Schumer Seeks Motive in U.S. Spy Probe

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON Jan 1, 2006 — The investigation into leaks about a domestic spying program should determine whether the motivation was damaging security or revealing a potentially illegal activity, a Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee said Sunday.

"There are differences between felons and whistleblowers, and we ought to wait 'til the investigation occurs to decide what happened," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.
...
Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican who appeared with Schumer on "Fox News Sunday," urged the Justice Department to "go after those who breached our national security and endangered Americans in the war on terror."
...
The Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, has called for hearings into the program. McConnell said he would prefer that hearings be held by the Intelligence Committee, which likely would be in secret.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1460782&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. So McConnell wants Bush impeached.

Oh, I know that's not what he meant, but since any information obtained by illegal wiretap cannot be used in court, this means that any terrorist suspect who is brought to trial might get off, thereby endangering the US. And how secure do you feel knowing the FBI is wasting time and resources spying on Quakers?

[indepat]

10. I feel so much safer knowing our intelligence resources are being pissed

away. No American should ever forget FBI resources were being used in the days leading up to 9-11 to target whores in New Orleans, facilities providing marijuana for medicinal uses in California, and the right-to-die movement in Oregon all the while leads on very possible terrorist activities were being blocked by higher-ups. :grr:

[AndyTiedye]

20. Most of The Fighter Planes Were Diverted to Look for Marijuana Too

11 of the 16 fighter planes that had been assigned under the Clinton administration to prevent a terrorist attack with airplanes were diverted by then Atty Gen'l John Ashcroft to look for marijuana smugglers.

MIHOP

[Toots]

23. "used in court,,,, brought to trial"

Haven't you been paying attention? They don't do trials or bring them to court. They lock them up without due process and no right to attorney or speedy trial. The whole reason they are spying on these people according to them is because they are terrorists. No trial needed. Bush* says they are terrorists and that is all that is needed according to Extreme Court....Wake Up, this is no longer the America you grew up in...

[HereSince1628]

2. Bush's usurption of FISC's plenary power is a _Judical_ matter.

Sure Bush supporters would like to hide everyone of his violations behind the cloak of secrecy be it national security or executive priviledge.

Unfortunately for the GOP, the nature of the alleged crime is well within the concern of the Judiciary Committe.

[hang a left]

17. That part pissed me off.

He wants the Intelligence Committee to investigate. We know how well all those investigations went. They should be busy trying to find out about fictionary intelligence, shouldn't they?

[billybob537]

3. I agree with Mitch (*R Kentucky)

Lets find out who damadged national security by leaking Valerie Plame's CIA status first, and then who leaked Naeem Noor Khan jepordizing an ongoing sting operation. And then let's give a medal to the WHISTLEBLOWER who exposed Bush's illegal wiretapping, But not that
"Presidential thanks for screwing up" freedom Medal.

[flyarm]

4. oh yeah like pat roberts has finished the last intelligence report

we have waited 2 years for?????? oh yeah like we need more of the republican coverups and secrecy??

so tell us McConnell...where was your investigation and * es investigation into plamegate????????????????????????

we are awaiting your answer McConnell..like the nyt let us know we were being spied on before the 2004 election..right McConnell??

@#$$## you McConnell..we have had enough of your hiding the chimps destruction of our constitution..and bill of rights... frick you, $#@@$$ you, @#$$# you McConnell..we will own your sorry @$$ with the crimes of this admin!!!!!!!!!!!!! and all your republican cronies...you will not have your new world order..you will not have my constitution..and you will not have my bill of rights...not even if i don't get one minutes sleep between now and next election you mother freaker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we the people will stop your freaking @$$ ...and your corruption..and your destruction of "our" nation.."we the peoples" nation...

you @#$%^%## are done !!!!!!!!!!!

fly

[Earth_First]

5. Sorry, CHUCK! If you cannot see between the lines on this one...

you're one step closer to wards becoming one of THEM! Such a shame to see my Senators (Schumer/Clinton) continually roll out with this drivel and act as apologists on behalf of THEM.

An ace is an ace, it's time to start calling it what it is, CHUCK!

[KittyWampus]

6. You need to re-read what Schumer actually said. Your little outburst is

sort of foolish, especially in context.

