Thomas M. Tamm (Political Verse)

By Dee Newman

Justice Department lawyer, Thomas Tamm,
On discovering that a highly classified
Bush Administration secret program
Managed by the NSA had defied
Federal statutes, reluctantly phoned
Two reporters at the New York Times
Informing them that the program had condoned
And committed a slew of federal crimes,
Violating both the Fourth Amendment
To the United States Constitution
And the FISA statute enacted to prevent
Agents of the government spying on
U.S. citizens without court orders.
When the New York Times, at last, authorized
The story to be published the reporters
And the paper won a Pulitzer Prize,
While Tamm became the target of a cruel
Federal Criminal Investigation
For breaching the Department’s rule
Of secrecy which the Administration
Had used to try and shield their criminal
Conduct. To silence and discredit him
They’ve used everything in their arsenal.
Though Tamm has suffered for exposing them,
History will view him as a laudable
Man for upholding his oath to defend
The Constitution at great personal
Risk. His persecutors have much to portend,
         For the Attorney General-Designate
         May hold in his hands their ultimate fate.

To learn more about Thomas Tamm and the Bush Administration’s domestic warrantless wiretapping read Michael Isikoff’s portrait of Tamm at Newsweek: http://www.newsweek.com/id/174601/output/print

Also watch the Rachel Maddow interview with Thomas Tamm: