http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2006-02-27T210822Z_01_N27406025_RTRIDST_0_SECURITY-NSA.XMLWASHINGTON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Democratic lawmakers have asked President George W. Bush to order a special probe of his domestic spying program, while a Senate Republican readied legislation that would subject the controversial program to judicial review.
In a letter released on Monday, 18 House of Representatives Democrats told Bush a special counsel was necessary because administration officials including Attorney General Alberto Gonzales are too involved in defending the National Security Agency program to provide independent scrutiny.
The inspectors general of the Defense Department and the Justice Department turned down earlier requests from Democrats for independent probes into the program, which the White House acknowledged in December after it was revealed by the New York Times.
Authorized by Bush soon after the Sept. 11 attacks, the program allows the NSA to monitor the international telephone calls and e-mails of U.S. citizens without court warrants while in pursuit of al Qaeda.
Democrats and some Republicans say Bush may have overstepped his constitutional authority and violated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which requires warrants for all electronic eavesdropping.
Democrats have also charged that Bush violated the National Security Act by allowing complete oversight by only eight members of Congress rather than the full intelligence committees of the House and Senate.
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