[Earth_First]

7. I understand impartial patience...

but certainly this instance trumps the calling for investigations. If you and I know how transparent the issue is, certainly Mr. Schumer does!

Just my .02

[Cocoa]

12. still sound like you haven't read the story

it sounds like you think the story says Schumer is calling for an investigation.

[Cocoa]

8. did you read the story?

you might be missing what he was talking about...

[wordpix2]

21. sounds like Schumer's leading Dems to investigate motive of leaker

BushCo wants the investigation to find out who the leaker is and punish him/her/them. Schumer is saying: we look forward to the investigation because we'll be looking at the motive of the leaker,who is no doubt a patriot trying to expose the felons in this admin.

[EST]

22. Final quote from Sen. Schumer in article

Schumer, while supporting a leak investigation, questioned shifting the focus from the administration policy to the person who revealed the information to the press.

"To simply divert this whole thing to just looking at the leaker and saying everything else is just fine is typical of this administration," he said.

[wordpix]

24. thank you, Chuck! You're one of the bright ones in Congress

[EST]

26. I have a similar image of Schumer,

But it is wise to type softly, lest one awake the anti-Schumer ogre, and be forced to learn fire dancing.

[SomewhereOutThere424]

25. Actually

Look closely. They're not investigating bush. They're trying to get whoever leaked about BUSH spying in trouble. He's defending the one trying to expose bush, really.

[ckramer]

9. Go Schumer!

His questioning is hitting the nail on the head. The investigation itself is more political than it's not...What an excellent move by Schumer.

[Rose Siding]

11. Yep - felons v whistleblower *is* the argument

and he did well to present it that way to that audience.

[jazzjunkysue]

18. Right. Epspecially on ABC. Faux is spinning this story to make

us look like weenies: "Those leakers threaten our security....Pres says it was all "approved"....they MIGHT follow up with an investigation, anyway, Dad, do I have to???

He's right to refocus the topic this way. For once Chuck does something right. I guess I'll keep voting for him.

[Rose Siding]

13. He also said: "Top Bush officials should testify"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top White House and Justice Department officials should be called to testify before a U.S. Senate committee investigating a secret domestic eavesdropping program, Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record) said on Sunday.
....
Schumer, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said on "Fox News Sunday" he would ask committee Chairman Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), a Pennsylvania Republican, to seek testimony from Comey, Ashcroft, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card.

"Today's revelations really heighten concerns about this. When (James) Comey, who was one of the premier terrorism prosecutors in this country, said that he thought this program violated the law ... it calls into question to way the president and the vice president went about changing it," said Schumer, of New York.

Reuters

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

14. Meetings in secret!

:party:

[Evergreen Emerald]

15. Why is the hypocrisy never pointed out?

Where was McConnell when Plame was outed? Was he yelling from the rooftops like he is now?

As the media sit silently and partially, forcing the propaganda down our throats.

[Demeter]

16. I Thought He Wanted To Know Why the Domestric Spying?

What's Bush's motive--can he prove it's related to terror, or is it political extortion?

[annabanana]

19. Top Bush officials should testify on NSA: Democrat

Don't you just love the way the headline calls Schumer (not an UNKNOWN here in America) just plain "Democrat"..?!?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top White House and Justice Department officials should be called to testify before a U.S. Senate committee investigating a secret domestic eavesdropping program, Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer (news, bio, voting record) said on Sunday.

Schumer's comments followed a report in Sunday's New York Times that James Comey, a deputy to then-Attorney General John Ashcroft, was concerned about the legality of the National Security Agency's surveillance program and refused to extend it in 2004. White House aides then turned to Ashcroft while he was hospitalized for gallbladder surgery, the Times said.

Schumer, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said on "Fox News Sunday" he would ask committee Chairman Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), a Pennsylvania Republican, to seek testimony from Comey, Ashcroft, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card.

"Today's revelations really heighten concerns about this. When (James) Comey, who was one of the premier terrorism prosecutors in this country, said that he thought this program violated the law ... it calls into question to way the president and the vice president went about changing it," said Schumer, of New York.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060101/ts_nm/security_eave... ;_ylt=Ar8fLTauThUstaot__WQh1GGOrgF;_ylu=X3oDMTA4b3FrcXQ0BHNlYwMxNjkz

(note, please don't combine... Yahoo needs rating)