SENATE ETHICS COMM- FREEREPUBLIC NET: "PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MEMO BEHIND THE CURTAIN"

FRN | 2/20/04 | diotima

[diotima]

On November 5, 2003, Americans were given an unprecedented look inside the Democrats' war, when Fox News published an astoundingly revealing memorandum from within the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, describing how Democrats on the Committee intend to use their positions, influence, and access to information - not to help win the war on terror, or to protect American citizens - but to undermine the Bush Administration. The memo describes their agreement to launch an "independent investigation" as a means to that end, timed to coincide with the 2004 presidential campaign.

Read the memo on intelmemo.com

On January 15, 2004 The Free Republic Network filed a complaint with the Senate Select Ethics Committee alleging improper and unethical conduct by Senator Jay Rockefeller and Democrat members of the staff of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Read the FR thread here.

Earlier last week, we received a response from the SSEC: (click for larger image)

[diotima]

ping!

[diotima]

ping!

[diotima]

Here's looking at you, Kid!

[diotima]

Here is the memo that was leaked:
_____________________________________

We have carefully reviewed our options under the rules and believe we have identified the best approach. Our plan is as follows:

1) Pull the majority along as far as we can on issues that may lead to major new disclosures regarding improper or questionable conduct by administration officials. We are having some success in that regard. For example, in addition to the president's State of the Union speech, the chairman has agreed to look at the activities of the Office of the Secretary of Defense as well as Secretary Bolton's office at the State Department. The fact that the chairman supports our investigations into these offices and co-signs our requests for information is helpful and potentially crucial. We don't know what we will find but our prospects for getting the access we seek is far greater when we have the backing of the majority. (Note: we can verbally mention some of the intriguing leads we are pursuing.)

2) Assiduously prepare Democratic "additional views" to attach to any interim or final reports the committee may release. Committee rules provide this opportunity and we intend to take full advantage of it. In that regard, we have already compiled all the public statements on Iraq made by senior administration officials. We will identify the most exaggerated claims and contrast them with the intelligence estimates that have since been declassified. Our additional views will also, among other things, castigate the majority for seeking to limit the scope of the inquiry. The Democrats will then be in a strong position to reopen the question of establishing an independent commission (i.e. the Corzine amendment).

3) Prepare to launch an independent investigation when it becomes clear we have exhausted the opportunity to usefully collaborate with the majority. We can pull the trigger on an independent investigation at any time-- but we can only do so once. The best time to do so will probably be next year either:

A) After we have already released our additional views on an interim report -- thereby providing as many as three opportunities to make our case to the public: 1) additional views on the interim report; 2) announcement of our independent investigation; and 3) additional views on the final investigation; or

B) Once we identify solid leads the majority does not want to pursue. We could attract more coverage and have greater credibility in that context than one in which we simply launch an independent investigation based on principled but vague notions regarding the "use" of intelligence.

In the meantime, even without a specifically authorized independent investigation, we continue to act independently when we encounter foot-dragging on the part of the majority. For example, the FBI Niger investigation was done solely at the request of the vice chairman; we have independently submitted written questions to DoD; and we are preparing further independent requests for information.

[jackbill]

Can you spell "Whitewash"?

[OXENinFLA]

Memo-Gate Ping.......................

[Laserman]

I assume, and dearly hope, that this will not be the end of the matter for FR. This issue needs to be kept alive as it clearly demonstrates that for the Dems Power and Politics comes before the People every time!

[diotima]

Your tax dollars at work!

[rhombus]

Since so many Dems supported the publication of the Pentagon Papers and ignored how they were obtained, one would think they would support a full public airing of these memoranda....NOT

[Stallone]

The free, biased media are the replacement for the DNC soft money cut-off.

They knew it all along, the 'Rats.

[diotima]

We are considering our options right now. This response hit us at a time when we are about to launch a big project, but we will check around and get some advice.

A "highly placed Washington mover and shaker" told me that there is an understood bipartisan agreement in place that there will be no investigations of ethics complaints

[petitfour]

Well, then, if the representatives of the people will not do their sworn duty, then I guess the people will have to investigate all of 'em. Anybody got a copy of the memos?????????????????

[thesummerwind]

ping

[diotima]

There is a copy of the memo leaked at post 5. You might be getting all the democrats' treacherous memos mixed up. This is the INTELLIGENCE MEMO not the JUDICIAL MEMOS. It is hard to keep it all straight...

[petitfour]

Yep, you're right. I was thinking of the judiciary memos. However, how can our elected representatives have ethics investigations? Are there any with ethics?

[thesummerwind]

there is an understood bipartisan agreement in place that there will be no investigations of ethics complaints

If this country were a terribly diseased and in pain dog or cat, I'd put it to sleep. Our government and the mainstream media have already put this country to sleep, and we didn't feel a thing.

[Quix]

IDIOTS.

HOW ABOUT A BIG FREEP IN DC AGAINST THE MINDLESS ONES?

PASS OUT COPIES OF THE LETTER.

SUGGEST THROWING EVERY LAST SNIVELLING TRAITOROUS RAT AND COMPLICIT RHINO OUT OF DC.

[Quix]

I hate to even imagine it . . .

but occasionally, the through races through one's head. . .

if they keep this idiocy up, perhaps Bin Laden and his nukes would do us a big favor to relieve us of D.C.

Sheesh.

Traitorous idiots.

[diotima]

Tough call...

Clearly the democrats will use sensitive intelligence information for partisan purposes, so the next question is, what are they willing to do with that information for partisan purposes? Sell it maybe?