CIA Chief Says Wiretap Disclosure Damaging (Democrats nervous)

Associated Press ^ | 2 Feb 06 | KATHERINE SHRADER

[SkyPilot]

WASHINGTON - CIA Director Porter Goss said Thursday that the disclosure of President Bush's eavesdropping-without-warrants program and other once-secret projects had undermined U.S. intelligence-gathering abilities.

"The damage has been very severe to our capabilities to carry out our mission," Goss told the Senate Intelligence Committee. He said a federal grand jury should be empaneled to determine "who is leaking this information."

His testimony came after National Intelligence Director John Negroponte, who directs all intelligence activities, strongly defended the program, calling it crucial for protecting the nation against its most menacing threat.

"This was not about domestic surveillance," Negroponte said.

Leaders of the nation's intelligence agencies appeared before the panel in a rare public session to give a rundown on threats facing the world.

Negroponte called al-Qaida and associated terror groups the "top concern" of the U.S. intelligence community, followed closely by the nuclear activities of Iran and North Korea.

Committee Democrats sought to change the focus to the president's decision to authorize the National Security Agency to eavesdrop — without first obtaining warrants — on communications to and from those in the United States and terror suspects abroad.

"The president has not only confirmed the existence of the program, he has spoken at length about it repeatedly," while keeping Congress in the dark, said Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, the panel's senior Democrat.

"The administration wants to have it both ways," said Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record), D-Mich.

Goss complained that leaks to the news media about the surveillance program and activities such as reported CIA secret prisons abroad had damaged his own agency's work.

CIA Director Porter Goss, and FBI Director Robert Mueller, right, talk as they prepare for the U.S. Select Committee on Intelligence hearing to examine the world threat, on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2006 in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Email Photo Print Photo

"I use the words `very severe' intentionally. And I think the evidence will show that," Goss said.

He said not only have these revelations made it harder for the CIA to gather information, but they have made intelligence agencies in other countries mistrustful of their U.S. counterparts.

"I'm stunned to the quick when I get questions from my professional counterparts saying, `Mr. Goss, can't you Americans keep a secret?'" he said.

Goss cited a "disruption to our plans, things that we have under way." Some CIA sources and "assets" had been rendered "no longer viable or usable, or less effective by a large degree," he said.

"I also believe that there has been an erosion of the culture of secrecy and we're trying to reinstall that," Goss said.

"I've called in the FBI, the Department of Justice. It is my aim and it is my hope that we will witness a grand jury investigation with reporters present, being asked to reveal who is leaking this information," he said.

Rockefeller suggested that the "leaks" Goss talked about most likely "came from the executive branch" of the government.

That brought a terse response from FBI Director Robert Mueller, who said, "It's not fair to point a finger as to the responsibility of the leak."

[pepperdog]

I pray this happens. This leak was traitorous and the person who did it should suffer the most extreme punishment.

[joseph20]

ZOT

[Grampa Dave]

fyi

[Grampa Dave]

Some traitor had to leak this highly classified info to the anti American MSM reporters. Of course they will stonewall when summoned to the Grand Jury, and the MSM will try to make Americans think that this is Bush's fault again.

[Grampa Dave]

Clean up on aisle one.

One of Rockefeller's gay interns is posting here.

[MikefromOhio]

why do idiot DU'ers feel the need to post the same trash multiple times?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

For some heavy reading of History in this area:

Has the New York Times Violated the Espionage Act?

[Terabitten]

Bugger off, troll.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks....

For some history see link at #132,

[OrioleFan]

Leahy just got moved to another committee...

[p23185]

"I've called in the FBI, the Department of Justice. It is my aim and it is my hope that we will witness a grand jury investigation with reporters present, being asked to reveal who is leaking this information," he said. Rockefeller suggested that the "leaks" Goss talked about most likely "came from the executive branch" of the government. That brought a terse response from FBI Director Robert Mueller, who said, "It's not fair to point a finger as to the responsibility of the leak."

If I were Rocky I would be squirming!! The LLL think they have got the green light for impeachment with this story of "illegal domestic spying", and of course have the support of some squishy Repubs to boot. Rockefeller Implicated in Plot to Leak Secret War Intel

Justice Department Probing Durbin, Rockefeller CIA Leak

Rockefeller memo

[kcvl]

while keeping Congress in the dark, said Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia

He is a liar!

******

Jay Rockefeller, vice chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

“The record needs to be set clear that the Administration never afforded members briefed on the program an opportunity to either approve or disapprove the NSA program. The limited members who were told of the program were prohibited by the Administration from sharing any information about it with our colleagues, including other members of the Intelligence Committees."

******

The members who were supposed to be briefed were!

[hipaatwo]

Thanks for the info. I'm not going to be on the puter for long so might I suggest you put up a live thread for this? It was great to watch and some of the questions were unreal. Feinstein asked if any Al Queda in the U.S. were secretly killed. They looked at here like WTF!

[Howlin]

Leahy just got moved to another committee...

What?