NYT: Republican Who Oversees N.S.A. Calls for Wiretap Inquiry

[Pirate Smile]

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 — A House Republican whose subcommittee oversees the National Security Agency broke ranks with the White House on Tuesday and called for a full Congressional inquiry into the Bush administration's domestic eavesdropping program.



The lawmaker, Representative Heather A. Wilson of New Mexico, chairwoman of the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence, said in an interview that she had "serious concerns" about the surveillance program. By withholding information about its operations from many lawmakers, she said, the administration has deepened her apprehension about whom the agency is monitoring and why.

Ms. Wilson, who was a National Security Council aide in the administration of President Bush's father, is the first Republican on either the House's Intelligence Committee or the Senate's to call for a full Congressional investigation into the program, in which the N.S.A. has been eavesdropping without warrants on the international communications of people inside the United States believed to have links with terrorists.

The congresswoman's discomfort with the operation appears to reflect deepening fissures among Republicans over the program's legal basis and political liabilities. Many Republicans have strongly backed President Bush's power to use every tool at his disposal to fight terrorism, but 4 of the 10 Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee voiced concerns about the program at a hearing where Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales testified on Monday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/08/politics/08nsa.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[quaoar]

1. I guess Rep. Wilson

will be the first name on Karl Rove's new shit list.

[LuckyTheDog]

39. Let the Swiftboating begin!

We also can expect her to have a primary challenger this fall, I'll bet.

[radfringe]

50. she just made

the Rove Black list...

we'll have to wait and see if she has the balls to maintain her stand or will she quietly step back into the chorus line?

[Javaman]

59. I guess rove has been listening to L7 these days...

Artist: L7 Lyrics
Song: Shitlist Lyrics

When I get mad
And I get pissed
I grab my pen
And I write out a list
Of all the people
That won’t be missed
You’ve made my shitlist

For all the ones
Who bum me out
Shitlist
For all the ones
Who fill my head with doubt
Shitlist
For all the squares who get me pissed
Shitlist
You’ve made my shitlist

Shitlist
Shitlist

When I get mad
And I get pissed
Shitlist
I grab my pen
And write out a list
Shitlist
Of all you assholes
Who won’t be missed
Shitlist
You’ve made my shitlist

Shitlist
Shitlist

[janx]

64. HOW did you know?

:rofl:

http://www.madridforcongress.com/node/513

ALBUQUERQUE -- A recent poll by D.C.-based Lake Research Partners showed that Attorney General Patricia Madrid and Rep. Heather Wilson are in a statistical dead heat in the race to represent New Mexico’s First Congressional District, according to an internal memo released Tuesday.

[Pirate Smile]

2. more

"Ms. Wilson, who has not been included in the briefings, said in the interview Tuesday that she considered the limited Congressional briefings to be "increasingly untenable" because most lawmakers know little about the program. She said the House Intelligence Committee needed to conduct a "painstaking" review, including not only classified briefings but also access to internal documents and staff interviews with N.S.A. aides and intelligence officials.

Ms. Wilson, a former Air Force officer who is the only female veteran currently in Congress, has butted up against the administration previously over controversial policy issues, including Medicare and troop strength in Iraq. She said she realized that publicizing her concerns over the surveillance program could harm her relations with the administration. "The president has his duty to do, but I have mine too, and I feel strongly about that," she said."

[quaoar]

4. I'm sure

that as soon as Karl has a little chat with her she will understand that this whole spying thing is just blown out of proportion by those traitorous Dems who are out to destroy the morale of our troops.

[kster]

21. Lets send her cards and flowers....nt

[Tiggeroshii]

41. Poptentially a bad idea

Would she tone down if she believes her only strong support is from liberal groups like ours? I think it's not worth the risk and we should wait to do something like that when it's clear this trend of opposition that Specter has started, really set in.

[shanti]

43. heh - wonder if she'll be included in the briefings now....

:think: ;)

[texpatriot2004]

3. Only "4 in 10" GOP oppose this illegal, UnAmerican bushit -

That's indicative of their GOP Culture of Corruption

[Tiggeroshii]

42. IT'll get bigger I think

When they realize that not opposing really hurts them... ethically and politically

[Sgent]

46. 40% of GOP senators

is enough to impeach & remove from office with some left over.

[Bake]

66. It WOULD be if we could count on the Dems to stand up

But that, of course, would be in another universe ... Bizarro Universe.

Bake

[deminks]

5. NYT: Republican Who Oversees N.S.A. Calls for Wiretap Inquiry

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/08/politics/08nsa.html

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 — A House Republican whose subcommittee oversees the National Security Agency broke ranks with the White House on Tuesday and called for a full Congressional inquiry into the Bush administration's domestic eavesdropping program.

The lawmaker, Representative Heather A. Wilson of New Mexico, chairwoman of the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence, said in an interview that she had "serious concerns" about the surveillance program. By withholding information about its operations from many lawmakers, she said, the administration has deepened her apprehension about whom the agency is monitoring and why.

Ms. Wilson, who was a National Security Council aide in the administration of President Bush's father, is the first Republican on either the House's Intelligence Committee or the Senate's to call for a full Congressional investigation into the program, in which the N.S.A. has been eavesdropping without warrants on the international communications of people inside the United States believed to have links with terrorists.

The congresswoman's discomfort with the operation appears to reflect deepening fissures among Republicans over the program's legal basis and political liabilities. Many Republicans have strongly backed President Bush's power to use every tool at his disposal to fight terrorism, but 4 of the 10 Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee voiced concerns about the program at a hearing where Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales testified on Monday.

[texpatriot2004]

6. Thank you Heather Wilson of NM nm

[stop the bleeding]

7. WOW - this is freaking big

:wow::wow::wow::wow::wow::wow::wow::wow::wow:

[TygrBright]

63. No. Not really.

Heather is a not-terribly-popular Rep. who is facing a challenge from a popular Democratic Attorney General. She's recently been implicated in the Abramoff sewer, and is doing her best to look good and salvage a reputation.

I have absolutely NO doubts that this is merely a sham, a quid-pro-quo that will result in either no hearing at all, or one of the nobody-sworn-in-and-no-hard-questions kabuki shows we're currently 'enjoying.' Don't get your hopes up. The fix is in. "C'mon, guys, I gotta look good to the constituents, y'know."

Sorry.

cynically,
Bright

[janx]

65. YEP. Read the memo:

http://www.madridforcongress.com/files/pollnumbers.pdf

(I'm catching on fast for a new New Mexican, aren't I?) :rofl:

[FormerRepublican]

8. Lord, I hope they come to their senses and support the Constitution...

...instead of Bush. If they don't, we have a frightening future ahead of us.

[JWS]

9. That's interesting...

I wonder how many republics are actually interested in the truth.

[jimshoes]

10. Way to go Heather

Good on Ya.

[Kierkegaard]

11. The cheese is starting to hit the fan in larger and larger chunks...

Dim son is going to take his lil' boots and go back to clearing brush soon!

Crawford or bust!

[Mnemosyne]

20. It isn't cheese hitting that fan and hopefully it won't be

Crawford that he goes back to but the Hague!

Is this called hope?!:woohoo:

In peace and hope!
V

[truthisfreedom]

12. bushco has cracked their own veneer...

it's pretty amazing, huh?

[wordpix2]

13. crrraccckkk, I hear Humpty Dumbty and pals starting to break into pieces

[stop the bleeding]

14. The Wilson Commission - heh heh heh - this is a good part here

Ms. Wilson, a former Air Force officer who is the only female veteran currently in Congress, has butted up against the administration previously over controversial policy issues, including Medicare and troop strength in Iraq. She said she realized that publicizing her concerns over the surveillance program could harm her relations with the administration. "The president has his duty to do, but I have mine too, and I feel strongly about that," she said.

[FogerRox]

16. breaking ranks-- is that rats flee sinking ship?

