Gonzales may have breached secret meeting

[kpete]

In his testimony, Gonzales revealed for the first time a meeting with the so-called "Gang of Eight" -- the two top Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders and the chairmen and ranking members of both chambers' Intelligence committees -- on the same day as the Ashcroft hospital visit, where the members of Congress were supposedly briefed on "vitally important intelligence activities."

In revealing this meeting, Gonzales may have undercut his previous testimony in which he claimed the disagreement at the Justice Department was "not about the terrorist surveillance program that the president announced to the American people."

One "Gang of Eight" member, Jane Harman, who was present at this classified briefing took issue with Gonzales even speaking about the meeting, "'The attorney general is selectively declassifying material from a classified briefing, which I find improper.'"

Another "gang member," Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), when asked if he believed Gonzales had perjured himself, responded, ""Based upon what I know about it, I'd have to say yes."

more at:
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Gonzales_digs_deeper_hole_0725.html

[SpiralHawk]

1. republicon perjury -- par for the course

The republicon cronies have lied and lied and lied to the American people and their representatives.

They do not serve the United States of America.

They serve and are loyal only to the fatcat cabal of corrupt republicon cronies.

Why do republicons HATE America and all that is good, noble, and true?

[BOSSHOG]

2. They are proud of their incompetence, its part of their charm

the base just loves ignorance and incompetence in their candidates, cause it ain't liberal.

Loyalty to party above country. What kind of flag do you wave for that?

[Old Codger]

3. what flag

[Richard Steele]

5. Hi George! Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[WinkyDink]

4. Don't they even hear the "Commie" allusion in "Gang of Eight"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gang_of_Eight_(Soviet_Union)

[mod mom]

6. Discussion of Jane Harman's Jan 2006 letter on the subject:

Jane Harman (Gang of 8)in Jan 2006- NSA Program doesn't Qualify as "Covert Action"



WASHINGTON D.C. ---- Rep. Jane Harman (D-Venice), Ranking Member on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today sent the following letter to President Bush:

January 4, 2006

The President of the United States
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

On December 17, 2005, six members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence requested a briefing for the full Committee concerning certain publicly-reported activities of the National Security Agency. As you know, since 2003, I have been a member of the so-called Gang of Eight – which includes the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate and the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the congressional intelligence committees. As a member of the Gang of Eight, I have received periodic briefings on highly classified programs. However, with respect to the NSA program that you have disclosed, I have reviewed the law and now believe that the practice of briefing only certain Members of the intelligence committees violates the specific requirements of the National Security Act of 1947.

The National Security Act requires that “The President shall ensure that the congressional intelligence committees are kept fully and currently informed of the intelligence activities of the United States . . . .” 50 U.S.C. § 413(a)(1). The Act makes clear that the requirement to keep the committees informed may not be evaded on the grounds that “providing the information to the congressional intelligence committees would constitute the unauthorized disclosure of classified information.” 50 U.S.C. § 413(e).

The Act provides for one exception to the President’s duty to keep all committee Members fully and currently informed of intelligence activities. In the context of a covert action, the President may, if he concludes that “it is essential . . . to meet extraordinary circumstances affecting vital interests of the United States,” limit notification to the Gang of Eight. 50 U.S.C. § 413b(c)(2). That procedure applies by the terms of the statute to covert actions, not intelligence collection activities.

-snip

The NSA program does not qualify as a “covert action.” That term is defined in the National Security Act as “activities of the United States Government to influence political, economic, or military conditions abroad, where it is intended that the role of the United States Government will not be apparent.” 50 U.S.C. § 413b(e). Covert actions, pursuant to the statute, do not include “activities the primary purpose of which is to acquire intelligence . . . .” 50 U.S.C. § 413b(e)(1).

-snip


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1426820&mesg_id=1426820

[Kagemusha]

7. So... did Cheney authorize this disclosure of classified material, or what?

Oh, right, he won't answer that either.

[mod mom]

8. Interesting NYT article RE Gang of 8 (At issue # of NSA Programs):

Gonzales Denies Improper Pressure on Ashcroft



Doug Mills/The New York Times

By DAVID JOHNSTON and SCOTT SHANE
Published: July 25, 2007
WASHINGTON, July 24 — Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales denied on Tuesday that he had improperly pressured John Ashcroft to sign an authorization for the National Security Agency’s domestic surveillance program in 2004 when Mr. Ashcroft, his predecessor, lay in a hospital bed, in pain and on sedatives after surgery.

-snip

Other lawmakers who were not at the hearing but who attended the meeting on March 10, 2004 at the White House, also challenged Mr. Gonzales’s account. Mr. Rockefeller and Representative Jane Harman of California, who in 2004 was the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, insisted that there was only one N.S.A. program, making Mr. Gonzales’s assertions inaccurate.

“The program had different parts, but there was only one program,” Ms. Harman said, adding that Mr. Gonzales was “selectively declassifying information to defend his own conduct,” which she called improper.

But another member of the Gang of Eight — the Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate and House and of the two Intelligence Committees _— supported Mr. Gonzales’s version. Speaking on condition of anonymity, he confirmed the attorney general’s testimony that the group reached a “consensus” that the disputed intelligence activity should continue and that passing emergency legislation would risk revealing secrets.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, who attended the 2004 White House meeting as House Democratic minority leader, said through a spokesman that she did not dispute that the majority of those present supported continuing the intelligence activity. But Ms. Pelosi said she dissented and supported Mr. Comey’s objections at the meeting, said the spokesman, Brendan Daly.


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/25/washington/25gonzales.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=washington&adxnnlx=1185372807-zG4KvMSSHsTHjXppmCmTRA

[Supersedeas]

9. and where the HELL is the MSM -- will they ever tire of Lohan-like diversions?

[DCKit]

10. No.