Roberts Rakes Rockefeller

American Spectator ^ | Jed Babbin

[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

[SCALEMAN]

ping for later

[Dolphy]

Short Answer......HELL YES

I love Horowitz but have yet to read Unholy Alliance. Anyway, I'm inclined to think that this isn't just partisan politics, or Bush hatred or whatever other explanation. This is something more sinister, seeking not to strengthen the United States because of a broader vision but rather to break our back.

[savedbygrace]

I started to post that as a new thread, didn't see it in a Title search, but decided to try a keyword search. That found your post. Glad I didn't post a new thread first.

[jwalsh07]

Nice post, real nice. and kudos to Roberts.

[WyCoKsRepublican]

Time for my two RINO senators to come out and do the jobs they were elected to do. The Great Oz Has Spoken

[Stark_GOP]

"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."
---
The letter may have been written by Sen. Rockefeller but there is proof that he NEVER delivered it to Vice-President Cheney.
The proof is that it is still in Sen. Rockefeller's possession. The letter should be with Vice-President Cheney.

[meema]

Great post.

[yoe]

Mike WALLACE: But I want to ask you directly, Senator, because, you know, you're raising an issue about consultation. Were you ever briefed on it? Did you ever object?

Harry REID: Listen, the program has been in effect. It's been in effect for four years, according to the New York Times. I was briefed a couple of months ago. The program had been in existence a long time prior to that time.

This is something that's the president, the vice president, and there is no way he can pass the buck. The vice president came up to talk to us one day this week. I wonder if they checked that off as one of the times that they consulted with us. There were four members of Congress there. Maybe that counts for four of the 12.

"So, Reid was briefed "a couple of months ago." Seems likely to me that would be exactly 12 months ago, when he became the Senate Minority Leader. And there were four members of Congress there. Could it have been the majority and minority leaders of both houses of Congress? It would be a good place to start guessing. Looks like Reid confirms what the president has said. That leaders in Congress were briefed on the existence of the program."

Can someone find the story about Harry Reid and his sons involved in a land scam back in Searchlight, Nevada? Let's help the country to learn about the 'pious' Mr. Reid.

[Calpernia]

ping

[Lazamataz]

Roberts Rakes Rockefeller

RAKE FIGHT!!!!

[relictele]

I do soooo apologize for the nitwits representing WV. GOP_Proud(WV) (shaking head)

I'm with you (I'm in Morgantown).

[meema]

I just LOVE Sen. Roberts to pieces!