Reid Seeks Probe of Bush Domestic Spying

[kpete]

Reid Seeks Probe of Bush Domestic Spying

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid called Sunday for congressional hearings and investigations into President Bush's authorization of domestic spying as part of the war on terror.

"This Congress has done very little oversight," Reid, D-Nev., said on "Fox News Sunday." "There should be an investigation and hearings."

Reid acknowledged that he was briefed by the administration about the surveillance program "a couple of months ago." But he said the program apparently has been going on for four years and "there's no way the president can pass the buck."

Bush acknowledged Saturday that since October 2001 he has authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on international phone calls and e-mails of people within the United States without seeking warrants from courts.
http://breakingnews.nypost.com/dynamic/stories/D/DOMESTIC_SPYING?SITE=NYNYP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-12-18-10-18-08

[Fridays Child]

1. Would Gonzales recuse himself from any and all involvement in the inquiry?

As Bush's attorney, at the time, he probably manufactured a defense of the practice before it ever began.

[indepat]

2. Me thinks possibly thing are going to unravel quickly

;)

[madokie]

4. Me hopes you're right.

[mike_c]

3. Reid admits to having been briefed "a couple of months ago..."

so how long would he have waited before demanding an investigation, or oversight, if the NYT hadn't broken the story? :grr:

[rhino47]

5. I thought by law Reid would not be allowed to disclose any info .

That was a point made on Face the Nation.Graham made it I think.

[mike_c]

7. but he just did....

Did he break the law by calling for an investigation today? Surely you don't mean that the emergence of the NYT story removes any national security burden from Reid-- that NOW he can talk about it because the cat's already out of the bag. It doesn't work that way.

My point is that several congress persons-- most notably Pelosi and Reid-- were evidently informed some time ago that the executive was conducting dicey NSA operations. Why didn't they call for oversight then-- that oversight is the Congress's perogative, and is specifically required by 50 USC 1802. The AG was supposed to certify UNDER OATH before the House and Senate Select Committees on Intelligence in each and every instance that electronic surveillance without a court order did not involve U.S. citizens, etc. It seems to me that members of Congress who knew something was going on failed in their responsiblities to demand oversight under the law until the NYT went public. Reid and Pelosi didn't have to make announcements in order to seek congressional oversight-- they know where to find the chairs and the ranking dems of their respective house intelligence committees.

[Walt Starr]

6. Turn the investigation over to Fitzgerald!!!

Let Fitz investigate!!!

[emulatorloo]

8. kick n/t