[flyarm]

23. bless this woman and please keep her safe...and for those son

of a bitches on the rethug side..you damn well better stand for country and nation and not party or that fasicst *..and karl rove...

we will have a very long memory..and we will make you pay and pay dearly...
and if we can't deal with you..your souls will burn in hell!

if there is such a place..

we will not sit quietly any longer..this is our country..it is our constitution..and we will fight for her and it!

fly

[goodboy]

38. SHIT, MEET FAN! (nt)

[Ilsa]

15. Will someone named "Wilson" undo Bushco? ;) eom

[madame defarge]

17. The same Heather Wilson who...

made such a fuss over Janet Jackson's nipple? Good to see she has moved on to important things finally. But it's only a matter of time before KKKarl gets to her...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/02/21/entertainment/main601518.shtml = Blame Game Over TV Indecency
"You knew what you were doing," said Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., her voice cracking. "You knew that shock and indecency creates a buzz that moves market share and lines your pockets."

[54anickel]

30. Well, she sort of had a point there about lining pockets. n/t

[boobooday]

60. That is a hilarious quote

:rofl:

Now everybody knows the GOP likes to create a "buzz" as much as anyone. And her voice was likely cracking with gratitude, because they love it when they can howl about "shock and indecency," thereby directing attention away from their own pocket-lining and market-share moving, which comes from violence (and sex too, but shhhh).

She's probably just the designated spokeswoman for the Republican members of congress, cowering in one of their lairs, saying "we have to do something . . . this is getting out of hand . . . uh, I know . . . send out the unknown woman to criticize the leader -- she's a smaller target."

[PassingFair]

18. This is what happens when you let WOMEN in politics!

We Sho 'nuff likes to blow the whistle!

GO MS. WILSON!!!!

:bounce:

[rodeodance]

19. great. now lets have some more wake up.

[rodeodance]

22. so, is it the Chair that has to agree before the Comm. will do its Work!

[caligirl]

24. Another good former military officer puts duty and country first. Bush

IS in trouble now.

[Straight Shooter]

25. The Repub woman has courage. Do any of the Repub men have courage?

We shall see.

[shanti]

45. it's usually the women n/t

[LiberalAndProud]

26. Afraid to hope, yet hoping still.

Hoping that those who value our Constitution more than Partisanship will triumph. Integrity still resides in The People's House. Good on you, NM!

[Strelnikov_]

27. That Recent Poll Result Worrying You, Heather? n/t

[HuffleClaw]

28. i guess rove's threats pissed her off?

not everyone is so easily cowed, despite what they might think.

[Charlie Brown]

29. Rove will not like this n/t

[swag]

31. auto-redaction of previous post.

she seems to be in trouble in her district.

that western streak of libertarianism is threatening her continuation in office.

[Rose Siding]

32. Here's her contact info-

I was waiting for a chance to encourage a repub to step up. I'll thank her for this. Rove will go after her, but good.

In Washington DC
318 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6316 phone
202-225-4975 fax
In Albuquerque
20 First Plaza NW
Suite 603
Albuquerque, NM 87102
505-346-6781 phone
505-346-6723 fax

e-mail form:
http://wilson.house.gov/Contact.asp

[VP505]

56. Rove may,

but Wilson has a record of carefully picking what issue she can break with the party on, usually it one that her vote will have a negligible effect on. Then she'll use that on the home front to convince the non-thinking that she is "working hard for them". Don't loose track of the fact she does these things to benefit her campaign, and couldn't care less about the legality of what Bu$hCo is doing.

[Dr Fate]

33. Well, at least one repub will know how it feels to get Roved. n/t

n/t

[alittlelark]

34. I met her - I dislike her - but she did help our family

when my Nana died. My Nana died at 92 (I was flying on 9-11 due to her death) - she had a reverse morgage on her home.

HUD people came in and took very valuable items 2 weeks before the 'close'. My father and his siblings were frantic for 2-3 days.

My dad (AF Nuclear Physicist) then called Wilson (ex-AF military). The Clock and other items were returned w/in hours.

My dad donated $500 to her after that.

BUT - SHE IS a NEOCON if there ever was one.


She may have just 'fallen out of grace'. PLUS the fact that she is way outclassed in the 2006 race

[shanti]

47. does * have something on her?

TIA and all....

[AlGore-08.com]

35. The illegal wiretapping is THE wedge issue which we MUST use

This has the potential to break Smirk's stranglehold on the Congress and the GOP.

[warbly]

36. so is she able to start an inquiry in her committee?

or does she have to defer to the full House committee, chaired by Bushy extaordinaire Hoekstra?

anyone knowledgeable enough about House rules to say?
thanks.

[alittlelark]

77. She is DANCING>>>>

And she 'won't stop' 'till the shrub is safe.


She is a Low IQ drone. They will use her for whatever they can get before she croaks (politically).

[EVDebs]

37. Maybe she reads Paul Craig Robert's columns ! Another R with common sense

who would impeach the boy king before any more damage to the Republic is done.

[bvar22]

40. "Congressional Inquiry" is a scam.

You DO remember who runs the congress?
Didn't we have a "Congressional Inquiry" into 911???
And wasn't that ANOTHER Congressional Inquiry into AbuGahrib???

Don't settle for this dodge.

[depakid]

44. I guess they're clueing in that they're being spied on, too!

:think:

Blackmail in the Bush administration is a non-partisan operation....

[0rganism]

48. She's a calculating ruthless woman, she has an angle, bet on it

What that angle is won't be immediately clear, but my impression is that the republicans would rather get any investigations done with (i.e., whitewashed) while they still have firm control of both houses of congress.

[DC Law]

49. The fact that Republicans are decidedly fragmented on this

inspired me to write a diary, which I hope you'll read and enjoy: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/2/8/25558/84911

[pearl]

51. Good read DCLaw

And Welcome to DU, God I hope you're right.

[remfan]

52. Careful

I don't know much about Wilson, but I do know enough about this administration to suspect foul play whenever a member of their own team appears to go off message. She may very well be on the up and up, but if this administration feels it's being backed into a corner, they may accept an inquiry that they feel they can 'win'. Wilson coming out with this right after the admin sent Dick Cheney out to do PR for the "program" feels wrong.

What we DO NOT want is a JOINT congressional inquiry, and if the administration thinks it's going to be forced into an inquiry, that's the kind of inquiry it will push for.

Color me skeptical at best. The GOP has a LONG way to go before it's going to convince me that they are truly more concerned with their duty to the country than with their loyalty to the party.

[Nothing Without Hope]

53. A good sign, but remember that Gonzales WAS NOT SWORN IN

for his testimony. It was a party-line vote, and the GOPs decided this crucial issue. It's discussed here:
http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/06/02/edi06015.html

UNLESS THE WH WITNESSES ARE PUT UNDER OATH, HEARINGS MEAN NOTHING AND MAY EVEN WHITEWASH THE ISSUE.

You know the drill: portentous speechifying made "bipartisan" by at least one token Dem sellout, conclusion that there is no cause for concern. Then the "result" is quoted forever after as "proof" that the case is closed. Sound familiar? It's a GOP favorite ploy, turned to when their VERY favorite - suppressing hearings altogether - doesn't quite float the boat any more.

[freedomfries]

54. thank you Heather Wilson & thanks to Pirate Smile

:yourock: :yourock:

[VP505]

55. Let keep a few things ,

in mind, before we start cheering. Wilson is facing a tough reelection, she is one of those who when it helps her image and it won't affect the outcome, will break ranks with the party. She accepted money from Abramhoff ($1000.00), and DeLay ($46,959.00), in fairness, when it was reported that she accepted Abramhoff money, she did donate it to a good cause. Wilson voted with Tom DeLay 87% of the time between Jan. 1 2004 and March 31 2005. Wilson voted to weaken the ethics rules in a move that many say served only to protect Tom DeLay. Then When Republicans realized it was "impossible to win the communications battle" over the gutted ethics rules, Wilson flip-flopped and voted to put the old rules back into place. So to put it bluntly, she is as much a part of the culture of corruption as some of the others in her party. I don't know how this will help her, but you can bet if it didn't she wouldn't be doing it.

