Senators seek answers in probe of reporter

[seemslikeadream]

http://www.sacbee.com/24hour/politics/story/3303398p-12171637c.html

By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer
Last Updated 3:53 am PDT Tuesday, June 6, 2006

WASHINGTON (AP) - In a new jab at the Bush administration over its use of executive power, the Senate Judiciary Committee is demanding that the Justice Department explain the agency's investigations of journalists who publish classified information.
Specifically, Republicans and Democrats want to know more about the FBI's effort to obtain a half-century's worth of papers kept by columnist Jack Anderson - a member of President Nixon's "enemies list" - who died in December at 83.


Matthew Friedrich, the Justice Department's criminal division chief of staff, is facing a skeptical panel at a hearing Tuesday.
Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., has chafed for months over President Bush's secretive domestic wiretapping and phonetapping programs, and maintained that national security may not justify such uses of executive power. He personally told President Bush earlier this year that "the president doesn't have a blank check."

Now, with the administration considering prosecuting journalists who publish classified information and refuse to reveal their sources, Specter wants the full story of the Anderson search.

[Supersedeas]

1. Well, up till now * has had a blank check and Specter has caved every

other time...why should the Frat Boy in Chief hesitate now.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Senators Seek Answers in FBI Probe of Journo Jack Anderson

Editor & Publisher: Senators Seek Answers in FBI Probe of Journo Jack Anderson
Published: June 06, 2006

WASHINGTON -- In a new jab at the Bush administration over its use of executive power, the Senate Judiciary Committee is demanding that the Justice Department explain the agency's investigations of journalists who publish classified information.

Specifically, Republicans and Democrats want to know more about the FBI's effort to obtain a half-century's worth of papers kept by columnist Jack Anderson -- a member of President Nixon's "enemies list" -- who died in December at 83.

Matthew Friedrich, the Justice Department's criminal division chief of staff, is facing a skeptical panel at a hearing Tuesday.

Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., has chafed for months over President Bush's secretive domestic wiretapping and phonetapping programs, and maintained that national security may not justify such uses of executive power. He personally told President Bush earlier this year that "the president doesn't have a blank check."

Now, with the administration considering prosecuting journalists who publish classified information and refuse to reveal their sources, Specter wants the full story of the Anderson search....

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002613939

[Kagemusha]

3. Hope they get somewhere. This is a pretty bad abuse on its face

There's absolutely no reason they should be able to get his stuff like this just because the man's dead so he can't defend himself in a court of law when they had ample time to persecute him in court in life.

[quispquake]

4. Personally...

I wonder how much info Jack had on the Shrub & his Dad...probably LOTS of Iran-Contra, and other stuff in there they'd like to burn...