Posted on 06/11/2006 1:44:04 PM PDT by new yorker 77
The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman says he's prepared to force telephone company executives to testify about the White House's eavesdropping program if the Bush administration doesn't fully cooperate in drafting new rules on what's allowable.
"If we don't get some results, I'm prepared to go back to demand hearings and issue subpoenas if necessary," Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., said Sunday on CNN's "Late Edition."
Specter said he was more hopeful, after talking Thursday with Vice President Dick Cheney, that committee hearings and subpoenas could be avoided.
Specter had threatened to subpoena executives of major phone companies to get them to testify about their cooperation with the National Security Agency. But one company lawyer has told Specter the executives wouldn't be able to testify about any classified information.
Cheney indicated he was willing to work with Congress on new rules governing eavesdropping. But he stopped short of promising any action and said a final decision on the bill would be up to President Bush.
Specter is the most vocal Republican to oppose the White House's directive that allows the National Security Agency to monitor some calls and e-mails of Americans without court approval.
Administration officials have said the program requires that one party to the communication must be overseas, and terrorism must be suspected. Specter wants legislation to compel a secretive federal court to examine whether the program is constitutional.
Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
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What is Arlen really worried about, hmmmmm?
Cheney needs to take snarlen arlen on a hunting trip, maybe break a few toes.
He ought to sit down, shut up and color!!
I used to think he was worried that voters would eventually be on to just how inept he really is. As he's aged, he seems to be past that fear. He's grown brazenly inept. Like mid-priced wine, he's closer to vinegar than elixir with the years. Just a pathetic example to anyone contemplating life and the meaning thereof.
And Bush supported Spector over Toomey. UGH!!
The only thing that Arlen really seems to care deeply about is his squash game. He is obsessed with it.
Other than that, he really doesn't have any "core beliefs."
Arlen...for the attorney of record that allowed Ira Einhorn to escape from justice for over two decades. One has to wonder what you must be hiding. The polls say the public is not bothered by this. I don't its a Pennslyvania issue. So Arlen who is the guy behind the curtain in your Oz that you are protecting...hm????
This AP article is total spin. Arlen lost his showdown with Cheney. Period, End of story.
"SPECTRE" is BUSH'S FAULT - and he needs to be reminded of that inconvenient fact, FREQUENTLY!
(Yes, all caps means I am SHOUTING!)
Why would the Judiciary committee be issuing subpoenas to question these executives?
Why would legislation be required to have courts investigate the legality of a NSA program? Spector should sue the NSA or shut up.
He's not going to subpoena those executives, because it's very likely the subpoenas would get squashed by the courts. While Congress does have wide oversight authority, that doesn't mean that Spector can demand to question these executives in the Judiciary Committee.
He's once again using his chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee as a soapbox to play political games on issues outside the authority of that committee. He should be removed.
Why they helped this guy I will never know????
I recall a certain county judge here in Florida that, a little over a year ago, basically told the Senate to go pound sand when they wanted him to come to DC and explain his order to starve Terri Schiavo to death. Seems to me, given that precedent, anyone is free to ignore any demand made by the Senate.
Specter only cares about 4 things.
- Publicity, publicity, publicity and attention.
Commonly called an attention-whor*.
Snarlin' Arlen at it again. Time for this old RINO to retire already. Gutless, spineless wimp....no wonder that Frist supported him...two of a kind. We can do alot better than this in the GOP.
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