WASHINGTON, March 12: A prominent Democrat said on Sunday he would introduce a resolution in the US Senate censuring President George Bush over his administration’s programme of domestic eavesdropping without court warrants.

Senator Russell Feingold told ABC television that the legislation, which he would submit in the Senate on Monday, was warranted because in his view, Mr Bush broke the law by authorising the wiretaps and exceeded his constitutional authority by not seeking Congress’s approval for the programme.

“It’s an unusual step. It’s a big step, but what the president did by consciously and intentionally violating the constitution and laws of this country with this illegal wiretapping has to be answered,” Feingold told ABC television’s “This Week” programme.

“There can be debate about whether the law should be changed (but) the idea that the President can just make up a law, in violation of his oath of office, has to be answered,” Feingold said.

Critics say Mr Bush overstepped his presidential powers when he authorised the National Security Agency to undertake electronic surveillance of overseas phone calls and e-mails of Americans following the terrorist attacks of Sept 11, 2001.

The president has argued that he has the power under the constitution as president at a time of war to approve domestic eavesdropping without court warrants.—AFP