Posted on 08/01/2002 9:07:56 PM PDT by kristinn
FBI agents have questioned nearly all 37 members of the Senate and House intelligence committees and have asked many if they would be willing to submit to lie detector tests as part of a broad investigation into leaks of classified information related to the Sept. 11 attacks, according to officials involved in the inquiry.
Most of the lawmakers have told the FBI they would refuse a polygraph, citing the constitutional separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches of government and the unreliability of the exam, those involved in the inquiry said.
Although the chairmen of the intelligence committees, Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fla.) and Rep. Porter J. Goss (R-Fla.), asked the FBI to conduct the inquiry, its unprecedented scale has angered some lawmakers, according to people close to the investigation. The lawmakers are unhappy that the FBI, an agency they oversee, is investigating them.
See source link for the rest of the story
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Apparently they thought it was going to be a Clinton era DOJ whitewash. Ashcroft has disappointed me, but this article indicates to me that he and Mueller must be doing something right.
VOTERS REMEMBER ON ELECTION DAY THAT IT'S TIME TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH !!
I am sick to death of the jerks in Congress who think they in their ivory tower are above my life being protected.
As the panel's hearings began, stories appeared about the NSA intercepts, drawing a heated White House rebuke. Vice President Cheney telephoned Goss and Graham to chastise them for the disclosures, while presidential spokesman Ari Fleischer said the information was "alarmingly specific" and could compromise the war on terrorism. Administration officials said the leaks could be a federal crime.
McCain's comments are particularly nauseating, particularly galling, since he is the son and grandson of admirals and was held in Viet Nam and should, by now, have figured out a few things about wartime leaks.
And then there's this piece of hooey. "Ranit Schmelzer, spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.), said Daschle had "grave concerns about the congressional separation of powers issues raised by having one branch of government asking to polygraph employees of another branch."
Well, Mr. Daschle, did it occur to you that obeying the law might be a tad more important than your sanctimony? Buy a clue, Mr. Short-timer Majority Leader.
Bump to that.
Isn't he just dispicable? Let's post his comments for all to see.
During a congressional hearing Wednesday, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) questioned Rumsfeld about the level of the administration's concerns about leaks over Iraq policy, telling the defense secretary that unwanted disclosures are "a game that was played when you first came here nearly 30 years ago, and it will probably be played 30 years from now."
Add this in with his rationalisations about all politicians being corrupted by 'the system' re "I've done it, we've all done it..." and it's pretty clear that McCain is a moral relativist to the core. Anything goes, eh McStain?
Screw these bums. They, like the FBI, work for us! They seem to forget that as soon as they are elected.
Was Orin Hatch on the list. There is no doubt that he is a leaker. He leaked the cell phone interception very early on when he let his mouth run while his brain was not in gear.
Compassionate airdance from lamp post.
There's a hypocritical red herring of an argument. The 'separation of powers' has to do with which branch represents who/what; (The Executive-the combined states, the House-the people, the Senate-the individual states {that was abolished with the 17th Ammendment} and the Judiciary-the law/constitution itself. If anything the Executive, which oversees the DOJ, has EVERY right to call for an investigation on Congress, which is supposed to legislate law not enforce it.
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.