Gonzales is asked to testify on spy program

[kpete]

AG is asked to testify on spy program
By Douglass K. Daniel, Associated Press | January 9, 2006

WASHINGTON -- The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Arlen Specter, said yesterday that he has asked Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to testify during open hearings on the Bush administration's domestic spying program.


Boston.com

Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican, said Gonzales's testimony is being sought because he is the main spokesman for the administration's position.

Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, a prominent conservative on the committee, said he is troubled by the legal arguments the administration has presented for establishing the National Security Agency program.

President Bush has said that a congressional resolution that has authorized him to use force against Iraq allows him to order spying within the United States without a warrant.

Brownback said: ''There was no discussion in anything that I was around that gave the president a broad surveillance authority with that resolution."

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/01/09/ag_is_asked_to_testify_on_spy_program/

[hang a left]

1. Here we go....

snip>
Gonzales was White House counsel when Bush initiated the program; such a role could raise issues of attorney-client privilege in seeking his testimony. A message left yesterday with the Justice Department was not immediately returned.
snip>

Hasn't it already been decided that White House counsel is exempt from this "privelege".

[peekaloo]

3. Will he be under oath or the current "cross my heart and hope to lie"

WH standard?

[bryant69]

2. The Iraq War Resolution?

When did President Bush say the Iraq war resolution gave him the right to wire tap? What I've heard repeatedly was that the resolution passed on September 18, 2001 allowed President Bush to attack anybody he wanted to fight the war on terror.

I'm not saying Bush hasn't claimed this, just would be curious to know if he has.

Bryant
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