Attorney General: Bush blocked eavesdropping probe

[bishop]

article

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Tuesday that President Bush personally blocked Justice Department lawyers from pursuing an internal probe of the warrantless eavesdropping program that monitors Americans' international calls and e-mails when terrorism is suspected. The department's Office of Professional Responsibility announced earlier this year it could not pursue an investigation into the role of Justice lawyers in crafting the program, under which the National Security Agency intercepts some telephone calls and e-mail without court approval. At the time, the office said it could not obtain security clearance to examine the classified program. Under sharp questioning from Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Arlen Specter, Gonzales said that Bush would not grant the access needed to allow the probe to move forward. "It was highly classified, very important and many other lawyers had access. Why not OPR?" asked Specter, R-Pennsylvania. "The president of the United States makes the decision," Gonzales told the committee hearing, during which he was strongly criticized on a range of national security issues by Specter and Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the panel's senior Democrat. Last week, under a deal with Specter, Bush agreed conditionally to a court review of his antiterror eavesdropping operations. When the program was disclosed in December, it outraged Democrats and civil libertarians who said Bush overstepped his authority.

talk about an abuse of power.

[GodBlessAmerica]

talk about an abuse of power.

That isn't abuse, it is reviewed by Senators and Justices.

There have been this kind of thing going on for decades and under Clinton, they went much further by listening in on American citizens. Bill Clinton Eschelon!

Bush is only checking out who is connected to and calling numbers related to terrorism, so that is needed and far different than Bill Clinton's horrible Eschelon program.
At least Bush is doing this for National Security, whereas Democrats and the Clintons were accessing peoples private FBI files that they did not like.

Big Big difference IMO!

[RickSp]

When Bush said that things would be easier in a dictatorship, provided that he was the dictator, we thought he was joking.

GBA, we already know you prefer a police state.

[Scribbler1]

Quote by: GodBlessAmerica talk about an abuse of power. That isn't abuse, it is reviewed by Senators and Justices.

Then why didn't Spector know about it?

There have been this kind of thing going on for decades and under Clinton, they went much further by listening in on American citizens. Bill Clinton Eschelon!

"Everybody does it" is not now, nor has it ever been an excuse for doing something wrong. Most people are taught that in childhood.

At least Bush is doing this for National Security, whereas Democrats and the Clintons were accessing peoples private FBI files that they did not like. Big Big difference IMO!

No, Bush SAYS he is doing it for national security. There is no proof this is the case. THAT'S the big difference.

[GodBlessAmerica]

Quote by: RickSp When Bush said that things would be easier in a dictatorship, provided that he was the dictator, we thought he was joking. GBA, we already know you prefer a police state.

He was joking, he is renewing the project you speak of every 45 days with Judges and certain Senators on an oversight committee.

Granted the whole of Congress and the whole of the Senate isn't privy to the whole thing because loose lips sink ships and lots of leaks come out of the House.

[GodBlessAmerica]

Quote by: Scribbler1 Quote by: GodBlessAmerica talk about an abuse of power. That isn't abuse, it is reviewed by Senators and Justices. Then why didn't Spector know about it? There have been this kind of thing going on for decades and under Clinton, they went much further by listening in on American citizens. Bill Clinton Eschelon! "Everybody does it" is not now, nor has it ever been an excuse for doing something wrong. Most people are taught that in childhood. At least Bush is doing this for National Security, whereas Democrats and the Clintons were accessing peoples private FBI files that they did not like. Big Big difference IMO! No, Bush SAYS he is doing it for national security. There is no proof this is the case. THAT'S the big difference.

Spector wasn't on the appropriate Oversight committee. The Senate was represented though.

I didn't say everybody does it, I'm saying those before the war did do it to extremes that violated personal rights.
Here we have the President keeping track of numbers and calls and only goes back and listens to stuff if there is evidence someone was in contact with a number related to a terrorist. BIG DIFFERENCE compared to listening to everyones stuff under Clinton and he reading his political foes FBI files.

There is s freaking war on, what more do you need to realize there is some need.
People involved with the program were interviewed and said they were not allowed to listen in, only to monitor numbers for connections to numbers belonging to terrorist factions. If one of those happened, then those conversations went back and got listened to.

[Jack]

There is s freaking war on

That was declared...when?

[Apeman81]

September 11th, 2001. (Most notably)

Fundamentalist Islam is on the move. Islam is not trying to stop them. It is not the first time the "Muslim" world has worked to expand its sphere of influence.

It is moving in Europe. France has gone through its spate of car burnings and riots for the Muslim cause. This in part the result of France's policy allowing massive influx of Muslims into the country to establish polarized neighborhoods.

Africa is the scene of more than a decade of Islamic driven mayhem and murder. Somalia, Rwanda, and more recently, Sudan has suffered as Islam stretches its influence.

Malaysia and neighboring Philippines are home to violent factions. Iran's theocracy is funneling funds and weaponry to Islamic factions around the world.

And where is the "Arab street"? Where are the peaceful Muslims? Where is the outrage for the actions of those we are constantly told have "hijacked" Islam? It is not forthcoming.

The battle has been engaged.

[GodBlessAmerica]

Quote by: Isherwood There is s freaking war on That was declared...when?

Years ago, against Radical Islam.

IMO all of Islam needs to reform the way many other religions did years ago to denounce violence and violence.
IMO there should be a Jihad by regular Islam (if there is such a thing) against Radical Islam.

[RickSp]

The cheerleaders for the police state use "Radical Islam" to trash the Constitution and the rule of law. They seek endless war and a dictatorial presidency. These warmongers are the far greater threat to the nation than any "boogeyman" they use to try to scare us.

[dreamer]

There is s freaking war on?

Quote by: Isherwood That was declared...when?

I agree with Isherwood on this when was war decal ed .

[Rainbow]

the National Security Agency intercepts some telephone calls and e-mail without court approval

America and Europe have been under surveillance :
- telecommunication : since mid 70' (and Vatican is not the exception)
- e-mail : since the internet emerged, as a part of telecommunication

[Protostar]

Quote by: GodBlessAmerica talk about an abuse of power. That isn't abuse, it is reviewed by Senators and Justices. There have been this kind of thing going on for decades and under Clinton, they went much further by listening in on American citizens. Bill Clinton Eschelon! Bush is only checking out who is connected to and calling numbers related to terrorism, so that is needed and far different than Bill Clinton's horrible Eschelon program. At least Bush is doing this for National Security, whereas Democrats and the Clintons were accessing peoples private FBI files that they did not like. Big Big difference IMO!

GBA, how can you insure that the program isn't being abused if the Justice Department is prevented from investigating the issue? Most Congressman/Senators are scumbags anyway, and cannot be trusted. I personally would like to see it scraped, but since it is here cannot see any reason why it shouldn't be investigated. Afterall if Bush isn't doing anything wrong, whats he got to hide?

[Rainbow]

Quote by: Protostar GBA, how can you insure that the program isn't being abused if the Justice Department is prevented from investigating the issue?

No such assurance can be granted and/or given to anybody by anybody.
That is us, Mankind.

[Chaossaber314]

Quote by: Isherwood That was declared...when?

Try using this logic with a Conflict in Vietnam vet. They don't take it very well.