Posted on 02/06/2006 6:08:53 AM PST by ken5050
Good Monday morning, once again, fellow political jinkies. The NFL season may be over, but the political season inside the Beltway is 24/7/365. So join us, if you can, as those wacky Dems on the Senate Judiciary committee reprise their pitiful efforts to once again smear President Bush and score political points..
No pictures for the office bound? ;-)
THANKS!
Slows down the thread....particularly for those on dial-up....we have a lot of that....
Specter: With regard to FISA court, why not take the entire program to the FISA court and ask them to appropve or disapprove?
Gonzales: FISA to be commended for great service. When I go to FISA, once the determination was made that neither the constitution nor FISA prohibited this tool, then the question comes to the president, which tool is effective.
We studied carefully the Constitution.
Specter: As a matter of public confidence, why not take it to the FISA court?
Gonzales: We look at ways we can work with FISA to be more efficient and effective. We always consider methods of fighting the war effectively against AQ.
Specter: I urge the president to take this matter to FISA.
aka, this hearing is a sham.
Specter: Did judge roberts resign from FISA In protest to the program?
Gonzales: I don't know why he resigned.
Leahy rambling...
#####
more and more these days. Is he going senile?
Why doesn't Specter ask the judge?
I guess it's safe to say where the Kos Kids got their copy of the AG's comments for the thread they put up
Specter: Do you tell FISA that you got info from the program and the ydecline to issue warrants because they are dissatisfied with the program?
Gonzales: I think that is getting into detail of how the program operates. We have open, candid discussions with FISA court.
going? been there.
I can give you audio. ;)
Leaky never fails to live up to his name. He ought to be removed from this committee.
Specter: In your response to my letter, you said no communications are intercepted unless it is determined that the party is a member of affiliated organization with AQ.
You represented to this committee that before there is an interc ecption that one of the parties is an agent or affiliate of AQ or terror organization?
Gonzales: I believe Gen. Hayden confirmed before there is an interception there is a determination made by an intel officer at NSA that we have reasonable grounds to believe one party of the communication is an agent of AQ or a terror organization.
WHAT is the deal with Specter? He seems determined to undermine the administration and NSA.
This is really remarkable, isn't it?
bttt
Specter is going to get Ashcroft into the hearings.....
hmmmm~!!
Specter: Is there any way you can assure us of that. That's an important statement. The concern is this program is a broad sweep of people who don't have affiliation with AQ.
Gonzales: The program is narrowly tailored and we have many checks in place. I'm told by the operations folks with a great degree of confidence and certainty that theses calls are solely international calls. We have career officers at NSA and they are the best at what they do and make judgment that someone is a member or affiliate of AQ.
The inspector general has been involved in this program.
Specter: I want to interrupt. We have contacted former AG Ashcroft about his avilability to testify. HE's considering it. I think his testimony would fall into a different line. Would you have objection to Ashcroft appearance before this committee?
Gonzales: I would not. I'm conveying to this committee that the Exec. Branch is.
Specter: That's all we'd ask him about.
Why Ashcroft?
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.