Posted on 12/16/2005 4:04:00 PM PST by Goldwater-Reagan Republican
To the surprise of perhaps no one, Senators Arlen Specter and John McCain have jumped on this morning's reports of NSA spying within the United States as another opportunity to grab the limelight.
Report of NSA Spying Prompts Call for Probe (AP)
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter put the Bush administration on notice Friday that his panel would hold hearings into a report that the National Security Agency eavesdropped without warrants on people inside the United States. "There is no doubt that this is inappropriate," said Specter, R-Pa., calling hearings early next year "a very, very high priority." He wasn't alone in reacting harshly to the report. Sen. John McCain R-Ariz., said the story, first reported in Friday's New York Times, was troubling.
[...]
"This is Big Brother run amok," declared Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., called it a "shocking revelation" that "ought to send a chill down the spine of every senator and every American."
But, as the NYT story made clear, the Senate has long ago been apprised of the practice. Even Democrats like Jay Rockefeller knew about it. Indeed, the AP brings this up several paragraphs into the story:
The administration had briefed congressional leaders about the NSA program and notified the judge in charge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the secret Washington court that handles national security issues. Aides to National Intelligence Director John Negroponte and West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, declined to comment Thursday night.
So, if this was "inappropriate," "troubling," and "shocking," why wait until it hits the front page of the Times to say something about it? Couldn't they have held private hearings on this a year ago?
Update: An informed source e-mails and DC Loser comments below taking me to task for writing "the Senate has long ago been apprised of the practice" when, in fact, all I know for sure is the the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence had been apprised. A fair point. I was operating on the presumption, perhaps incorrect, that the leadership of the Judiciary Committe, which would have oversight responsibility on FISA, and the Armed Services Committee, which has oversight over NSA, would have been similarly briefed.
Bush is a good man, but a politically weak president, and poorly served by the white house political team.
Hey...you are right....wasn't it Leahy that always was using "the Senate is the "cooling saucer" ???
Maybe we don't want a "cooling saucer" anymore...we want to be able to deal directly with our representatives..and with the internet, cell phones, talk radio, now we can.
From what I have seen, the Senate usually gets in the way of what the people actually want, plus the reps have to run every 2 years, which means they HAVE to stay in touch with the real world (unless they live in New York, California)...
For every one good thing McCain has done in his entire life, he has done at least five utterly stupid, arrogant and/or disruptive things.
The man is and has been a net detriment to any organization that he has been in.
And Specter isn't much better. The GOP would be better off without them both.
As far as Condi--- I like her and respect her, and up until three months ago would have wholeheartedly voted for and volunteered to work in her campaign should she run for President. Not any more, some of the things she has said and done in the last few months wouldn't have surprised me coming from Barbra Boxer or Chuck Schumer.
Rummy and Cheney are the only ones in the Administration who have remained steadfast in their conservative principles.
Since no one in the public has the complete facts about what if anything really happened, I'm not sure it's "illegal". NY Slimes just doesn't cut it for me.
He's alread decided that "no doubt" Bush is guilty.
WHAT HAPPENED TO SCOTCH LAW SENATOR?
Hi....how are you? I feel like I have been away from FR for months...
What is so sick about this whole "non controversy", is that the NYTimes has known for a year...and so has the author of the book that is pushing this story...but, they choose TODAY...right after the elections in Iraq..and on the same day the Patriot Act is voted on...and
the day BEFORE Congress recesses of the year. And yet you have all of this AMAZEMENT by the media and congresscritters.
John McCain has turned out to be THE most despicable of all, IMHO...the rest are just jokes.
The NSA can't tap anything domestic without a warrant issued from the FISA court. According to the story they didn't get one. That's illegal.
With the exception of Tom Coburn, Jeff Sessions and Jon Kyl...:-)
I don't think that President Bush himself should look as if he is running to a microphone everytime the MSM or the dems level a new charge against him...
If he DID get up immediately today..it would look like he feels guilty and needs to "explain".
From what I have seen and heard about this....not only was it not secret (congress knew)...but, since it always included a foreign person in the investigation, it wasn't illegal...and the FICA court was aware of it.
Flash: The MSM and Senate have uncovered yet another Bush administration plot to try to defend the U.S. from the terrorists! Shocking, positively shocking!
watch the first segment of OReilly on the replay (hosted by Tony Snow) and listen to some people who know what is going on in this area.
Other than what you hear from the NY Times, do you know exactly what happened? I haven't heard any NSA Leading Official talk about it, nor a FISA judge, nor the White House.
he just did an interview with Jim Leher where he was asked about this - and instead of explaining it point blank, he basically says "no comment, its about protecting americans". now while that is true, its better to address this nonsense head on - forget the defense, go on offense.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.