GOP senator questions legality of domestic surveillance program News
GOP senator questions legality of domestic surveillance program

[JURIST] Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) [official website], a Republican member of the US Senate Intelligence Committee [official website], Sunday questioned the legitimacy of the Bush administration's domestic surveillance program [JURIST news archive], casting doubt on its legality in the absence of judicial or Congressional authority. Notwithstanding legal defenses of the intercepts by President Bush [JURIST report], Vice President Cheney [JURIST report], and the US Department of Justice [JURIST report], Hagel denied that the President was given broad "blank check" authority to conduct any kind of domestic spying, saying that "If in fact the president does believe that our current laws are restricting him because of new technologies…then he should come together with Congress and say we need to amend it." The Senate Judiciary Committee [official website] will hold hearings on the program beginning February 6. The Senate Intelligence Committee will also hold similar closed-door hearings. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.