[misterrob]

Having read the CQ article though it looks like Harmon was given a pass by Bush administration in order to get her support on their wire tapping.

Obama’s team leaked the information for some form of political payback though.

[Girlene]

I had the same impression, misterrob. This could be just as much about going after Bush, Gonzales, etc., as much as going after Harman.

[ozdragon]

You may want to look at Nancy Pelosi. Harmon was the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence committee and held in high regard by both parties and the intelligence community for being non-partisan and being able to keep secrets. However, she does not get along with pelosi so when the Dem's took control of the house in 2006 Pelosi tried to appoint Murtha as committee chair. The intelligence community uniformly said NO. The position was finally given to a Latino congressman from Texas who did not kno there was a difference between Sunni and Shia muslins.