Remember How Happy We Were Nov. 1, 2005?

[chiburb]

That was the day Reid and Durbin took the Senate into a closed session and held the Repukes hostage for 3 hours. They were trying to force Pat Roberts to hold "Phase II" of the pre-invasion intelligence hearings; the phase that would investigate the manipulation and fabrication of such intelligence by the mis-administration. The shut-down resulted in an agreement to produce a written report detailing the specifics of how Phase II would be handled and scheduled. 3 Senators from each party were to produce this report within 14 days.

74 days later...

I called Sen. Durbin's office for an update. Obviously, they've been very busy with the Scalito hearings but still managed to email me the following Congressional Quarterly piece. I present it in it's entirety, and would urge your comments be directed to Harry Reid's office if this continued stonewalling offends you as much as it does me.


Dec. 13, 2005 – 7:50 p.m.
Democratic Senate Leaders Complain of Lack of Progress by Intelligence Panel
By Mary Speck, CQ Staff
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada asked Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee Tuesday to reconvene a six-member Intelligence Committee task force appointed last month to assess progress in a controversial probe into prewar intelligence and to draw up a timetable for its completion.

In a letter addressed to Frist and Republican whip Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Reid and Democratic whip Richard J. Durbin of Illinois said the bipartisan task force had not completed the assignment it was given during a secret session of the Senate called by Democrats Nov. 1.

Because the task force was unable to reach agreement, Reid and Durbin wrote, “critical questions remain about the committee’s progress” and about “what remaining steps need to be taken to ensure a prompt, thorough and complete review.” The two senators asked that the special panel be asked to brief leaders this week, before the Senate adjourns until mid-January.

Intelligence Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., attacked the letter as a “partisan allegation.” Roberts said in a statement that the Democrats were fully informed about the investigation’s progress.

“If the Democrat Leader has ‘critical questions’ he should pick up the phone and call me, or better yet, attend the business meeting scheduled for this Thursday when we will discuss all facets of our progress on ‘Phase II,’ ” Roberts said in a statement.

The task force met once Nov. 8 to discuss the investigation, which is known as Phase II because it continues a review of pre-invasion intelligence on Iraq that began in 2003. The first part of the probe, which focused on why the CIA failed to accurately assess Iraqi weapons programs, was completed last year.

Senate Democrats decided to call attention to what they claim is a stalled probe by calling the closed session. Republicans called the maneuver a “political stunt” but agreed to appoint the task force, which was to report back to the leaders by Nov. 14.

However, the members were unable to issue a joint statement by the deadline. Instead the three Republicans and the three Democrats wrote separate letters to their leaders.

In their Nov. 14 letter, the three Democrats on the task force — Intelligence Vice Chairman John D. Rockefeller IV of West Virginia, Carl Levin of Michigan and Dianne Feinstein of California — said they were unable to provide an estimated completion date “given the substantial amount of work that remains to be done.” But they said that a “general timeline” had been discussed.

They also outlined areas of disagreement, such as how to investigate intelligence activities prior to the invasion by Pentagon officials working under then Undersecretary of Defense Douglas J. Feith.

Roberts has put that part of the probe on hold until the Department of Defense Inspector General determines whether the officials’ activities were unlawful. Democrats say the two probes should occur concurrently and want to be able to use their subpoena power to compel witnesses to testify.

[JDPriestly]

1. Thanks for the post.

Let's put some pressure on the senators to follow through on this investigation. It is extremely important, especially as we hear talk of war against Iran and Syria.

[rodeodance]

2. 74 days later...

[ProfessorPlum]

3. Good times, good times

I also remember how happy I was early on election day in 2004.

Little islands of hope in a sea of sewage.

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4. One kick for late risers...n/t