White House Gives Details on Surveillance

[applegrove]

White House Gives Details on Surveillance By KATHERINE SHRADER, Associated Press Writer
18 minutes ago



"WASHINGTON - After weeks of insisting it would not reveal details of its eavesdropping without warrants, the White House reversed course Wednesday and provided a House committee with highly classified information about the operation.

The White House has been under heavy pressure from lawmakers who wanted more information about the National Security Agency's monitoring. Democrats and many Republicans rejected the administration's contention that they could not be trusted with national security secrets.

The shift came the same day Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., announced he is drafting legislation that would require the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to review the administration's monitoring program and determine if it is constitutional.

It also came after Rep. Heather Wilson (news, bio, voting record), R-N.M., chairwoman of a House intelligence subcommittee that oversees the NSA, broke with the Bush administration and called for a full review of the NSA's program, along with legislative action to update the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

... SNIP"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060209/ap_on_go_co/eavesdropping_congress

[Jeffersons Ghost]

1. good post, kicked and recommended

:kick:

[Benhurst]

2. recommended

[applegrove]

3. Exactly. It was always about why did the Pres not do it legally or change

the law if it was unworkable the FISA provitions. They had the cooperation of all law-makers at the time.

[stevedeshazer]

4. woooooooo, this is big

<snip> re: Heather Wilson

"I think we've had a tremendous impact today," Wilson said at a news conference as Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Gen. Michael Hayden, the nation's No. 2 intelligence official, briefed the full Intelligence Committee.

"I don't think the White House would have made the decision that it did had I not stood up and said, 'You must brief the Intelligence Committee,'" said Wilson, a U.S. Air Force veteran.

When asked what prompted the move to give lawmakers more details, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the administration has stated "from the beginning that we will work with members of Congress, and we will continue to do so regarding this vital national security program."

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Keep in mind that Heather Wilson (R-NM) is tied in the polls with her challenger, Patricia Madrid, a Democrat. This might represent the first significant flip of a Republican-in-trouble who has smelled the coffee and counted the votes.

This is very interesting stuff.

[alittlelark]

5. Heather Wilson is a SCHILL.... she is faking outrage.....

she will be placated when the 'investigation' is finished.

She is one of the few military (AF) ppl they have . Most Repuke's are CHICKENHAWKS. They are throwing her out in the hopes that their secrets will remain safe. She is NOT to be trusted.

My experience w/her.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2092969#2093129