By Eugene Levin
The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, denied standing to a group of plaintiffs, including lawyers, journalists, human rights and privacy advocates, seeking to challenge the constitutionality of the the FISA Amendments Act. The plaintiffs argued that they had been encumbered by the legislation, that their speech had been chilled and they had incurred additional expenses in avoiding possible surveillance while meeting with sources and clients. Justice Alito, writing for the majority, dismissed such harms as the product of speculation on the part of the plaintiffs, insufficient to grant standing to challenge the law.