Clapper Attorney: Spy chief had 'forgotten' about NSA program when he misled Congress

[Ichingcarpenter]

By Julian Hattem - 05/08/15 05:30 PM EDT


Director of National Intelligence Jim Clapper wasn’t lying when he wrongly told Congress in 2013 that the government does not “wittingly” collect information about millions of Americans, according to his top lawyer.

He just forgot.

“This was not an untruth or a falsehood. This was just a mistake on his part,” Robert Litt, the general counsel for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said during a panel discussion hosted by the Advisory Committee on Transparency on Friday.

“We all make mistakes.”

The comments add to the years of criticism that Clapper has received for his testimony in the 2013 Senate Intelligence Committee hearing.
In the public session, longtime surveillance critic Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) had asked Clapper whether or not the NSA collected “any type of data at all on millions of Americans.”

“No sir,” Clapper responded. “There are cases where they could inadvertently perhaps collect, but not wittingly.”

Just a few months later, however, leaks from Edward Snowden proved Clapper wrong. As documents released by Snowden made clear, the NSA collects records about millions of Americans’ phone calls under a program the government has said is authorized by Section 215 of the Patriot Act.

After the fact, Clapper has said that his statement was the “least untruthful” possible answer, given the secrecy of the program at the time.


http://thehill.com/policy/technology/241508-spy-head-had-absolutely-forgotten-about-nsa-program

[delrem]

1. wink wink

[haikugal]

5. Nudge, nudge....

Sure that's the ticket!

[delrem]

6. say no more!

know what I mean?

[haikugal]

7. LOL...

[AgingAmerican]

2. That's like the grand dragon of the KKK saying

...he 'forgot' his organization lynched blacks.

That's like a mailman saying he 'forgot' that mailboxes exist.

[winter is coming]

3. Ah, the Steve Martin defense.

[Segami]

4. Whaaat,...

..cough, cough,..err,..bull,...cough-cough,...shit!

[Sherman A1]

8. Well,

ya, know, ya get busy, there are lots of things going on and sometimes we forget stuff.

[Downwinder]

9. Heard this story before. Show us an MRI this time.

[Ford_Prefect]

10. Isn't that in the job description: Able to omit embarrassing details at the drop of a hat?

[enough]

11. What a brilliant defense. (nt)

[eShirl]

12. Do we need to start screening everyone who testifies before congress for dementia? n/t

[Agony]

13. I forgot to pay my taxes. In an unwitting kind of way. So, I should be good...

Clawback his salary, for incompetence, and charge him with perjury at least.

[Ichingcarpenter]

14. " I sent the question to Director Clapper’s office a day in advance."

"So that he would be prepared to answer, I sent the question to Director Clapper’s office a day in advance. After the hearing was over, my staff and I gave his office a chance to amend his answer," Wyden said. "Now public hearings are needed to address the recent disclosures, and the American people have the right to expect straight answers from the intelligence leadership to the questions asked by their representatives.”*
Ron Wyden.

[kentuck]

15. What a criminal!

[Jackpine Radical]

16. Oh, c'mon now, y'all. Curt him some slack.

Clapper's still doing his best to say the truthiest things he can here.

Like, some of you seem to think that you can run a country without spying on and lying to the populace or something. Good God, if the peasants ever figure out how things actually work, there's no telling what they might do.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

17. He should be trying that excuse on a judge.