Congress Not Told of Covert Action, Committee Complains

[babylonsister]

But since it's covert, I don't have any idea what they are really talking about...:shrug:

http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2007/05/congress_not_told_of_covert_ac.html

Congress Not Told of Covert Action, Committee Complains

U.S. intelligence recently undertook a "significant" covert action without notifying Congress, as required by law, the House Intelligence Committee disclosed in a new report on the 2008 intelligence authorization bill.

"The Committee was dismayed at a recent incident wherein the Intelligence Community failed to inform the Congress of a significant covert action activity. This failure to notify Congress constitutes a violation of the National Security Act of 1947."

"Despite agency explanations that the failure was inadvertent, the Committee is deeply troubled over the fact that such an oversight could occur, whether intentionally or inadvertently."

"The Committee firmly believes that scrupulous transparency between the Intelligence Community and this Committee is an absolute necessity on matters related to covert action."

In response to this lapse, the Committee adopted a provision in its authorization bill that would require the CIA Inspector General to audit each covert action program at least once every three years.

more...

[formercia]

1. This is how Iran-Contra began

The CIA did not notify Congress on its intent to mine the harbors in Nicaragua because it would have benn stopped. Instead, when Congress cut off funds for the Contras, Poindexter, Ollie and company went underground.