[stepnw1f]

57. Who Cares Why She's Doing It

It's done and I'm glad to see it done. Now what about Republicans having very little integrity? We all know they are posers.

[VP505]

62. I care

why she doing it, because everyone needs to realize that this is not someone suddenly finding integrity, it's likely she believes or knows that Bu$hCo is NEVER going to be held accountable for illegal activities. This effort is nothing more than smoke and mirrors so at some later time she can claim she opposed what they were doing,IE, covering her a**.

[Zorra]

69. Yes. Never, ever trust a republican.

Anytime it seems like a republican is doing something decent there is always a deceitful, corrupt ulterior motive behind it.

A prerequisite characteristic of anyone that considers themself a republican is complete moral and ethical bankruptcy.

Realistically, no genuinely decent human being would ever be a republican.

[slestak]

71. She's a harpy

She's doing it to save her butt, because she knows Patricia Madrid is gonna whoop her in the election.

[janx]

72. EXACTLY.

I posted as much in GD, with links.

[boobooday]

58. Keep the heat on

Bush dared every member of congress during his SOTU address to try to stop him from making the biggest executive power grab in our history.

If the GOP members of congress DON'T stand up, they will essentially give up all their power to Dear Leader. Do they want to do that? Even if they thought that Bush would never give up the presidency (if they let him, he'd squat there, I believe) what good is it if they have no power? This is the moment.

Will they stand up, or submit? This little insurrection is a hopeful sign.

[Donovan61]

61. I love it

when Republicans turn on each other.

[Judi Lynn]

67. AP Heather Wilson story: House Republican Calls for FISA Changes

House Republican Calls for FISA Changes
By KATHERINE SHRADER, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, February 8, 2006
(02-08) 09:13 PST WASHINGTON (AP) --

Breaking with the White House, the House Republican who chairs a panel that oversees the National Security Agency wants Congress to change a 1978 foreign intelligence law following the disclosure of President Bush's eavesdropping program.

Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence, says the time has come for a "complete review" of the National Security Agency's program, spokesman Joel Hannahs said.

She believes she has a constitutional responsibility to oversee this program, and the House Intelligence Committee is entitled to full briefings, he said.

Hannahs also said that Wilson believes the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act needs to be updated to "take into account new technology." The law governs the monitoring of calls inside the United States for national security reasons.
(snip/...)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/02/08/national/w091352S78.DTL

[underpants]

68. WOW!

Sorry I duped this but then this thread was easy to miss :eyes:

My bad

[meowomon]

70. PUHLEEZE!

Who better to oversee this than a junior member of the PRESIDENT's OWN PARTY? Easily pushed around, kind of like what Reid did to Obama yesterday. Let there be an independent investigation, and not bi-partisan either. No politicians. This is too important to leave in the hands of politicians with debts to pay.

[janx]

73. Keep it within the Republican confines of Congress.

That's what it's all about.

[Nothing Without Hope]

74. ***Heather Wilson is trying to UNDERMINE FISA - she is no friend to

democracy. She's another WH agent. And never forget - thanks to the straight party-line vote, Gonzales was NOT REQUIRED TO TESTIFY UNDER OATH. It's all a WH-orchestrated charade, and he can and does lie freely.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x360075
thread title (2-8-06 GD): BEFORE YOU GET EXCITED ABOUT HEATHER WILSON:
Comment/excerpt: SF Chron article showing that Heather Wilson is actually only doing WH damage control – she has been trying to change/undermine FISA.

[Vidar]

75. Bless Ms. Wilson for her courage.

[leesa]

76. I don't trust a Congressional investigation. These people are crooks

I want an independent investigation.