ABC News/AP: Specter believes spy program violates law

[PhilipShore]

ABC news/AP
Specter Believes Spy Program Violates Law
Feb 5, 2006

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1582245

WASHINGTON Feb 5, 2006 (AP)— Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' explanations so far for the Bush administration's failure to obtain warrants for its domestic surveillance program are "strained" and "unrealistic," the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman said Sunday.

Sen. Arlen Specter, whose committee has scheduled hearings Monday on the National Security Agency program, said he believes the administration violated a 1978 law specifically calling for a secretive court to consider and approve such monitoring.

Specter, R-Pa., said he might consider subpoenas for administration documents that would detail its legal justification for the program.

[Joanne98]

1. Subpoenas would be nice but will he do it?

[joemurphy]

3. No way. Specter's just grandstanding. Like always. n/t

[enough]

9. Yep, he will come on "strong" like this at the outset,

so that when he ends up doing exactly what the Regime wants him to do, he and the media can pretend that he did a hard-hitting investigation, like the tough old Prosecuter that he was.

That is Specter's very predictable role. It never fails.

[peekaloo]

4. Tiny Tim on 'Press the Meat ' tried to push him on this issue and he

backed away.

Specter makes me twitchy (not a good thing).

[joeybee12]

2. Yeah, like I believe anything this lying, worthless douchebag...

has to say...he'll cave...he's a gutless wonder.

[rodeodance]

5. see Meet the Press re-run if you can. I thought it was good.

[Kahuna]

7. Two weeks in a row Tim pounded the repukes. Makes me wonder

if bushco's threats to prosecute reporters and their sources under some phantom law, for whistle-blowing spy-gate will finally make the press wake up. Stay tuned... :popcorn:

[wordpix2]

18. Tim made some points pressing Boehner about his many junkets

to Europe, Scotland where Abe-off likes to take his buds, the town in WV where the Greenbrier golf resort is---Boehner said he had to find out about "industry" and looked nervous.

Another repuke to bring down---this guy's a complete crook.

[UpInArms]

6. So, when does Specter start the IMPEACHMENT PROCESS? n/t

[Kahuna]

8. The repukes seem to be trying to work up a deal that if bushco..

stops doing it and comes to congress to get authorization to do it, all will be forgiven. Never mind that they broke the law in the first place. Spector will definately try to whitewash this for bushco in the long run.

[KnaveRupe]

23. Specter Can't - Impeachment begins in the House.

BTW - Specter voted against Clinton's removal during the impeachment trial in the Senate.

That being said, I'm disgusted with Arlen and ashamed that I have, in the past, voted for him. I thought that his recent brush with death might have infused him with a sense of duty to the greater good, and that the knowledge that he probably won't be healthy enough to run for another term after this one might give him the spine to stand up to the extremists in his party.

I admit now that I was wrong. Mea maxima culpa.

[jazzjunkysue]

10. Still waiting for the Meet The Press transcript to come online.

Several really great quotes by repugs saying we're in shit's creek on everything.

[LynnTheDem]

11. OF COURSE it's ILLEGAL. bush BROKE THE LAW. bush committed a CRIME.

And those of us who can read (ie most all non-rightwingnuts) know exactly what the USC says the consequence of that is. Too bad republicans have no morality, no integrity, put party before country.

[Kokonoe]

12. What Specter is doing is keeping the bases open.

If Hillary were to become president, spying would be over in a New York minute.

[usregimechange]

13. That is fairly big news...

[mzmolly]

14. Whether or not we "trust" Specter, look at the headlines today!

He is forcing the MSM to pay attention.

[electron_blue]

15. Action, please!

[PaganPreacher]

16. Tells half the story....

In the next breath, Specter said that he believes FISA is unconstitutional.

Pale, pasty faced man speak with forked tongue.



The Pagan Preacher
I don't turn the other cheek.

[Justice Is Comin]

17. Why don't you Specter belittle-rs

understand that Specter didn't have to hold hearings? He didn't have to do shit. He could have said the spying accusations do not warrant a judiciary hearing. That would have been the end of that!!

Not only has he scheduled the hearings, he has now said Gonzalez is not answering the questions, has said Bush flat violated the law , he has said subpoenas will be issued if the stalling continues, and most of all he has given the democrats like Kennedy, Feingold, Schumer the opportunity to cremate Gonzalez.

What the hell do you want from the guy ? Encourage him for Christ sake !! And understand he may be the republican to start the demise of this MF.

I stood by him long before today and I'm even more encouraged now. So blast me all you want.

[jsamuel]

19. I have been saying that Specter is the REAL R moderate

McCain isn't really moderate, he just has some ethics, that's all.

Specter has a lot of pressure on him from the RW and he has been hushed on this, but he still comes back later. Lets wait and see.

[PhilipShore]

20. Bush was a pro Environment, Kyoto treaty moderate Republican...

when he was running for President in the 2000 election. That is how -- he and the Repukes -- were able to con the Green Nader voters into -- voting for them in the election.

[WCGreen]

22. There is no more real pressure on Specter...

He is a cancer surviver who the Bush people pushed around after the last election...

He practically had to beg to retain his chairmanship...

He was just re-elected to another six year term

He has nothing to lose and a soul to regain...

[lovuian]

21. Specter Criticizes Rationale for Spying

http://breakingnews.nypost.com/dynamic/stories/D/DOMESTIC_SPYING?SITE=NYNYP&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-02-06-01-19-11

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has not adequately justified why the Bush administration failed to seek court approval for domestic surveillance, said the senator in charge of a hearing Monday on the program.

Sen. Arlen Specter said Sunday he believes that President Bush violated a 1978 law specifically calling for a secret court to consider and approve such monitoring. The Pennsylvania Republican branded Gonzales' explanations to date as "strained and unrealistic."

The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, predicted that the committee would have to subpoena the administration to obtain internal documents that lay out the legal basis for the program. Justice Department officials have declined, citing in part the confidential nature of legal communications.

more...
Nope Gonzales hasn't!!!

[DoYouEverWonder]

24. Then he needs to put his money where his mouth is

and call for Bush's impeachment. Otherwise, he's full of shit has usual.