Murray Waas: Bush blocking NSA probe "unprecedented".

[kpete]

Waas: Bush Blocking Justice NSA Probe Is "Unprecedented"
By Justin Rood - July 21, 2006, 9:00 AM

Over at National Journal, Murray Waas has been burrowing into the Justice Department probe of how its own officials handled the NSA domestic spying program. In fact, he broke the news of the foiled investigation, prompting the revelation on Tuesday that President Bush himself blocked the probe by refusing to grant security clearances to investigators from DoJ's Office of Professional Responsibility.

I talked with Waas on Wednesday to get his thoughts on the importance of the story, and how various media outlets, including the New York Times, chose to report the story:

"Historians will tell you that it's unprecedented for a president of the United States to make the personal decision to halt an investigation of his own attorney general and his own attorneys, based on his personal decision. Earlier, the president played no role in approving clearances for the other people who were familiar with the program. It seems like this is a major story.

"I'm not being critical of any news organization, but people should note that if the Times is particularly restrained in its coverage of this story, it's not for ideological reasons but that against their will, they have become part of the story instead of just covering the story, since the president has ordered an investigation of them and the House of Representatives has denounced the paper. I don't think it's bias; it's the editor of the Times wanting to go forward with restraint."

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001174.php

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. Pretty much everything with Bush is "unprecedented"

from the moment SCOTUS annointed him President.

[rodeodance]

2. and a Congress that rubber stamps everything (a little ruckus lately but

not enough).