Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has been busily patching her frayed relationship with Barack Obama, broke with her former rival yesterday by voting against the warrantless wiretapping bill.

Clinton joined top Senate Democrats, including Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and her New York colleague Charles Schumer, in opposing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act overhaul. They balked because it grants retroactive legal immunity to telecom companies who spied on Americans at the behest of the White House.

The measure, backed by President George W. Bush, passed by a 69-28 margin - with Obama voting yes. GOP nominee John McCain skipped the vote.

Clinton struggled with her decision but eventually joined many Democrats in bucking the front-runner, albeit gently.

"I applaud the efforts of my colleagues who negotiated this legislation, and I respect my colleagues who reached a different conclusion on today's vote," she said.

Clinton and Obama both voted for a failed amendment that would have passed FISA reforms while stripping companies of their immunity from lawsuits.