Posted on 12/20/2005 10:58:25 AM PST by slowhand520
Roberts Rakes Rockefeller - Tuesday, December 20, 2005 @ 12:53:30 PM
Yesterday, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), co-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee (and probable source of many leaks of secret information) released a hand-scrawled letter he had written to VP Cheney two years ago after being briefed on the NSA domestic intel effort. Rockefeller, trying to score political points, raised the letter as proof of his doubts about the NSA program, and that his hands were tied, unable to do anything about it. This morning, Intel Committee Chair Pat Roberts (R-KS) released this statement which blows Rockefeller out of the water:
"I am puzzled by the release yesterday of a July 2003 letter from Senator Rockefeller to the Vice President regarding the recently exposed intelligence collection program, which was authorized by the President shortly after September 11, 2001.
“In his letter and accompanying press statement, Senator Rockefeller asserts that he had lingering concerns about the program designed to protect the American people from another attack, but was prohibited from doing anything about it.
“A United States Senator has significant tools with which to wield power and influence over the executive branch. Feigning helplessness is not one of those tools.
“If Senator Rockefeller truly had the concerns he claimed to have had in his two and a half year old letter, he could have pursued a number of options to have those concerns addressed:
1. First, he could have discussed his concerns with me or other Members of Congress who had been briefed on the program. He never asked me or the Committee to take any action consistent with the “concerns” raised in his letter.
2. Second, he could have raised objections with the Vice President during one of the many briefings we received. I have no recollection of Senator Rockefeller objecting to the program at the many briefings he and I attended together. In fact, it is my recollection that on many occasions Senator Rockefeller expressed to the Vice President his vocal support for the program. His most recent expression of support was only two weeks ago.
3. Finally, he could have pursued any number of legislative remedies. He chose to pursue none.
“Senator Rockefeller could have taken any of these approaches to adress his “lingering concerns.” He did not. He chose instead to write a letter to the Vice President and for two and a half years, keep a copy of the letter in the Intelligence Committee vault and say nothing to anyone.
“For the nearly three years Senator Rockefeller has served as Vice Chairman, I have heard no objection from him about this valuable program. Now, when it appears to be politically advantageous, Senator Rockefeller has chosen to release his two and a half year old letter. Forgive me if I find this to be inconsistent and a bit disingenuous.”
So do we, Sen. Roberts. So do we.
Posted By: Jed Babbin
I would say that the Democrats erected the wall to keep investigators from finding out the extent of Chinese campaign funding of the Clintons, and violent Islamic fundamentalism just got caught up in the wall as a side effect.
-PJ
(It seems like a stupid question, but remember who we're dealing with.)
The last thing I heard, McCain was torqued at Stevens for attaching the ANWR bill to the same defense appropriations bill McCain attached his hideous torture bill (Al-Qaeda Bill Of Rights) to.
McCain has no core beliefs besides believing in himself.
Send that message to Reid and Pelosi, too!
Michael Medved is talking about this now!
http://www2.krla870.com/listen/
Jay Rockefeller is a carpetbagging leach who decided to ride the West Virginia train to government priviledge. That is, he got on the train after his family raped the state of as much of its natural resources and exploited its citizens for all that they could.
Rockefeller is yet another politician who survives because dueling was made illegal.
That's the way I see it too. McCain was the only one really raising a ruckus, and he's been blackballed by Stevens in an effort to make McCain choose his vote wisely. Either way, as you said, McCain is screwed. But, we're also forgetting that the Democrats don't want us drilling in ANWR either, and they'll be forced to vote the entire bill down.
That's traitor, to be perfectly accurate please.
Last I heard, he was NOT for it.....and in agreement with Hillary that this should never be touched because it was "awesome".
I imagine this will be Tom Brokow's and Dan Rather's lead story tonight.
I don't recall, I don't remember, I was not aware, It depends on the meaning of "present" is. Take your pick of all the excuses for being cowards and people who lack integrity and character. What would you expect though.
POWWWWWWWWWW!!!SLAM!!!!!!!BAMMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!go get 'em Roberts .is arlen specter on the case?
This is because of all the mind control indoctrination that happened to him as a prisoner. Navy had him in the process of deprogramming him, but his Dad stopped it and pulled him out of the hospital before the deprogramming was completed. One thing that identifies this is that temper of his.
LOL! They both have long since retired.
What memo?
this wreaks of the kerri comment "I voted for the $89 billion before voting against it..."
Rockerfeller and the rest of the rats..."We dissaproved of the eavesdropping plan before approving it..."
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