FEINGOLD CONDEMNS FAILURE TO INVESTIGATE SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM

[Jeffersons Ghost]

Did you hear about this?



Feingold: “The Intelligence Committee Has Abandoned Its Oversight Role.”

February 16, 2006

Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold released the following statement this afternoon following the Intelligence Committee Meeting.

“The Intelligence Committee’s failure today to begin an investigation of the administration’s illegal domestic surveillance program is inexcusable. The Senate Committee charged with conducting oversight of intelligence matters has a responsibility to look more deeply into the President’s illegal secret wiretapping of Americans. The President has broken the law and Congress needs to hold him accountable.”

Why are there RARELY pictures of Russ in media and so few online graphics of this great patriot?

[blm]

1. See - this is Feingold at his best - so why the heck did he not sign on

letter of inquiry to Intel Committee to look into the DSM when it came up last year? So many of us asked him to do so, and more names - especially senators who get media airtime - would have helped focus on the deceit of the Intel Committee much earlier.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

2. I only have one answer when it comes to Russ...

He might not act the way we hope he will
He might not vote how we hope he will
and he might not fight the way we know he can
but he will fight to save Democracy.

best of all, he WILL do what he thinks is right every time and that spells "CHARACTER."

[RufusEarl]

3. Russ, was on the Bill Maher show last night.

He seemed pretty stead fast in his opinion about the patriot act and other bills coming up for vote. Said the Dem's were ready to start fighting back, i can only hope he's correct.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

4. welcome to DU rufus

What brought you to DU?
You can bet Russ will take the Nazis to task as we head toward November, as for the others, I think eavesdropping on our DC heroes has kept some tongues in check and some votes in place.

what else was said last night, Rufuse? Please expand

[RufusEarl]

10. Thanks for the welcome!

Concerning the Bill Maher show last night. After the Russ portion, the show went south IMHO, but he "Bill" mentioned army recruitment. I stared a thread on that topic, but here's the jest of the thread.

Bill mentioned that the US Army was lowering their recruitment qualification, and now taking recruits without high school diploma, and with police records. This smack in the face of what some are saying about Bu$h and his plan to destroy our military.

Oh! I found DU by chance, i was trying to find some info about Bu$h admin and found myself here. And I've never left!

[radio4progressives]

15. totally agree - i can hardly stand to watch the show... only if someone

i really like i know is going to be on, but even then i'm often disappointed with the way Maher's ego get's in the way of the facts..

[Jeffersons Ghost]

22. oh yeah

I remember that one rufus... It was a great thread... I think I even voted for it.

[blm]

6. Dems always fought back, but media ignores it and other Dems

think there's no traction ao they leave them hanging.

Here's a perfect example:

Think about after Abu Ghraib photos came out - Kerry called for Rumsfeld to be fired - EVERY Dem should have backed Kerry up to the hilt - they stayed silent for the most part. Why?

And why does someone say that Dems are ready to start fighting back NOW, when there were always a number of Dems sticking their necks out and taking the media hits for the last few years? Kerry, Dean, Kucinich, Murtha, Durbin, Boxer, Waxman, Conyers, and many more, including Feingold, yet some still fall into this dumbass line about NOW we're going to start fighting back.

[seabeyond]

16. perfectly said blm n/t

[radio4progressives]

13. No, He Said Dems were Ready In December to start fighting back

but he said that the Dems are letting the Republicans Intimidate them now, and they're backing down from the fight that they were all committed on before the holiday recess.

The dems are NOT fighting back, they VOTED ON CLOTURE on the Patriot Act Reauthorization, which still included the egregious PROVISIONS that were at ISSUE in December.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

18. great point radio

I'm SURE that is what he meant... It pisses me off every time they renew the act.

[blm]

5. Not wanting the DSM investigated by the Senate is not "right" by any

stretch of the imagination. It was wholly wrong.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

7. what do you mean by that blm?

Explain first what DSM is and then offer a source for your info please... What was the context?

btw, I took my messages straight from the Russ approved Senate site. It was a news release.

[blm]

8. Downing Street Memos - surely you haven't forgotten?

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/515

Investigating the DSM would have been a huge deal and highlighted the Phase2 of the Iraq War Intel investigation.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

9. like i asked elaborate!

I'm not up on the memo but I will say this...

ONLY RUSS WAS THERE FOR YOU ABOUT SIX WEEKS AFTER 9/11 AND HE'S BEEN THERE FOR YOU LIKE NO ONE ELSE EVER SINCE!"

[blm]

11. If you aren't "up" on the Downing Street Memo" then you might not be

in the best position to advise others on political matters. The most basic search here on DU would pull up THOUSANDS of posts on the DSM.

And please be certain of this - There are various things to admire about a variety of leaders. Some prefer firebrands, some prefer policy wonks, some of us prefer the corruption fighters. So, to say that only one person has been there for us is an absurdity.

And it's not that the Patriot Act was not needed - but, there were PARTS OF IT that proved to be unnecessary and onerous, and THOSE are the parts that need to be changed. Feingold and alot of other Dems WANT those changes. Feingold would sign a version of the Patriot Act as he has indicated just last year.

I would say I wish a helluva lot of senators and congress had pushed for the books to be opened on BCCI or read Kerry's book on The New War in 1997 that tracked how global terrorism is funded - then there would have BEEN no 9-11 and no subsequent legislation following.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

21. FIRST blm

YOU might consider reading the OP before you comment... Nowhere do I "advise others" and it's extremely misleading to imply that I did...

SECOND, I don't see anything in the link you furnished that in ANY way shows Russ lacks character; another misrepresentation.

LAST but not least:

The Patriot Act is a misnomer, which is VERY unpatriotic and was NEVER "needed." In fact it was a massive document that was created before 9/11 and the tyrant party was simply waiting for a chance to put it in place while they ignored warnings about terrorism and did nothing to protect us.

ONLY Russ voted against the act at first but in all fairness to other dems many didn't even read it before voting.

[radio4progressives]

14. Jefferson Ghost, here's the official link ..

it's going to take a while to catch up... but if you missed this, then you missed everything..

this is where you can read all about it..


http://afterdowningstreet.org/

[seabeyond]

12. another dem that didnt roll on nsa. media put out

no one was bothered. a week of attack on htis board that dems rolled on this. but wasnt true. jsut a to do for every one to get excited about, not fact based. good to hear feingold and byrd to this point. seeing it really wasnt the dems "working" with repug like however the rumor got started last week

[GetTheRightVote]

17. I know very little about Russ Feingold but anyone who fights wiretapping

from the * admin has my vote, protect our rights Senator and thank you so very, very much for doing so.

:kick:

[Totally Committed]

19. I am REALLY liking Feingold lately...

For a while there, he went sort of quiet, but now that he's back out and among the living, he's been great. Hope he keeps it up.

TC

[JNelson6563]

20. Rock on Russ!

Spine-gold. :toast: