Ally Told Bush That Failing to Inform Congress of Spying Projects Might Be

[sabra]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/09/washington/09hoekstra.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Ally Told Bush That Failing to Inform Congress of Spying Projects Might Be Illegal

WASHINGTON, July 8 — In a sharply worded letter to President Bush in May, an important Congressional ally charged that the administration might have violated the law by failing to inform Congress of some secret intelligence programs and risked losing Republican support on national security matters.

The letter from Representative Peter Hoekstra of Michigan, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, did not specify the intelligence activities that he believed had been hidden from Congress.

But Mr. Hoekstra, who was briefed on and supported the National Security Agency's domestic surveillance program and the Treasury Department's tracking of international banking transactions, clearly was referring to programs that have not been publicly revealed.

Recently, after the harsh criticism from Mr. Hoekstra, intelligence officials have appeared at two closed committee briefings to answer questions from the chairman and other members. The briefings appear to have eased but not erased the concerns of Mr. Hoekstra and other lawmakers about whether the administration is sharing information on all of its intelligence operations.

Link to letter here

[bullimiami]

1. might. what a joke.

let Hoekstra go against bushco on anything and see how quick they attack him.

[DELUSIONAL]

15. Even if a person has done nothing wrong -- lies can be told

Kerry went to Vietnam and into real combat -- and for that he got smeared. Remember the bitches wearing the purples band aids at the GOPig convention???

Bits and pieces of nothing can be combined to make someone LOOK bad.

So all it takes is a few whispers and suggestions --

No one is a saint -- and even saints can be smeared.

Ironic that the ones doing the smearing are the ones with the vile deeds in their past -- bush with his AWOL history -- drunk driving and drug use and he is an alcoholic -- plus his insider stock deals. . . . .

Cheney . . . probably worse than bush ---

When we see people voting for stuff they normally would not vote for . . . I can't help but think -- another case of blackmail.

[chill_wind]

23. Purple bandaids. yes. UGH.

I will never forget them, or those fat hairy double chins on those gleeful old broads for Bush.

Yes lies, so many lies, have truly been told again and again. And not just by the maladministration.

[truthisfreedom]

2. at this point, even his allies are worried that he knows every last dirty

detail about their lives and will ruin them if they speak out.

thugs are so dirty nowadays that nobody's safe.

[Tellurian]

35. point well taken..

and another instrument to bludgeon with
if the rank and file need convincing.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. if repukes are being repulsed,

you can bet your bottom dollar that something worse than we can even imagine.

[whistle]

20. Can not count on perceptions, republicans are posturing to pander

...to the voters, it is an election year after all. Bush and the White House advisers don't give a rat's ass of what is illegal what is not. They have power and they will go right on abusing that power unless they are stopped in their tracks. Impeach the bastards!

[unblock]

4. goodness. why does he hate america?

[MissWaverly]

5. Mr. Hoeskstra

You swore under oath to protect and defend the constitution, why do you fail to carry out
your duty to this country that you have sworn to do.

[goforit]

6. Whatever, as if you Congressional schmucks will do a damn thing about it.

[Rex]

7. The books will show that Bush II was unpopular, completely wrong and

the worst President in US history.

[Reckon]

16. The winners write the history

I think we better win or it's going to be a sad world.

[NorthernSun]

8. I'll believe the Republicans care when they utter the IMPEACHMENT word

[FreeStateDemocrat]

9. Damn right, a true litmus test everything else is posturing and spin.

[chill_wind]

25. If only someone with authority would utter the War Crimes CULPABILITY word

and how it should reach all the way down into the select Gang of Eight or so..

Maybe then and only then will we ever see any self-preserving ratting out on ALL the crap they've been complicitly sitting on and participating in.

[Monkeyman]

10. Did you guys read his letter it pdf

They knew!!! What dam liers

[Cocoa]

11. fake like Specter

fake fake fake fake fake.

They're chairmen of powerful committees. They can do more than send letters.

[Canuckistanian]

30. There's the point right there

They send these critical letters (and make sure they're leaked to the press), but nothing else?

No investigations. No hearings. No subpoenas.

They know the press is not going to make a big deal out of this.

A few raised eyebrows, then it's back to business as usual.

[Terran1212]

12. The NYT has been good lately

At revealing these thugs in action.

[screenplaya]

13. George Bush is a wimp

He is so wimpy, he can never face the consequences of his decisions, he always has to lie, cheat, obstruct and deny. I cannot wait for all the tell all books this administration will shit out, them we'll see the real Wimpy George.

[librechik]

14. "programs that have not been publicly revealed."

what fresh hell is this?

[Reckon]

17. We don't know the half of it.

[sellitman]

21. That's what I wonder about

I can't even imagine!

[bluedeminredstate]

18. My childhood friend dated him

years ago. Back then I remember thinking she was getting mixed up with an entire wingnut family, but she was impressed by them. I never got to meet him but heard enough about him to think that he was one big fat show-off who didn't think much of those "beneath" him as my friend apparently was.
Doesn't seem to have gotten nicer with age. Thank God she was dumped by him and not made into a Stepford wife!

:popcorn:

[PinkyisBlue]

19. I like this part of the article:

"Mr. Hoekstra also expressed concern about the intelligence reorganization under John D. Negroponte, the first director of national intelligence, who he said was creating "a large, bureaucratic and hierarchical structure that will be less flexible and agile than our adversaries.""

I'll bet this large, bureaucratic structure is also going to be staffed entirely by political hacks and cronies; democrats need not apply. Had this reorganized intelligence program been in place before the Iraq War, they would have found those weapons of mass destruction Bush was claiming Saddam had. The "intelligence" agency can produce information or data to support anything this administration says. They don't want to have to worry about a person of integrity speaking out again (like Joe Wilson).

This goes to show that Republicans aren't against more government; they're only against more government if it doesn't directly benefit them.

[Festivito]

22. Is Mr. Hoekstra helping Rove test scenarios?

This SORT OF says that RepubliCONs are looking into the matter.

Just, later, nothing comes of any of the trying.

[Just Me]

24. SO? WHAT??

WHAT????? good freakin' grief

SO WHAT IS HE OR ANY OF THE OTHER REPUBLICAN MEMBERS GONNA' DO ABOUT IT?

I'll tell you what,...nothing, nada, zippo, zero, *see no action to protect liberties HERE*

B-L-A-H!!!!

[chill_wind]

26. SOoooo sick of the accounts of these GOP intel gatekeepers getting pissy

only years after the facts. Throwing public fits about being out of the loop. Then some intel stovepipers from the WH or Cheney's rump agency at the Pentagon come up to the Hill for 5 minutes to stroke and massage their ruffled egos with some super-secret meeting behind closed doors--- and then... everything is okay! "Concerns are eased", blah blah blah blah blah.

"If you broke the law, no problem. We'll write new ones for you! All you had to do is come to us like you were supposed to in the first place. See?"

In the meantime, we the people remain iced out of the political process on the other side of the Iron Curtain.

Same crap with the media.

It's not about us. Of the people, by the people, for the people--

It's about them and only them. About their own effing precious *access* and self-perceived standing with the Dear Leader.

In the meantime, the rivers of blood still flow in Iraq, gasoline prices continue to soar here at home, and the junta goes on with its business as usual.


Recently, after the harsh criticism from Mr. Hoekstra, intelligence officials have appeared at two closed committee briefings to answer questions from the chairman and other members. The briefings appear to have eased but not erased the concerns (...)

[struggle4progress]

27. GOP lawmaker criticizes secrecy of surveillance programs

House intelligence chair tells Bush the lack of oversight may be illegal



By CHARLES BABINGTON
Washington Post

WASHINGTON - ... Rep. Peter Hoekstra of Michigan has been a staunch defender of the administration's anti-terror tactics. But seven weeks ago, he wrote to Bush to report that he had heard of "alleged Intelligence Community activities" not outlined to committee members in classified briefings.

"If these allegations are true," he wrote, "they may represent a breach of responsibility by the Administration, a violation of law and ... a direct affront to me and the Members of this committee."

Hoekstra's four-page letter of May 18 was posted Saturday on the New York Times' Web site. His staff confirmed the letter's authenticity but said it was meant to remain private. Spokesman Jamal Ware said Hoekstra "has raised these concerns, and they are being addressed. He will continue to push for full disclosure so the committee can conduct vigorous oversight."

The letter is significant because few congressional Republicans have complained publicly about Bush's surveillance programs, which include warrantless wiretaps of some Americans' international phone calls and e-mail and massive collection of telephone records of U.S. homes and businesses ...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/4033848.html

[ClintonTyree]

28. Now THAT'S funny!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: ......."and risked losing Republican support on national security matters". :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


Ohhhhh, man........these RepubliCONS crack me up! :rofl: Yeah, I'm SURE there were some VERY stern words spoken. :rofl: Then the chimp and cheney told them it was none of their damned business, to go back and be good little ass kissers and leave the "deciding" to "the decider". :grr: Why do they even TRY to give the impression that there's an iota of oversight on this imperial presidency, does anyone believe them any more? Congressional RepubliCONS have less backbone than the Democrats when it comes to standing up to the chimp in chief. What a joke. :eyes:

[berni_mccoy]

29. Key Point: Wiretapping and SWIFT are TIP OF THE ICEBURG

There are programs that Bush hasn't even bothered to brief the intel committee on and they sound bad enough that even a Republican is not happy (but not so much that there aren't other pressing concerns...).

[Canuckistanian]

31. Don't call them "programs"

They're violations of the law. Period. Did Nixon call his break-in or illegal wiretaps "programs"?

It gives their crimes an air of official validity.

[berni_mccoy]

32. Excellent point: Illegal Operations is more appropriate

I will use that (or a similar terminology) when discussing them in the future (I can't edit my earlier post).

[chill_wind]

33. Criminal operations, better yet.

[DemReadingDU]

34. Larry Johnson: House Intel Chief Misses the Boat

Today's news from Eric Lichtblau and Scott Shane that the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Peter Hoekstra, sent a nasty gram to the White House complaining of being kept in the dark on intelligence matters is significant, but misleading. It is significant because Hoekstra is staunch defender of the Bush Administration and yet is now willing to insist that his committee must be briefed on intel operations. So far, so good. What the reporters missed is the underlying message in Hoekstra's letter--that the Bush Administration is being too soft on the intel community, particularly the CIA, and that the CIA is a rogue political actor.

... What caught my eye is Hoekstra's outrage over news that Steven Kappes, the former Director of Operations at the CIA who resigned because of a dispute with Porter Goss, was coming back to the Agency as the Deputy Director. Once you understand how extreme and venomous Hoekstra's world view toward the CIA is, we can begin to understand why many intelligence officers, regardless of political persuasion, have lost confidence in Congressional oversight of the intelligence community.

For those not familiar with the details on the initial Kappes flap, here's the rundown.

http://noquarter.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/07/house_intel_chi.html

[Lostnote06]

68. Thanks for the refresher course re: Kappes

[mvd]

36. I think impeachment has got to be part of

our 2006 message. Not all, but part. I mean, war time does not give the President an opportunity to break the law. Even in an emergency, how hard is it to get quick approval?

[sabra]

37. White House kept "major program" secret from Congress

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2006-07-09T143910Z_01_N09148126_RTRUKOC_0_US-SECURITY-INTELLIGENCE.xml

White House kept "major program" secret from Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration was running several intelligence programs, including one major activity, that it kept secret from Congress until whistle-blowers told the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, the committee's chairman said on Sunday.

Rep. Pete Hoekstra, a Michigan Republican who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, said on Fox News Sunday he had written a four-page to President George W. Bush in May warning him that the failure to disclose the intelligence activities to Congress may be a violation of the law.

In doing so, he confirmed a story that first ran in Sunday editions of the New York Times.

"I take it very, very seriously otherwise I would not have written the letter to the president," Hoekstra said

[stepnw1f]

38. Impeachment

...then prosecution of War Crimes at the Hague is the only justifiable thing for this country to do.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

39. Whoop. There it is.

It is no longer conjecture. Now...just what are they doing? Reason I ask is that I strongly doubt that they were spying on enemies. Spying on citizens is more like it.

[Sherman A1]

40. We will see if

Congress grows a backbone and does their job.

[Monkeyman]

41. nope not until we take it back

[Vidar]

43. No, just one member.

[Tellurian]

42. Attn: HOUSE MGRS, "No One Is Above The LAW" "not even a President!!"

quote by Henry Hyde used to rally the call for President Clinton's Impeachment-

next question...should be from Bob Dole or media reporters:

President Bush, would you waive your presidential immunity from prosecution as
proof of your innocence; as did President Clinton?

<I can't hear you?>

[Benhurst]

48. I remember Bob Dole making a big point about

no one's being above the law when Clinton was impeached.

Maybe Elizabeth Dole will hop all over this.

Yeah. Sure.

The last thing she ever hopped on, years ago, was Bob Dole, a smart career move, indeed.

[Tellurian]

52. And they moved to the WaterGate apts..ahem, just next door to ML

another coinky-dink?

<I can see it now.>

<Operatives with unlimited access to Dole's apt, recording every conversation
ML had regarding her presidential trysts with anyone who cared to listen->

[journalist3072]

44. And the Congressional Research Service says this is illegal

While the Administration is legally allowed to hide the existence of certain sensitive aspects of an illigence program, they are NOT allowed to hide an entire program's existence, which is what it appears that they have done. (I mentioned this in another thread here on DU today as well)

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/01/19/crs-report/

[Marie26]

45. So what is it?

:mad: Hoekstra is "concerned," but he still keeps Bushco.'s secret. He should be telling the public exactly what this program is, & why it scares him so much. This guy was a big supporter of Bush - for him to turn like this, it's got to be pretty bad.

[Newsjock]

46. I'll go out on a limb

... and say it's collection of credit and debit card records ... but "only if you're spending money at al-Qaida," of course.

[Marie26]

47. Not a big limb

Well, except we already know they're doing that. Total Information Awareness tracks Americans' credit card transactions & debit card purchases, among other activities. http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0103/013103h1.htm That program is still in operation under the NSA supervision. So, since they've pretty much acknowledged this, I don't think that can be the "major activity" Hoekstra is worried about. It sounds like this is a program that is still completely secret from the public. If I had to go out on a limb, I'd bet it has to do w/the CIA becoming involved in domestic surveillance activities. Bush appointed Gen. Hayden to the CIA for a reason.

[intheflow]

55. My guess:

The administration is gathering info on members on the House and Senate. We already saw that with the Jefferson bust, but what if they've been secretly and specifically spying on elected officials to get dirt on them, perhaps to blackmail them to bend to the administration's will should they decide to cross the administration. That's really the only thing I can see that would get such an ardent supporter to get so riled up--learning that the pResident and his minions were spying on high-ranking, ardent supporters.

[Marie26]

70. Could be

There's a good thread speculating about what this program might be. The two leading contenders seem to be reading people's mail, or using space satellites to spy on Americans.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2715827

It's interesting that Hayden was approved by so many Democrats, many who had previously voiced concerns. Maybe they are spying on Congress, too.

[tulsakatz]

49. I wonder if this is related to...

....the story about tracking terrorists through financial records? At least that would explain why Bush/Cheney were so pissed when they found out!!

Either way, good for Hoekstra for speaking up, at least.......

[DELUSIONAL]

50. What is bush spying on now??? opening all mail??

Shall we brainstorm?? What hasn't the bush gang NOT done??

Telephone records -- telephone calls -- internet probably routed and all emails etc. placed on hard disk storage and then mined for all information.

Mail --- who knows?

More than likely all International mail is scanned and or opened -- lots of reports of packages being opened.

Health records -- bush was trying to push for computerized health records -- so this could go into a huge database.

Work records -- probably large firms have already surrendered all employee records to the government.

School records -- who knows??

Financial records -- probably already in a huge data base -- under the excuse of tracking drug money or TERRORISTS money.

Travel records -- already done if anyone travels by plane -- even if long distance travel is by vehicle -- and credit cards can track you.

List of friends -- network of friends -- can be discovered via email records -- and telephone records.

Linking names to much of the above records is easy since more and more SS numbers are required for all transactions -- Credit Card -- SS # required -- Driver's License -- SS # required, Cell phone SS # required -- Bank account opened -- SS # required. Employment -- SS # required. IRS -- SS # required.

What have I forgotten -- what other record can bush and his gang collect?

Under Financial records -- Utility -- they can track money coming in -- via employee records (IRS) and money paid out -- even if we use only cash -- they can still track how much money is kept out of pay checks. Knowing the address -- linking address -- they also have a record of how others in similar financial circumstances spend their money. In many ways we (Americans, people living in America) are remarkable alike and can be grouped into age, income spending/interest/job categories -- also voting patterns can also be assumed from occupation and income, add the church going element.

In short any record that we generate can be placed in a database under a SS# or other related identification. We may think we are unique -- but we share traits in common and behavior in common with a subset.

At the same time -- bush also shares traits in common with a specific subset --

Dad really rich & powerful and can get him out of any mess he gets into.

WE know that bush has used that knowledge all through is privileged spoiled life.

We also know that bush abuses drugs and alcohol -- and he has stuff to hide -- lots of stuff to the extreme that his poops are top secret.

So what might the enemy find in bush's poops?? How about drugs? What sort of drugs?

Ah so that's what the newest super secret spy on Americans secret is -- finding out what each individual wants to hide. . . .

[MissWaverly]

57. my guess is patient information

cross-linking phone numbers from Congress people to Health Care Providers including psychiatrists
and prescription information, I am sure that Rush is not the only one with a prescription for
Viagra

[DELUSIONAL]

58. That seems to be the only gap --

bush was yammering on about computerizing patient files -- and then shut up on that subject.

I have a feeling that "they" can't tell him too much otherwise he just might blab what "they" are up to.

It wouldn't be hard to get all the information -- and if we consider all the "thefts" of laptops or hacking into specific databases -- it wouldn't take long to link up health info with hospital records and health insurance records. More than likely the insurance companies are sharing data -- keeping out the more costly individuals from group plans or even self insuring.

bush mouthed off that he doesn't use email because he didn't want his secrets made public -- which told me that all email is being stored on hard disk somewhere -- and could someday be made "public" in other words used for blackmail.

Now we learn that bush's poops are secret -- and this tells me that we have no secret or private health information -- that it has all become "public" or black mailable via huge storage and database collection systems.

So what would happen if we go to a doctor and demand that our visit remain private?

Many doctors subscribe to a transcription service and they dictate patient records -- all it takes is for that dictation record or the transcript record to be side tracked long enough to be duplicated into a huge secret database.

Patient doctor confidentiality is out the window -- also lawyer - client confidentiality is also probably out the window. We know that the Gitmo prisoners don't have any lawyer - client confidentiality and more than likely American citizens have also lost that presumed right.

[MissWaverly]

59. Best guess big medical insurance firms cooperating

just like the phone companies, all they have to say is terra, terra, terra, it's like Open Sesame
to get whatever they want.

[Marie26]

71. It's so sad

That's a really good list. It's like, they've already spied on everything, what could possibly be left? The gov. probably is opening first-class mail, too. Gonzales refused to deny this during his testimony to the Judiciary Committee.

"SEN. PATRICK LEAHY: Did it authorize the opening of first class mail of U.S. Citizens? Just -- that you can answer yes or no.

ALBERTO GONZALES: There is all kinds of wild speculation about what the --

SEN. PATRICK LEAHY: Did it authorize it?

SEN. ARLEN SPECTER: Let him finish.

ALBERTO GONZALES: There is all kinds of wild speculation out there about what the president has authorized and what we're actually doing. And I'm not going to get into a discussion, Senator, about hypotheticals.

SEN. PATRICK LEAHY: Mr. Attorney General, you're not answering my question. I'm not asking you what the president authorized. Does this law --you're the chief law enforcement officer of the country. Does this law authorize the opening of first-class mail of U.S. citizens-- yes or no-- under your interpretation?

ALBERTO GONZALES: Senator, I think -- I think that, again, that is not what is going on here. We're only focused on communications -- international communications where one part of the communication is al-Qaida. That's what this program is all about.

SEN. PATRICK LEAHY: You haven't answered my question."

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/congress/jan-june06/presidential_2-6.html

[lpbk2713]

51. EComCon?

Seven Days in May.


(Only it wasn't the WH that was doing the skullduggery this time.)

[Joanne98]

53. The 18th impeachable offense.

[Marie26]

54. Hoekstra's letter

The NY Times story has more information:

Ally Warned Bush on Keeping Spying From Congress

WASHINGTON, July 8 — In a sharply worded letter to President Bush in May, an important Congressional ally charged that the administration might have violated the law by failing to inform Congress of some secret intelligence programs and risked losing Republican support on national security matters. ...

Mr. Hoekstra, who was briefed on and supported the National Security Agency's domestic surveillance program and the Treasury Department's tracking of international banking transactions, clearly was referring to programs that have not been publicly revealed.

