Frist: Memogate Dems Can't be Trusted with Intel Secrets

NewsMax ^ | 11/12/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said Wednesday that he was forced to limit the activities of the Senate Intelligence Committee because he no longer believes Democrat members who sanctioned the partisan misuse of committee resources can be trusted with foreign intelligence secrets.

Noting that committee Democrats have yet to identify the author of a controversial memo urging that intelligence data be used as a political weapon against President Bush, Frist told radio host Sean Hannity, "If those people are still in the room handling intelligence given to us by other nations so that they can undermine our Commander-in-Chief, that misuse of intelligence is unacceptable."

The top Republican complained, "It is unbelievable to me that we're now a week into this and the Democrats haven't even disavowed the partisan injection in the committee itself."

Sen. Frist suggested that he would not grant committee Democrats full access to classified intelligence until the members and staffers implicated in Memogate have been purged from the panel.

"You can't have business as usual because you know whatever comes out of the committee is being written by staff members who have an intent or purpose to inject partisanship into what they're doing," he explained, adding, "Right now it's difficult for the committee to function."

[umgud]

This memo must have been distributed to multiple sources. If it had only been seen by the author and the requester, the author would already be gone.

[Tunehead54]

Bump!

[FairOpinion]

"he (Frist) no longer believes Democrat members who sanctioned the partisan misuse of committee resources can be trusted with foreign intelligence secrets. "

BINGO! Finally it is being said aloud, which we knew all along.

The Republicans need to keep making this point to the American People.

[tet68]

Finally! Now what about investigating how long this has been going on. (not an isolated incident)

[doug from upland]

This is a huge campaign issue. We've been saying it all along. Never trust DemocRATS with national security.

[el_texicano]

Well, it's getting out through Hannity's talk show, and probably will be on the tv show too if not already. Given the slipping stranglehold the liberal press have on the media outlets and the growing clientelle of the conservative outlets, I think we can safely say that the message is gonna get out.

But like you say, the Republicans need to keep pressing the issue. This move by Frist is good, but he needs to keep at it.

[el_texicano]

If the Dem's were smart they would concede this point quickly, because like you say they are gonna get hammered with it and hard.

[kattracks]

I hope Frist realizes this includes any Democrat with any intel information.

[PhiKapMom]

Thanks for posting this! Can I say -- It is about time!

[JOE6PAK]

Whoever, when the United States is at war, shall willfully make or convey false reports or false statements with intent to interfere with the operation or success of the military or naval forces of the United States, or to promote the success of its enemies, or shall willfully make or convey false reports, or false statements, . . . or incite insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty, in the military or naval forces of the United States, or shall willfully obstruct . . . the recruiting or enlistment service of the United States, or . . . shall willfully utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of government of the United States, or the Constitution of the United States, or the military or naval forces of the United States . . . or shall willfully display the flag of any foreign enemy, or shall willfully . . . urge, incite, or advocate any curtailment of production . . . or advocate, teach, defend, or suggest the doing of any of the acts or things in this section enumerated and whoever shall by word or act support or favor the cause of any country with which the United States is at war or by word or act oppose the cause of the United States therein, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than twenty years, or both....

'NUFF SAID!

[Agnes Heep]

Good move. I wouldn't trust that nest of traitors farther than I could throw Mt. Everest.

[knak]

cool! Great news!

[jungleboy]

Pretty good timing... with Bremers return, and then re-newed "power display" in Bagdad, imho.

[CyberAnt]

Please give us a reference for that wonderful statement .. I want to use it! Thanks!

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Cajones! Excellent move by Sen. Frist.

[randog]

"If those people are still in the room handling intelligence given to us by other nations so that they can undermine our Commander-in-Chief, that misuse of intelligence is unacceptable."

Is it safe to use the word "traitor" again?

[uncbob]

Ann Coulter needs to add a new chapter toher book TREASON

[Whispering Smith]

The Congress needs to adjust that number for inflation.

[savedbygrace]

This is a winning strategy. I'm on record here several days ago advocating this. They can't be trusted. Pound it again and again, everywhere, in every forum.