US judge refuses to stop states from probing domestic spying

A US judge Tuesday refused pleas by federal lawyers to stop officials in five states from investigating what roles telecommunications firms played in anti-terror domestic spying.

San Francisco District Court Chief Judge Vaughn Walker rejected arguments that federal authority trumps state powers in the matter and that the probes amounted to unconstitutional meddling in foreign affairs policy.

The motions for "summary judgment' by federal lawyers were based on rules that prohibit interference with federal foreign affairs powers or discriminating against the federal government, or conflicting with a congressional mandate. AFP