NYT: Senate Chairman Splits With Bush on Spy Program (Pat Roberts)

[sabra]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/18/politics/18nsa.html?_r=1&ei=5094&en=1c887f193bbd87fd&hp=&ex=1140238800&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1140239661-zsbmA5WOIH6KgrkslBADHA

Senate Chairman Splits With Bush on Spy Program


WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 — The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said Friday that he wanted the Bush administration's domestic eavesdropping program brought under the authority of a special intelligence court, a move President Bush has argued is not necessary.

The chairman, Senator Pat Roberts, Republican of Kansas, said he had some concerns that the court could not issue warrants quickly enough to keep up with the needs of the eavesdropping program. But he said he would like to see those details worked out.

Mr. Roberts also said he did not believe that exempting the program from the purview of the court created by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act "would be met with much support" on Capitol Hill. Yet that is exactly the approach the Bush administration is pursuing.

...

White House officials favor a proposal offered by another Republican senator, Mike DeWine of Ohio, whose bill would exempt the eavesdropping from the intelligence court. Mr. DeWine wants small subcommittees to oversee the wiretapping, but Mr. Roberts said he would like the full House and Senate Intelligence Committees to have regular briefings.

[magellan]

1. "I don't know how it works"

...says the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee about FISA.

:eyes:

[MO_Dem]

3. The only thing Roberts understands is

that whenever Bush and company bend over, Roberts kisses their behinds. One of the huge bonuses of retaking the Senate would be having Roberts back in the minority.

[saltpoint]

2. I think Pat Roberts, in another life, was Old Man Warriner (sp?) in

Shirley Jackson's fine tale, "The Lottery" -- moralistic, angry, spirit-crushing, monolithic and murderous.

He's the ultimate Company Man, a rubber-stamping reductionist with the soul of a bus seat.

In a better world, all senators would be less like Pat Roberts and more like Barbara Boxer.

From the surface of this report, it sounds as if Roberts is defying BushCo, but that just is too much of a shock to my system.

I wonder what's really going on.

[fujiyama]

4. 72 hours

AFTER wiretapping suspects isn't enough time to get a warrant?

This is inexcusable. The FISA law as it stands is MORE than sufficient to get wiretaps.

The admin simply wants to abuse power like always and is likely hiding something in their wiretaps. They should be forced to release a list of all those wiretapped that they didn't get a warrant for.

It's shameful that the Senate is going to do shit about this. Is Russ Feingold the only senator to care about civil liberties?

[NoodleyAppendage]

5. Right.... This is coming right after Roberts bent over for the BFEE.

This planted story is nothing more than a puff piece to provide Roberts (a TRAITOR to our Constitution and government) some coverage and not appear to be the BFEE lap dog that he is.

JB

[Tiggeroshii]

6. wow.

good.

[rodeodance]

7. this big man who is the hero for 'breaking' with the WH--is the same man

who makes deals with the WH to cut any investigation in domestic spying and has so far not put out Phase II.
poop on him.

[kentuck]

8. I'm sorry I pissed on your parade....

Now lets see if we can get that horseshit cleaned up and get those kids marching again. He's a two-faced bastard.

[Wordie]

9. GOP senator has concerns about wiretaps (Sen. Roberts!)

GOP senator has concerns about wiretaps
Intelligence Committee chairman suggests giving matter to special court
Sheryl Gay Stolberg, New York Times
Saturday, February 18, 2006

Washington -- The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said on Friday that he wanted the Bush administration's domestic eavesdropping program brought under the authority of a special intelligence court -- a move President Bush has argued is not necessary.

...Roberts also said he did not believe that exempting the program from the purview of the court created by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act "would be met with much support" on Capitol Hill. Yet that is exactly the approach the Bush administration is pursuing.

Roberts spoke in an interview a day after announcing that the White House, in a turnabout, had agreed to open discussions about changing federal surveillance law. By Friday, with Roberts apparently feeling stung by accusations that he had caved to White House pressure not to investigate the warrantless eavesdropping program, it appeared that the talks could put the White House and Congress on a collision course.

White House officials favor a proposal offered by another Republican senator, Mike DeWine of Ohio, whose bill would exempt the eavesdropping from the intelligence court. DeWine wants small subcommittees to oversee the wiretapping, but Roberts said he would like the full House and Senate Intelligence Committees to have regular briefings.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/02/18/MNGRIHAU2C1.DTL

The article also mentions that Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee have agreed to open an investigation, but are engaged in a debate on its scope.

[rodeodance]

10. so now Roberts want to give the appearance of being the 'good guy" !!

[Flubadubya]

11. So did John Wayne Gacy...

:puke:

[Wordie]

12. Maybe enough expressed outrage that he had to try to back down. ACT NOW!

Here's a link to rodeodance's ActivistHQ thread on how to take action!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=106x26934

It has a link to a PFAW petition to sign to urge Congress to investigate. Everybody, please sign it! Let's put lots of pressure on Congress. Demand investigations!

[PassingFair]

15. His was the only number that went to a FULL mail box...

then abruptly cut off.

I spoke to a Frist Acolyte, he was very polite!

Called me Ma'am! :)

[Wordie]

19. That's good news! There must be lots of complaints. Keep it up, DUers! nt

[warrior1]

13. fool me once

shame on you, fool me twice...

Still will he hold bush accountable and impeach? No, didn't think so.

[Wordie]

14. I just realized this OP is a dupe...link to the earlier thread here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2116891

I've already notified the mods. Sorry for this.

[remfan]

16. Smoke and mirrors

What's the matter, Pat? Don't like being the WH Waterboy?

Wonder how DeWine's suck up, er, proposal will play in OH...where bush's approval is 37%?

[wordpix2]

17. wants to play both ways: no senate investigation & he's against BushCo

spying.

Typical politician speaking with forked tongue to whore it up with voters.

[Beetwasher]

18. What Happened To Their Deal?

:shrug: Was the talk of a deal that was reached WH propoganda? It seems Roberts is not necessarily on board after all.