Spooks in Congress

[133724]

Many Americans grumble that the U.S. Congress lacks the courage to exert its constitutional role by challenging abuses of the Bush administration. They may be interested in knowing how Congressmen are selected before they are elected. Even before party primaries begin, powerful groups select their favorites and back them with money and media support. One of the most powerful groups in the USA is the "intelligence community" that operates from secret budgets estimated at $44 billion a year. One must assume that they might use their influence and money to insert spooks into Congress to serve their needs.

This has already happened, as this debate in the halls of Congress revealed:

http://www.sandersresearch.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=939&Itemid=67

[Sammy Pepys]

1. Er....

"Congressmen Porter Goss graduated from Yale, served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army, and then became a CIA clandestine services officer. Ten years later, he retired early due to illness and moved to Florida to accept an appointment to fill a vacant spot as a county commissioner. No one has ever explained why the Democratic Governor of Florida at the time, Bob Graham, appointed an "ill" Republican from Connecticut with no local government experience to a county position in south Florida."

Goss worked out of Miami while in the CIA, retired, ran for Sanibel City Council and was subsequently elected Mayor. He wasn't appointed fresh out of "civilian" life.