The letter appears to have resulted at least in part from the White House's decision, made early in May, to name Gen. Michael V. Hayden to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, with Stephen R. Kappes as his deputy. The letter was sent the day of General Hayden's confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Mr. Hoekstra (pronounced HOOK-stra) complained publicly about the choices when they were announced, but his private letter to Mr. Bush was much harsher. He warned that the choice of Mr. Kappes, who he said was part of a group at the C.I.A. that "intentionally undermined the administration," sends "a clear signal that the days of collaborative reform between the White House and this committee may be over."

"http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/09/washington/09hoekstra.html?_r=1&oref=slogin"

According to the Reuters article, Hoekstra confirmed everything in this NY Times story.


Here's the letter that Hoekstra sent to Bush (pdf): http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/national/20060709hoekstra.pdf

[DemReadingDU]

56. Larry Johnson: House Intel Chief Misses the Boat

Today's news from Eric Lichtblau and Scott Shane that the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Peter Hoekstra, sent a nasty gram to the White House complaining of being kept in the dark on intelligence matters is significant, but misleading. It is significant because Hoekstra is staunch defender of the Bush Administration and yet is now willing to insist that his committee must be briefed on intel operations. So far, so good. What the reporters missed is the underlying message in Hoekstra's letter--that the Bush Administration is being too soft on the intel community, particularly the CIA, and that the CIA is a rogue political actor.

... What caught my eye is Hoekstra's outrage over news that Steven Kappes, the former Director of Operations at the CIA who resigned because of a dispute with Porter Goss, was coming back to the Agency as the Deputy Director. Once you understand how extreme and venomous Hoekstra's world view toward the CIA is, we can begin to understand why many intelligence officers, regardless of political persuasion, have lost confidence in Congressional oversight of the intelligence community.

For those not familiar with the details on the initial Kappes flap, here's the rundown.

http://noquarter.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/07/house_intel_chi.html

[Marie26]

69. So this is just a turf battle?

What I don't understand is, if this is just an effort to get back at anti-Bush CIA members, why does Hoefstra also express concerns about Gen. Hayden and Negroponte? There's no question that those two support Bush's policies, right?

[Harry Monroe]

60. If he violated the law, then...

...why oh why don't we see impeachment hearings begin!!! AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

:mad: :grr: :nuke: :shrug:

[savemefromdumbya]

61. A government cannot be sneaky, deceitful

whatever you like to call it they are trying to break this country

[Judi Lynn]

62. White House Kept "Major Program" Secret

White House Kept "Major Program" Secret

By REUTERS
Published: July 9, 2006
Filed at 11:07 a.m. ET

Skip to next paragraph WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration was running several intelligence programs, including one major activity, that it kept secret from Congress until whistle-blowers told the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, the committee's chairman said on Sunday.

Rep. Pete Hoekstra, a Michigan Republican who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, said on Fox News Sunday he had written a four-page to President George W. Bush in May warning him that the failure to disclose the intelligence activities to Congress may be a violation of the law.

In doing so, he confirmed a story that first ran in Sunday editions of the New York Times.

``I take it very, very seriously otherwise I would not have written the letter to the president,'' Hoekstra said.

``This is actually a case where the whistle-blower process was working appropriately and people within the intelligence community brought to my attention some programs that they believed we had not been briefed on. They were right,'' said Hoekstra, a close ally of Bush.
(snip/...)

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/washington/politics-security-intelligence.html?_r=1&oref=slogin



Rep. Hoekstra

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

63. I want one of the investigative reporters to...

Dump the deep skinny on these programs. You just know that they are data mining and intel collecting in the US, in violation of reams of laws.

[Tellurian]

65. Interesting...see if he really is turning..

and will press on..

[lyonn]

66. You would think the press and politicians would object

more than anyone concerning the data mining of bank info, tele calls/cell, etc. that could be used for purposes of blackmail, remember Hoover, FBI? We the little people don't need to be too concerned at this point, until our local authorities use this process to put the squeeze on us for whatever purpose they find beneficial to them and theirs.

Guess it depends on whose ox is being gored. As long as the repubs can use this to stay in office and all those making big bucks stay rich it all is legal.

[Sherman A1]

64. Nice to see

some of Congress showing up for work. About time........

[goforit]

67. Hoekstra???? WTF is any whimpy Congressman gonna do.....

Nothing!!! as usual!