Pentagon restricting testimony in Congress - The Boston Globe

[DearAbby]

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon has placed unprecedented restrictions on who can testify before Congress, reserving the right to bar lower-ranking officers, enlisted soldiers, and career bureaucrats from appearing before oversight committees or having their remarks transcribed, according to Defense Department documents.

Robert L. Wilkie , a former Bush administration national security official who left the White House to become assistant secretary of defense for legislative affairs last year, has outlined a half-dozen guidelines that prohibit most officers below the rank of colonel from appearing in hearings, restricting testimony to high-ranking officers and civilians appointed by President Bush.

The guidelines, described in an April 19 memo to the staff director of the House Armed Services Committee, adds that all field-level officers and enlisted personnel must be "deemed appropriate" by the Department of Defense before they can participate in personal briefings for members of Congress or their staffs; in addition, according to the memo, the proceedings must not be recorded.


http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/05/10/pentagon_restricting_testimony_in_congress?mode=PF


_________________________

Since when is the Pentagon a co-equal branch of government that can tell who and who can not testify before congress? :wtf:

[Kagemusha]

1. It's part of the Executive Branch after all.

So if Bush wants it to have super duper government powers then until someone says differently... (shrug)

[proud patriot]

2. That's such bullshit

:grr:

[rwenos]

3. Time for a Grand Jury

Did we learn nothing from the pricks working for Ken Starr during the Clinton administration? Sounds like it's time to convene a grand jury -- which can subpoena anybody. No cross-examination, no lawyers. And, of course, the testimony would not be leaked . . . THAT would be illegal!

Keep those subpoenas rolling, O House of Representatives!

[DearAbby]

4. Kick

I had to run after posting this, but think it is important to kick. I dont like the idea the Pentagon having rights to restrict who can and can not testify before congress. I have never heard of this before.

[DearAbby]

5. double kick

[bobbolink]

6. I'm so thankful we're such a free country.

:nuke:

[krkaufman]

7. If you haven't yet fully politicized an organization ...

... the only way to make sure you control the flow of information is to gag all but "loyal Bushies." This reeks of politicization of the Defense Department, and I have a hard to seeing it as legal.