U.S. Government Ordered to Pay Islamic Charity $2.5 Million for Illegal Wiretapping

The New York Times reports that the U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker (yes, the same George H.W. Bush-appointee who struck down Proposition 8) has ordered the federal government to pay over $2.5 million to officials with the now closed Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation.  Almost all of this amount represents legal fees, although it also includes $40,800 in damages.  The damages arise from the wiretapping of the officials without court approval, under a surveillance program approved by President George W. Bush.  The Court previously found that this wiretapping was illegal. We previously blogged about that decision, and about a decision by another federal district court judge that found the government’s freezing of the Foundation’s assets to be unconstitutional.

Additional Coverage:  SF Appeal.

LHM